Chapter 1030

Inside the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven.

Thirty-six Nascent Soul True Persons were scattered in various places, each controlling a part of the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard.

Although they appeared scattered, all their power was eerily fused together at this moment.

This eeriness lay in the old figure sitting high on the platform in the very center.

The Chess Saint, Ke Lianshan!

He used the array as a guide to draw everyone’s power into himself, controlling the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard to extract the spiritual energy from the four continents that had split off from the Central Continent. This included the Western Continent, which had been swept into the ocean by the Huangquan Sea years ago; at this moment, a large amount of spiritual energy was also diffusing from the underwater ruins and then being absorbed.

With the attraction and gathering of the massive spiritual energy, the wind and clouds on the wasteland suddenly changed, and the spiritual energy surged like a tide.

Such a scene could almost be compared to the ascension of the Elixir Saint, Chu Yan, back in the day.

In the Cave Heaven, it was not just these people; there were also a group of Golden Core direct disciples who had been arranged to cultivate here.

Coupled with the approaching day of departure, the group of Golden Core direct disciples gathered here one after another to observe the great feat of their sect elders at close range.

Among them were many who had profound family learning and broad knowledge; after seeing this scene, they vaguely guessed something.

Especially Ke Lianshan, who was in the very center!

His aura was constantly rising, and the majestic pressure of his soul was spreading outward, wanting to connect with this piece of heaven and earth.

"Uncle-Master Ke is attempting to use this opportunity to sprint toward the Soul Transformation realm!"

With just one glance, someone saw the clues.

Afterward, before they could marvel, their attention was drawn by a young man walking slowly on the outskirts of the wasteland.

"Is that Senior Brother Zhou Fuyou?"

"Eh, his cultivation base..."

Someone saw the magic power fluctuations that Zhou Fuyou was currently revealing, and they were all shocked.

In the hundred years of the Cave Heaven, everyone’s strength had improved, but those who could condense a Nascent Soul in advance like Zhou Fuyou were truly few and far between.

As the top ten of this Jiazi Grand Competition, the other disciples were actually not weak; they were already the proud children of heaven of this generation of the Tianyuan Dao Sect.

In time, they would surely become the leaders of the younger generation, shouldering the heavy responsibility of revitalizing the Tianyuan Dao Sect.

But compared to the heaven-defying genius Zhou Fuyou, they still paled in comparison.

Gu Muyu rubbed the ring in her hand, which contained a portion of the ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs she had picked in advance; this trip could be considered a complete success, and after going out, she would surely receive rewards from her family.

It was just a pity that there was not much leisure time for cultivation, otherwise, she might have been able to condense a Nascent Soul in advance like Zhou Fuyou.

As her gaze fell on Zhou Fuyou, there was a bit of envy in Gu Muyu’s eyes, as well as a bit of confusion.

"What is he doing?"

Zhou Fuyou’s footsteps suddenly stopped at a certain place.

This place was the farthest from the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard, but it was a place where the entire wasteland could be observed completely.

Looking ahead, a thoughtful look appeared in Zhou Fuyou’s eyes.

"Using the power of a spirit treasure to gather the cultivation of thirty-six True Persons into one body, allowing Ke Lianshan to briefly possess power comparable to a Soul Transformation great power, thus he can control the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard to absorb the spiritual energy from the four continents of the Central Continent."

"Likewise, conversely, such massive spiritual energy not only supplies the God-Descending Array outside but also helps Ke Lianshan go a step further, climbing toward the Soul Transformation realm!"

"Even more than that, the thirty-six Nascent Soul True Persons who are in it can also feel the relevant insights of Ke Lianshan’s sprint toward Soul Transformation, which has great benefits for their future."

"No wonder that Uncle-Master Li once said that when the Cave Heaven opens again, there will be other opportunities. So that’s how it is!"

If a cultivator wants to break through to the Soul Transformation realm, they must use a fifth-rank spiritual vein.

But the fifth-rank spiritual vein is not the point; the point is the large amount of spiritual energy naturally accumulated by the fifth-rank spiritual vein. With the help of this spiritual energy, a Nascent Soul True Person can closely connect their soul with heaven and earth, roam the ocean of primordial energy, and achieve a Primordial Spirit during that period. At the same time, after the spiritual energy is consumed, the Nascent Soul True Person will naturally detach from that state, so as not to be assimilated by heaven and earth due to long-term close contact.

The opportunity mentioned by Uncle-Master Li is actually the large amount of spiritual energy attracted by the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard.

If one is at the Nascent Soul stage at that time, under quiet realization, one might be able to use this to comprehend the true meaning of the laws that belong uniquely to oneself.

"But it’s a pity that it’s no longer needed."

Zhou Fuyou sighed slightly and looked up.

He saw a huge vortex appearing in the sky.

That was a portal, a portal leading to the outside world.

At this moment, Ke Lianshan was connecting with the outside world through that portal, and at the same time, he was transporting a large amount of spiritual energy to the God-Descending Array through that portal.

To stop the operation of the God-Descending Array, one only needs to interrupt Ke Lianshan’s breakthrough.

Everyone present belonged to the same sect, so naturally, they would not do such a thing that would pain their own and gladden their enemies, including the previous Zhou Fuyou.

But now...

Zhou Fuyou took a slight breath, curled his fingers slightly, and following the understanding deep in his memory, wisps of green gas gathered at his fingertips.

In this gathering, Zhou Fuyou’s face turned slightly pale, as if this body could not bear this move.

But this move was ultimately going to condense into shape.

When no one realized it, the surrounding grass and trees turned gray-white, the rock and soil layers on the ground shattered into sand, and even the distant high mountains became loose.

Their vitality was all extracted.

No one noticed this point; all the Nascent Soul True Persons were immersed in the process of feeling Ke Lianshan’s breakthrough to Soul Transformation.

Even Gu Muyu, who was paying attention to Zhou Fuyou’s actions, did not understand what he was doing.

Only one person!

Only the Chess Saint Ke Lianshan, who was closely connected with heaven and earth at this moment, noticed something unusual.

His eyelids twitched, and he opened his eyes, subconsciously looking far away at that chess piece outside the chessboard, that effeminate young man.

The opponent seemed to sense it and smiled slightly at him.

Then he pointed out with one finger.

In the sky, the wind and clouds changed suddenly!

The primordial energy of the Cave Heaven surged, and in the thick clouds, a huge finger slowly extended, and amidst the exclamations of nine Golden Core direct disciples, it pointed at Ke Lianshan from a distance.

The opponent was indifferent, helpless, unable to resist, and could only watch as this finger fell.

Vaguely, Ke Lianshan seemed to hear two words.

"Wither-Prosper!"

As the finger fell, Ke Lianshan’s pupils widened, and he only felt that the aura on his body that was constantly rising retreated like a tide.

The meaning of withering, turning from green to white, lingered on him, making him become even more aged.

If it were just this, it would be fine.

Ke Lianshan struggled to look up at the sky, at the primordial energy vortex connecting to the outside world, which was currently trembling violently, and a large amount of spiritual energy could not be transported out.

The God-Descending Array was interrupted because of this!

It didn't matter if he failed to reach Soul Transformation, but the failure of the God-Descending Array affected the descent of the Xuan World True Lord, and it was the plan for the Tianyuan Dao Sect to take revenge and rise again.

All of this was thanks to that effeminate man!

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of blood was spat out, the wasteland shook because of it, and all the Nascent Soul True Persons were awakened.

They were lost, as if waking from a dream.

Then they all followed Ke Lianshan’s gaze and cast it toward the young man in the distance.

Around him, nine figures had already realized something and rushed toward the young man together.

Then!

Before the nine figures could get close, they fell down with a bang, pinned to the ground by an incomparably tyrannical Nascent Soul domain.

There was no pity in the man’s eyes; with a thought, the massive pressure instantly exploded.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Flowers of blood bloomed, forming the most miserable and beautiful scenery.

The thirty-six True Persons were all furious!

"Go kill him!"

Ke Lianshan shouted in a low voice, his voice filled with endless anger and fear.

No one hesitated; the True Persons moved like angry thunder and lightning.

The young man did not retreat but advanced; his whole body shook, and streams of black air rose into the sky, forming a vast screen that covered everyone.

The Sea of Qi Floats in the Sky, All Phenomena are Stern!

A beautiful figure ignored the battle group over there, flew to the high platform, knelt on one side, and looked at the swaying Ke Lianshan with worry.

"Senior Brother, how are you?"

Ke Lianshan was aged to the extreme at this moment, and the wrinkles on his face were like the bark of an ancient tree, mottled and unbearable.

He struggled to sit steadily, "Junior Sister Mingyan, this old man failed to break through to Soul Transformation, and my remaining body is about to rot."

Mingyan covered her mouth, her face losing color, completely unable to believe it.

She had previously been closely connected with Ke Lianshan through the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard along with everyone else, so she could naturally feel that her sect’s Chess Saint Senior Brother’s breakthrough to the Soul Transformation realm was smooth sailing.

How profound was Senior Brother Ke’s foundation; facing the hurdles that one might encounter when sprinting toward the Soul Transformation realm, he passed them all easily.

Even the rumored invasion of inner demons was suppressed by him with a backhand.

But who could have thought that he would suddenly become like this.

Ke Lianshan trembled, looking at the vortex leading to the outside world, despair mixed with a glimmer of hope.

Afterward, this hope became bigger and bigger, and the look of despair in his eyes also became brighter.

"No, it hasn't failed yet!"

"The True Lord wants to forcibly enter this world, he is still persisting!"

"Although this old man has no hope of breaking through to Soul Transformation, my remaining body is still here; I must burn it a little and do my last bit for the Tianyuan Dao Sect!"

Muttering to himself, Ke Lianshan forcibly stabilized his mind.

"Mingyan, you are the one with the highest cultivation base and strongest strength among those present, especially since you have also comprehended the true meaning of the laws. You must kill Zhou Fuyou; don't let him come and affect me again."

Before the words fell, the opponent’s aura began to rise again as if it were a flash of light before death.

"Senior Brother, what are you going to do?" Mingyan looked shocked.

"The True Lord’s descent must have a beacon as a guide; this old man will burn my own magic power and input all the spiritual energy here into the God-Descending Array to open a passage for him!" Ke Lianshan’s expression was firm, and he pointed at his chest and abdomen.

Mingyan’s expression was terrified; she seemed to hear the sound of something breaking.

It was the Nascent Soul!

It was the Nascent Soul that Senior Brother Ke Lianshan had cultivated for a thousand years, the foundation of the Great Dao that was only a step away from achieving the Soul Transformation realm!

Senior Brother had actually completely given up on himself and burned himself to complete the unfinished business.

"Go, don't let Zhou Fuyou survive!"

Mingyan no longer hesitated, pursed her lips tightly, stood up, bowed heavily to Ke Lianshan, then turned around and stared coldly at the young man in the distance.

"Traitor!"

"Fuyou, do you know what you are doing?"

"Sneak-attacking sect elders, slaughtering fellow disciples, have you gone mad?"

Uncle-Master Li’s mind was in chaos; he almost couldn't believe the scenes that had just happened.

He had a good relationship with Fu Qinglan and often interacted with her.

Naturally, he also loved Zhou Fuyou because of her.

Especially since Zhou Fuyou performed brilliantly in the Jiazi Grand Competition, and his talent and aptitude were unprecedented; even Shi Ju seemed to be a notch worse.

It could be said that Zhou Fuyou was not only a junior he looked favorably upon but also the hope for the future revival of the Tianyuan Dao Sect.

Therefore, in his daily life, he gave Zhou Fuyou many pointers, and when entering the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven, he gave even more frequent instructions.

However, everything that happened before made him almost think he was in a dream.

Until!

"Careful!"

There was a desperate warning from a fellow junior brother behind him.

There was a strong wind blowing in his face.

He subconsciously released his defensive magic treasure.

However, the black air current rushed over, weighing more than a thousand jun, like a battering ram, smashing heavily onto the defensive magic treasure.

Dong!

The magic treasure shattered instantly.

Not only that, but the black air current spread and wrapped around him, and the terrifying corrosive power melted his protective aura, his magic robe, and even his magic body into nothingness.

Uncle-Master Li’s gaze was blank as he watched Zhou Fuyou brush past him.

He murmured, "Why?"

Zhou Fuyou spread his large sleeves, and the black screen swallowed his remaining body.

He did not answer, just kept rushing forward; for the Nascent Soul True Persons coming toward him and the powerful attacks, Zhou Fuyou’s expression was cold.

This batch of Nascent Soul True Persons, except for a few, were mostly unknown people.

But being unknown did not mean they were trash.

On the contrary!

These people were the backbone of the various families of the Tianyuan Dao Sect!

Their cultivation bases were neither high nor low, their ages were neither old nor young, and they were all people who cultivated diligently in their respective families.

Most importantly, they were native Dao Sect members and had extreme loyalty to the Tianyuan Dao Sect!

Therefore, in this "True Lord Descent" plan, the Tianyuan Dao Sect had drafted this batch of the most loyal existences.

This was to ensure the smooth progress of the plan and also to bring them some experience and insights through Ke Lianshan’s Soul Transformation.

In time, after these thirty-six Nascent Soul True Persons went out, their cultivation bases would surely advance by leaps and bounds, making up for the empty power of the Tianyuan Dao Sect after the Central Continent catastrophe.

It was just a pity that they were all going to be buried here today.

Zhou Fuyou shouted in a low voice, and the Sea of Qi Floats in the Sky shrouded all the attacks.

Facing a Nascent Soul True Person, he curled his finger and pointed.

In the black screen, lightning flashed, and a bolt of thunder suddenly fell.

Crackle!

That figure’s whole body trembled, and after a moment of numbness, a large amount of black air current swept over, wrapping him in, and his screams immediately resounded across the fields.

The footsteps of all the Dao Sect True Persons paused.

After the monstrous anger, they were terrified by Zhou Fuyou’s methods.

How could this spell of the Zhou family be so powerful and so eerie?

"Don't be afraid!"

Someone experienced and steady stood out in the time of crisis to stabilize the morale of the army.

"He is only one person, and he only broke through to Nascent Soul not long ago, so his magic power must be thin. If we join forces, we will surely be able to wipe him out!"

The group of True Persons felt relieved, first unfolded their protective defenses, and then launched attacks at Zhou Fuyou one after another.

Facing these words, Zhou Fuyou sneered at the corner of his mouth.

Thin magic power?

They didn't know at all what they were facing.

Zhou Fuyou slapped his palm on his Purple Mansion position and twisted it.

"Open!"

As if some shackles had been opened, a monstrous power poured out.

The terrifying black air current bared its fangs and brandished its claws, crazily spreading in all directions.

The Sea of Qi Floats in the Sky originally only covered a few miles, but at this moment, it expanded to ten miles, a hundred miles, and even a thousand miles.

The vast wasteland, except for the high platform where Ke Lianshan was, was completely shrouded.

A black river that seemed to come from hell surged out.

Zhou Fuyou stepped on the Nether River, with the black screen above his head, looking coldly at everyone without saying a word.

But the movements in his hands never stopped.

As he acted casually, the muddy waves surged, the air currents swept, and he was actually fighting everyone at once with the power of one person.

Such an arrogant act, if it were normal times, would surely be mocked by others.

However, after that black river appeared, no one would have such thoughts anymore.

They only had one thought.

"Zhou Fuyou has only just entered the Nascent Soul stage, how could he have such a majestic magic power, which even ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivators cannot compare to?"

Zhou Fuyou did not answer this question.

Between the two, there was only the most cruel and direct slaughter and fighting.

The war in the outside world changed in an instant, but the battle in the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven was long and continuous due to the time flow rate.

When Zhou Fuyou opened the seal of the Ming Water Spring Eye and added his own magic power, his magic power could no longer be measured by a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator.

That was a spring eye that once gave birth to a Nether Abyss and once protected the Ming Abyss Sect for thousands of years.

The power within it was as vast as the ocean!

Especially the origin of water contained within it, which complemented this body of Zhou Fuyou and could be perfectly mastered.

Coupled with the soul master currently occupying this body, who possessed extremely rich combat experience in his memory, once the battle started, it became a one-sided situation.

Zhou Fuyou wandered through the battlefield, although he was one against many, one against thirty-five.

But under the blessing of the spell "Sea of Qi Floats in the Sky," which was comparable to a divine ability, the battlefield was divided into one piece after another; in fact, it was just thirty-five one-on-one battles.

Uncle-Master Li’s fall was like this.

The death of the Dao Sect True Persons later was also like this.

In Zhou Fuyou’s leisurely battle, he still had the energy to feel deeply; before his old friend Zhou Yunshen’s time was up, he was actually able to create such a highly growable spell.

The threshold for cultivation was extremely low, and Foundation Establishment cultivators could initially master it.

The growth potential was extremely high, and various treasures and materials could be continuously integrated into it according to the cultivator’s characteristics to bless the power of this spell.

Especially when Zhou Fuyou was promoted to the Nascent Soul stage, he refined the power of the tribulation thunder and integrated it into it.

At that time, the Sea of Qi Floats in the Sky finally had the prototype of a divine ability!

The enemies were broken one by one.

Lives were constantly dissipating in the netherworld.

Until!

"Break!"

A delicate shout suddenly rang out.

A sword light broke through the darkness and tore the screen of the sky.

Mingyan was lucky; because she was concerned about Ke Lianshan’s actions, she fell behind everyone for a while and did not enter the battlefield that Zhou Fuyou had marked out.

But she was also unfortunate.

After spending a great deal of magic power to cast the divine ability sword bestowed by the Dao Sect after the Cave Heaven Grand Competition ended, what she faced personally was a devastated battlefield, a scene of wailing everywhere, and the terrifying situation where only one person stood tall.

Zhou Fuyou looked up coldly at the woman in the distance.

"Mingyan, the genius of the master-disciple lineage, the biggest beneficiary after the Dao Sect’s reform, and also the candidate most likely to succeed as the Dao Sect Master besides Ke Lianshan."

Mingyan was startled and met those eyes that were as cold as a deep pool.

"You are not Zhou Fuyou?"

Immediately, her jade face turned cold.

"I don't care who you are, you must die here today!"

The sword light rose again, and the primordial energy moved because of it.

The sword that broke through the Sea of Qi Floats in the Sky earlier appeared in the world again!

The incomparably sharp sword light pierced through the wasteland and slashed straight at Zhou Fuyou.

The terrifying sword intent shook the universe, and even the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard under his feet seemed to be trembling.

Clang!

As the sword fell, the earth cracked, and the distant mountains were split in two.

However!

A figure stepped out leisurely from it, with only a corner of his clothes fluttering down.

"Pity, it missed by three inches."

Zhou Fuyou’s figure moved suddenly, and before the woman could react, he stepped out.

When he appeared again, he was already beside her.

He swept his sleeve!

The woman was like a broken cloth bag, blown away for dozens of feet, and a large amount of black air current on her body scrambled to drill into her internal organs through her seven orifices.

Mingyan struggled to climb up, leaning on her sword with one hand, while suppressing the corrosive black air current on her body, and looking at Zhou Fuyou’s back in horror.

That sword could not have missed!

Her divine sense had completely locked onto Zhou Fuyou.

But that sword had indeed missed, by three inches, only cutting off a fluttering corner of his clothes.

This scene was hard to believe, but it also made people feel trance-like and unable to control themselves.

It seemed that deep in her memory, there had also been such a scene.

When was it?

Mingyan was in a trance, as if she had returned to the time of the Cave Heaven Grand Competition.

There was once a person who also used similar means to dodge the must-kill strike of the Gu family powerhouse’s Wuwang Treasure Mirror.

It was the Wasteland Rogue!

"Luo Chen, it’s you!!!"

An angry voice sounded from behind.

Zhou Fuyou, no, after the incomplete life soul returned, it was already Luo Chen who had gained the dominant control of this body.

He walked forward without looking back, his gaze only looking at the primordial energy vortex that had stabilized again.

Although he did not have the Red-Eyed Golden Pupils, Luo Chen could still feel a large amount of spiritual energy being transported from that vortex to the God-Descending Array outside.

And all of this was only barely achieved because Ke Lianshan had exhausted his own cultivation and wasted a thousand years of Dao practice.

"Chess Saint, why go to such lengths?"

Ke Lianshan’s dead-silent gaze projected over, facing Luo Chen from afar.

"You can no longer stop this old man."

While speaking, pillars of light erupted from the wasteland, completely shrouding the location where Ke Lianshan was.

He had used the Rotten-Cleft Chessboard!

With a complete spirit treasure protecting him, with Luo Chen currently controlling Zhou Fuyou’s body, he indeed could not stop him.

Perhaps if his true self were here, he could do it!

But Luo Chen was not just doing this!

His expression gradually turned cold, his whole person flew toward that vortex, and the aura on his body also began to rise uncontrollably.

A destructive aura gradually shrouded the entire Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven.

(End of chapter)