Chapter 259

“Fine… I’ve been bored lately anyway—I’ll pay you a visit!” Zhou Qing feigned resignation.

Upon hearing this, Shen Hanyi’s face lit up with joy.

She knew that every time she invited Number One into her forbidden zone, she always gained something—truly a kindred soul.

And it would also give her a chance to observe him closely, to find out who he really was.

“Please!” Afraid Zhou Qing might change his mind, Shen Hanyi quickly gestured with a welcoming motion.

Zhou Qing nodded, and the two light orbs entered.

When they reappeared, they stood beneath the familiar crooked jujube tree, where distant black ships silently glided through the sandy sea.

Yet now, beneath the tree, besides themselves, there were six others.

Zhou Qing quietly channeled spiritual power, sensing the pressure radiating from them.

He discovered five of them were all Cultivation Base: Soul Transformation Peak, while the remaining one’s aura was nearly identical to that of the Peng Emperor and the Jiao Emperor—clearly a Cutting Spirit cultivator.

The depth of a Level Five Spiritual Nation was truly terrifying.

Their Cutting Spirit cultivators were probably on par with the Soul Transformation cultivators of Level Four Spiritual Nations.

It seemed these people had all come for the fallen divine beast, for before this, no living souls had ever been seen in this forbidden zone.

Fortunately, they occupied different dimensions, so none of them could sense Zhou Qing and Shen Hanyi’s presence.

“What kind of divine beast is it?” Zhou Qing suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Shen Hanyi, whose outline remained blurred.

Seeing this, Shen Hanyi said nothing, merely brushed her sleeve lightly and withdrew a faintly glowing image stone, offering it to Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing placed it against his forehead and saw endless mineral veins above, clouds churning, lightning flashing and thunder roaring.

At the horizon’s end, a massive black shadow trailed a long fiery tail, plummeting straight toward the center of the forbidden zone.

But due to the great distance, the divine beast’s form was indistinct—only a colossal silhouette visible.

Its entire body was wrapped in thick, radiant light, countless dazzling runes flickering across its surface.

Even through the image, Zhou Qing felt a vast, ancient aura surge toward him, as if a primordial deity had descended, filling him with awe.

The one who recorded this scene was clearly stunned by the sudden sight—the footage shook violently.

He cried out in excitement: “My god! A divine beast! It’s definitely a divine beast! How is this possible…?”

Hearing this familiar voice, Zhou Qing froze as if struck by lightning.

“Second Uncle?”

He listened again, carefully, thoroughly—yes, unmistakably, it was Second Uncle’s voice.

Wait, he went to the Tianyun Holy Dynasty?

But that’s not right—when Second Uncle left, he said he’d finally gained the confidence to venture into the place he’d dreamed of for years, thanks to the ten-thousand-year blood ginseng.

Yet the Tianyun Holy Dynasty? Second Uncle had explicitly stated he’d never set foot there. When I once asked him about the surroundings of the Shengwu Holy Dynasty, he knew nothing.

Could he have changed his mind suddenly?

And come all the way here?

“Since the falling image first spread, over three months have passed, drawing countless people into the forbidden zone,” Shen Hanyi said gravely.

“Yet to this day, apart from countless who entered and never returned, no one has found any clues—not even what kind of divine beast fell.”

“But based on the recording, many speculate this divine beast either chose this forbidden zone as its final resting place, its lifespan nearly exhausted.”

“Or it was gravely wounded and fled here in desperation. Either way, it means a tremendous opportunity for everyone.”

Zhou Qing nodded slightly—he knew this well.

Once, just a single drop of Jin Wu blood had helped him master the Nine Yang Divine Art.

A single drop of Su Ni blood had enabled him to learn the Thunderstorm Starfall Kill.

Three drops of Jin Chida blood had empowered him to master the Emperor’s Radiance Scripture.

And those were merely semi-pure-blooded specimens. Imagine the treasure hidden within a true pure-blooded beast.

Second Uncle always liked preserving scenes with image stones—but he never publicly broadcast them so brazenly.

For instance, when he wanted me to break through Soul Transformation, he only showed me embarrassing footage of sect masters and elders.

Knowing Second Uncle’s nature, this situation had to be suspicious.

“Where exactly did it fall?” Zhou Qing’s gaze burned as he looked at Shen Hanyi.

Shen Hanyi replied without hesitation: “Likely in the strange plain deep within the Ten Thousand Mines.”

Zhou Qing frowned slightly—that wouldn’t be easy to enter.

Beyond the black ancient ship lay the Ten Thousand Mines.

Shen Hanyi had spent years exploring, yet only managed to open a hidden cave in one edge mine, using the Blood Phoenix Bone, where she found the Shroud and the Shape-Shifting Divine Herb, Bingli Lingque Zhi.

On the stone altar was the Inscription-Level Technique, Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain, which he copied using a Replication Charm.

But deep within the Ten Thousand Mines? Who knew how many lethal dangers lurked there.

He had once witnessed two Cutting Spirit cultivators instantly devoured by a swarm of insects, leaving not even bones behind.

“I know it’s hard. Let’s just try our luck—it’s only thirty mid-grade spirit stones for us!” Shen Hanyi said, as if reading his thoughts.

Zhou Qing nodded. “Then let’s begin. Same love song?”

“Mm.” Shen Hanyi nodded slightly.

Zhou Qing took a deep breath and began singing; Shen Hanyi followed right after.

Their voices intertwined, drifting softly beneath the jujube tree.

Until the paper money beneath the tree spun gently, as if pulled by an invisible hand, pointing steadily toward one black ancient ship containing the key.

Without hesitation, they rushed toward the ship.

But at that moment, a figure dashed toward them from the ship’s direction, flying desperately while uncontrollably vomiting foul matter from behind.

The excrement formed yellow columns in midair, tracing disgusting arcs, reeking of a nauseating stench—as if countless latrine buckets had been overturned.

This sight made Zhou Qing’s face twitch; he instinctively covered his nose and mouth.

Shen Hanyi, however, turned pale—she seemed to realize something, immediately staring at the distant, intersecting ancient ships.

The man soon flew over their heads. Zhou Qing instinctively grabbed Shen Hanyi’s hand and pulled her aside, fearing he’d be drenched.

Good heavens, he’s a Soul Transformation cultivator—what did he eat to be this bad?

No, cultivators at this level should have long since abandoned grain. Unless, like me, he still indulges in earthly appetites.

The man clutched his buttocks tightly, face twisted in embarrassment and pain.

He cursed under his breath, muffled and incoherent: “Damn it, what the hell is this thing? How can it have such an effect? I must’ve been cursed for eight lifetimes…”

Suddenly, Zhou Qing felt a chill in his hand—as if gripping a block of ice.

He realized he was still tightly holding Shen Hanyi’s hand. Before he could let go, she swiftly withdrew it.

Though their forms were blurred in the simulation, Zhou Qing still glimpsed a faint blush spreading across her face.

Only then did he realize his mistake. He quickly released her hand, scratching his head awkwardly. “S-sorry… I… I was just too hasty.”

Shen Hanyi turned her face away, her voice soft yet trembling slightly. “It’s fine.”

A strange tension settled between them; the air seemed thick with awkwardness.

The man, meanwhile, limped toward the safety zone formed by the jujube tree.

The few others meditating beneath the tree were stunned into silence by this sudden spectacle.

After a brief pause, shouts and curses erupted.

“My god, what is this?!”

“Too disgusting! Get out!”

“Ugh—so foul! Fuck—”

Everyone covered their noses, faces filled with revulsion.

The man’s stomach still gurgled; he too looked embarrassed.

The Cutting Spirit cultivator seated beneath the jujube tree frowned deeply, eyes flashing with anger. “Get lost!”

The Soul Transformation cultivator, now too ashamed to care, hurriedly shuffled off to a nearby spot.

He frantically fished out an antidote pill from his storage pouch, shoving it into his mouth and beginning to adjust.

“I need to find someone!” Shen Hanyi suddenly spoke, her expression urgent.

Zhou Qing stared, dumbfounded.

Wasn’t the plan to find the divine beast’s corpse? Why suddenly find a person?

Before he could ask, Shen Hanyi tossed out, “So disobedient!” and darted swiftly toward the drifting ancient ships.

Zhou Qing was baffled, but stuck to his principle of speaking little and revealing less. After a moment’s hesitation, he followed.

Since news of the divine beast’s fall spread, countless cultivators had flooded into this forbidden zone.

As they neared the ancient ship zone, fierce battles erupted from every vessel.

Some fought each other, others battled strange creatures—energy fluctuations rose and fell endlessly.

Shen Hanyi searched intently, soon spotting a massive brawl on one ship.

A young man moved nimbly, rolling and dodging attacks from others.

Zhou Qing stared closely—the youth’s features bore faint similarities to Shen Hanyi’s. His heart stirred—he had a hunch.

“I’m furious!” Seeing this, Shen Hanyi stomped her foot, face flushed with rage.

But they occupied different dimensions—no matter how loudly she screamed, he couldn’t hear.

Even if she exited the simulation now, she couldn’t reach him in time.

Zhou Qing watched the young man with interest, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Zhou Qing watched the young man with interest, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

The young man’s spiritual power surged violently, radiating the aura of a Soul Transformation realm expert at the late stage; he now flashed to one side, eyes gleaming with excitement.

He shouted loudly: “Dare to ambush the Shit Emperor? You’re asking for death!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than his hands moved in rapid seals, instantly enveloping everyone on the deck in a thick yellow-brown glow.

Where the light touched, a pungent, nauseating stench slammed into their faces; all felt as if they had been plunged into a vast cesspool.

Then came a sight that made one’s stomach churn.

Countless dung balls, each the size of a millstone, rolled and bounced wildly within the glow, colliding and crushing against one another with dull thuds, gradually coalescing into an endless ocean of shit.

Shit waves surged, dung balls splattered—this brutal assault on sight and smell left everyone pale as death.

One female Soul Transformation expert, who had been holding on, finally couldn’t bear it; she clapped both hands over her mouth, bent over, and vomited.

Even Zhou Qing felt his stomach churn, his throat tightening with unbearable discomfort.

Yet he still furrowed his brow, forcing down his revulsion, eyes locked on the young man casting the spell.

“The Shit Realm’s lotus bud has just broken the surface!” the youth roared. Instantly, the middle-aged man attacking him felt a searing pain in his buttocks.

That sensation of something thrusting in and out made him recoil instantly; he instinctively clutched his rear, face twisted in agony and humiliation.

“You disgusting, lowlife bastard—what did you do?!” the man bellowed.

He tried to charge forward again, but the stabbing pain returned; when he touched his rear, blood flowed out—his humiliation reached its peak.

The youth burst into laughter, dripping with triumph and mockery: “So what if you’re Soul Transformation peak? No matter how tough your skin, I, the Shit Emperor, strike from within.”

With that, a sly glint flashed in his eyes as he shouted: “Try my second move—the Shit Realm’s Throat-Clogging Splendor!”

As he swiftly formed new seals, the middle-aged man suddenly felt a foul stench surging straight into his throat.

His eyes bulged in terror; he clawed desperately at his neck, unable to swallow, unable to vomit.

Zhou Qing saw this and his stomach heaved; he could no longer hold back, turning his head away.

“He actually mastered this kind of realm?” Zhou Qing felt sick to his stomach.

He thought his own tyrannical realm was already insane—turns out there’s something even more twisted.

Shen Hanyi, who had just arrived, saw the grotesque scene; her cheeks flushed crimson—whether from shame or rage, she couldn’t tell.

The others on the ship, finally unable to endure this mind-breaking assault, activated their own realms.

In an instant, colorful lights flared, powerful spiritual forces clashed and countered one another.

Seeing them unite to resist, the youth showed no fear—instead, he grew even more excited.

He pointed straight up with one finger, face twisted in near-madness, and roared: “Shit, come!”

Instantly, the sky above the ancient ship churned with stormy clouds; a vast expanse of yellow-brown mist descended.

“You’re ruthless!” At this sight, whether they were fighting him or not, everyone panicked, curses erupting as they turned and fled.

Soon, the entire ship was left with only the youth alone.

He stood on the empty deck, watching the panicked retreats of the others, threw back his head, and laughed wildly.

“You kids are still too green to fight the Shit Emperor.”

Then, with a casual wave of his hand, he exuded arrogance and nonchalance.

The once sky-obscuring yellow clouds vanished swiftly.

“After refining two Soul-Shaping Divine Herbs, I never imagined my realm’s power would become this terrifying. Sister, rest easy—I’ll find that divine beast’s corpse and give you a real surprise.”

After muttering to himself, he immediately began searching the ship.

But after searching for a long while, he found nothing.

Finally, he cursed loudly: “Fuck this dung beetle—the key isn’t on this ship! All this for nothing!”

He glanced around, eyes sweeping across the surrounding ancient vessels.

Soon he locked onto his next target; a determined gleam flashed in his eyes, and he dashed toward another ancient ship.

“The Shit Emperor arrives—clear the way! The Infinite Shit Realm: All Shit Returns to Origin—”

“Puke~”

Zhou Qing turned and vomited.

He saw it: countless filth items poured from the sky—dung balls, stinking viscous sludge, and unnameable filth.

The people on that ship fled in panic, curses flying thick and fast.

“Wait—you two are really siblings?” Zhou Qing forced down his nausea, wiped the sour fluid from his lips, and stared at Shen Hanyi in disbelief.

He simply couldn’t connect this maniacal youth wielding the “Shit Realm” with Shen Hanyi.

Shen Hanyi gripped her sleeve tightly, voice barely a whisper: “I never thought he could master such a realm.”

At this moment, she wished she could vanish into a crack in the ground.

Zhou Qing frowned slightly, thoughtful: “To master a realm requires absolute, ultimate understanding of something… this…”

Zhou Qing trailed off.

Shen Hanyi bit her lower lip, silent, eyes fixed on the youth wreaking havoc on the other ship.

Sometimes he’d unleash “Flowing Upstream”—instantly, torrents of filth poured forth.

Other times he’d suddenly cast “Flowing Downstream”—the scene descended into chaos.

Occasionally, seizing the moment, he’d unleash “Seven Orifices Excreting Shit”—the absurd spectacle made Zhou Qing’s face twitch; he covered his eyes.

Then, Shen Hanyi suddenly turned to Zhou Qing, her expression heavy with guilt and apology.

She bowed respectfully: “One, I’m truly sorry—he just recovered from a serious illness and came to this forbidden zone; it’s far too dangerous. I must take him back.”

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, understanding.

With this youth’s way of provoking everyone, even with the strongest background, many would seize this chance to leave him here forever.

It was an unprecedented insult!

“Alright, let’s postpone the divine beast hunt—go ahead and take care of him!” Zhou Qing said cheerfully.

Shen Hanyi apologized again and again; then her figure grew faint and withdrew.

With Shen Hanyi’s departure, Zhou Qing was instantly expelled from the forbidden zone’s vision.

Reverting to his red orb, he thought of that mad youth—his heart churned with mixed emotions; besides lingering nausea, he felt an odd urge to laugh.

“The Shit Emperor?” Zhou Qing couldn’t help sighing, shaking his head with a wry, half-laughing expression.

Then he slowly scanned the silent space, recalling the recently departed Sikong Yan.

The Fifth Imperial Prince, Xuan Yuan Fengtai, was behind the Five Sects War? That surprised him.

It seemed the two sides had once been allies—so why did Sikong Yan suddenly betray them with such brutality?

If he killed them, why tell Zhou Qing?

After all, if Zhou Qing leaked this, Sikong Yan would face relentless pursuit—with nowhere to hide.

Not to mention the two terrifying Soul Severing experts of the Xuan Yuan family—just the other Soul Severing experts across the Holy Martial Empire who owed Xuan Yuan favors would chase Sikong Yan to the ends of the earth to repay their debt.

“No—he’s testing me!” Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Zhou Qing—he saw the key.

The two fake Gao Xian Masters must have told Sikong Yan about the Taiqingmen Forbidden Zone—otherwise, Tianji Sect wouldn’t be so obsessed with it or plotting to divide the spoils afterward.

And here, in the Divine Ruins Palace, Sikong Yan witnessed Zhou Qing’s forbidden zone vision—so he wanted to confirm which Taiqingmen member Zhou Qing truly was.

As for the exact method he’d use to test him, Zhou Qing couldn’t yet guess.

But he was certain: if he ever leaked the Fifth Prince’s death, Sikong Yan would immediately expose the forbidden zone’s existence.

At that point, the imperial capital’s Xuan Yuan family would take intense interest.

Even his Divine Ruins Palace’s Number One Token might change hands.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing sighed helplessly.

He had never underestimated any of the Five Eastern Sects’ Sect Masters.

Including Master Cao Zhengyang—each one was a cunning fox, calculating their own moves in this complex web of interests.

“Whatever—take it one step at a time!” Zhou Qing exhaled softly and entered his own forbidden zone vision.

The moment his body solidified, crushing gravity slammed down, slowing his movements instantly.

Zhou Qing had no time to think—he drew his Po Shang Feng, its blade flashing with cold light.

At that moment, the ground ahead shattered without warning, dirt and rocks exploding outward.

Then, the familiar skeleton leapt from beneath the earth.

In the hollow of its massive skull, the desiccated face of the First Sect Master Guo Guiqi twisted in fury; its sunken eye sockets fixed Zhou Qing with a chilling gaze.

“Disciple Zhou Qing, I apologize in advance!” Zhou Qing murmured, then struck first…

…

Thus, seven days later, Number Six finally came back online; after a brief hesitation, Zhou Qing entered.

Sure enough, Shen Hanyi’s blue orb had not entered the forbidden zone vision—it hovered quietly, clearly waiting for him.

“I’m truly sorry again!” Seeing Zhou Qing, Shen Hanyi apologized sincerely at once.

Zhou Qing’s lips curled slightly, teasing: “Is the Shit Emperor locked in the dungeon?”

Shen Hanyi’s pupils shrank sharply: “You know about my dungeon?”

Zhou Qing: “...”

Isn’t that just a standard punishment chamber in any sect? Isn’t that common knowledge?

“How about we play a little game? You drop me a tiny hint about yourself—I’ll slowly figure it out, okay?”

Shen Hanyi blinked, her expression hopeful, negotiating.

(End of Chapter)