Chapter 521: Returning to Profound Spirit, The Land of Fengshan (12,000 words)

Gu Luohe's finger landed on Venerable Lancuan, and Zhao Xing, standing to the side, couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief in his heart.

The Gu Luohe here was clearly a younger version; it would be strange if he recognized him. Not recognizing him was, in fact, normal.

"Very well, Venerable Lancuan and his subordinate Divine Guards shall all be under the command of Luohe. Great Divine Official Luohe will also be responsible for the exploration of the Ten Thousand Soul Well," Great Divine Official Qiyuan announced the second matter.

Afterward, Gu Luohe took Venerable Lancuan and left with Great Divine Official Qiyuan, while the banquet proceeded as usual.

Zhao Xing, sitting at the table, was still digesting the fact that Gu Luohe had appeared.

"The directionality is so strong; it looks as if Gu Luohe knows Venerable Lancuan. Could it be that Venerable Lancuan is from the Primeval Hill? Lancuan... God Venerable Lan, could he be the teacher of Venerable Meishan?"

Zhao Xing felt it was highly probable, because when he broke through to the Samsara Realm, Venerable Meishan had suddenly used the Earth-Connection Method to send him a high-quality Earth Vein, which helped him achieve the third layer of the Extreme Land.

Later, when his Primordial Avatar went to the Primeval Hill to study the Life Earth Palace Method, it also received much care, such as being allowed to personally observe the Earth Palace where the Life Demon God Aruoga was imprisoned—a qualification usually reserved for demigods.

Previously, Zhao Xing had thought this was an extra benefit brought by the treatises, but thinking about it carefully, the theory of "Earth Chronicle Earth Change Treatise" had not yet been perfected, so how could he receive such great honors?

Connecting this to his experience in the Boundary Transmission Tower and the time loop he had completed, Zhao Xing couldn't help but form a hypothesis:

If Venerable Lancuan was the later God Venerable Lan, and the sentence God Venerable Lan said in "Spectacle of a Thousand Lands"—"Apart from breaking it with brute force, the only way to shake the 'Ice Flame Lake' is to start with the 'Stone Fetus Method' from the Profound Earth Method"—wasn't that something he had told him?

Zhao Xing felt something quite wondrous.

He had indeed mentioned the "Stone Fetus Method" to Venerable Lancuan at a distance of two hundred li from the Extreme of Profound Earth, and this method was recorded in ancient books by God Venerable Lan.

Was it him telling God Venerable Lan, or God Venerable Lan telling him?

"Is it causality..." Zhao Xing thought. "But which era is this exactly?"

Having been in the Bone Yin Realm for decades, Zhao Xing had never obtained information outside of the Profound Yellow Realm.

Previously, he had guessed that the Profound Yellow Realm of this period was closed off to the outside, which was why he didn't know about the forces in the universe.

But now Gu Luohe had appeared, as had the Divine Official Lancuan, who was suspected to be God Venerable Lan.

Zhao Xing overturned his previous guess.

"The Profound Yellow Realm of this period might be closed off, but can those with backgrounds like Gu Luohe and God Venerable Lan enter?"

"The Heavenly God Gu Xiao had two sons, Gu Luohe and Gu Fu Tianyang; the former founded the Primordial Realm, and the latter founded the Primordial Straw Man Method."

"And in the Profound Yellow Realm of the era after the King passed through the Desolate Domain, the name Gu Xiao appeared, and there was a Profound Yellow Divine Sect that revered Gu Xiao as their founder."

"In this era, there is also a Profound Heaven Divine Sect in the Yang Realm; is the Profound Heaven Divine Venerable Gu Xiao?"

"Gu Luohe... could he also be from the Profound Yellow Realm? Damn it, could the Great Emperor also be a fellow countryman?" Zhao Xing remembered when he first entered the White Bone Divine Domain, the boundary core of his internal world had been protected by the Hunyuan Dao Tower.

"Judging by Gu Luohe's age at this time, he shouldn't have founded the Primordial Realm yet, and the Primordial Realm was founded along with the Red Star Empire."

"According to the timeline, the founding of the Primordial Realm was after the end of the Five Emperors era, so this period is at least the Five Emperors era, or perhaps an even more distant era," Zhao Xing mused.

Did the Great Emperor exist in this space-time? He didn't know, and now he didn't dare to ask blindly.

The "Historical Nihility Event" triggered by the Boundary Transmission Tower dungeon was still fresh in Zhao Xing's memory. Now, demigods were everywhere, and there were quite a few Divine Realm experts. If a disaster were triggered, the level would likely be much higher than that of the Boundary Transmission Tower.

"Where has this brought me? Can I still go back..." Zhao Xing felt speechless in his heart.

"Emperor Chen'an, I have long admired your great name."

Just then, a figure holding a wine glass appeared before the table.

Zhao Xing looked up and gave a cold laugh in his heart; the person who had come was none other than Ayiso.

"Greetings, Earth God Official." Zhao Xing stood up, pretending to be flattered.

"No need for formalities." Ayiso revealed his snow-white teeth. "In the forty years you've been in Moon-Gazing City, you've refined so many Bone Spirit Crystals and have gained the deep trust of God Official Lancuan. Now that you've become a direct subordinate of Great God Official Luohe, your future is boundless."

Although the newly arrived Great God Official was only a Venerable, the fact that he could be gifted a Great Dao Divine Artifact by God Yu and become the fifth Great God Official was absolutely extraordinary!

Although the fifth Great God Official was not yet in the Divine Realm, following him at this time would definitely yield greater benefits in the future than following an old-guard Great God Official.

"I am just a bit lucky, that is all," Zhao Xing said modestly.

"Emperor Chen'an, there is no need to be modest." Ayiso said enthusiastically, "Your achievements are plain for all to see. I have a favor to ask."

"You are an Earth God Official; what could I possibly help you with?" Zhao Xing asked, pretending to be surprised.

"I have just become an Earth God Official, and I am responsible for gathering herbs at the 'Three-Bend River Bay' of the Nine Yinhe." Ayiso pretended to be eager to perform meritorious service. "A new official applies new measures; I want to achieve some results. However, I have not yet established a firm footing, and compared to those old-guard Earth God Officials, the Divine Guards under my command lack experience."

"If you have something to say, just say it directly."

"I also have a few Si Nong Divine Guards under my command, and I would like to invite Emperor Chen'an to go and teach them." Ayiso lowered his voice. "Of course, I will not trouble Emperor Chen'an for nothing; I will pay you 100,000 Soul Crystals. Emperor Chen'an, you do not need to report this money."

Zhao Xing naturally understood Ayiso's implication: this was private work, and the 100,000 Soul Crystals would be entirely his own.

Honestly, if he hadn't known Ayiso's background beforehand through the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror, there would have been no flaws at all in the reason Ayiso gave.

It was very reasonable for him to want to achieve results upon taking office, and Zhao Xing had also been quite famous for these forty years; even Venerable Jin Wu Yue was willing to pay a sum of money to establish a good relationship. Ayiso doing this would not arouse any suspicion at all.

What's more, he was asking Zhao Xing to teach "advanced experience," which was a very reasonable request.

"Lord Ayiso, it is not that I do not want to help..." Zhao Xing pretended to be in a difficult position. "You have also seen that God Official Lancuan originally followed Great God Official Dongjun, but now he has been transferred to Great God Official Luohe."

Zhao Xing lowered his voice: "Who knows what the temperament of the new Great God Official is? You have asked, and of course I want to go, but this is, after all, against the rules..."

"I understand, I understand." Ayiso smiled on the surface, but began to sneer in his heart.

Zhao Xing's excuses were nothing more than two words: pay more.

Greed is good; what I fear is that you are not greedy!

Ayiso thought to himself, and after some conversation, he raised the price to 300,000 Soul Crystals.

Moreover, half would be paid in advance, and the rest would be given upon arrival at the destination.

Zhao Xing stopped pretending and agreed immediately.

Thus, before the banquet ended, Zhao Xing had obtained an unexpected windfall.

"Ayiso is truly wealthy. Well, since the Free God Danye sent him to handle matters, he naturally cannot be short of this." Zhao Xing weighed the bone ring in his hand, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Being able to scam a wave of resources before dealing with Ayiso was, of course, an unexpected surprise.

When the time came to kill Ayiso, he might not necessarily be able to get his hands on the other party's belongings; they would certainly be disposed of by the Heavenly God Official, so how would it ever be his turn?

"There are still a few months until the agreed time. It is better to overestimate the enemy; I can now use the Soul Crystals Ayiso gave me to let my three soul clones break through again, and there is still one more Divine Power baptism I can use..." Zhao Xing pondered.

On the other side, Ayiso was also making plans.

"After luring him to the Three-Bend River Bay, he will already be outside the territory of God Yu Prefecture. When the time comes, I will capture him and immediately teleport him into the Mist Dao Barrier. Even if Venerable Lancuan comes to save him, he won't be able to find me."

"Greetings, Great God Official." Venerable Lancuan cupped his hands.

"Brother Lan, no need to be so reserved." Gu Luohe revealed a faint smile.

"Brother Gu, I didn't expect you to come to the Yin Realm as well." Venerable Lancuan felt some emotion. "Since we parted last time, you have become even better than before. Even the trials left behind by God Yu have actually been completed by you."

"Brother Lan, do you approve of my Dao?" Gu Luohe asked with a smile.

Venerable Lancuan shook his head: "I recognize your strength, but your Dao... is too inconceivable."

"The world within the body cannot grow infinitely; sooner or later there will come a day of the Annihilation period. Decay is irreversible; the existence of both the Life Great Dao and the Annihilation Great Dao is the law of nature."

"Brother Gu, you reversed a World Seed; this is very impressive. However, the price will always be paid—if not now, then in the future."

"Although I don't know how you did it, reversing the world within the body is not the same as reversing a withered seed."

Gu Luohe listened quietly until the other party finished speaking, then said indifferently: "Brother Lan, what you say makes sense, which is why I need your help."

"Your Earth Refining Method is also a method of proving the Dao through Heaven and Earth. I would like to ask you to share a copy with me. In addition, I also want a little bit of soil from the Primeval Hill."

Venerable Lancuan shook his head and said: "The Earth Refining Method was created by me; I can give it to you, but you asking me to dig into the three great veins is digging into the foundation of my sect. How can I agree to that? It is absolutely impossible. Furthermore, I cannot get in at all."

"Brother Lan, you have an opportunity to invite me to become your Dao Protector. When the time comes, you break through, and I will do it myself; all blame will be borne by me."

"The three great earth veins of the Primeval Hill—the Primeval Vein, the Ancient Vein, and the Dao-Manifestation Vein—having a little bit dug away is not a great loss."

Gu Luohe said sincerely: "Brother Lan, you know my ambition."

"I am unwilling to repeat the footsteps of my predecessors; I want to create my own path. Only then will this life not be in vain, even if it means being smashed to pieces, even if it means being doomed forever."

Venerable Lancuan remained unmoved, his tone as peaceful as ever: "I will give you the latest Earth Refining Method. But I cannot agree to any more of your requests."

A flash of disappointment crossed Gu Luohe's eyes, but he was very patient with this descendant of the Earth God 'Yao Jun': "Fine, let us not mention this matter for now; today we shall only discuss the Dao."

After Zhao Xing reached a secret agreement with Ayiso, the banquet was almost over.

At this time, Venerable Lancuan appeared again, but there was a faint sorrow between his brows, as if he had encountered some troublesome matter.

Zhao Xing had intended to leave, but he still needed Venerable Lancuan to take him back to Moyuan City to receive the baptism of Dongjun's Divine Power.

"Lord Lancuan, why are you troubled? Your subordinate is willing to share your worries." Zhao Xing said.

God Official Lancuan glanced at Zhao Xing: "Chen'an, you are now also in the Demigod Realm; do you know the path to becoming a god?"

Zhao Xing said: "Your subordinate knows a little. One is to cultivate the Origin to become a Free God, and the second is to prove the Dao through Heaven and Earth to become a Tribulation-Free True God."

God Official Lancuan nodded slightly: "Generally speaking, proving the Dao through Heaven and Earth is more difficult; one must have a method to prove the Dao, and also have the objects to prove the Dao."

"Suppose someone, for the sake of the common people of the world, wants your method of proving the Dao, and also wants your objects of proving the Dao; what would you do?"

Zhao Xing was slightly stunned; he seemed to have thought of something.

Previously, the Free God Danye wanted to seize Wei Ling Tianchen's Dao, and now Venerable Lancuan said such things after meeting Gu Luohe; it was hard not to overthink it.

Zhao Xing knew Gu Luohe's concept of proving the Dao through the Eternal World, which was no different from reopening the universe.

To reopen the universe, what is needed?

It means that Gu Luohe needs to collect many kinds of Great Dao Origins and pack them all into the world within his body.

In other words, Gu Luohe's proving of the Dao had a very important method, which was plundering resources, and very high-level resources at that.

Previously, he guessed that the Earth Refining Method created by God Official Lancuan was a method of proving the Dao through Heaven and Earth. So, could it be that Gu Luohe now wanted God Official Lancuan's method of proving the Dao and the objects of proving the Dao?

Gu Luohe, had he taken a fancy to Venerable Lancuan's Dao? What did he want to refine with the Earth Refining Method?

If it were anyone else, such a question would naturally not need much thought; how could one give their Dao to someone else? Such a person would definitely be a mortal enemy, the kind that would fight to the death.

But if it were the Si Nong of the Primeval Hill, it really might be possible to have this spirit of sacrifice and dedication.

Zhao Xing pondered: "My Lord, I do not know what kind of disaster would require such a great sacrifice."

"As far as I am concerned, striving to become a savior oneself is better than waiting to be saved by others."

God Official Lancuan was lost in thought.

The baptism of Dongjun's Divine Power allowed Zhao Xing's soul clones to reach a total of nine.

That is to say, Zhao Xing now possessed a nine-fold Demigod True Spirit amplification.

The bait offered by Ayiso brought this number to thirteen.

When Zhao Xing returned to Moon-Gazing City a year later, he had already become different from before.

【Name: Zhao Xing】

【True Spirit: Nine Tribulations (Thirteen-fold amplification)】

【Sun-Day Dharma Body: Ninth Stage】

"Amplifying the base of a Demigod, the soul tearing of the Primeval Scarecrow Method, which was originally a side effect, has instead become a strength amplifier here. It is simply too heaven-defying." Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

No wonder this path could not tolerate many people walking it.

"Hum~"

At this time, Ayiso sent a message through the Heaven-Patrolling Order—he was urging Zhao Xing again to set off as soon as possible and rush to the Three-Bend River Bay.

"Since you are in such a hurry to set off, then I will fulfill your wish."

Zhao Xing put away the token and flew toward the Three-Bend River Bay.

The Nine Yinhe being blocked and diverted by three great mountains, forming three winding shoals, was called the Three-Bend River Bay.

In the first year Zhao Xing arrived here, Ayiso did not rush to make a move, and Zhao Xing was also puzzled about when Ayiso would act.

"Senior Divine Mirror, can you predict when Ayiso will make his move?"

"You first put on the finger bone of the Free God Xuerui." The Eight-Direction Divine Mirror said.

"Alright." Zhao Xing replaced the bone of his right hand.

The more known conditions there were, the greater the favorable conditions, and the more accurate the prediction of the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror would be.

When Zhao Xing's Qi Luck reached the thirtieth stage, the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror obtained an accurate result without much effort.

The time for Ayiso to make his move was accurate to the day, and even the method was given a precise answer.

"Putting on the Divine Bone, is the gap really that big?" Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised. Assuming he hadn't put on the Divine Bone, the predictions given by the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror would have been varied, and the time could not have been accurate to a specific day.

Qi Luck at the twenty-first stage and Qi Luck at the thirtieth stage were simply two different concepts.

"There is a full seven-stage Qi Luck gap between you and Ayiso. The Qi Luck Great Dao influences the Causality Great Dao and the Time Great Dao. You are standing at the peak of Qi Luck, while Ayiso is in the trough."

The artifact spirit of the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror manifested a diagram: "People move within Heaven and Earth, influenced by the Causality and Time Great Daos, cultivating the Five Elements and Yin-Yang of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Even the Soul and Life Great Daos interact with Heaven and Earth."

"This is a chaotic web of fate, and people are like insects crawling on this web."

"As long as one is not a god, one cannot jump out of the Great Daos of Heaven and Earth, and behavior can be predicted."

"What is fate?"

"When you are cultivating the Dao, you produce a chaotic effect with the various Daos in Heaven and Earth. The behavior that will be produced by your past personality and logic—this is fate."

"If, when things happen, the behavior you produce does not conform to your past personality and habits, and does not conform to the Dao you cultivated in the past, and there is a large deviation, this is called luck."

"Ayiso wants to kill you; his behavioral logic and his soul are all running toward this one thing. The behavior itself does not conform to his faith. He was originally a believer in the Free God Danye, yet he had to become a Heaven-Patrolling Divine Guard and believe in the Demon God..."

Zhao Xing listened, feeling confused: "Senior, can you make it simpler? What you are saying is too profound."

The artifact spirit of the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror sneered: "Forget it... let's put it this way: you can understand it as you and Ayiso having a fate interaction, and you and he have been placed on the same chaotic arena."

"Your Qi Luck number far exceeds his. In the Dao of Qi Luck, you have already defeated him long ago. My making a prediction is just telling you the result I see in advance; it itself does not change anything."

"Your respective fates follow the movement of the Time Great Dao."

"And when the difference in your Qi Luck is not obvious, this chaotic arena of fate is very large and possesses many possibilities, so my prediction cannot be so precise."

Seeing Zhao Xing's half-understanding expression, the artifact spirit of the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror couldn't help but mock: "Your comprehension of the Dao of Fate is too poor. Although you are a little better than Wei Ling Tianchen, you are truly the worst mirror owner I have ever brought."

"..."

Zhao Xing couldn't help but be speechless; he had actually been looked down upon by an artifact spirit.

"Senior, I am indeed a bit poor. Another day I will introduce you to a Fate Master; his talent is very good." Zhao Xing thought of Ji Si.

With the talent of the Heavenly Venerable, he should be able to catch the eye of the mirror, right?

He always felt that the functions of the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror had not been fully unlocked and that many secrets were still hidden. This artifact spirit was also very mysterious; perhaps Ji Si could dig them out.

Zhao Xing farmed while waiting for Ayiso to make his move. He had already put on the Qi Luck Divine Bone of the Free God Xuerui, and with the assistance of the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror, he knew exactly when Ayiso would kill him, so he was not panicked at all. With the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror, it was like having a wall-hack; at least, that was the case for Ayiso.

Five years after the second banquet ended, Ayiso finally made his move.

He invited Zhao Xing to a place called 'Fuhe Valley' in the Three-Bend River Bay, the reason being that Zhao Xing had done a very good job in the collection work at the Three-Bend River Bay over the past few years, and he intended to settle the remaining balance.

"What a lame excuse." Zhao Xing tunneled to Fuhe Valley and found that the earth veins here had become difficult to traverse; clearly, some kind of arrangement had been made.

Ayiso was also afraid that Zhao Xing's spell talent was too strong—he could travel two hundred miles underground during the Emperor period—and if he tunneled away, all his efforts would have been in vain.

"Brother Zhao, you've come. Please, sit, drink a cup of good wine." Ayiso was very enthusiastic, inviting Zhao Xing to enter the courtyard to drink.

"Over these years, thanks to you, the Three-Bend River Bay has been thriving, and the collection progress has also been much faster."

"Brother, these are the remaining Soul Crystals; please be sure to accept them."

Zhao Xing was amused when he saw this. This guy really took him for someone greedy for money, using the final payment to lower his guard?

However, since Ayiso was able to pay the final balance, he would naturally accept it.

"Then I will respectfully obey." Zhao Xing accepted it with a smile.

Ayiso's smile became even brighter: "Come, I will toast you another cup, brother, to express my gratitude."

"Hahaha, many thanks, Brother Dao."

Zhao Xing picked up the wine glass and drank it just like that.

Seeing this, Ayiso put down his wine glass, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

Sixty-seven years, the mission was finally completed!

The wine had naturally been poisoned. After drinking it, Zhao Xing would soon be unconscious, and then he could take Zhao Xing away.

Of course, if Zhao Xing had seen through the abnormality, he could also use force; he just hadn't expected it to go so smoothly.

"Ugh... you, you poisoned it..." Zhao Xing suddenly clutched his throat, a look of horror appearing on his face.

"Boom!"

A powerful aura erupted from his body, and he broke through the door, but then he plunged deep into the ground, creating a large pit.

Ayiso smiled slightly, put down his wine glass in a leisurely manner, and then walked out the door slowly: "Only knowing now? It's too late."

The aura of Zhao Xing in the pit soon vanished, replaced by a viscous poison that was eroding the land.

Ayiso walked into the pit, intending to fish out Zhao Xing, but he didn't see Zhao Xing's body.

"Swish~"

An arm covered in gray nails, with blue-black muscles and visible meridians, suddenly reached out from below.

Its speed was too fast; Ayiso only saw a flash of black light before his entire person was grabbed by this palm.

"You—"

A look of shock appeared in Ayiso's eyes.

"Hou Transformation Method? How is this possible? Why is he fine?"

Rumble~~~

Zhao Xing's body emerged from underground. At this time, black horns had grown on the top of Zhao Xing's head, dense hair had spread from his head to his back, his muscles were as hard as rock, his entire body appeared dark black, and light purple magic patterns flowed across his chest, moving downward in circles.

A total of nine secret patterns represented the nine talents of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Time, and Space.

On Zhao Xing's back, beneath the body covered by hair, three bone needles were inserted.

"You, what kind of monster are you?!" Ayiso was somewhat shocked, because he tried to break free, but with a sudden jerk, he actually failed to shake Zhao Xing's hand.

It was as if what was grabbing him was not a flesh palm, but space itself.

Zhao Xing glanced at the panel.

【Name: Zhao Xing (Hou Transformation State)】

【Race: Nine-Marsh Divine Descendant】

【True Spirit: Eleventh Stage】

【Nine-Marsh Holy Body: Twelfth Stage】

【Talent Secret Method: Ten Thousand Tribulations Golden Marrow (Locked), Eternal Wheel (Locked), Profound Underworld Transformation Phase (Locked), Earth Realm Divine Travel (Locked), Thunder Strike Body (Locked), Instant Eternity (Locked).】

【Talent Secret Method 1: Space-Breaking Claw (Unlocked), Nine-Marsh Divine Descendant, its right claw can tear through space barriers, and the palm possesses a singularity that can bind Heaven and Earth.】

【Talent Secret Method 2: Heavenly Void Five Viscera (Unlocked), Nine-Marsh Divine Descendant retains the human body structure, but the five viscera form a world of their own, which can devour most non-divine objects and convert them into nutrients.】

【Talent Secret Method 3: World-Burning Divine Eye, the eyes can emit flames that melt divine power.】

【Heaven-Changing Divine Needle: External Dharma Artifact.】

【Hou Transformation Duration: Three days. If it exceeds three days, unknown sequelae will appear.】

The Nine-Marsh Divine Hou Transformation Method had nine levels in total. Zhao Xing had cultivated three levels, which correspondingly unlocked three talent secret methods.

After transforming, his True Spirit temporarily climbed to the eleventh stage, and his physical body reached the twelfth stage!

The Nine-Marsh God was a Heavenly God; if one cultivated the Hou Transformation Method to the ninth level, it would be a true divine body, and all talent divine skills could be unlocked.

However, Zhao Xing could only transform for three days; his True Spirit could not control this Hou Transformation for too long. If it exceeded three days, it would be very difficult to change back.

Grabbing Ayiso with the talent divine skill and making him unable to break free belonged to the 'Space-Breaking Claw.'

"Gurgle~"

Ayiso did not sit and wait for death either. Green light flickered in his eyes, reflecting Zhao Xing's entire body after the Hou Transformation.

Ayiso was a thirteenth-stage Medical Venerable, and also a Martial Venerable.

At this time, his body also underwent changes. The five medicine bottles hidden in his stomach suddenly shattered, and five types of medicinal liquids—gold, blue, purple, cyan, and red—dispersed into his limbs and bones.

Ayiso's entire body was covered in blood, but he had managed to withstand the crushing of the Space-Breaking Claw.

"I still underestimated you. I didn't expect you to be able to dissolve the poison I used."

"Are you talking about the True Spirit Heavenly Poison? Hahaha, this isn't the first time I've been poisoned." Zhao Xing's voice was rough, and he laughed like a villain.

That's right, what Ayiso had used earlier was indeed the True Spirit Heavenly Poison!

And Zhao Xing, who had known about this point early on, had taken the antidote pill refined by Wei Ling Tianchen in advance.

The Eight-Direction Divine Mirror said that the legacy left by Wei Ling Tianchen could weaken Ayiso's means; this was the basis for it.

"Not the first time?" Ayiso felt it was absurd; it sounded as if Zhao Xing was playing around with being poisoned.

He stared fixedly at Zhao Xing. This action was not superfluous, but rather to detonate the poison source within Zhao Xing's body.

A Demigod Physician could induce the poison source dormant at the cellular level of the target's life.

How many years had the human race been born? But the poison source, as weak as bacterial colonies, could be traced back to the primitive ocean period!

"Don't waste your energy, you bumpkin. Your poison-inducing method, the Taiyi True Origin Transformation, is far inferior to the Wei Origin Method created by my friend." Zhao Xing remained as if nothing had happened, instead increasing his strength, tearing Ayiso's flesh and blood, and continuing to try to break through his deep-layer defenses.

"You, ahhh..." Ayiso was in agony; he felt his bones creaking.

He didn't understand why.

A physician's poison-inducing method could detonate dormant poison sources within the target's body, including but not limited to various parasites and toxins accumulated from consuming heavenly treasures.

True Origin Transformation started from the level of life particles; the external effect of the poison-inducing method was very similar to the external Hou Transformation Method.

The difference was that the Si Nong's method was from the outside in, using spells to borrow the power of Heaven and Earth, changing the structure of the inner world from the level of the Dao origin to achieve the transformation of turning a person into a pig.

The Wei Origin Method was the counter-Hou Transformation method.

The Si Nong's Hou Transformation Method and counter-Hou Transformation Method, and the physician's True Origin Method and Wei Origin Method, were all skills of internal warfare.

Zhao Xing naturally did not know the Wei Origin Method; his body after the Hou Transformation was brand new, so how could he possibly know the physician's Wei Origin Method?

He had just hidden a Dao talisman left by Wei Ling Tianchen in his body—the Wei Origin Talisman.

Therefore, Ayiso could not detonate the poison transformation within his body at all—assuming the Nine-Marsh Divine Descendants even had such a thing.

"Ahhh—" Ayiso's cry of pain became sharp, and he forcibly pulled his hands out of the Space-Breaking Claw.

However, he found that he had only pulled out his severed arms, and the parts below the elbows remained in Zhao Xing's beast palm.

"Roar~~"

A roar came from the underground dark river.

Zhao Xing stomped his feet fiercely, his bloodline power erupting, shattering the earth veins and preventing the creature below from surfacing.

Ayiso had a turtle beast, also at the Demigod level, which was a medicinal turtle raised by the Free God Danye.

This medicinal turtle was a hidden means of Ayiso, and it had never appeared in God Yu Prefecture. It had always been hidden in the Nine Yinhe.

Originally, this medicinal turtle was one of Ayiso's escape routes, but now he had to summon it first to save him.

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!!!!"

The earth was stomped into countless pits, and the underground dark river space kept collapsing, blocking the surfacing of the medicinal turtle.

In order to prevent Zhao Xing from tunneling, Ayiso had built the underground of Fuhe Valley like an iron plate, but now it had instead become a barrier to his rescue.

"Die!" Zhao Xing grabbed Ayiso with both hands, flames spraying from his eyes, and began to burn Ayiso's body.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle~" The flames emitted by the World-Burning Divine Eye were of an extremely high level; even Zhao Xing's own palms shed a layer of skin, let alone Ayiso.

His flesh and blood were soon evaporated, leaving only a skeleton.

"Boom bang~" A heart and five groups of medicinal liquid in the skeleton erupted with colorful light, resisting the flames.

"The flesh and blood are gone, but the medicine is still there. The level of the medicinal power is higher than human power, protecting the golden bones. It seems this is the protection bestowed upon him by the Free God Danye." Zhao Xing thought to himself.

However, this was ultimately water without a source and could not withstand Zhao Xing's continuous calcination.

The protective barrier on Ayiso's body soon became weaker and weaker, and finally, most of his bones were burned away, the golden light retreating to the skull, protecting the last vital point—the True Spirit Fire Seed.

"A thirteenth-stage Demigod is truly hard to kill. I have already used my full strength, yet I actually cannot destroy Ayiso's skull."

"It seems I really have to use a Great Dao Divine Artifact, just as the mirror artifact spirit said."

Zhao Xing's mind moved, and he took out a three-inch-long crystal from the red jade ring, which was hollow inside. It looked very much like a syringe and had been named 'Soul-Extracting Divine Needle' by Wei Ling Tianchen; it could extract the opponent's soul.

"Sizzle!"

The sharp needle tip of the Soul-Extracting Divine Needle erupted with a burst of fire, and Ayiso's skull and the divine needle both turned red.

Finally, it laboriously broke through an opening, making a tiny gap in the trump card left by the Free God Danye.

Zhao Xing naturally did not want to take Ayiso alive. After breaking through the defense, he immediately let the flames sprayed from his divine eyes drill in along the gap.

"Whoosh~"

Ayiso's True Spirit Fire Seed burned out completely.

"Woo woo~"

A low sob sounded from underground, and then Zhao Xing found that the medicinal turtle was moving away rapidly. It seemed it had discovered its master was dead and had completely given up on the rescue.

"Swish swish swish~~~"

Just as Zhao Xing had killed Ayiso, several powerful auras appeared around Fuhe Valley, including a man riding a dragon-head bone, who was none other than the Heavenly God Official Yi Qing.

There was also a Demon Race Heavenly God Official who appeared, with a snake head but a sheep body, covered in scales and burning with purple flames.

When they arrived, they happened to see the scene of Zhao Xing burning Ayiso to nothing.

Swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish~~~

There were already quite a few Divine Guards and Earth God Officials in the Three-Bend River Bay; feeling the movement of the battle, they all rushed over.

"Everyone, Ayiso was a spy..." Zhao Xing prepared his words and began to shout to those around him, so as not to cause any misunderstanding.

"Hmm? That is the Heaven-Patrolling Divine Guard Venerable Chen'an? He actually killed Ayiso?"

"Ayiso was actually lurking here sent by a Free God? Did he have a grudge against Venerable Chen'an before?"

"Ayiso was a Medical Venerable, but he was also thirteenth-stage. Venerable Chen'an is only ninth-stage; how did he do it?"

"It's the Hou Transformation Method! But I have never seen this kind of Hou Transformation Method before. It can actually allow a ninth-stage Demigod to fight across several stages?"

"A bit interesting. I wonder how it will be dealt with."

"Ayiso was introduced by the Heavenly God Official 'Qizi'. This is going to be a good show."

"..."

Divine senses collided in the air; the various Earth God Officials and Heavenly God Officials did not speak rashly, all looking in unison at that Demon Race Heavenly God Official.

This Earth God Official, Ayiso, was under the command of the Heavenly God Official 'Qizi', and Qizi was a subordinate of the Great God Official 'Zhiguan'.

"Zhao Chen'an, whether Ayiso is a spy cannot be determined by your words alone." Qizi's vertical eye stared coldly at Zhao Xing: "On the contrary, you, a ninth-stage Venerable, were able to kill the thirteenth-stage Ayiso; this is very suspicious! Surrender and come with me to see the Great God Official!"

After saying this, he spat out a purple mist, wrapping it toward Zhao Xing, intending to take him away for interrogation.

Zhao Xing was expressionless, not even making any move.

Just then—

"Wait."

A puff of green smoke suddenly emerged from the ground, and a figure appeared. The soil arched up, condensing layer by layer to form a mountain peak, blocking Qizi's capture spell.

"Boom!"

The mountain remained a mountain, but the purple mist was sucked into it.

Venerable Lancuan saved the scene just in time, as predicted by the Eight-Direction Divine Mirror.

"God Official Qizi, if you want to capture and interrogate, it should be me who does it."

Venerable Lancuan's voice was very calm, but very powerful.

"Lancuan, you are only an Earth God Official; how dare you block me?" Qizi was even more furious. "Move aside!"

Venerable Lancuan remained calm and unhurried, not speaking, but drew a circle under his feet. The circle suddenly turned into a vacuum, glowing with golden light. Another figure walked out from within.

What an advanced Earth-Communication Method! Zhao Xing only then discovered that the spell cast by Venerable Lancuan was very similar to the Primeval Hill spells he had learned.

Sure enough, Venerable Lancuan was the teacher of Venerable Meishan later on, the God Venerable Lan?

That's right, he had also said that the third layer of the Earth Refining Method was known only to himself and one other person. Could it be that Venerable Meishan already existed at this time?

"Hum~" The figure had not yet appeared, but the voice had already arrived.

A vine stretched out from the circle on the ground, flipping Qizi over.

"What kind of thing are you, to dare speak to Lancuan like that."

The person who arrived was none other than Gu Luohe.

Qizi, who had been flipped over, rolled for several thousand meters before stopping. However, he immediately realized something and lowered his head: "Greetings, Great God Official."

He felt in his heart that this was a conspiracy.

He had checked Ayiso himself and found no problems. How could Ayiso have problems after the Great God Official Luohe arrived? Could it be that he was using his own people to establish authority?

However, even so, he had to yield; a Great God Official was a Great God Official, and even if Gu Luohe was only a Venerable, he was not someone he could afford to offend.

"All of you disperse. Are you very idle?" Gu Luohe scanned his surroundings. In a shadow, green light flashed like a remnant shadow, and everyone suddenly moved away from Gu Luohe, muttering to themselves.

"What's going on? Why did the Great God Official arrive here?"

"What happened just now?"

"I don't know... The Great God Official has descended; I'm afraid there's a change in the Nine Yinhe."

"Go back quickly."

Zhao Xing looked at Gu Luohe's back, and only two words remained in his heart: domineering.

Whipping away a fourteenth-stage Heavenly God Official, and then wiping everyone's memories—this was too domineering.

And in Zhao Xing's panel detection, this was not Gu Luohe's true body, but merely a... Primeval Scarecrow!

"At this time, Gu Luohe actually also learned the Primeval Scarecrow Method? That's not right; how can his Primeval Scarecrow Method cast a world within the body, or is it that he is raising plant-type troop types in the scarecrow?"

Zhao Xing couldn't see the trick, but it felt very strange.

Logically speaking, he had only seen Jin Yan and Zuo Zuo Qiyu in the Scarecrow Great Dao, not Gu Luohe.

In the Desolate Era, he had never seen Gu Luohe have a Primeval clone; every time it was either a magic power avatar or his true body.

"Five Poisons said that only when Gu Luohe is present can the killing intent of the two Primeval Scarecrow cultivators be suppressed. What is the connection here?"

Sensing Zhao Xing's gaze, Gu Luohe turned his head and looked.

This was the third time he had looked at Zhao Xing.

"What is your name?"

"Reporting to the Great God Official, my name is Zhao Xing."

"Zhao Xing?" Gu Luohe recited the name and nodded slightly: "You are quite good. In the future, if there is an opportunity, I will let you come to the world within my body to cultivate."

The lair of the Free God Danye.

"Master, Ayiso is dead."

The medicinal turtle reported sadly. Although its master was Danye, Ayiso was the one who usually raised and accompanied it.

"Who killed him?" The Free God Danye frowned.

"It was that human named Zhao Xing."

"How is that possible? He is only ninth-stage; how could he kill Ayiso?" The Free God Danye waved his hand to disperse a patch of mist, revealing a Soul Well in the mist. "Even the Soul Well is shattered; it definitely wasn't him."

"But I saw it with my own eyes..."

"You don't need to say anymore. To thoroughly kill Ayiso, only divine means would suffice." The Free God Danye said, "There must be someone else interfering here... Hmm?!"

Just as he was speaking, the Free God Danye discovered that the Soul Well representing Ayiso, although shattered, had immediately grown a sapling.

The Free God Danye's expression changed, and he immediately pointed at the Soul Well.

"Boom!"

The Soul Well was destroyed once again.

"Void Seed tracing causality, what a strong derivative seed! We cannot stay here!" The Free God Danye said immediately. "Leave quickly."

Fuhe Valley, Gu Luohe's avatar suddenly had half a charred purple vine in its hand. He said to Venerable Lancuan: "He really did offend a Free God; he wasn't lying."

Venerable Lancuan also glanced at Zhao Xing, who was sitting cross-legged and recovering not far away: "Can you tell what kind of Hou Transformation Method he used? It seems very brilliant."

Gu Luohe was the son of a God King, and the Hou Transformation Method belonged to the Heavenly Time Method; Gu Luohe should recognize it.

"I don't know." Gu Luohe pondered, "He used a Dharma Artifact for assistance; it is a Hou Transformation Method combined with the Medical Dao. I cannot tell its origin. Haven't you asked about his identity?"

"He said he was reborn in a Soul Well and forgot many memories."

"When he has rested, we can ask him carefully."

"Hmm."

Zhao Xing was very panicked now, not because he had heard the conversation between Gu Luohe and Venerable Lancuan, nor because he would be questioned about his background.

It was because while he was recovering, he suddenly felt a strong summons.

That divine object he had sensed since descending into the Xuanhuang World was approaching from an astonishing distance and was about to cross the final stretch.

"Coming at this time? Please don't!" Zhao Xing couldn't help but worry.

"Rumble~~~"

A thunderclap suddenly sounded in the sky.

Zhao Xing suddenly saw both the Sun Star and the Moon Star at the same time.

Then there was a ship sail; it turned out to be embroidered on the sail.

There were three banners on the ancient ship, one of which was embroidered with an ancient character, and there was also a soaring bird on the hull.

Time stood still at this moment.

This was not a feeling, but it seemed to have stopped completely; Gu Luohe and Venerable Lancuan were both bowing their heads, maintaining a static posture.

When Zhao Xing saw clearly this warship that had broken through the boundary, he couldn't help but be greatly shocked.

"That Yin-Yang Warship? Why is it this one?"

A strong attraction came from the warship, and Zhao Xing couldn't help but fly onto the ship.

Immediately after, there was another loud bang, and the warship broke through the air and left.

Xuanling Star Domain, Desolate Era, in the Primeval World.

On a leaf at the very top of the Primeval Divine Tree, this was Gu Luohe's place of cultivating the Dao.

When Zhao Xing left on the warship, Gu Luohe, who had been staring at a cosmic map in the Primeval City like a statue, suddenly came to life.

Because a stream of space-time memory had appeared in his mind.

Swish~

Gu Luohe's figure flashed, leaving the Primeval City and appearing in another space.

A majestic figure, like the center of the universe, gathered all the light of the world upon himself.

"Luohe, why have you suddenly come to my Moyuan World?"

"Great Emperor, a stream of space-time memory has suddenly appeared in my mind." Gu Luohe said.

"What have you remembered?"

"I don't know why, but I remembered a period of memory; it is called the Xuanhuang World, and I experienced a period of time in the Xuanhuang World."

"Great Emperor, have I really been there?"

"Yes, both you and I have been there."

Gu Luohe had some doubts in his eyes: "Great Emperor, what kind of place is the Xuanhuang World? Why would even I have this period of memory blocked?"

The Great Emperor Chixing was silent for a moment: "I don't know."

"I only know that during the time the Void Ancestor re-cultivated, he used the pseudonym 'Yuan' and created the White Bone Divine Domain there, wanting to create a second method of martial Dao godhood."

"But what happened later, I don't know; I only retained the memory of eight hundred and thirty-one years there."

"The Palace Master of the Moon God Palace retained a bit more than I did, about one thousand two hundred years of memory."

A look of shock flashed across Gu Luohe's indifferent face.

Even the Great Emperor and the Palace Master of the Origin Divine Palace knew so little; no wonder he had his space-time memory blocked.

"Great Emperor, I discovered in my memory that Zhao Xing appeared there." Gu Luohe recalled. "Why is this? Does he have something special about him?"

"I don't know any more than you do; perhaps the Lord of the Reincarnation Temple and the Palace Master know." The Great Emperor Chixing seemed to be gazing at the River of Time.

"Judging only from the prediction results of the Great Expansion Divine Weapon, Zhao Xing, Wei Ling Tianchen, and Venerable Bamboo Sword were just accidental intruders. When the chaos of time and space is smoothed out, they will automatically detach."

Gu Luohe was silent. The Great Emperor's combat power was already the strongest of the generation, yet even he didn't know what kind of place the Xuanhuang World was?

"Perhaps, there is one person who knows."

"Are you talking about Bowei?"

"Yes, in the Desolate Era, the only person who could see clearly the chaotic River of History was Bowei. Apart from him, even a God King would find it difficult to see clearly."

"Where is Bowei?"

"Imprisoned in the Reincarnation Graveyard. I once asked him what he saw, but he refused to say anything."

Bowei broke the seal of the boundary channel and released an avatar of a God King; Gu Luohe knew this.

"Bowei caused the imbalance of the Transmission Building, and time and space experienced a large degree of disturbance. The Palace Master went to chase that divine power avatar and discovered that the direction he fled in was exactly the Chenluo Desolate Domain."

"At that time, the Xuanling History Book issued a warning in that direction, but a chain reaction had already formed."

"The channel on the side of the Reincarnation Temple also experienced anomalies."

Gu Luohe: "What kind of consequences will it bring?"

"Now this disturbance is unknown." The Great Emperor Chixing's voice was low: "But the natural disasters and earth changes of the Third Epoch can no longer be avoided."

"Luohe, you might have to step into the Divine Realm before the Desolate Era still possesses certainty; otherwise, I may not be able to protect you."

Gu Luohe's heart sank: "Has it reached this point?"

The Great Emperor Chixing nodded lightly: "The fact that you can see Zhao Xing in your newly appeared space-time memory can conversely prove that the channel barrier has failed; only by becoming a god can you guarantee your own independence."

Gu Luohe said in a deep voice: "Great Emperor, I want to go see Bowei."

The Great Emperor Chixing originally wanted to refuse, because Gu Luohe was doing useless work.

But suddenly, his head seemed to move, and he looked toward a certain place in the Chenluo Desolate Domain.

"You may." The Great Emperor Chixing nodded: "The Great Expansion Divine Weapon observed space-time fluctuations in the Chenluo Desolate Domain; Zhao Xing has come out. Take him to see Bowei."

"If there is anything that can move Bowei and make him willing to open his mouth, it is only the natural thirst for knowledge in a scholar's divine nature."

Gu Luohe nodded, then disappeared from the Primeval City.

Chenluo Desolate Domain, the former site of the Daye Dynasty, Xingxian Pass.

Zhao Xing stood in the starry sky, looking at the bland spiritual energy around him, his expression somewhat dazed.

At this time, a coordinate prompt appeared on his panel.

【You have entered the ruins of the Daye Dynasty, Xingxian Pass (Coordinates: Sun 3, Jueyin 1, Wood Armor 4.)】

"I'm back?" Zhao Xing was somewhat puzzled. "I was just in the White Bone Divine Domain; how did I suddenly come back?"

His mind was somewhat chaotic. After a while, Zhao Xing remembered that after he killed Ayiso in the White Bone Divine Domain, he summoned a warship, and then he reappeared here. The place where Wei Ling Tianchen and Venerable Bamboo Sword had originally traded him.

"But, where is the ship?" Zhao Xing felt around for a long time and found that he didn't see the Yin-Yang Warship. A moment later, his pupils shrank. Because he found a ship mark on the panel, with four characters behind it: 【Land of Fengchan】.

"Land of Fengchan, what is this new function? I didn't become a god in my past life, so it seems I missed many versions and functions." Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised; he had never played with this new function of the panel in his past life. However, it was gray at this time, and Zhao Xing didn't get any reaction even after clicking it twice.

Organizing his thoughts, Zhao Xing decided to return to the Empire first. He didn't know what time it was now, and he didn't know how much time had passed in the outside world since he entered the Xuanhuang World space-time dungeon.

How was the Yan Yan Ancient Road? How was the Great Zhou doing? Had Ji Si completed the four-boundary cultivation in the Heavenly Master's Mansion? Had the Five Poisons Emperor and the Venerable Hong Shan Emperor passed the True Spirit Tribulation and become Demigods? Bowei became a god; what was his outcome?

With so much on his mind, Zhao Xing immediately took out the Star Mirror, intending to contact his friends and family.

"Hum~"

Just then, the Star Mirror actually rang on its own.

A ray of light emerged from the Star Mirror, forming the illusory image of Gu Luohe.

"Senior Gu." Zhao Xing bowed; he always maintained a trace of respect for Gu Luohe.

"Zhao Xing, come to the Ancient Kingdom of Marquis Tian You and rendezvous with me."