Chapter 143

Xuanhuang City

Yihe Palace

Chen Zheng sold his magic treasures to the three major merchant guilds, obtaining sixty-five billion White Yang Pills; after refining them, his mana surged again, and he was also preparing to return to the Feather Ascension Sect.

But before that, he first needed to use the warlike slaughter qi to open up another mana source.

Not bad, during his tempering in the Five Elements Realm, Prince Yi's more than fifty subordinates have already gathered a batch of warlike qi for him.

The big and small countries on the Xuanhuang Great World number in the thousands and tens of thousands, many of which are constantly at war; moreover, the lesson Chen Zheng gave to those of Little Moon Mountain before going to the Five Elements Realm was profound, so their efficiency in gathering warlike qi is exceptionally high.

Now, they have all been handed over to Chen Zheng by Prince Yi, a total of twenty-two gourds, each emitting the sound of golden spears and iron horses.

Chen Zheng immediately exercised the Mighty Warrior Divine Ability, drawing the warlike qi from the many gourds, condensing in his mind one hundred and eight Battle Soul Relics of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha, then forming them into a stellar array, raising his spirit beyond the heavens to perform heaven-man resonance, drawing the stellar power of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha stars in outer space.

In no time, he attracted one hundred and eight streams of stellar power into his body, merging them with the battle soul relics into one.

A space was born in his mind.

The third mana source, successfully opened.

This source is not large, only able to hold one million horsepower of mana; Chen Zheng then used the character "big" to enlarge it a hundredfold, making its capacity, like the other two sources, reach one hundred million.

With the three great sources, they can hold three hundred million.

"For the time being, I can increase my mana without worries." A smile appeared in Chen Zheng's eyes.

At this moment his mana is 165 million horsepower; increasing further will soon reach 200 million, which is also the limit of the two major mana sources' capacity.

By then his mana will stagnate, as if burdened by a heavy load, leaving him helpless.

Now that he has opened a third mana source, his whole body feels much lighter.

"Young Master, you are returning to the Feather Ascension Sect; could you take me along? I am willing to be your servant, attending to your needs."

Prince Yi, who was guarding the Dharma beside him, seeing Chen Zheng finish his cultivation, plucked up his courage and asked cautiously.

After witnessing several times Chen Zheng's overturning methods and strength, his mindset also underwent a great change.

He also became lively.

Formerly, he was ambitious, single-mindedly recruiting Free Cultivators, developing his forces, wanting to compete with other princes for the throne of the Great Xuan Empire.

Now, however, he is completely different, only wishing to follow Chen Zheng's side.

Prince Yi said that if he could become Chen Zheng's lackey, even if his father the Xuan Emperor immediately bestowed the throne of the Great Xuan Empire upon him, he would disdain it and cast it aside like worn-out sandals.

Compared to the position of lackey, the throne of the Great Xuan Empire is hardly worth a pile of dog dung by the roadside.

Chen Zheng could see Prince Yi's desire to advance, but he shook his head and refused: "This time returning to the Feather Ascension Sect I will cause an uproar that shakes heaven and earth; whether it will still be people of this sect is uncertain. What would you do following me? Just stay in Xuanhuang City, gather warlike qi for me, and come under my command after the matter is settled."

"By the way, if your Great Xuan Royal Family recently discovers any secret realm or similar treasure land, remember to notify me promptly."

Chen Zheng added another sentence, then flew out of the Yi Harmony Palace, heading outward from Xuanhuang City.

He remembered that the Great Xuan Royal Family would soon discover a Coiling Dragon Star in outer space, a great heavenly dragon nest left from ancient times.

Although the heavenly dragon clan there has now vanished, it left behind many dragon crystal mountains, dragon corpses, dragon eggs, and similar treasures, all of great use to him.

The dragon race's supreme treasure, the "Eight Divisions Pagoda," is also within that dragon nest, along with a heavenly dragon secret manual on crafting the Eight Divisions Pagoda.

The Coiling Dragon Star will definitely be visited in the future.

Whoosh!

Chen Zheng flew all the way, quickly leaving Xuanhuang City; just as he was about to head east toward the Feather Ascension Sect, a yin wind suddenly blew up in the mountains and forests below, which were originally lush and covered with towering trees.

The yin wind filled heaven and earth; wherever it passed, countless plants and animals in the mountains and forests, even rocks, withered and softened, as if the wind had sucked out their vital essence.

A huge yin spirit throne rose slowly in the yin wind, ascending to a position higher than Chen Zheng, upon which sat a middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man wore hemp clothing, his complexion deathly pale like a corpse, ghostly fire drifting in his pupils, his arms emaciated, nails extremely long, over a foot each, like flying swords, making his whole appearance terrifyingly horrible, like an evil ghost crawling out of hell.

"You brat, are you Chen Zheng of the Feather Ascension Sect? I am the Ghost Emperor; knowing you just sold a large number of magic treasures in Xuanhuang City and are immensely wealthy, I have come to borrow some White Yang Pills from you. You had better be sensible and obediently offer all the pills on your person. Otherwise, I will make you know what is called unforgettable agony for eternity."

The middle-aged man, resembling an evil ghost on the throne, spoke, looking down on Chen Zheng from above, as if a heavenly eagle were gazing down at a ground ant.

Upon hearing this, Chen Zheng shook his head and chuckled.

I never expected that, having just left Xuanhuang City and not yet having time to seek trouble with others, I would first encounter a bandit.

Usually I am the one robbing others; today someone actually ran up to rob me, which is also interesting.

As for this fellow who calls himself the Ghost Emperor before him, he knows his name is Yin Wuchang, an Title: Elder of the Yellow Springs Demon Sect, one of the seven pulses of the Demonic Path, renowned in the cultivation world, yet infamous.

This person has committed countless atrocities—murder and plunder, slaughtering cities and destroying nations, refining Demonic Cultivation with the souls and blood of living beings, infant placenta, etc. —too many to list.

He is a true villain; compared to the notorious forty overseas bandits and the Ghost Emperor, he is utterly a good, obedient baby.

Therefore many Correct Path disciples wish to eradicate him quickly, but they are hindered because the Ghost Emperor is an ancient relic over three thousand years old, a contemporary of the Linglong Immortal Venerable; even when the Yellow Springs Great Emperor was still alive, the Ghost Emperor was already a formidable figure, his cultivation having reached the Divine Ability Tenfold, the Realm of Reversing Heaven and Changing Fate, leaving many Correct Path disciples unable to deal with him.

"Kid, what are you laughing at?"

Seeing Chen Zheng chuckle, the Ghost Emperor furrowed his brows, the two ghostly flames in his pupils almost leaping out, turning the mortal world into purgatory, and with a gloomy smile said: "Perhaps you refuse to offer the pills to me, wanting me to take them by force? In that case, I will satisfy your wish; my Evil Ghost Soul-Swallowing Technique happens to lack a soul, and that soul is you!"

Boom—!

The Ghost Emperor moved; his left arm extended, his left palm turning into a huge pitch-black demonic claw, covering the heavens, black flames blazing sky-high, as if to burn all existence, he grabbed down at Chen Zheng.

This demonic claw is not a human's five fingers, but nine fingers, with webbing between them like a frog's toes, quite strange.

This move is called Obscuring Heaven Demonic Cultivation, the supreme divine ability transmitted by the Yellow Springs Great Emperor to the Ghost Emperor, which he has cultivated to great perfection; moreover, he spent hundreds of years specifically for this demonic art, gathering countless yin soul demon blood and other materials, refining a magic treasure named the Obscuring Heaven Demon Hand, only a step away from becoming a Dao artifact.

Obscuring Heaven Demonic Cultivation combined with the demon hand yields terrifying power to the extreme; almost no one can resist it.

But before the Obscuring Heaven Demon Hand could strike, Chen Zheng suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving the Ghost Emperor stunned.

Bang!

Chen Zheng, unknown when, appeared above the Ghost Emperor's head, kicked out with his leg, striking the Ghost Emperor's skull squarely, driving it forcibly into his chest cavity; his chest could not bear it, bursting open like a blossoming flower, blood spraying everywhere, intestines and viscera flung out, leaving only the lower half of his body still seated on the throne.

Now the Ghost Emperor truly became Wuchang (no intestines).

"Ah! My head, my upper body!"

The Ghost Emperor's divine sense emitted a heart-rending, lung-splitting wail; at the moment his body exploded, a pitch-black entity shot out from his lower half—a creature wholly covered in black scales, three heads and six arms, wielding wolf-tooth swords, serrated blades, bone staffs, and other magical implements, a blue-faced, fanged evil demon, surrounded by rolling demonic clouds that inundated the heavens and earth.

This is the Ghost Emperor's Heavenly Earth Dharma Form, the Nine Ghosts Primordial Spirit evolved from his natal golden core.

The Nine Ghosts Primordial Spirit stared wide-eyed with a pair of ghostly eyes, incredulously fixed on Chen Zheng, its eye sockets tearing apart.

He naturally had heard of Chen Zheng's legendary reputation, having once killed Wan Luo in the Feather Ascension Gate, and on the Wan Gui Sea Market he beheaded several Ancient Giants of Wan Gui Immortal Island, among them a Wan Qin whose divine skill was eightfold.

Therefore he had already overestimated Chen Zheng's strength; the moment he struck, it was the Heaven‑Covering Demon Hand, intending to seize him at once and extract the secrets and pills from his body.

But he never imagined Chen Zheng would be so strong; he could not even withstand a single blow.

This is not human at all!

Too terrifying.

The Ghost Emperor was horrified, not daring to utter a harsh word, he activated the Nine Ghost Primordial Spirit and fled.

Yet at that moment, a massive hand fell from the heavens like an ancient emperor delivering divine punishment, shrouding everything and plunging the Ghost Emperor's world into endless darkness.

When he could see again, the Ghost Emperor was horrified to find his Nine Ghost Primordial Spirit had been pinched by Chen Zheng's massive hand, squeezed to the size of a sugar figurine, leaving only a ghostly head exposed.

"Senior Chen, it's a misunderstanding…"

The Ghost Emperor tried to argue, but before he could finish, Chen Zheng's emotionless eyes fixed on him and said, "How did you know I have a large amount of White Sun Pills on me?"

Today Chen Zheng was in Xuanhuang City, selling artifacts to Heaven Dao Hall, Six Path Alliance, and Nine Tripod Pavilion, all handled by the top tiers of the three major merchant guilds, known by very few.

Where did the Ghost Emperor learn that?

"I said I could, but you must first release me, then swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao, never kill me… ahhh!"

The Ghost Emperor regained a bit of composure, tried to negotiate terms, but as soon as he spoke, true fire ignited in his primordial spirit, spreading over his whole body, burning his three heads and six arms to the point of melting, a pain a hundred times worse than a piercing spear, causing him to emit a pig‑slaughter‑like wail.

"Will you speak?" Chen Zheng asked again.

The Ghost Emperor dared no more cunning thoughts, clenched through the pain and trembled, "Ah, I… I say, it was Mo Yunzi of Nine Tripod Pavilion; he was once an Elder of my Yellow Spring Demon Sect. After the Yellow Spring Great Emperor died, the Yellow Spring Demon Sect fractured, and he joined Nine Tripod Pavilion as a devotee. Senior Chen, Mo Yunzi told me that you sold a batch of artifacts at Nine Tripod Pavilion, obtained 220 billion White Sun Pills, and ordered me to kill you, so I could bring the pills back to him."

"Nine Tripod Pavilion, Mo Yunzi."

Chen Zheng's eyes flashed with a ruthless hue.

Last time it was this Nine Tripod Pavilion colluding with Meng Shaobai, spreading news of the Five Elements Land, hoping to have Wan Lianshan and Taiyi Sect members hunt him down.

However that affair was led solely by Meng Shaobai, and Nine Tripod Pavilion likely knew nothing of the details.

Moreover, Chen Zheng was reaping substantial gains in the Five Elements Land, so he temporarily did not pursue Nine Tripod Pavilion.

Yet now, the people of Nine Tripod Pavilion still dare to collude with the Ghost Emperor, attempting to seize his pills and endanger his life—utterly unreasonable.

"Senior Chen, I am merely a runner, it's not my business, ah…"

The Ghost Emperor let out another scream, begging for mercy, but Chen Zheng casually pinched him, crushing his Nine Ghost Primordial Spirit into pieces.

Instantly, the Hungry Ghost Devouring Divine Technique, Ten Thousand Demons Soul‑Locking Method, Taiyin God‑Slaying Method, Grievous Ghost Sun‑Absorbing Technique, Six Desires Evil Dragon Qi, Parent‑Child Celestial Ghost Incarnation, Yin‑Yang Grand Replenishment, Nether Ghost Fire… a total of thirty‑six divine‑skill formations surged from the shattered Nine Ghost Primordial Spirit, all absorbed by Chen Zheng into his Life Talisman, merging into it.

The divine skills on his Life Talisman rose to two hundred thirty‑four types, greatly strengthening his power.

Once unleashed, it would surely shake the heavens and earth!

Chen Zheng also took from the Ghost Emperor's ruined corpse its stored treasure artifacts, as well as the Heaven‑Covering Demon Hand and the Ghost Snake Sword, burned the body to ash, and flew toward the distant Xuanhuang City.

The waning sun, like blood, poured from the heavens, staining the world red, as if heralding an ominous sign.

On every major street of Xuanhuang City, which stretches north‑south for ninety‑nine thousand li, traffic still bustled.

Especially at the entrance of Nine Tripod Pavilion, which seemed like a giant cauldron standing on the ground, cultivators came and went, bustling with activity.

The numerous guards standing on both sides of the gate exuded powerful aura, their eyes flashing like lightning, deterring any trouble‑makers.

"It is said Nine Tripod Pavilion just released a notice; in seven days they will hold a grand auction, inviting true‑line disciples and Elders of major forces, even Ancient Giants, to attend."

"Hiss… inviting Ancient Giants? What on earth is Nine Tripod Pavilion auctioning?"

"I obtained secret information: Nine Tripod Pavilion will auction a Dao Artifact, the Iron‑Blood War Banner."

"It's actually a Dao Artifact?!"

The courtyard of Nine Tripod Pavilion was crowded, cultivators discussing fervently, the pot boiled over.

Chen Zheng, arriving from afar, heard the chatter but remained expressionless, and asked the guards on one side of the gate, "Where is Mo Yunzi?"

"You're looking for Mo Yunzi?"

The guards, surprised, yet seasoned, recognized Chen Zheng's extraordinary aura; one said, "Senior, you're looking for Mo Yunzi the devotee—what business? I can report it for you."

"No need for such trouble, just take me to him." Chen Zheng lifted the guard, raised his leg, and walked inside.

"Hold on, Mo Yunzi is a revered devotee of Nine Tripod Pavilion, his status is noble; even true‑line disciples from other sects must wait for our notice first…"

As the guards tried to block Chen Zheng's forced entry, before they could finish speaking, their foreheads were pierced by streaks of sword‑energy, killing them instantly.

"Murder!"

"Who dares to murder in Nine Tripod Pavilion? Even an Ancient Giant cannot kill within Xuanhuang City; this is under the Son of Heaven's foot, any trouble‑maker will die! Does this person intend to oppose Nine Tripod Pavilion, or even the Great Xuan Imperial family?"

"Hiss, he is Chen Zheng of Feather Ascension Gate, a peerless murderous scourge who even dares to kill Taiyi Sect disciples—run, if the fight spreads to us we'll be doomed!"

Countless cultivators around were shocked by Chen Zheng's slaughter of the guards.

Some recognized Chen Zheng, their pupils trembling, hurried away for fear of being cut.

"Which reckless creature killed my Nine Tripod Pavilion people? Kneel quickly, surrender!"

"If you don't kneel, even an immortal descending won't save you!"

Nine Tripod Pavilion reacted swiftly; several roars rang out, more than twenty cultivators of third to sixth‑rank divine skill burst forth, intending to suppress the intruder with thunderous force.

"Seeking death!"

Chen Zheng's gaze hardened, white‑imperial sword qi erupted from his body, slashing the over twenty cultivators, turning them into a rain of blood that stained the previously spotless ground crimson.

"Audacious… ah!"

Then three blue‑clad elders, all Golden Core Ancient Giants, rushed out, enraged, but as soon as they shouted, straight blood scars appeared from their brows down to their lower bodies, screaming as they split open, their golden cores dividing in two.

Whoosh!

Fresh blood spurted, the three collapsed instantly, their half‑bodies falling from mid‑air, splashing crimson blossoms on the ground, causing countless onlookers to shiver and flee wildly toward the distance.

Too brutal.

"Chen Zheng, why did you arbitrarily kill my Nine Tripod Pavilion people? What exactly are you after? Do you truly think you are invincible in the great Xuanhuang world? Or is Nine Tripod Pavilion so easy that you dare not kill us?"

(End of chapter)