Chapter 256

The star avatar of Doumu Doumu Yuanjun dispersed, and the immense aura that had suppressed heaven and earth vanished with it.

Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, only Su Chen and the Moon Wuqu Wuqu Xingjun Changxi remained.

The gray, lifeless spacetime from earlier had long since returned to its original state—the fierce Gang wind howled, the cloud sea churned, as if the clash between quasi-Saints had never occurred.

But for Su Chen, everything was different.

His greatest trump card, the supreme primordial spiritual treasure Nine Demon Tower, had finally been exposed before the very top tier of beings in the Three Realms.

The Jade Emperor, Wang Mu of the West, Doumu Doumu Yuanjun, Moon Wuqu Wuqu Xingjun…

From today onward, the name Su Chen would surely enter the awareness of these beings.

And what he feared most was that the Jade Emperor, once a page of the primordial Daoist Patriarch Patriarch Hongjun, might take special interest in the Nine Demon Tower, a treasure once belonging to Luo Hou.

"It seems that even if you hadn't come today, you would have remained unharmed."

Changxi's cold voice rang out; her eyes fixed on Su Chen, calm as still water, yet seemingly piercing through all things.

Su Chen let out a bitter laugh and bowed again to Changxi: "Had I not been driven to the brink, I would have preferred this artifact never see the light of day. Thank you, Wuqu Wuqu Xingjun, for stepping in—had you not, this disciple would already be dead and his Dao destroyed."

"I told you—we are allies," Changxi said coolly. "I saved you so you may fulfill your promise in the future."

She raised her jade hand, and a sliver of cold moonlight coalesced in her palm, forming a crystal-clear talisman wreathed in the primordial essence of Yin.

"The Wang Mu lost face today and was caught off-guard by Doumu Doumu Yuanjun and me—she won't act against you for a while. But your possession of such a treasure is now known to many great beings of the Heavenly Court. Though many did not show themselves today, someone may have been stirred by greed."

Changxi extended the talisman toward Su Chen. "This talisman holds a thread of my spiritual awareness. Keep it well. Should you ever again face an opponent you cannot overcome, shatter it. As long as you are not within a Sage's sacred domain, I will sense it and come to your aid."

Hearing this, Su Chen's heart warmed.

This talisman represented not merely one chance for rescue, but Changxi's stance.

He solemnly accepted the talisman and said in a low voice: "Wuqu Wuqu Xingjun, your grace is etched in my heart."

"I merely don't wish to see my early investment go to waste," Changxi feigned coldness, turning her gaze away toward the endless starry sea. "Since you're safe now, leave quickly. Your priority is mending your Dao foundation."

With those words, her form dissolved into a silver light and vanished instantly into the horizon, returning to the Moon Star.

Su Chen clutched the talisman, his longing for strength growing ever more urgent.

Whether it was the Wang Mu's intent to kill or fears of others' Kuitan, all stemmed from his insufficient power.

If he were already a Great Luo Jin Jin Xian, who would dare strike at him so easily?

"The posterior Geng-Xin spiritual light…"

Su Chen murmured softly, a look of resolve flashing in his eyes.

He must hurry to the far west to find the primordial Geng-Xin indestructible spiritual light, obtain the posterior Geng-Xin spiritual light, perfect the Metal element within his Primordial Golden Core, condense the Five Qi within his chest, and fully forge the Dao foundation of this Primordial Golden Core.

He put away the talisman, made no further delay, confirmed the direction of Dongsheng Shenzhou, summoned a blessed cloud, and headed straight for Huaguo Mountain.

…

Huaguo Mountain, Water Curtain Cave.

Su Chen's figure appeared at the cave entrance; the monkeys within rushed to surround him.

Countless lesser demons cheered, leaping and spreading the news.

"The Strategist's back!"

Two years had passed since his departure, yet Huaguo Mountain remained vibrant—indeed, more prosperous than when he left.

Su Chen nodded slightly; clearly, the rules he had established, along with the management of Sister Luan and others, had borne fruit.

He passed through the monkeys and entered the main hall of the Water Curtain Cave.

Sister Luan had already been waiting; upon seeing Su Chen, her beautiful eyes sparkled with delight, and she hurried forward to bow: "Welcome back, Strategist."

"No need for formalities," Su Chen waved his hand and sat directly in the main seat. "How has the mountain and the Demon Alliance fared in my two-year absence? Has Brother Monkey emerged from seclusion?"

"Report to the Strategist," Sister Luan replied respectfully, "the Alliance Master remains in seclusion and has not emerged. According to intelligence from General General Yan Que, the Demon Alliance is stable; several vice-masters have frequently inquired after you and the Master."

Sister Luan paused, her expression turning grave. "But the Buddhist sect has grown increasingly active."

"Oh?" Su Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Since we followed your orders to monitor the reincarnation of the Buddha," Sister Luan said swiftly, "our spies across Xi Xi Niuhe Zhou have noticed frequent Buddhist movements—they clearly care deeply about the Buddha's reincarnation. Yet according to General Yan Que's reports, the Buddhists have no leads either; their search continues, clearly without success."

Su Chen listened to Sister Luan's report, his index finger tapping lightly on the stone table.

The fact that the Buddhist sect had not yet found the Buddha's reincarnation was good news for him.

He pondered a moment, then ordered: "Tell General Yan Que not to deploy too many resources on this matter. Maintain secrecy—do not expose yourselves. We need only observe quietly and wait for the right moment."

"Yes."

Sister Luan accepted the order and reported on other routine affairs of the Demon Alliance.

Su Chen listened to each, made decisions, and cleared the accumulated matters.

For the next month, Su Chen remained at Huaguo Mountain.

He consolidated his cultivation base at the mid-stage of Emperor Taiyi Jin Jin Xian and guided the lesser demons in their cultivation.

Occasionally, he would contemplate the scroll bearing the two primordial Dao characters "Like Pangu," seeking to comprehend the primordial intent of Like Pangu the Great God, to unify the thirty-six strokes of the Heaven's Gang Thirty-Six Axes, and trigger another transformation of his body to enter the Great Luo realm.

On this day, after finishing all matters, Su Chen remembered Lin Lin Qingyan and departed Huaguo Mountain for the Mingxin Daoist Temple in Xi Xi Niuhe Zhou.

The Daoist temple nestled among mist-shrouded mountains remained serene.

As Su Chen's figure landed before the temple, Abbot Daoist Xuan Ming, who had been meditating, and Daoist Master Gusong, who had been sweeping the courtyard, both sensed his presence and hurried out to greet him.

"Brother Su!" The two bowed upon seeing him.

"No need for formalities, Liangweidaozhang," Su Chen smiled warmly. "I come to deliver good news."

He briefly explained how Lin Lin Qingyan had been taken as a disciple by Wu Gang of the Moon Palace and now cultivated the Yin Dao on the Moon Star.

"What?"

"That's wonderful!"

Upon hearing this, Abbot Daoist Xuan Ming and Daoist Master Gusong's faces lit up with joy.

Wu Gang was an ancient immortal who served the Moon Wuqu Wuqu Xingjun—how great was Lin Lin Qingyan's divine fortune to become his disciple!

"Thank you, Elder, for securing such a heavenly opportunity for my disciple!" Daoist Master Gusong's face flushed with excitement; he no longer called him "Brother," but addressed him as "Elder," and moved to perform a full prostration.

Su Chen swiftly raised a hand, a gentle magic force lifting him up.

"Our meeting was fate. I merely offered her an opportunity—this is her own divine fortune."

With this matter settled, Su Chen chatted briefly with the two Daoists, then took his leave.

Huaguo Mountain no longer required his attention, and Lin Lin Qingyan's affairs were now resolved.

It was time to depart for the western ancestral vein, to seek the primordial Geng-Xin indestructible spiritual light.