Chapter 145: A Hero Who Lived Nine Thousand Years

"Purple Mountain is definitely off-limits; I must think of other methods. Directly copying Ye Fan's 'telling the parents' approach will work too—notify the God King Jiang Taixu of the Desolate Ancient Jiang Family that he is inside Purple Mountain, and let them go save him. With the foundation of a Desolate Ancient Family, they will absolutely be able to rescue him if they go."

"After all, bringing an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon to someone's doorstep to save them won't be too much of a loss. At worst, a few Supreme Elders with little lifespan left will die; sigh, these Supreme Elders are often treated like wholesale goods by Ye Fan anyway, so it doesn't matter if one or two die..."

"When the time comes, I will take the vigorous Immortal Substance to extend Jiang Taixu's life, earn some favor, and by then, I will also have a deep foundation and an invincible background."

Zhang Xuan's thoughts were quite wonderful, and looking at the current situation, these matters and methods were all feasible.

He felt it was completely manageable and there was no need to worry about too many things.

Some places required careful calculation; he just couldn't act recklessly as he had before.

"Hmm, let's count this as plan one for now."

"The plan to find Gai Jiuyou counts as the second plan and can be included as an option. As for that Old Madman from the Heavenly Pivot Holy Land..."

Mentioning the Old Madman made Zhang Xuan fall silent for a moment; he didn't know how to handle it. As of now, the Old Madman's state had always been quite good, his lifespan had always been abundant, and overall, he lived quite a carefree life.

"Let's list it as a backup option. If I can find him and run into him, I'll try to bluff him if I can; if I really can't, it doesn't matter."

"After all, the Old Madman has no fixed abode. Even as a backer, he is often nowhere to be found, so he isn't very reliable."

Thinking of this, Zhang Xuan suddenly remembered another Saint who didn't have much fame.

While Ye Fan was on the journey to find the Soldier Secret, he once encountered an ancestor of the Cai Family who had lived in the world for eight thousand years and finally transformed into the Dao in a nameless Taoist temple, leaving nothing behind.

It could be said that he was a very special figure. Being able to live in the world for eight thousand years, his cultivation realm had undoubtedly reached the Great Saint Realm. In the Post-Desolate Ancient Era, being able to reach the Great Saint Realm by relying on one's own strength and cultivation was truly shocking.

"If I remember correctly, this figure was the most desperate for lifespan, as it seems he passed away within these two years."

Zhang Xuan thought carefully; that existence was found by Ye Fan at the location where he transformed into the Dao, roughly in the eighth year or so of Ye Fan's cultivation.

At that time, Ye Fan's cultivation was in the Dragon Transformation Realm, and based on the situation at the time, Ye Fan inferred that that figure had transformed into the Dao about two years before Ye Fan found him.

"Looking at it this way, that figure's lifespan is just about these few years. Selling the 'Nine-Turn Immortal Pill' to him is the most cost-effective."

"But in the entire original *Covering the Sky* novel, the depiction of this figure is far too little. We only know that this person was a true figure within the Daoist school—he came with nothing and left with nothing, leaving no inheritance behind. Nameless in life and nameless in death, the whole person just silently transformed into the Dao in the mountain forest."

"If I want to go and trade with him, it has to be within these few years, but my understanding of his information is too little. If this figure harbors any malicious intent, I have no power to protect myself, which might be a bit of a problem."

The original novel described that Saint-level figure who silently entered Nirvana as quite transcendent, completely hidden among the many mortals.

Ye Fan was only able to find traces of that figure because that Saint-level figure taught the people on the mountain who were chopping wood and fishing some immortal-family songs and formulas.

Otherwise, it would have been completely impossible to discover that Great Saint-level figure.

Finding that Great Saint wouldn't be difficult; Zhang Xuan still remembered the relevant location.

"I don't even need to do it myself; I can just instruct the Demon Race and relevant personnel to pay attention when they walk through that area. Looking at the current time, there are still several years left to find him."

Zhang Xuan nodded silently and also listed this figure as an option, though it was a backup of a backup.

The main thing is that the depiction of this figure in *Covering the Sky* is truly too little; one only knows his temperament was transcendent, but there isn't much understanding of his personality or character.

"The risk of trading directly with this Great Saint in the early stages is too high; it is best to trade with Gai Jiuyou first."

Gai Jiuyou, as a figure who achieved Alternative Enlightenment, and one who was able to reach Alternative Enlightenment even when Qingdi's Dao had not yet faded, and who was a peerless figure who failed to prove the Dao.

He is absolutely the ceiling of the current world. As long as he is by his side, Zhang Xuan's sense of security will be full.

"That salted fish Qingdi refuses to do anything. He has the best strategy in the world, yet he is unwilling to harvest the most divine arts and techniques, which is truly heartbreaking. If I have Gai Jiuyou, many of my original plans can be further implemented."

Zhang Xuan felt that the Great Accomplishment Saint Body on Sheng Ya, the Secret of 'Row' pressed beneath that Great Accomplishment Saint Body, plus the Killing Scepter of the Heavenly Court—if he could get them, they would all be quite good.

It is a pity that even though Qingdi knows about these things, he is not very interested in these matters; at the very least, he hasn't done much.

In this regard, Qingdi is truly a first-class salted fish.

"If Qingdi is unwilling to do it, then I can only take action myself."

Zhang Xuan sighed silently.

And in front of him, that Kongque Wang was already quite excited at this very moment.

"Senior, I wonder what other instructions you have? I will definitely do my utmost to carry them out!"

Today, only forty thousand jin of Source was spent in total, yet Zhang Xuan extended his life by nearly a thousand years in the blink of an eye. If this were a fair exchange, heaven knows how many old monsters would seek Zhang Xuan to conduct a round of exchanges.

Every year, when the Old Emperor Ancestors of the Central Plains' Ancient Imperial Families or the Holy Masters of the Eastern Wasteland's Holy Lands have little lifespan left, they all try their best to extend their lives; they are willing to pay any price.

And now, Zhang Xuan has achieved this point simply and easily.

However, Kongque Wang also knew in his heart that it was because Zhang Xuan had a close relationship with the Demon Race that Zhang Xuan so easily gave him such a huge benefit, just like the Dragon-Transforming Secret Art created by the Great Emperor that he gave to Qingjiao Wang not long ago.

Others coming here would certainly not have such good treatment. Simply put, even if one wants to be a dog for Zhang Xuan, it depends on whether Zhang Xuan is willing.

Zhang Xuan was awakened by the quite pleasantly surprised Kongque Wang before him; he stopped fantasizing about those grand things and returned to reality.

The reality is that he is still in the peak state of the Dragon Transformation Realm, not even in the Immortal Embryo Realm. In *Covering the Sky*, he still hasn't reached the realm of the Supreme Elders who are casually slaughtered by Ye Fan; usually, those Supreme Elders have already reached the first heaven of the Immortal Embryo Realm.

Of course, some Supreme Elders in very weak Holy Lands and families are only at the peak of the Dragon Transformation Realm, not even in the Immortal Embryo Realm.

"The road to cultivating as a God is long and arduous; I still cannot relax!"

"And I must also pay attention to the influence..."

Zhang Xuan thought about how he himself cultivated the Indestructible Heavenly Art, and inside his Wheel Sea, there was still the remains of a Desolate Ancient Sacred Body.

This point alone could very likely affect his image in front of Gai Jiuyou.

"During the process of Ye Fan's growth, although he was criticized by countless people as a 'waste body', in the eyes of those truly great figures, the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body still carries a very special weight."

"After all, the original Desolate Ancient Sacred Body did not have this name; there was no title of 'Human Sacred Body'. The original Sacred Body was called the Undying Golden Body, just a very special constitution."

It was not until later, when there were no Great Emperors among the Human Race, that nine Great Accomplishment Sacred Bodies who were invincible in heaven and earth appeared one after another, and all nine Great Accomplishment Sacred Bodies paid countless prices to suppress the Dark Turmoil. That is a history forged with blood and tears."

"It was only after that that the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body earned the title of 'Human Sacred Body'. This is a title that no other constitution has."

"Even on the Human Race Ancient Road, the Tyrant Body is not inferior to the Human Sacred Body, but the Tyrant Body absolutely does not have such a title as 'Human Sacred Body'. Although there is no blood connection between the Human Sacred Bodies, generation after generation of Human Sacred Bodies have forged their past invincible glory with their own blood."

Zhang Xuan had a clear understanding of this.

That is why when Ye Fan met the Mad Old Man of the Heavenly Pivot Holy Land in the early stages, the Mad Old Man was also willing to help Ye Fan.

Part of it was because Ye Fan walked out of the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land and brought out the images of the figures from the Heavenly Pivot Holy Land from within the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land.

But another part was because Ye Fan belonged to the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body. Later, at the Immortal Pond, when Ye Fan was chased and hacked by an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon, the invincible Gai Jiuyou was willing to help Ye Fan; I am afraid the Sacred Body was also part of the reason.

"To meet these powerful figures, it is best to digest the remains of the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body within my body first..."

Zhang Xuan whispered to himself; he had not yet used the Origin of a living person to cultivate in the Zhetian World, so he was not overly panicked, and both Yangguang and Hua Yunfei had practiced the Swallowing Heaven Demonic Art and the Indestructible Heavenly Art.

Especially Hua Yunfei, who had once stayed on a mountain peak with Gai Jiuyou for several years; with Gai Jiuyou's strength, he would definitely have been able to detect it.

But Gai Jiuyou did not make a move, so it seems these big figures do not have too many other thoughts regarding the Swallowing Heaven Demonic Art and the Indestructible Heavenly Art.

"However, one must still be careful; any possibility must be nipped in the bud. After all, I am taking a risk, in the end."

Above the Holy City, the moonlight was like water.

In the ancient palaces suspended in the firmament, powerful figures practiced from time to time; from afar, one could see the moonlight falling from the firmament like a flowing stream, submerging into those layered palaces, while a dragon-like surge of blood-Qi shot into the sky, displaying a terrifying momentum, and one could vaguely see a figure sitting cross-legged within those palaces.

Zhang Xuan looked over there, slightly lost in thought, then smiled in the blink of an eye.

"If I remember correctly, there is still a Saint in the Holy City. After the destruction of the Heaven Swirl Holy Land, the top figures of Heaven Swirl did not all die; among them, there is one who also reached the Saint level, and their current realm is very likely between Saint King and Great Saint, and they should still be guarding the Stone Workshop of the Heaven Swirl Holy Land."

"If I remember correctly, they should be called Wei Yi."

Regarding this Saint with abundant lifespan, Zhang Xuan did not plan to go over and interact for the time being.

"I must find a good excuse to extend the lives of these ancient Quasi-Emperors and Great Saints. The Dark Turmoil and the emergence of the Ancient Myriad Tribes in the near future are both good excuses, but before that, it would be best for my strength and realm to go up another level."

"There are indeed many things that need you to do. I want you to help me find two people; those two people are very important to me. One is Gai Jiuyou, who failed in his righteous path back then, and the other is an ancestor of the Cai Family of the Central Plains, a figure from eight thousand years ago..."

Zhang Xuan instructed in a low voice, and Kongque Wang's heart trembled slightly when he first heard this news.

The two people Zhang Xuan mentioned were both the most supreme figures under heaven.

If he remembered correctly, one had already lived for nine thousand years, and the other had lived for eight thousand years. If measured solely by lifespan, these two far exceeded the Immortal Platform Second Layer and very likely surpassed the Third Layer, reaching the level of an Ancient Saint, or even higher and more terrifying.

Just thinking about figures who had lived for eight thousand and nine thousand years made Kongque Wang feel a chill in his body.

He had lived for two thousand years and was already a supreme figure in the world, while those in the various Holy Lands and aristocratic families who had lived for three thousand years could be called living fossils, possessing incredible power and often capable of killing him or leaving him in a state of severe injury.

It could be said that for a person who has lived for three thousand years, even if they were a pig, they would have ground their strength and realm to be on par with him, or even stronger.

And now, Zhang Xuan was asking him to find someone who had lived for eight thousand years and someone who had lived for nine thousand years, and one of them was the famous Gai Jiuyou, who was known for having invincible talent and aptitude back then.

Kongque Wang could not help but whisper: "Are they still alive? Even an Ancient Great Emperor only lives for ten thousand years; they are almost approaching the lifespan of an Ancient Great Emperor. After such a long time, are they still alive?"

Zhang Xuan looked up at Kongque Wang. Clearly, this glance had no intention of reproach, but Kongque Wang felt inexplicably ashamed. After all, he had just received huge benefits from Zhang Xuan, and now he was questioning Zhang Xuan, which was quite embarrassing.

Zhang Xuan just shook his head and smiled: "Hmm, there is no need to worry too much about Gai Jiuyou; he will live very well. As for that ancestor of the Cai Family who has lived for eight thousand years, the action needs to be a bit faster. If my calculations are correct, his lifespan is within these few years."

If possible, find him, and whoever finds him can inform him that I have a fragment of the Nine-Turn Immortal Pill that can help him extend a period of his peak years. He cannot die yet; whether it is the matter of his ancestors or the turmoil in the near future, he needs to make a move."

Kongque Wang was stunned.

He considered himself to have lived for over two thousand years and had an understanding of the secrets between heaven and earth, but regarding the two things Zhang Xuan just mentioned, whether it was the matter of the Cai Family ancestor or the turmoil in the near future, he was completely unaware.

"There will be turmoil in the near future?"

He could not help but speak in surprise; before this, he had not the slightest inkling.

It was not that he was unwilling to believe Zhang Xuan, it was just that what Zhang Xuan said did not quite match his own experience of living for two thousand years.

(End of chapter)