Chapter 160: Hua Tiandu

There is no light here, no sun, moon, or stars; one cannot see a hand in front of one's face, everywhere is a pitch‑black storm blowing chaotically, emitting a wailing wind sound like the cries of ghosts and wolves.

This is within a spacetime storm.

This involves the spatial domain, extremely dangerous; not even a divine‑skill cultivator, let alone a First or Second Tier Eternal Life cultivator, could come here without being torn to pieces.

Ordinary beings cannot even reach it.

Only a Third Tier Eternal Life cultivator who has grasped the spatial law can tear space, enter the spacetime storm, and traverse it unharmed.

At this moment, however, an exception appeared.

A figure with nine arms and five heads, lacking even the First Tier of Eternal Life, let alone the Third, was nonetheless unscathed within the spacetime storm.

All because a swirling black smoke enveloped the figure, shielding it from the incoming storm.

The black smoke was like a protective shell around the silhouette.

The silhouette was, in fact, the Panwu Yuan Spirit that had escaped from Chen Zheng at Taiyuan Xianfu.

Hua Tiandu.

"Chen Zheng, the humiliation you inflicted on me, I will repay ten thousandfold one day!"

Hua Tiandu's five faces twisted horrifically like ferocious ghosts, and the five mouths simultaneously howled skyward.

Consider that he began cultivation at three, was taken as a direct disciple by Ruyi Zi at nine, entered a celestial cave at sixteen, and inherited the once‑renowned Panwu Immortal Patriarch's legacy.

For centuries, he stood unrivaled among all true‑disciple cultivators of the Feather Ascension Gate.

Even the Great Unity Gate regarded him highly.

What a prodigious and dazzling talent he was!

Today, all is destroyed.

His fiancée, as well as his dignity, mortal body, master, Panwu True Blood, Great Wilderness Ancient Furnace, Panwu Divine Sword, and so on, were all stripped away by Chen Zheng.

What a tragic, humiliating, and cruel fate!

It is like a noble emperor clad in splendid new robes suddenly discovering he is a ragged beggar.

And a castrated beggar at that!

Hatred drives him mad!

He is on the brink of insanity!

Fortunately amid misfortune, a mysterious black smoke aided him, preserving his life.

"What exactly is this black smoke, and how did it appear within my Yuan Spirit? It can even repel a spatial storm; it's so powerful—could I use it to revenge Chen Zheng… hmm, not good!"

After a while, Hua Tiandu's resentment eased slightly; his gaze, puzzled, stared at the black smoke enveloping his Yuan Spirit, and his thoughts began to stir.

He soon had no time to ponder further.

Because the black smoke around him suddenly thinned at breakneck speed, seeming to vanish completely within a few breaths.

Once it disappears, his death is certain.

"Not good, must rush back to the Xuanhuang Great World."

Hua Tiandu's complexion turned fierce; he hurriedly guided his Yuan Spirit to flee through the spacetime storm, searching everywhere.

He does not understand spatial rules and cannot tear space; only by finding a natural or artificially created spatial fissure can he leave.

However.

He found nothing.

There was no spatial fissure to be found at all.

To make matters worse, the black mist around him had completely dissipated.

Deprived of protection, endless spacetime storms surged toward him, like black serrated blades strangling his Yuan Spirit, instantly crushing several of his arms.

"Am I destined to fall here? No, I still have a great vengeance unfulfilled!"

Hua Tiandu roared in unwillingness, exerting all his strength to resist and surge forward; his Yuan Spirit was sliced by the spacetime storm, scarred all over, on the verge of collapse.

Just as he seemed about to give way, a fissure suddenly appeared in the distance.

The crack glowed with light.

He clutched it like a lifeline, dragging his battered Yuan Spirit toward the fissure.

He plunged through.

The darkness vanished, and bright daylight flooded in.

He successfully returned to the Xuanhuang Great World.

Hua Tiandu did not relax.

His Yuan Spirit was gravely wounded, like a candle in the wind; if he does not find a suitable body to possess, it will be extinguished completely, vanishing from the world.

"Anyone? Is there anyone to let me possess?" Hua Tiandu asked anxiously.

He looked around; below stretched an endless, boundless sea, not a single figure in sight.

There were no islands either.

Clearly, after escaping Chen Zheng's grasp, he had not fled far and was still within the Great Northern Ocean region.

What now?

Should he possess a fish in the sea?

Yet his current strength is virtually nonexistent; how could he control a fish's body across the Great Northern Ocean, then reach shore and return to the distant Feather Ascension Gate?

"Huh, is that her?"

Just as Hua Tiandu was about to despair, a silhouette suddenly streaked across the distant sea surface, startling him.

It was a young woman in splendid attire, white boots, her face full of panic.

Although she only possessed the Mortal Secret Realm cultivation, she wielded a glowing gourd; golden wisps of smoke poured from its mouth, propelling her to fly wildly over the sea, as if someone pursued her.

The woman turned out to be an acquaintance of his, Fang Qingwei.

The gourd in his hand was none other than the Seven Killing Gourd he had snatched from Fang Han last time.

Later, after he used the Great Wilderness Ancient Furnace to dispel the demonic qi and re-forged it, he named it the Ruyi Immortal Gourd.

As for him initially giving the Ruyi Immortal Gourd to Fang Qingwei, the purpose was to disgust her and deal with Fang Han.

But how could Fang Qingwei be here?

Hua Hua Tiandou Du couldn't afford to think further.

His primordial spirit was about to vanish.

Whoosh!

Hua Hua Tiandou Du gritted his teeth, made a fierce dive, lunged at Fang Qingwei, shattered the golden smoke protecting her, and instantly rushed into her heavenly gate.

It was so fast that Fang Qingwei couldn't react at all.

Begin the possession!

As long as he obliterated her consciousness and seized her body, he could return to the Feather Ascension Gate using this body.

Then he would ask the Supreme Elder of the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace to act, using great magical power to protect his primordial spirit, and find another excellent fleshly body for possession.

Without the slightest mishap, the possession succeeded.

Although he was extremely unaccustomed to this fleshly body and felt awkward, it was still better than becoming a fish that would die as soon as it left water.

"Chen Zheng, you wait for me……"

Fang Qingwei, oh no, Hua Hua Tiandou Du's spirit was exhilarated; he wanted to let out a loud shout to the heavens, then turn back to the Feather Ascension Gate.

But before he could shout, a teasing voice sounded from behind him: "Fang Qingwei, do you think relying on just a mere middle-grade treasure can let you escape from my hands?"

Hua Hua Tiandou Du started, turned his head, and saw a stranger in black clothes, demonic and godlike, standing less than a zhang away from her.

Hua Hua Tiandou Du forced himself to calm down and said, "Who are you, sir?"

He felt that although this person only had the Shen Tong Mi Jing realm, he was extremely terrifying, vaguely far stronger than he had been at his peak.

The man looked down at him, half-smiling, and said, "It's fine to tell you—I am Si Ma Chong of the Wuji Star Palace, and your brother-in-law Chen Zheng actually dared to kill my own younger brother; I can't find him for now, so I'll start with you."

"What?"

Hua Hua Tiandou Du was first stunned.

Then his heart skipped a beat; he never expected this person to actually be Chen Zheng's enemy.

He hurriedly said, "Brother Si Ma, actually I also have a deep blood feud with Chen Zheng……"

"Still dare to quibble in front of me?"

Si Ma Chong reached out and grabbed Hua Hua Tiandou Du's slender neck, pulling him close to his ear with an evil laugh: "As punishment for Chen Zheng, I will torture you until your body is utterly ruined."

"You… you… Brother Si Ma, hear me out, you really have the wrong target……" Hua Hua Tiandou Du hurriedly tried to explain that he wasn't Fang Qingwei.

Si Ma Chong utterly ignored him, his evil light blazing, he let out a low growl………………

"……"

"……"

"……"

Hua Hua Tiandou Du's pupils widened.

He was about to go mad!

Frantically struggling!

But he couldn't move.

Wanting to cry but no tears.

What on earth is this……

…………

Within the space of the Tai Yuan Immortal Mansion, Yan Shui, upon seeing her status demoted by Chen Zheng from servant to dog, after a moment of stupidity, grew furious, her pretty face turning blue, wanting to argue.

Chen Zheng gave her no chance, imprisoning her in the Ten Directions Five Elements Pagoda to suppress her, so she could reflect.

This woman and Fan Qingying were close confidantes, knowing the location of Fan Qingying's lair; it would be useful for him to seize the Great Chaos Thunder Sword and wipe out the Divine Clan there.

He remembered that in Fan Qingying's lair there were many Divine Clan members, as well as a venerable Hate-Heaven God Emperor of the Longevity Secret Realm.

The Hate-Heaven God Emperor is the vanguard army leader sent by the Divine Clan to the Xuanhuang Grand World, possessing a high-grade Dao artifact, and his own strength is extremely strong, far surpassing the Two Immortals Two Elders and the Ruyi Child's ilk.

If he refined the Hate-Heaven God Emperor, Chen Zheng's strength would rise another level, likely reaching the point of being able to kill a Second-Stage Longevity Cultivator.

After subduing Yan Shui, Chen Zheng then exchanged a few words with Fang Han, and the two began to leave the Tai Yuan Immortal Mansion through the Return to the Void Passage, chatting as they headed back to the Great North Ocean.

Fang Han sighed, "If it weren't for Senior Brother Chen's timely rescue, I would have been forced by Hua Hua Tiandou Du into the main hall of the Tai Yuan Immortal Mansion, trapped inside with no way out. Moreover, I obtained the Five Prisons King Cauldron thanks to Senior Brother's influence; Xiao Gangzi of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, hearing I was your junior disciple, directly gave me this cauldron, and I don't know how to repay Senior Brother."

"That Xiao Gangzi knows how to be a person."

Chen Zheng nodded, then smiled and waved his hand: "No need for thanks; I was just looking for Hua Hua Tiandou Du earlier, and saving you was merely incidental. Besides, a fortunate person naturally has heavenly favor; even if you barged into the Tai Yuan Immortal Mansion, you might still get out, and perhaps even turn misfortune into blessing."

Fang Han gave a bitter smile: "Senior Brother Chen thinks too highly of me; I myself don't even know whether I can get out of the Tai Yuan Immortal Mansion."

As they spoke, he flipped his palm, and a piece of wood the size of a palm appeared, twisted like a ginseng root or like sandalwood.

On this wood grew a small sapling, its leaves oval, the grain like talismans, resembling sheets of heavenly script talisman records, exuding a chilling wood qi, rolling like waves.

The roots were firmly planted in the void, just like Chen Zheng's "extract" character, drawing pure yang qi from the endless void.

Fang Han handed the wood bearing the sapling to Chen Zheng solemnly, saying, "I must repay Senior Brother Chen's life-saving grace. This is a fragment of the Ancient First Divine Wood World Tree, which I happened to obtain; originally dead matter, but I have revived it with Wood Emperor Gang Qi, Yellow Spring Holy Water, and Nine Yang Holy Water, causing it to sprout a sapling. Please, Senior Brother, don't disdain it—just accept it."

"Oh?"

Chen Zheng's eyes flashed with surprise; he wasn't surprised about what use the World Tree sapling had for himself.

Rather, he was surprised that for Fang Han at his current stage, this sapling was extraordinarily precious, almost fundamental to increasing his cultivation.

And yet such a fundamental item, Fang Han actually took it out and gave it to him directly.

Moreover, looking at his expression, there was not the slightest reluctance or regret; it was clearly sincere.

"Fang Han truly lives up to being the protagonist with the highest return on investment, almost without equal." Chen Zheng silently sighed.

Fang Han saw Chen Zheng not speaking, and also not accepting the World Tree sapling, thinking he didn't know the sapling's terrifying effect, he hurriedly said: "Senior Brother Chen, the roots of this sapling can continuously draw pure yang energy from the void, equivalent to letting a divine-ability cultivator reach the realm of the Undying God of Breath-eaters ahead of time; this is an ability only found in the Longevity Secret Realm."

Chen Zheng shook his head, gesturing for Fang Han to take back the World Tree fragment: "This tree is of great help to you; keep it for yourself."

Fang Han froze, a surge of emotion welling up in his heart.

At that moment, a yellow flood dragon flew out from Fang Han's body; it was Yan.

It looked at Chen Zheng, its dragon eyes full of a fawning expression, clasping its dragon claws as it said: "I am the artifact spirit of the Dragon-subduing Yellow Springs Diagram, Yan. Daoist Friend Chen may not know, but the amount of pure yang energy that Fang Han's sapling draws for you is terrifying—each day it gathers the equivalent of millions of White Yang Pills. Moreover, it can grow further, drawing tens of millions, which is crucial for your cultivation..."

"Alright."

Chen Zheng raised his hand to interrupt Yan's words.

He basically doesn't need any World Tree fragment at all.

He has the "Draw" character.

Let alone a single World Tree sapling, even a hundred or a thousand of them far cannot compare to his "Draw" character.

Why won't Fang Han and Yan listen?

He was utterly helpless.

He also couldn't be bothered to explain to the two; with a thought, his body revealed countless fine threads that were originally invisible to others but now clearly visible.

"This...?"

Yan and Fang Han's eyes widened instantly.

They couldn't be mistaken, could they?

Those threads on Chen Zheng's body actually extended like the veins of heaven and earth into an unknown space-time, continuously drawing pure yang energy.

Has Chen Zheng actually reached the realm of the Undying God of Breath-eaters?

Moreover, observing this drawing amount, each thread can draw at least the equivalent of a hundred million White Yang Pills per day.

And Chen Zheng has nine hundred ninety-nine such threads on his body—doesn't that mean he can draw roughly the equivalent of a hundred billion White Yang Pills of pure yang energy per day?

A hundred billion per day!

That's equivalent to one middle-grade Dao artifact per day!

Even more, it equals the drawing amount of a hundred thousand World Tree saplings!

At this moment, Yan stiffened in place, completely not knowing what to say.

Fang Han swallowed his saliva, instantly feeling his World Tree sapling was no longer fragrant.

"Junior Brother Fang, Yan, although the World Tree sapling is useless to me, you both mean well, so I must generously reward you."

Chen Zheng smiled faintly, extended a finger, and pointed from afar at the center of their brows.

Hum—!

In Fang Han and Yan's bewildered gazes, two incomprehensible "Draw" characters condensed into form and swoosh flew into the center of their brows.

Instantly, both of their bodies trembled, and like Chen Zheng, fine threads sprouted all over their bodies, each embedding into an unknown space-time and beginning to draw pure yang energy.

"What... what?!"

Fang Han and Yan were stunned, utterly dumbfounded.

(End of chapter)