Chapter 135: Breakthrough

Chen Zheng's "Da" character, which last time inside the Feather Ascension Gate could only double Jia Lan's magical power source, now can enlarge Fang Qingxue's manyfold.

As back at Wan Gui Sea City, when he could only transform himself into a ten‑thousand‑zhang giant, now his body can surge to fifteen hundred li high, equal to more than two hundred thousand zhang.

This is because his insight into the "Da" character has deepened, making the character more profound.

It is no exaggeration to say that his comprehension of the seven calamity characters such as "Da", "Bian", "Su", "Pao", etc., is being refined almost every moment.

Even if he never uses any resources to cultivate again, forever stuck at the fifth level of Shentong and unable to advance a single step, as long as he continues to contemplate the mysteries of the seven calamity characters, his combat power will keep rising.

In several years, Chen Zheng, relying only on these seven calamity characters, will have combat power beyond imagination, able to roam the Eternal Life Secret Realm with a Shentong Wu Chong body, and even slaying immortals will not be impossible.

This is the terrifying aspect of the True Demon's Ten‑Calamity Unbreakable Body: the many calamity characters can overturn truth and enslave all ten thousand Dao.

Now back to the main story.

Fang Qingxue was shocked once again.

Chen Zheng, with a single finger, injected a "Da" character into her brow, causing her magical power source to expand manyfold; such a method is truly defying the heavens.

The secret on Chen Zheng is probably far larger than she imagined.

But she did not ask Chen Zheng about it; as a reincarnation of the Electric Mother, she also has her own secret.

Especially since she recently awakened some fragments of past‑life memories, her realm could advance so quickly.

"Thank you, Brother Chen."

Fang Qingxue gave Chen Zheng a slight smile, then said, "From now on I will face the Taiyi Sect together with you," and began to absorb the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations Chen Zheng gave her, as well as another fifteen Divine Abilities, sitting cross‑legged in midair to cultivate.

Once she digests these twenty‑seven Divine Abilities, the Divine Abilities in her Golden Core will reach fifty‑one types, her magical power will surge, and the Golden Core will be strongly fortified, allowing her to begin assaulting the Wind‑Fire Cataclysm of the eighth Shentong.

By then she will also be able to help Chen Zheng counter the Taiyi Sect's retaliation.

Chen Zheng killed so many true disciples of the Taiyi Sect, especially since there were twelve Ancient Giants among them; the seriousness of this matter is incomparable to the previous extermination of Yao Dian and others.

The last time he killed Yao Dian and others, at most it was a minor skirmish; this time he truly pierced the heavens.

He made a huge hole!

One can imagine, once the news spreads, countless Free Cultivators and sects across the Xuanhuang Great World will be horrified, and the Taiyi Sect will inevitably thunderously rage, dispatching Ten‑Thousand‑Year Giants to eradicate Chen Zheng.

Even the Taiyi Sect's headmaster Tai Hun Tian would be alarmed; he is the former senior brother of the Luminous Immortal Sovereign, a terrifying figure whose magical power spans the heavens.

If Tai Hun Tian himself intervenes against Chen Zheng, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Fang Qingxue felt deeply worried about this.

Chen Zheng, however, acted as if nothing were wrong, seeming completely indifferent to the Taiyi Sect's retaliation.

He glanced at Fang Qingxue, a warm feeling flashing through his heart because of her earlier words, then turned to the surrounding people and instructed, "Brother Meng Yi, and all of you, stay here to guard Qingxue; if anything arises, immediately send me a message with this order."

Having said that, he casually formed a dark golden token and tossed it to Prince Yi, then turned and walked toward the distance.

"At your command!"

Prince Yi's eyes flashed with delight; he quickly caught the dark golden token and, together with the others, bowed and saluted Chen Zheng's retreating figure.

Only after Chen Zheng completely vanished from sight did they begin to act, scattering in all directions like stars surrounding the moon, guarding around Fang Qingxue with vigilant eyes.

Especially the old Daoist Jin Rilie, who immediately summoned his own treasure, surrounding himself with flickering golden flames—a Divine Ability called Solar Golden Flame—clearly ready to strike at full force to ward off any suspicious intruder.

At the same time, his gaze flickered as he silently assessed Prince Yi, who stood not far away with an equally formidable demeanor.

His son Jin Shitai is indeed Chen Zheng's lapdog!

From the words Prince Yi previously spoke and from Chen Zheng handing the message token to him just now, it is clear that he is a profound and formidable opponent who may threaten Jin Shitai's position in the future.

He must help Jin Shitai keep a close watch on his every move, preferably to fully understand him and preempt any threat.

"Hehe."

Prince Yi sensed Jin Rilie's gaze, flauntingly gave the dark golden token in his hand a slight shake, a curved smile forming at his mouth, as if sneering, "Just because you're an old thing, you think you can fight me? You're far from it."

Sarcasm maxed!

"The petty one has risen!"

Jin Rilie's eyelid twitched, almost losing the battle, and he quickly focused his spirit, widening his old eyes and glaring back fiercely.

Their gazes met in the void, each refusing to yield, sparking invisible flames.

……

Chen Zheng was completely unaware of the undercurrents between Prince Yi and Jin Rilie; he walked on, slaying countless water apes, water buffaloes, and other water‑type monsters, and arrived above a raging great river.

His gaze swept the riverbed, where he saw a crystal palace the size of a hundred li, inside of which lay a gigantic, bizarre turtle with a dragon's head, a tortoise's body, and a snake's tail.

Its shell was covered with countless glowing talismans, emitting a powerful essence of water vapor.

It was a water divine beast, Xuanwu.

The Five Elements Land stretches for an incalculable billions of li; over countless years, the myriad bizarre monsters born from the five‑element qi are innumerable.

Among them, the five supreme types are: central Wu‑Ji Earth, the Teng Snake; eastern Jia‑Yi Wood, the Azure Dragon; southern Bing‑Ding Fire, the Vermilion Bird; western Geng‑Xin Metal, the White Tiger; and northern Ren‑Gui Water, Xuanwu.

These five divine beasts dominate the Five Elements Land, commanding countless monsters of various attributes; each possesses power equivalent to the seventh Shentong Golden Core realm, the eighth Wind‑Fire Cataclysm, and even the ninth Heaven‑and‑Earth Dharma realm.

If Ten‑Thousand‑Year Giants came here to capture the divine beasts and sell them in the Xuanhuang Great World, each could fetch a price of ten billion Baiyang Pills, equivalent to several priceless treasures.

And if Chen Zheng, as before, refines the Vermilion Bird, and refines the other four divine beasts, the other four Divine Abilities in the Great Five‑Elements Technique will also be completed within the Shen Tong Mi Jing.

"Human cultivator, do you dare to trespass in my domain? Withdraw at once, I will spare your life, otherwise I don't mind killing you on the spot."

The Xuanwu in the crystal palace spotted Chen Zheng above the great river; its massive dark pupils suddenly opened, emitting a deep thunderous sound that shook the river water, causing a roar and raising towering waves.

"Bold words, die."

Chen Zheng's face remained expressionless; his long arm reached out, turning into a huge hand that scooped into the river like a fishing net.

"Human cultivator, you dare act? You're finished, having completely lost the only chance to survive!"

Xuanwu roared in fury, opening its mouth to spew endless lightning, raging and bombarding the water.

Unfortunately, the lightning struck Chen Zheng's hand, having no effect at all, not even a tickle.

Bang!

Chen Zheng seized the crystal palace in one hand, crushing it, and grasped the massive Xuanwu.

How is that possible?

In Xuanwu's huge eyes, a look of surprise appeared; immediately its limbs, head, and tail shrank violently, retracting into its shell, from inside came a cold laugh: "Human cultivator, my shell is as solid as a supreme treasure; you can never do anything to me."

"Xuanwu's huge pupils showed surprise, then its limbs, head, and tail suddenly shrank, retracting into its shell, from inside came a cold laugh: 'Human cultivator, my shell is as sturdy as a supreme treasure; you can never do anything to me.'" Need to keep meaning.

We'll translate: Xuanwu's huge pupils showed surprise, then its limbs, head, and tail suddenly shrank, retracting into its shell, from inside came a cold laugh: "Human cultivator, my shell is as sturdy as a supreme treasure; you can never do anything to me."

Is that so?

Chen Zheng exerted a little force with his five fingers, and the shell was squeezed out of shape, cracking inch by inch.

Ah...

Xuanwu could no longer keep a stiff upper lip, letting out a heart-rending scream, wanting to beg for mercy, but Chen Zheng had already crushed it, turning it into a vast amount of water elemental energy, which was absorbed into his body.

Boom—

Dark clouds rolled above Chen Zheng's head, spreading water vapor that filled heaven and earth, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder.

This signified that the Black Emperor Water Sovereign Fist had reached perfection in the Shen Tong Mi Jing, giving birth to the Kui Water Divine Thunder.

Still lacking three more divine abilities, the Grand Five Phases Technique could then be perfected in the Shen Tong Mi Jing.

Chen Zheng left this place, flying hundreds of thousands of li, then arrived at an area filled with Geng Metal qi, where he began slaughtering the metal bees and other metal-type demonic beasts, killing them indiscriminately.

Finally, he encountered the White Tiger!

As expected of the White Tiger, bald and fierce, it engaged Chen Zheng in a great battle, fierce collisions, back and forth, until it reached a fever pitch; only then did Chen Zheng strike its vital spot, causing it to bleed out and wail in agony before collapsing unconscious.

Boom—

After absorbing the White Tiger, the White Emperor Metal Sovereign Slash reached perfection, giving birth to the Geng Metal Divine Thunder.

Chen Zheng pressed on without pause, crossing millions of li to a desolate land, where he slaughtered countless earth-type demonic beasts and a Teng Snake, bringing the Yellow Emperor Earth Sovereign Dao to perfection as well.

Only the final Qing Emperor Wood Sovereign skill remains to complete the Five Phases.

Chen Zheng soared into the high sky, his gaze like torches, scanning the four directions for wood qi, and soon saw two groups of people on the distant horizon.

Both groups were towering, six to seven times the size of ordinary people, their naked bodies green, covered in wood grain patterns, each wielding wooden axes, spears, pitchforks, and similar weapons, their eyes fierce as they slaughtered each other.

Green Giants!

Tens of thousands of Green Giants formed two massive armies, for unknown reasons they went to war.

Chen Zheng couldn't care less.

He arrived above the battling Green Giants, without a word he struck, suppressing them all, instantly turning them into wood elemental energy which he absorbed into his body.

His Wood Sovereign Gang Qi immediately underwent a transformation, yet it did not evolve into the Yi Wood Divine Thunder.

Still not enough.

Chen Zheng furrowed his brows, took a step, and headed toward the distant place where wood qi was thick.

Bang bang bang!

After traveling roughly a million li, suddenly intense explosive sounds rang out ahead, along with waves of magical fluctuations.

So many people?

Chen Zheng gazed in that direction and instantly saw, in the midair far away, over a hundred cultivators besieging an azure-scaled dragon whose body stretched hundreds of li.

During the period when he perfected the three gates of Five Phases Divine Abilities, he traversed at least tens of millions of li across the Five Phases lands, also encountering many cultivators absorbing Five Phases qi and hunting demonic beasts.

But they were basically Free Cultivators.

Yet many of the cultivators besieging the Azure Dragon here wore specially made robes; some had the Divine Sword of Sun and Moon embroidered, marking them as members of the Sun and Moon Sword Sect; some wore the Myriad Sword Law robes, obviously of the Heaven-Reaching Sword School; there were also the Pill Cauldron Sword School and the One Origin School, all among the Ten Immortal Dao Sects.

These four major sects were clearly divided, each occupying a direction; most were at the fifth or sixth layer of Divine Abilities, with none having reached the Golden Core realm.

However, each sect had one expert at the ninth layer of Divine Abilities, in the Heaven-Earth Dharma Aspect realm, leading them.

Actually line numbers continue.

Under the leadership of these four chief experts, the sect cultivators formed formations like the Sun and Moon Sword Dragon, the Heaven-Reaching Sword Array… low growls rose and fell as they ceaselessly besieged the Azure Dragon.

But the Azure Dragon was no pushover, coiling like a mountain range across the firmament, its whole body glowing with azure light that dazzled the world; a pair of dragon eyes blazed with fury, at times exhaling vast divine light, at times swaying its massive tail, its scaled claws sharp, its long roar shaking the heavens, it neutralized each fierce assault of the four sects' cultivators one by one.

"This Azure Dragon is equivalent to a perfected ninth-layer Divine Ability; even if we join forces we would struggle to slay it. If it seizes an opportunity to break one of our sect formations, the remaining three sects would likely be unable to contend with it." An old man with a solemn expression sent a mental transmission to everyone.

The old man was renowned in the cultivation world; he was the "Sword Maniac Elder" of the Sun and Moon Sword Sect, equivalent to the Medicine King Elder and Transmission Elder of the Feather Ascension Gate.

"If that's the case, shall we first go hunt demonic beasts of lower cultivation?" said a middle-aged man with a beard of five willow strands and a faint gold complexion.

This person was known as "Lingkong Yijian", named Feng Feitian, who shared the same sect as Jiao Feitian, and was the Grand Elder of the Heaven-Reaching Sword School.

"I agree with withdrawing first," said Dan Xiaozhi, Grand Elder of the Pill Cauldron Sword School, wiping sweat from his forehead, proposing: "Why not join forces with the Taiyi Sect, or cooperate with Wan Lianshan?"

"I've heard the Taiyi Sect brought over four hundred true disciples and twelve Ancient Giants this time. Wan Lianshan is also terrifyingly strong, capable of sweeping across the Five Phases lands; as long as they aid us, we will surely be able to slay the Azure Dragon." said Yuan Yuanzi, Grand Elder of the One Origin School, in agreement.

"Since none of you object, I'll count down three, then we will each lead our disciples to retreat… three… uh…"

The matter settled, the Sword Maniac Elder began counting, but as soon as he uttered the first number, his expression froze and his voice cut off abruptly.

Because in his sight, a huge hand that blotted out the sky suddenly appeared, reaching down from the firmament.

The Azure Dragon, hundreds of li long, had no time to react; its massive body was seized squarely by the hand.

Then the hand clenched, lifting the Azure Dragon like a chick.

What?

Everyone's pupils contracted sharply.

Who is so terrifying?

With a single move he captured the Azure Dragon.

This is an Azure Dragon that has perfected the ninth layer of Divine Abilities, an existence that even their combined forces could not overcome after prolonged attack.

Could it be that an Ancient Giant is making a move?

"Is that… Chen Zheng of the Feather Ascension Gate?"

How could Chen Zheng appear here? Not long ago there was news that he colluded with the forty great bandits, looted the Xuanwu Pavilion, and provoked Wan Qing Shan to personally hunt him down?

Could he have escaped Wan Qing Shan's pursuit? No way! And isn't he just too strong?

Everyone turned their stiff necks toward the direction the hand retracted, and saw at the horizon's end Chen Zheng hovering in midair, casually crushing the Azure Dragon, turning it into wood elemental energy which he absorbed into his body.

Many people recognized Chen Zheng's identity, shocked again and again.

Especially the Sword Mad Elder, Feng Feitian, Dan Xiaozi, and the elders who are the heads of the four major sects all stared wide-eyed, their eyeballs almost popping out.

Their eyes were venomous, naturally they could see that Chen Zheng's realm was Shentong Wu Chong.

But…

How could a fifth-rank easily seize a ninth-rank Azure Dragon?

They differ by a full four major realms!

Could they be hallucinating?

Several Elders had fallen into doubting life.

Chen Zheng in the distance ignored them, and after absorbing the mighty wood qi transformed from the Azure Dragon, the Qingdi Wood Emperor Technique finally gave birth to the Yi Wood Divine Thunder.

The Grand Five Elements Technique, all perfected in the Shen Tong Mi Jing.

Boom—

Above his head appeared five rolling thunderclouds, which condensed into a canopy; boundless five-colored light flashed violently across heaven and earth, illuminating the universe.

This is the Five Emperors' Canopy!

Auspicious clouds drifted around the canopy; as they turned, the void echoed with vast heavenly chanting, as if a great existence praised and worshipped this grand technique.

At the same time, Chen Zheng's five viscera fully linked together, producing a qualitative change; bones, muscles, tendons and skin all emitted five-colored radiance, glittering brightly.

"Spiritual fire, illuminate the path ahead, life-sign talisman, condense!"

Chen Zheng opened his mouth and spat out streams of divine abilities, which transformed into formation after formation, rotating above his head like the Five Emperors' Canopy.

He also released immense mana, igniting it with spiritual fire to temper many divine abilities, causing them to fuse.

A Shentong Wu Chong cultivator seeking to advance to the Guiyi Realm must temper all his divine abilities with his own spiritual fire, gathering the scattered divine abilities like loose sand into one place to form a life-sign talisman.

Once the talisman is complete, it is the Sixfold Guiyi Realm.

"Quick look, Chen Zheng is assaulting the Guiyi Realm! One kind, twenty kinds, seventy kinds…… This, this damn it! Chen Zheng actually cultivated ninety-nine kinds of divine abilities!"

The Sword Mad Elder in the distance was the first to come to his senses, gazing at the myriad divine abilities circling Chen Zheng's head, he swallowed hard while counting, and by the end even vulgar words burst out.

"Is it really ninety-nine kinds of divine abilities? This is the limit of the Shen Tong Mi Jing; throughout history, cultivators as numerous as the sands of the Ganges have hardly ever reached such a point—even seventy or eighty kinds of divine abilities are as hard as climbing to heaven—how did Chen Zheng achieve this?"

"Reaching ninety-nine kinds of divine abilities in the Heaven-Man Realm is already mythic! Yet trying to successfully condense so many divine abilities into a life-sign talisman is extremely difficult, far more difficult than for ordinary cultivators by countless times; success is impossible."

"Correct, condensing ninety-nine kinds of divine abilities into a life-sign talisman consumes too much; even a Shentong Tenfold cultivator would have his mana instantly drained, his divine abilities disintegrate, and his cultivation reduced to nothing."

"Ah, even if Chen Zheng can afford the cost, and by luck manages to condense a life-sign talisman, the source of mana cannot withstand it and will collapse outright; even his fleshly body cannot bear the immense mana brought by that advancement, and will explode instantly. He is more likely to perish than survive, what a pity."

Everyone was first deeply shocked by Chen Zheng's cultivation of ninety-nine kinds of divine abilities, then they thought of the difficulty therein, and all shook their heads and sighed.

Chen Zheng, a peerless heavenly talent no less than the Linglong Immortal Venerable, yet he rashly attempted to condense a talisman surpassing ancient and modern times, containing ninety-nine kinds of divine abilities, and met his downfall midway—truly lamentable and regrettable.

This is also a loss and sorrow for the Feather Ascension Sect.

Among the hundreds present, no one believed Chen Zheng had any hope of success, nor that he could survive.

(End of chapter)