Chapter 22

And the Wuzhuang Temple was even more famous throughout the land.

Its abbot, Zhen Yuanzi, was the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, wielding the Book of Earth, ruling over the primordial spiritual root—the Ginseng Fruit Tree—and was among the very topmost powers in the Three Realms.

The Heavenly Mechanism Mirror’s hint had led him straight into the domain of such a terrifying being.

“Within Wanshou Mountain, behind Wuzhuang Temple…” Su Chen savored these words carefully.

This meant Yang Mei’s cultivation ground was not inside Wuzhuang Temple itself.

The hint also used the word “xī,” indicating Yang Mei had long departed; that hollow willow was likely merely a branch or root left behind by his true form.

But even so, it was a remnant of a primordial spiritual root—its quality far surpassed ordinary magic treasures!

Su Chen’s heart burned uncontrollably.

Though refining the Golden Core with five-element spiritual items accelerated cultivation, it carried hidden dangers.

The higher the quality of the treasure used to refine the Golden Core, the higher its ceiling and the stronger its combat power.

This wooden treasure was currently of the highest quality in the Three Realms.

If he could obtain this hollow willow, his wood-element accumulation might instantly reach an unimaginable level—achieving immortality on the spot was no empty boast!

And go.

But Zhen Yuanzi, the Great Immortal…

This Ancestor of Earth Immortals was no kind soul.

Sneaking into his backyard to dig up something—if discovered, the consequences were unthinkable.

But then he reconsidered: the great tribulation loomed, heavenly mechanisms were chaotic—this was the perfect time to fish in troubled waters.

A great power like Zhen Yuanzi would likely be sealed away, avoiding the tribulation, wandering the Great Void, and not constantly monitoring every blade of grass and tree in his mountain.

Moreover, he had the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror to conceal his heavenly traces; as long as he moved carefully, opportunity was not out of reach.

Fortune lies in daring!

Su Chen’s gaze instantly hardened.

He left home to seek the Dao for the sake of immortality.

If he hesitated before this heavenly opportunity, what was the point of cultivating, what was the point of seeking the Dao?

He confirmed the direction; the journey was distant, and even with his current cultivation base, traveling at full speed would take months.

Without further hesitation, Su Chen’s form blurred, wind rising beneath his feet, turning him into a faint blue shadow that skimmed the ground as he raced toward Wanshou Mountain.

By day he rode the wind; by night he sought caves to sit and breathe, consolidating his cultivation.

Occasionally, he paused at towns and villages along the way, listening to folk tales and observing the myriad faces of the mortal world.

The farther west he traveled, the more he sensed an elusive, oppressive aura in the heavens and earth.

Under the great tribulation, spirits and demons in the wilds were clearly more brazen than ever before.

He had once witnessed a wolf demon, at least at the Yao Xian realm, daring to attack a mountain cultivation sect in broad daylight.

This was tribulation energy.

It did not merely affect cultivators’ minds—it amplified the desires and malice within all living beings, plunging the entire Three Realms into restless turmoil.

One day, Su Chen arrived at a vast, continuous mountain range.

This place was high mountains and dense forests, shrouded in miasma, named “Tayun Ridge,” eight hundred li across, nearly uninhabited—a paradise for demons and monsters.

He cast a spell to conceal his presence, intending to swiftly pass through the range, when suddenly his spiritual sense stirred and he halted.

In his spiritual perception, dozens of li ahead, in a valley, two powerful auras clashed fiercely.

One was monstrous demonic energy, wild and violent; the other was seven intertwining streams of spiritual power, forming a formation—though weaker, it carried a righteous, upright sword intent.

“Are cultivators fighting a demon?”

Su Chen had no desire to meddle, but the demonic energy carried a trace of ancient, primordial wilderness aura—piquing his curiosity.

He suppressed all his aura, merging into the shadows of the forest, silently creeping toward the valley.

Deep within Tayun Valley, mist boiled and energy surged.

A monstrous creature, shaped like a giant ox, its body deep blue-green, hornless, with only one leg, roared toward the sky.

Each roar seemed to summon heavenly thunder, shaking the entire valley, snapping trees, and hurling boulders.

This was a demon beast bearing a trace of the ancient beast Kuiniu’s bloodline!

Its cultivation had reached the mid-stage of Cultivation of the Void and Union with the Dao; its raw strength could nearly shake mountains.

Each stomp of its single leg cracked the earth.

Opposite the beast, seven cultivators in green Daoist robes formed a sword formation, struggling to hold their ground.

Their leader was an old Daoist with white hair and beard, wielding a green-bladed longsword; its light flickered uncertainly—he was clearly at his limit.

He was the Sect Master of the nearby Qingxi Sword Sect, Qinghe Daochang, barely at the early stage of Cultivation of the Void and Union with the Dao.

The other six disciples were at the Refining the Spirit and Returning to Emptiness realm; each now pale-faced, blood trickling from their lips, barely holding together by the formation’s flow.

“Master, this demon beast is too powerful—our ‘Seven Stars Lock Demon Formation’ is about to break!” cried a middle-aged Daoist anxiously.

Qinghe Daochang gritted his teeth and said grimly, “Hold on even if you must! The Nine-Leaf Soul-Returning Herb is about to ripen—this is our sect’s only hope for preserving our lineage. It cannot fall into this demon’s hands!”

On a rock wall not far behind them, a small plant, entirely emerald green with nine leaves, emitted a refreshing, intoxicating fragrance. Each leaf bore natural patterns, glowing with spiritual radiance—clearly no ordinary herb.

The beast’s massive single eye fixed greedily on the spiritual herb.

It had been sleeping in the mountains, awakened by the herb’s ripening aroma.

Such a spiritual item could refine its bloodline even further.

“Roar!”

The beast, evidently losing patience, suddenly opened its gaping maw and unleashed a visible green sonic wave—a tangible shockwave—crashing into the sword formation.

“Puff!”

The formation’s light flickered violently, then dimmed instantly.

The six disciples all spat blood; the youngest female disciple staggered and was flung clear of the formation.

“Ling’er!” Qinghe Daochang’s eyes bulged with rage.

The girl was Ling’er, Qinghe Daochang’s most beloved youngest disciple.

She collapsed to the ground, dizzy and disoriented, organs displaced; as the beast’s mountain-sized single foot rose high above her, about to crush her skull.

Terrified, her face pale, she still stubbornly raised her sword, determined to make one final stand.

At this critical moment—

A calm voice suddenly echoed through the valley.

“Demon beast, cease your arrogance!”

The beast’s roar cut off abruptly.

It whirled its head, its massive single eye filled with suspicion as it stared toward the valley entrance.

The Qingxi Sword Sect disciples also froze, turning to look.

There stood a Daoist in ordinary robes, his face youthful, appearing as if out of nowhere.

Su Chen stepped forward slowly.

He had no intention of interfering, but now the great tribulation loomed, demons and monsters ran rampant.

The Qingxi Sword Sect cultivated the orthodox Xuanmen path—righteous and upright; in this demon-infested Western Continent of Cows, they were a rare stream of purity.

If he could help, he would help.

“Who are you? This demon beast is powerful—do not rashly intervene!” Qinghe Daochang warned.

In his view, this youth’s cultivation was unknown—he might simply be throwing away his life.

The beast, clearly enraged by this sudden human appearance, sensed no powerful magic energy emanating from him.

It let out a deafening roar, abandoned the girl, and its massive body became a flash of blue lightning, charging straight at Su Chen.

“Watch out!” cried the girl named Ling’er.

“Watch out!” cried the female disciple named Ling’er.