Chapter 512

The Third Era of the Desolate Domain, 73rd World Star Year.

Black Heaven Desolate Domain, Nameless Boundary Mountain.

"Your subordinate respectfully requests the Boundless True God!"

The familiar temple, the familiar clock throne.

In the Third Era of the Desolate Domain, Zhao Xing met the Boundless True God for the first time.

"Zhao Xing, how are the preparations for the Mountain Head contention coming along?"

"Reporting to the True God, I am not yet confident in killing Kuang Chuan during the Dao discussion."

This was not an attempt to play the victim; Kuang Chuan's strength was indeed much higher than his.

And it was unlikely for him to use other sects' techniques at the Primordial Mound, nor was taking pills allowed, so killing Kuang Chuan was truly difficult.

"The Mountain Head contention at the Primordial Mound has started too early; my preparation time is not sufficient."

The Boundless True God pondered, "This God can gift you some time."

Gift me some time.

Zhao Xing did not quite understand.

He saw the Boundless True God pinch his thumb and index finger together, and a light spot the size of a grain of rice appeared between them.

"This is a Time Particle," the Boundless True God introduced. "The spatial size is five boundary-element units."

"The time duration is one era."

"You can perform one time acceleration within your internal world; do not use it in the outside world, otherwise the effect will be greatly diminished."

Looking at the Time Particle, Zhao Xing's heart skipped a beat.

In the Profound Spirit Treasury Pavilion, a Time Particle with a duration of 1 era acting on 5 boundary-element units is worth at least 200 million contribution points!

Because those capable of condensing Time Particles are basically at the God King level, or are space-time formation masters at the God General level like the Boundless True God.

Is Venerable Kuang Chuan actually worth this much?

The Boundless True God continued to analyze:

"Regarding the techniques of the Primordial Mound, in terms of power, Mountain Techniques are supreme."

"However, one must cultivate a mountain within the body, which takes too long."

"Fortunately, you are a Farmer of the Self-Nature Sect and possess the conditions to use it, which can save you some effort."

Zhao Xing took the 【Time Particle】; it was truly like a grain of rice, only there were some flocculent substances flowing inside.

"Remember, the Time Particle can only be used for your internal world. If used in the outside world, with your Demigod strength, you will not be able to suppress its power and will instead injure yourself."

The Boundless True God repeatedly exhorted.

"Yes, this subordinate understands." Zhao Xing nodded and carefully stored it away.

"If you can accomplish this matter, you may come to me again to claim your reward." The Boundless True God did not say what the consequences would be if he failed.

But Zhao Xing knew clearly that usually, if one link of an Evil God mission is not completed, the mission chain is interrupted, and one will also be cursed by the Evil God, triggering a decrease in luck and lifespan.

After the summoning ended, Zhao Xing left the Black Heaven Desolate Domain, and on the way, he began to carefully examine Venerable Kuang Chuan's past.

After all, this person was too valuable; to defeat an opponent, one must first understand them.

"Venerable Kuang Chuan once published the 'Book of the Nether-Ancient Universe'."

"Although the vast majority of this book consists of theories and conjectures, it also contains two highly recognized legal treatises that were collected into the Nine Classics Pavilion."

Theory and legal treatise are two different things.

The requirements for the Nine Classics Pavilion and Daoist book authorship in the Academy are very high.

One must have both theory and corresponding concrete techniques.

"In the eleventh era before the Desolate Domain, Venerable Kuang Chuan proposed a theory that the universe does not only have three terrestrial vein eras."

"Before the Primordial Aeon, the Meta-Ancient Aeon, and the Dao-Manifestation Aeon, there should have been an even earlier Nether-Ancient Aeon, which was the gestation stage of the Extreme Land."

"But in the tenth era before the Desolate Domain, he changed his mind, believing that the Nether-Ancient Aeon was an era shortly after the birth of the Extreme Land, between the Primordial Aeon and the Meta-Ancient Aeon."

"At this time, after a full era of field investigation and finding some strong evidence from ancient books of the Five Emperors era."

"Venerable Kuang Chuan believed that there was an invisible mountain in the Black Heaven Desolate Domain and named it Nether-Ancient Mountain."

"And he believed that it was this great mountain that blocked the radiance of the Extreme Star, creating the Black Heaven Desolate Domain."

"During his field investigation, he also proposed the 'Five Seas and One Mountain Theory'."

"He split the Self-Nature Sect's 'Primitive Ocean Theory' into five great seas, believing that the evolution of the primitive ocean had five major periods: the Perilous Sea,"

"the Tranquil Sea, the Clear Sea, the Fertile Sea, and the Stormy Sea."

"Once the conjecture had evidence, it began to transform into a theory."

"But at that time, there were hardly any believers because his theory was too absurd, and splitting the primitive ocean theory offended the Farmers of the Self-Nature Sect."

"Even the interior of the Primordial Mound considered it too absurd. If there was a Nether-Ancient Aeon, then why does the Primordial Mound have three realms instead of four?"

"This situation only improved shortly before he disappeared."

Zhao Xing continued to flip through Venerable Kuang Chuan's past deeds. "Before Venerable Kuang Chuan resolutely went to the Black Heaven Desolate Domain to find Nether-Ancient Mountain, he produced two legal treatises."

"Namely, the 'Great Treatise on Nether-Ancient Mountain' and the 'Legal Treatise on Profound Nether Transformation'."

His Daoist book finally had technical support.

"The Great Treatise on Nether-Ancient Mountain contains a Nether-Ancient Mountain Visualization Method."

"Besides Kuang Chuan himself, four other Primordial Mound Demigods who practiced the 'Extreme Land Giant God Peak' visualized that Nether-Ancient Mountain."

"The power of the mountain technique increased greatly, and even their mental will became much stronger."

"Although counting Venerable Kuang Chuan himself, only five people succeeded in practicing the Nether-Ancient Mountain technique, but with the theory supported by actual techniques, the situation was different."

"Venerable Kuang Chuan was mentioned as a candidate for Mountain Head for the first time."

"However, at that time, he had no intention of competing for Mountain Head. After leaving behind a legal treatise, he went to the Black Heaven Desolate Domain alone and disappeared for ten eras."

"And this second legal treatise is the 'Legal Treatise on Profound Nether Transformation'."

"The Legal Treatise on Profound Nether Transformation is a reincarnation technique."

"Venerable Kuang Chuan believed that the Extreme Land during the Nether-Ancient Aeon once had a period or region of 'Extreme Yin'."

"Without Yang, Yin cannot be born; without Yin, Yang cannot transform. This piece of Nether-Earth is the place where all life returns after death."

"It interacts with the radiance of the Extreme Star, and life produces a complete cycle of reincarnation."

"He believed that the 'Rui Emperor' period of the Five Emperors era had inadvertently utilized a portion of the 'Nether-Earth'."

"Refining it to form the 'Netherworld', using it as the foundation for ruling 'souls'."

"It's just that during the Rui Emperor period, only a part of the Extreme Land's Nether-Earth was refined, the 'Dao' was not complete, and the Netherworld collapsed and split."

"Venerable Kuang Chuan even believed that the long-standing Reincarnation Temple had some connection with the Yin God Office that managed the Netherworld during the Rui Emperor period."

"His Profound Nether Transformation technique could not only reincarnate himself, but theoretically, could it also resurrect others?"

Zhao Xing finished reading Venerable Kuang Chuan's life story and couldn't help but be stunned.

As someone from the Profound Yellow Realm, he could deeply appreciate the gold content of Venerable Kuang Chuan's two legal treatises.

"The Great Zhou's Luck Divine Dynasty system also controls the Yin Realm; could this be the Extreme Land Nether-Earth he spoke of?"

"Isn't the Profound Nether Transformation technique digging at the foundation of the Reincarnation Temple?"

Excluding the wild altar resurrection methods, the resurrection rights of the Profound Spirit Star Domain are basically held by the Reincarnation Temple.

Even if the 'resurrecting others' part is still just a theory, Venerable Kuang Chuan's legal treatise is definitely digging at the corner of the Reincarnation Temple.

Zhao Xing's clone remaining in the Primordial Mound immediately went to the Primordial Mound library to search for these two secret techniques.

In the end, he only found the Nether-Ancient Mountain technique, but did not find the Profound Nether Transformation technique.

Zhao Xing immediately found Venerable Meishan to ask for the reason.

"You're talking about this secret technique; it has been sealed," Venerable Meishan said lightly.

"Sealed? Why?" Zhao Xing was a bit puzzled.

"Because there is a large deviation between its theory and the actual technical effect, and it is somewhat taboo," Venerable Meishan said lightly.

"Senior Brother, can I know?" Zhao Xing asked.

"After Kuang Chuan created it, he intended to test the technique himself."

"According to the theory of the Profound Nether Transformation technique, before attempting it, he first needed to find a piece of so-called 'Nether-Earth'."

"But where would there be Nether-Earth in this world?"

"Even for the Great Treatise on Nether-Ancient Mountain, at that time, including him, only five people succeeded in practicing it and visualized the Nether-Ancient Mountain."

"No one knew the location of that invisible mountain either."

"Without Nether-Earth, he could only refine it himself," Venerable Meishan recalled. "With the support of God General Mengchuan, their lineage made the first attempt in the Black Heaven Desolate Domain."

Zhao Xing nodded. The beginning of the Primordial Mound's cultivation technique 'Extreme Land' is to draw veins into the body and gather veins into a mountain.

Refining terrestrial vein soil to make it transform to a higher level is a type of Earth Refining Method.

"Zhao Xing, how do you think one can artificially refine Nether-Earth?" Venerable Meishan asked.

"I don't know," Zhao Xing shook his head. "Nether-Earth is extremely Yin, but solitary Yin cannot grow, and solitary Yang cannot be born. Even among the Thousand Earth Wonders, there is no situation that is completely devoid of a trace of Yang Qi."

"Indeed," Venerable Meishan nodded. "Terrestrial vein Qi will always reveal a trace of Yang attribute; extreme Yin only appears in the theories of the universe's beginning."

"At that time, God General Mengchuan and Venerable Kuang Chuan were conducting experiments in the Black Heaven Desolate Domain. The Three Realms and Twelve Mountains all agreed, and at that time, almost everyone thought Kuang Chuan would be the next Mountain Head."

"Even I thought so at the time; the position of Mountain Head was definitely Kuang Chuan's," Venerable Meishan recalled.

"At that time, Kuang Chuan had the support of the gods of the Primordial Realm, Meta-Ancient Realm, and Dao-Manifestation Realm, and even dug out a small section from the three major terrestrial veins to provide him for experiments."

"At that time, the Primordial Mound established a secret base in the Black Heaven Desolate Domain, and a large amount of resources and manpower were fully handed over to Kuang Chuan to lead."

"At the beginning, he did achieve some results," Venerable Meishan pointed to the outer ring land.

"The Star-Shifting Great Array and the Starry Sky Ring Land were all perfected because of Kuang Chuan's Nether-Earth refining experiment."

"But gradually, the situation changed."

Venerable Meishan said, "Kuang Chuan consumed more and more resources, but the harvest of significant value was very small."

"Especially the most critical 'Nether-Earth', there was no end in sight for refining it."

"The number of high-level officials who opposed it gradually increased, believing that they should no longer cut the major veins of the Three Realms to provide for Kuang Chuan."

"By the last solar year of the ninth era before the Desolate Domain, Kuang Chuan, who could not see hope, also went mad."

Zhao Xing: "Went mad? How did he go mad?"

Venerable Meishan thought for a moment, reached out and pointed, and the ground beneath his feet suddenly cracked. Zhao Xing sensed a stone slab flying up from deep underground.

A large amount of flow Qi surrounded and sealed the stone slab, making it impossible for people to see clearly.

"Open!"

Venerable Meishan gave a low shout, and the flow Qi dissipated, revealing some text and images.

Zhao Xing knew that this was the Primordial Mound's unique information storage method. Looking at this stone slab, it should be a very high-level sealing method; it could be said to be a classified file.

"See for yourself."

Zhao Xing lowered his head to look carefully, and then his expression changed.

In the later stages of the experiment, Venerable Kuang Chuan, who could not get results, had already gone into qi deviation and started using people for experiments.

He believed that high-level Yin spirits could catalyze true extreme Yin soil, which is Nether-Earth.

Thus, Venerable Kuang Chuan began to bewitch those who believed in him to sacrifice themselves for the experiment.

Because Venerable Kuang Chuan had great power at that time and was almost the only candidate for Mountain Head, it was only discovered after many Primordial Mound disciples had died.

At the beginning of the eighth era before the Desolate Domain, Venerable Kuang Chuan's experiment was called off, and everything was filed away.

Because Venerable Kuang Chuan had already been determined to have gone into qi deviation, and God General Mengchuan had taken the main responsibility for his disciple, requesting the Reincarnation Temple to resurrect some people.

So the Primordial Mound's final punishment for Venerable Kuang Chuan was exile to the Black Heaven Desolate Domain.

Of course, the public statement was that Venerable Kuang Chuan was not interested in the position of Mountain Head and, in order to pursue the Great Dao and explore the legendary invisible mountain, voluntarily gave up the position of Mountain Head.

Thus, Venerable Meishan also became the new Mountain Head of the Primordial Mound.

"So that's how it is." Zhao Xing understood immediately after reading. "Since then, the Profound Nether Transformation technique no longer pursues refining Nether-Earth."

"In this way, this technique became a type of 'Life Earth Palace' technique. The name also changed to 'Profound Earth Reincarnation Technique'."

"Correct," Venerable Meishan nodded. "The weakened Profound Earth Reincarnation Technique can still be called a superior reincarnation technique."

"Looking back at the events of that year many years later, it really cannot be blamed entirely on Kuang Chuan."

"At that time, the Three Realms and Twelve Mountains, whether human or god, all placed high hopes on him; his pressure was too great."

Zhao Xing nodded. Venerable Kuang Chuan was, after all, a person with merit and great contributions.

Exile to the Black Heaven Desolate Domain without public handling could be considered as preserving the Primordial Mound's dignity.

"The exile at that time did not have a set time limit, but staying in a place like the Black Heaven Desolate Domain for ten eras can be considered punishment."

"Now that he has returned and brought back the essence of the Nether-Ancient Mountain's terrestrial veins, this contribution is undoubtedly very large."

"More than half of the gods in the Three Realms believe that Venerable Kuang Chuan has the qualifications to continue competing for Mountain Head."

"Some gods even brought up the 'Nether-Earth refining' matter again, but it was opposed."

Through Venerable Meishan's words, Zhao Xing also roughly knew what kind of competitor he was facing.

Reputation, strength, legal treatises, theory, supporters—no matter which aspect you look at, Venerable Kuang Chuan is not weaker than himself.

"Damn it, this deal was a loss," Zhao Xing felt a bit annoyed in his heart.

The Boundless True God only gave 1 Time Particle to make him kill Venerable Kuang Chuan; no matter how you think about it, this price is a bit low.

Even if Venerable Kuang Chuan has defected to the Evil God, in the current situation, there must be evidence, right? Not to mention that this period is exactly when space-time shocks are frequent.

Venerable Kuang Chuan has passed the tests of the Three-Round Gods; even if he could kill him, saying he is in the Evil God camp would be hard to convince people.

"Sure enough, benefits are not obtained for nothing."

"I have only one chance to complete this mission."

Zhao Xing keenly realized that to complete this mission, the only way was to initiate a Great Dao contention during the Mountain Head contention and kill Kuang Chuan openly and honestly.

Before or after, wanting to kill Venerable Kuang Chuan would come at a great price and with extreme difficulty.

Meishan, thirty layers underground, Nanshan Manor.

After Zhao Xing's main body returned, he went into seclusion to cultivate again.

In the internal world, the Time Particle floated above the boundless continent.

"Time Particle, action range 5 boundary-element units, 1 era."

"After use, one can accelerate the refining of a great mountain."

Zhao Xing looked at the several mountain peaks floating in his internal world.

He cultivated the 'Layered Boundary Mountain', so naturally, the materials were also Layered Boundary Mountain. Now there were nine corner peaks here, which were the foundation he prepared for refining the mountain.

"Nine corner peaks, plus tens of thousands of 'Earth Treasures' as assistance."

"After refining, transfer it to the Qiankun Hunyuan body to become my natal mountain peak."

Natal mountain peaks are of course not prohibited during competitions, otherwise those who specialize in mountain techniques would not be able to participate.

Any other magic tools or drugs cannot be used; only the natal mountain peak can be deployed.

"Go."

Zhao Xing first surrounded the nine corner peaks together and piled them on an empty space in the boundless continent with a range of 5 boundary-element units.

Immediately after, he arranged a large number of auxiliary materials according to the formation.

Finally, he released the Time Particle.

"Boom~"

When the power of the Time Particle was released, Zhao Xing felt the time flow rate in the specific area below accelerate.

"Space-time changes are so violent; no wonder it has to be done in the internal world. If it weren't for the suppression of the internal world, I wouldn't be able to control the power of the Time Particle at all."

Zhao Xing looked at the crazily distorted space-time below and couldn't help but feel secretly shocked.

"It is now equivalent to a space-time tribulation above the fifteenth level, or even higher."

"At this time, if my true spirit dared to enter the area below, even if I knew the space-time earth-passage method, I would be torn into pieces."

"People can't withstand it; only the Boundary Mountain corner peaks can."

The characteristic of the Layered Boundary Mountain is to absorb the origin and continuously grow and expand.

The time origin has a great influence on the life true spirit, but for a mountain, the influence is very small.

A moment later, the rolling and chaotic earth was like a pot of porridge.

However, soon, a piece of new mountain land appeared on the boundless continent, emitting a faint treasure light.

"The Earth Refining Method taught to me by God Venerable Lanshen and the Earth Refining Method I once learned in the White Bone God Domain are already very different."

"The Earth Refining Boundary Mountain Method, the first layer is still the Earth Refining Furnace, but it refines the mountain land foundation."

"The second layer, mountain land becomes a peak, starting to refine the shape of the mountain peak."

Zhao Xing looked at the nine corner peaks below, like pillars supporting the sky, continuously shrinking and cracking, and continuously condensing.

Normally, this Earth Refining Method only needs three corner peaks.

But Zhao Xing used nine, because he is a Holy Body that possesses both Heavenly Time and Earthly Advantage, and when the natal mountain peak is transferred into the Holy Body, he must also consider that the natal mountain peak can be driven by all three types of magic power.

"The third layer, mountain peak becomes a ridge. The nine corner peaks form a mountain ridge, taking root in the three layers of Elephant Manifestation, Dao Manifestation, and Dao Ancient; at this time, it cannot be easily destroyed."

The nine corner peaks below continuously grew stronger and gradually became clear.

"The fourth layer, mountain ridge becomes a vein. The nine corner peaks correspond to my Extreme Land Mustard Mountain technique route; the mountain vein veins are consistent with my Holy Body magic veins."

Zhao Xing soon had a wonderful feeling; he and the nine mountain peaks resonated.

Because the time flow below was extremely fast, about half a year later, he felt the nine corner peaks expand and contract with his breathing.

"Only the last step remains: transfer the mountain peak into the Holy Body to fuse, and a natal boundary mountain can be formed."

"Withdraw!"

Although the Time Particle was still taking effect, continuing to refine it would have no further effect.

Boom~

The nine mountain peaks suddenly flew up, leaving the area affected by the Time Particle.

"Swish~"

Zhao Xing's mind turned into a physical form to support the nine peaks.

After taking them away, he pushed gently, pushing the remaining part of the Time Particle toward his own original seed.

"I put the Time Particle in, and the original seed wanted to swallow it."

"Now that the refining is complete, there is about 300, 00 years of power left, so let you eat it."

Seeing the original seed swallow the remaining part of the Time Particle, the touch of green on the surface became more obvious, and Zhao Xing then left the internal world.

The nine corner peaks fused into the Holy Body and landed on the Great Sun No-Sea.

"After the natal boundary mountain is refined, if I encounter better 'Earth Treasures' in the future, I can also fuse them into it, making the power stack," Zhao Xing exhaled.

At this time, his temperament had changed significantly, becoming more heavy and steady.

"A Farmer of the Mountain Technique school, once a natal mountain is sacrificed, and one resides in the mountain, as long as the natal mountain is not broken, one is in an invincible position."

"The mountain technique branch is huge; valley mazes to trap enemies, ridge earth changes, cultivating rock life to attack—the means can be said to be endless."

Zhao Xing spent only one year refining the natal boundary mountain.

At this time, there were still three years before the Meishan Dao discussion started, so he continued to broaden the breadth of the mountain technique.

Three years later, Nanshan Manor.

"Little Junior Brother~"

"Little Junior Brother~~"

Vibrations came from underground, continuously calling Zhao Xing. The vibration gradually grew from weak to strong, finally waking Zhao Xing from his focused state of seclusion.

"Senior Brother." Zhao Xing opened his eyes and found that it was a mountain puppet of Venerable Meishan calling him.

"The Meishan Dao discussion is about to begin. The Mountain Lords of the seventy-two peaks have all arrived, and you should come up too."

"Many thanks for the reminder, Senior Brother." Zhao Xing's mind moved, and he escaped underground, flying out of the thirty-layer space in one breath.

At this time, Meishan, inside and outside the mountain gate, in every office and place, appeared very lively.

Whether it is the Mountain Head or the Mountain Lord, this involves the position changes of a large number of people.

If it is the Peak Lord of a certain peak who becomes the Lord of Meishan, then the status of the people below naturally rises with the tide.

Suppose one can go a step further and become the Mountain Head respected by the Twelve Mountains; the benefits would be even greater.

"So many people have come; more than thirty rulers of ancient human kingdoms have come, and there are tens of thousands of ancient kingdom observation delegations."

"The Ten Great Demon Kingdoms have also sent Venerables to observe the ceremony; Venerable Bomeng and Venerable Qingyao from the Demon God Temple have also come."

"Venerable Yuanding from the Reincarnation Temple, this is Old Qing's junior brother—Wanying, Sheng Yi, Fuping, and Gaoyu have come, two of them; they are all from the Origin Heavenly Palace—and there is also Venerable Tianguan."

The Twelve Mountain Dharma Assembly of the Primordial Mound is undoubtedly the first grand event of the Third Era of the Desolate Domain.

On the observation list, one can see many familiar and unfamiliar powerhouses.

Although events like the Era Worm crisis, the Heavenly Dimension Giant Beast, and space-time shocks have caused great chaos and turmoil in the Profound Spirit Star Domain.

However, the more chaotic the period, the more important such a Dharma Assembly appears.

"On the Empire side, there are Teacher Wudu, Ji Si, Meng Wu, Bi Sui—hmm? Old Zuo has also come; it seems he is fine."

"No, why isn't Old Liu here?"

Zhao Xing did not see Liu Tianning on the invited guests list.

"Qiu Zishan, who is responsible for the Empire's guest invitation matters? Why wasn't Liu Tianning invited?"

Zhao Xing immediately found someone to ask. Qiu Zishan was the person in charge of the Earth Passage Office who had followed him on the Tongming Ancient Road back then.

"Junior Uncle, who is this Liu Tianning?" Qiu Zishan asked cautiously.

Liu Tianning had no fame at all and did not hold any position in the Empire.

"He is my teacher; send someone to pick him up immediately," Zhao Xing said.

Old Liu was too low-key; even after becoming a Demigod, he had no fame in the Empire at all.

"Yes, I will go right now."

The competition within Meishan was hosted by God General Lanchuan, and witnessed by three other God Generals: Lu Song, Gong Yi, and Yu Ling.

Regarding what tests to set for the Meishan Dao discussion, God General Lanchuan had the final say, but he also had to ensure fairness and would not favor any peak.

Zhao Xing's previous position was God Palace Envoy, and he also had the qualifications to participate in the Meishan Dao discussion.

The seventy-two Peak Lords, various Palace Heads, and Office Heads, all added up, totaled 183 people who had the qualifications to compete.

In July of the 81st World Star Year of the Third Era of the Desolate Domain, the Twelve Mountains opened the Dharma Assembly simultaneously.

The Meishan Dharma Assembly was divided into three stages.

The first stage was the Green Ridge Dao discussion; this stage had no ranking and did not distinguish between high and low.

All 183 people could freely discuss the Dao, or expound on their own theoretical doctrines, or share their insights on technical cultivation, or display the research results of their respective peaks.

After all, there is only one Mountain Lord; the Peak Lords, Palace Heads, Office Heads, Academy Heads, and God Envoys of each peak would try their best to show the characteristics of their positions to the world and pull in investment for the people under their command.

Guests invited to the scene could enter anyone's Dharma Realm to watch and listen to their Dao discussion. There was even a commercial transaction segment.

For example, Venerable Meishan once pulled in sky-high commercial orders for Meishan's Earth Treasury Office and Earth Dao Office during this stage.

The second stage was the God Domain Trial.

God General Lanchuan would open the God Domain and set up multiple tests, covering various major categories of techniques of the Earthly Advantage school.

Mountain techniques, Earth Palace techniques, Profound Earth techniques, Earth Splitting techniques, Earth Passage techniques, Earth Refining techniques, etc.

Finally, the four God Generals—Lanchuan, Lu Song, Gong Yi, and Yu Ling—would comment on the participants' performance and confirm the ranking. The first place would be the Mountain Lord of Meishan.

The third stage was the Mountain Lord Challenge.

After the God Domain Trial ended, although the first place was the Mountain Lord, because the content of the God Domain Trial usually did not allow competitors to fight each other.

Thus, in the third stage, the first-place Mountain Lord would stand at the peak of Meishan and accept challenges from the remaining Peak Lords.

In most cases, this was just an entertaining segment. After the Dao discussion in the first stage and the God Domain Trial in the second stage, the Peak Lords already had a good idea of the Mountain Lord's strength.

Initiating a challenge was just an opportunity for each other to understand more deeply; after all, when a new Mountain Lord takes office, they also need to know the strength of each peak. But there were also extreme situations, where those who were unconvinced could initiate a Great Dao contention against the Mountain Lord. If they could win, they would become the new Mountain Lord.

Only after passing through the three stages and still being able to stand firm in Meishan could one be the true Mountain Lord.

The subsequent contention for Mountain Head by the Twelve Mountain Lords followed a similar process.

Before the first stage opened, the entire Green Ridge had been cleared, and only Venerable Meishan was waiting at the peak of Green Ridge.

After it opened, the 183 Demigods of Meishan all flew toward the Green Ridge area.

Everyone bowed to Venerable Meishan together.

After Venerable Meishan returned the salute, he said loudly: "Fellow Daoists, you may choose a place on Green Ridge to discuss the Dao. You must promote the style of our Meishan, but you must not hurt the harmony."

"Yes!"

The 183 Demigods bowed again and then scattered.

However, although it was said not to hurt the harmony, Green Ridge was only so big, and there were only a few good places for Dao discussion.

Who goes up and who goes down still depends on ability.

Without using technical attacks, the Demigod's Dharma Realm became the only way to occupy the land.

Zhao Xing saw that almost all the Peak Lords of the seventy-two peaks were flying toward the High Ridge area.

As for the God Palace Envoys, Palace Heads, Office Heads, and Academy Heads, ninety percent of them stayed in the middle and low ridge areas to open mountains and discuss the Dao.

"The strength of the seventy-two Peak Lords is indeed stronger," Zhao Xing observed the others while flying up.

He cultivated the Extreme Land Mustard Mountain; at the Reincarnation Realm, it was the Mustard Dharma Realm, and after becoming a Demigod, the Mustard Dharma Realm transformed into the Extreme Land Dharma Realm.

The fourth layer of the Extreme Land, combined with the Qiankun Hunyuan Holy Body, meant his body was already a small success in Holy Veins, and the flow of magic power through his meridians and acupoints was like thick terrestrial veins operating.

There were seventy or eighty people flying higher than Zhao Xing, and they had already unfolded their Dharma Realms, like natural moats blocking the High Ridge area. But Zhao Xing didn't even unfold his Dharma Realm and entered like a no-man's land, continuously surpassing the other Peak Lords.

"Hmm? That's God Palace Envoy Zhao Xing, right? How does he have this kind of strength?"

"I remember he only became a Demigod about a thousand years ago, right?"

"It hasn't even been a thousand years yet."

"At this time, in the High Ridge area, multiple Peak Lords' Dharma Realms are intertwined; it's difficult to even take off without unfolding a Dharma Realm. How can he seem to have no influence at all?"

"What a Zhao Xing, he has actually made such great progress!"

Zhao Xing's upward movement soon attracted the attention of the other Peak Lords.

During the 2nd Era of the Desolate Domain, everyone's impression of Zhao Xing was only as the 'Saint Son of the Earthly Advantage School'. Although his talent was amazing, he had not yet grown into a powerhouse.

It was more of a condescending attitude of seniors looking at a junior.

Even if Zhao Xing came to Meishan to cultivate, first following Venerable Meishan to cultivate, and later entering the Meta-Ancient Realm to realize the Dao, the time was too short.

The cultivation of the split soul is relatively secret. Before coming to the Primordial Mound, Zhao Xing's main body didn't even know to what extent he had cultivated.

Not to mention these Peak Lords?

At this time, Zhao Xing caught up head-on, crossing heavy Dharma Realms, and immediately attracted the side-glances of many Peak Lords.

The gazes were almost all appreciation, surprise, and doubt.

Of course, there were also some Peak Lords whose hands were itching, wanting to test Zhao Xing's quality, deliberately increasing the power of their Dharma Realms to see how far he could go.

Facing these gazes, Zhao Xing smiled, nodded slightly, and moved upward unswervingly.

In the end, only three Venerables—Gong Peak, Min Peak, and Tian Peak—remained blocking directly above.

Their Dharma Realms each had their own characteristics.

One was like a towering mountain spanning the starry sky of the universe, one was like an active volcano about to erupt, and another formed an Eight-Extreme Palace, floating in the middle.

"Pingyou, Taiyun, Chuchuan, these three Demigods are all fifteenth-level Venerables," Venerable Meishan watched carefully from below. "They are also the three strongest within our Meishan; they won't let Little Junior Brother come up easily."

After fusing the split soul, Venerable Meishan also couldn't see through Zhao Xing's background.

But he knew Pingyou, Taiyun, and Chuchuan very well.

Undoubtedly, in the competition within Meishan, these three were Zhao Xing's strongest competitors!

Zhao Xing unfolded his Dharma Realm, and five Extreme Spirit Orbs grew under his feet, supporting him as he moved forward.

Venerable Pingyou's Dharma Realm, which was like a towering mountain, was suddenly pushed up.

Taiyun's active volcano Dharma Realm and Chuchuan's Earth Palace Dharma Realm also couldn't help but give way to the surroundings.

Such a strange phenomenon made the three Venerables shocked together.

But immediately they all exerted force together, closing up again, competing with Zhao Xing.

A moment later, Zhao Xing broke through the blockade of the three, reached the top of Green Ridge, and landed beside Venerable Meishan.

"Pingyou, why did you give way? You wouldn't have done it on purpose, would you?" Venerable Taihao asked.

"Indeed, Pingyou, why did you stop?" Chuchuan also looked at his friend.

Because Pingyou was blocking the position directly above, and they were only squeezing from the side.

"The Green Ridge Dao discussion is not a God Domain Trial; why be so calculating?" Pingyou said lightly.

In fact, he couldn't suppress it at all. If he continued to exert force, he was afraid that his You Mountain Dharma Realm would be pierced through by Zhao Xing.

"Why did you let go?" Pingyou asked back.

"Same as you," Chuchuan and Taihao said stubbornly.

Continuing to resist, Taihao felt his volcano Dharma Realm would erupt, and Chuchuan felt his Earth Palace Dharma Realm would be torn apart.

"The Dharma Realm confrontation between the three of us—me, Taihao, and Chuchuan—had already formed a triangular trend. Any party intervening would not be able to retreat unscathed, let alone break through."

"Did Zhao Xing take advantage of a loophole, or did he confront the three of us at the same time?" Venerable Pingyou looked upward thoughtfully.

Zhao Xing also looked back at the three, smiled and bowed his hands: "Many thanks to the three for letting me pass."

The three did not answer, only thinking that Zhao Xing had taken advantage of a loophole to get up.

Zhao Xing didn't take it to heart. Just now, he came up by using the Five Extreme Spirit Orbs Dharma Realm to act on the three parties simultaneously. The Water Spirit Orb induced Taiyun's active volcano Dharma Realm, and the Fire Spirit Orb targeted Chuchuan's Earth Palace Dharma Realm.

Looking at the three's performance, he also roughly knew their background.

This is the strong knowing the weak, but the weak not knowing the strong.

"In the entire Meishan, the only Demigod who can beat me is probably Senior Brother Meishan in front of me," Zhao Xing thought secretly.

As the previous Mountain Head, Venerable Meishan's strength is an 'eighteenth-level' Demigod!

Even if it is not as good as the Guluo River at the Demigod stage, it is still in the echelon of Bowei back then.

"Little Junior Brother, haven't seen you for a few years, you have made another breakthrough," Venerable Meishan asked with a smile.

"Thanks to Senior Brother's blessing, I have made a small breakthrough," Zhao Xing said modestly.

Venerable Meishan was in high spirits. Originally, after everyone chose their Dao discussion venue, he should have left, but at this time he had no intention of leaving.

"Little Junior Brother, I wonder if I can be your first Dao discussant?"

Zhao Xing was flattered: "Of course you can, Senior Brother, this is my honor."

"Good." Venerable Meishan smiled slightly and began to let the guests from all directions enter to observe the ceremony.

When the guests from all directions entered and saw the layout of Green Ridge, they couldn't help but be surprised.

"The Dharma Realm at the peak of Green Ridge is actually occupied by Zhao Xing?"

"How long has Farmer Zhao been a Demigod? How did he get there?"

"Does the Primordial Mound favor Zhao Xing so much?"

"What is the reason for this?"

"The reason is very big. The guests see him as soon as they come in; doesn't that explain everything?"

"Although this stage is not a competition, reaching the top is not that simple."

"Tsk tsk, I don't know what happened."

"Hmph, it must be Wei Zizhan who bribed my disciple!" The speaker was Wudu, and Wei Zizhan was Venerable Meishan's real name in this life.

At this time, even Wudu didn't believe that Zhao Xing could rely on his own strength to reach the peak of Green Ridge to open a Dharma Realm and discuss the Dao.

Seeing that Venerable Meishan hadn't left the stage yet, he felt that he had engaged in shady dealings.

Seeing that the people had almost arrived, Venerable Meishan raised a Dao discussion platform at the peak of Green Ridge, stopping at a position half a step lower than Zhao Xing.

The loud voice spread in all directions, and Venerable Meishan bowed to Zhao Xing: "Wei Zizhan asks Farmer Zhao about the Dao."

As soon as the voice came out, it immediately attracted the attention of all the guests.