Chapter 200: with translation of chapter title

Regarding Jialan's proposal to have Yanshuiyi together repay himself, Chen Zheng nodded and agreed.

He had just a few days ago suffered damage to his mind and spirit from forcibly controlling the Three Lives Stone, not yet fully recovered, needing nourishment and relaxation; the two women's gentle affection was just right.

He waved his hand at Qiu Xiyu and the others who were paying respects to Jialan, the newly appointed Supreme Elder, and said: "You all withdraw; go arrange matters for tomorrow's celebration of the Sect Master's 4,000th birthday."

"Yes." Qiu Xiyu and the others bowed and left.

"Husband, I'll go fetch Yanshuiyi." Jialan also left, heading to her own chambers.

Soon she saw Yanshuiyi, who was familiarizing and consolidating her new realm, and directly explained the matter of having her serve Chen Zheng together with herself.

"Madam, this… this…"

Yanshuiyi froze at the words, then panicked, lowered her head, her pretty face flushed, visibly turning crimson from her slender neck to the roots of her ears.

She had never been intimate with a man.

She had never even allowed any man to touch her hand, yet Jialan immediately had her do this shameful affair of two women serving one husband, which was beyond her imagination.

Jialan frowned and said: "What, you're unwilling? Do you only want to be a maid for life?"

What an astonishing fortune it is to serve Chen Zheng!

If Chen Zheng were to announce he wanted to take a concubine, the entire Xuanhuang Grand World would be shaken; certainly all fairies and goddesses, and even some men, would risk their lives, breaking heads to vie for this opportunity.

Now Yanshuiyi has obtained this opportunity, yet she is not overjoyed and immediately agrees—this is simply unreasonable.

Yanshuiyi, in a hurry, not minding her shyness, quickly shook her head and explained: "No… no, Madam, I don't mean that; I am willing, I just heard this good news and am too excited."

"That's more like it."

Jialan smiled enchantingly, then switched to mental transmission, saying with deep meaning: "You must remember who gave you this opportunity today; don't disappoint my expectations later."

Yanshuiyi instantly understood, knowing Jialan wanted her to become her left and right hand, to deal with Fang Qingxue in the future, as well as possibly overthrow the Linglong Immortal Venerable.

She hurriedly nodded, transmitting her loyalty: "Madam, rest assured, Yanshuiyi will forever be loyal to you."

"Let's go, don't keep the husband waiting."

Jialan was very satisfied, leading the still-nervous Yanshuiyi to the main hall where Chen Zheng was.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, a once-in-a-thousand-years grand gathering was about to begin in the Linglong Blessed Land.

The Linglong Immortal Venerable is recognized as the foremost expert by countless cultivators of the Xuanhuang Grand World; her birthday banquet stirred the entire cultivation world, including the Great Xuan Imperial Household, the Star Gate, the Sun-Moon Sword Sect, the Crystal Cave Heaven, the seven lineages of the Demonic Path, and the major powers of the outer stars, whose leaders either came personally or sent weighty figures bearing generous gifts to rush to the Linglong Blessed Land.

Many also came out of admiration, hoping to catch a glimpse of Chen Zheng's true appearance.

Chen Zheng now shines like the midday sun in the Xuanhuang Grand World, akin to a legend; it can be said that everyone under heaven knows his name.

Many have already compared him to the Three Sovereigns of antiquity.

His numerous glorious feats and heaven-defying deeds have long been etched in people's minds; even a three-year-old can recount how Chen Zheng slew the Nine Tripods on Panlong Star, how the Feather Ascension Sect was blind to pearls, and how the Linglong Immortal Venerable discerned heroes with her wise eyes.

In short, today's gathering is unprecedented and unmatched, far more grand than the Immortal Dao Ten Sects' Grand Immortal Assembly held sixty years ago.

Because the number of cultivators coming to the Linglong Blessed Land is truly overwhelming, people stream through the mountain gate at all times, like a plague of locusts.

"Is this the Linglong Blessed Land? Indeed, the scenery is extraordinary. Is that Sumeru Golden Mountain where the Linglong Immortal Venerable resides? It is said that Sumeru Golden Mountain is a supreme Dao artifact, with which the Linglong Immortal Venerable once suppressed and killed the Supreme Elder of the Taiyi Gate. Even when Chen Zheng was young, he once ascended this mountain via the Heaven-Stepping Ladder, showing that this mountain is far mightier than our Feather Ascension Sect's Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace."

"What Feather Ascension Sect? We followed Senior Brother Fang Han here; besides wishing the Linglong Immortal Venerable longevity, we also wanted to see Senior Sister Jialan and ask her to let us join the Linglong Blessed Land. We are no longer disciples of that Feather Ascension Demon Lair."

"Exactly, I, Liu Kang, would rather be a dog of the Linglong Blessed Land than a person of the Feather Ascension Demon Lair. Especially that old dog Wu Mingkong daring to slander Chen Zheng as a traitor—he deserves to die! I and that old dog Wu cannot coexist under the same sky!"

"Me too…"

At this moment, Fang Han took the lead, leading Xu Yue'er, Long Xuan and other female disciples of the Jialan Association, as well as Hong Yi and others, following the crowd into the mountain gate of the Linglong Blessed Land, arriving at a vast plaza.

Upon entering, everyone's eyes were drawn to the countless immortal mountains, seas of clouds, soaring dragons, and Sumeru Golden Mountain, eliciting endless praise.

"That must be Senior Brother Chen's Righteous Qi Peak, reaching a million li in height, comparable to the stars? Senior Brother Chen's mountain‑forming technique is truly formidable."

Fang Han's gaze swept past the layers of immortal mountains and mist, beholding the towering Righteous Qi Peak in the distance, and he couldn't help but inwardly click his tongue.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, more than ten women flew from afar, their garments bearing the insignia of the Linglong Blessed Land, landing before Fang Han and the others, startling the countless birthday celebrants nearby, who all turned to look.

The leading masked woman in red gave Fang Han a graceful salute and asked with a smile: "Are you Senior Brother Fang Han?"

"Indeed, it is I. I don't know how to address you, Elder," Fang Han said, not daring to be negligent; he quickly withdrew his gaze from the Righteous Qi Peak and cupped his hands to inquire of her.

He secretly felt astonished; the aura of this masked red‑clothed woman before him was unmistakably that of an Eternal Giant.

Likewise, the more than ten women behind her were all Eternal Giants of the Longevity Secret Realm.

When did the Linglong Blessed Land acquire so many Eternal Giants? Wasn't it said that only the Heavenly Punishment Elder Qiu Xiyu existed?

Moreover, her cultivation level surpasses his, yet she calls him "senior brother," leaving him somewhat bewildered.

"Fang Han… sir."

The masked red‑clothed woman, mid‑sentence, realized her mistake, changed her form of address, and introduced herself: "Sir Fang, you may call me Piao Yun; I am not an Elder, merely a direct disciple, and these junior sisters behind me are also direct disciples."

"No way? A mighty Eternal Giant merely a direct disciple of the Linglong Blessed Land?"

"She is indeed Fairy Piao Yun; I saw her from afar not long ago at the Six Paths Alliance auction. Back then she had only reached the fifth level of divine abilities—how could she have become an Eternal Giant?"

Not only Fang Han, but all Feather Ascension Sect disciples, as well as many of the birthday celebrants nearby, were stunned, almost thinking their ears had malfunctioned.

In their minds, Eternal Giants are god‑like beings, each lofty and supreme, holding power over life and death of low‑rank cultivators, the absolute top tier of major sects—how could they be mere direct disciples?

Yet observing Piao Yun and the women behind her, they did not seem to be lying.

Moreover, some in the crowd knew Piao Yun and were aware of her background.

What on earth is going on?

Everyone was puzzled.

Soon Piao Yun gave them the answer.

She turned, lifted her gaze to the distant Righteous Qi Peak, her eyes filled with boundless reverence, and fervently declared: "Our becoming Eternal Giants is due to the Supreme Elder's yesterday unleashing great divine power to bestow an empowerment. Not only us, but the Elders and direct disciples of the Linglong Blessed Land—altogether over a thousand people—have all been empowered to become Eternal Giants, and all inner and outer sect disciples have been empowered to reach the fifth level of divine abilities, the Heavenly Human realm."

As soon as her words fell, the plaza fell silent.

Everyone was stunned, utterly dumbfounded.

Immediately after came countless gulping sounds as throats rolled, fierce swallowing of saliva echoing one after another.

They couldn't have heard wrong—could Chen Zheng actually directly bestow a low-level cultivator with the title of an Eternal Giant?

One bestowal and it's already over a thousand people?

Even raising all Mortal Secret Realm disciples several realms, turning them into Heavenly Human realm cultivators?

The inner and outer disciples of the Linglong Blessed Land number a full six hundred eighty thousand!

That's just too absurd!

Could it be that Heavenly Human realm cultivators and Eternal Giants are like cabbage, mass-producible?

Producing that many powerhouses—what immense mana, what vast resources, what heaven-defying means would be required?

Everyone simply couldn't imagine it.

Yet no one doubted what Piao Yun said.

Because Chen Zheng's heaven-defying deeds have already taken root in people's hearts, no matter how incredible the feat, it seems reasonable.

"The gap between me and Senior Brother Chen is growing ever wider; we can't even be compared, let alone catch up." Fang Han gazed toward Zhengqi Peak, giving a wry smile and shaking his head.

He once harbored grand ambitions, believing he possessed the inheritance of the Yellow Springs Great Emperor and had Yan's aid; though still inferior to Chen Zheng, he might not fall far behind in the future.

During this period, he endured many trials, gained numerous opportunities, and with the "Ji" character Chen Zheng implanted in his body, he absorbed vast amounts of pure yang qi, his cultivation soaring; he reached the Divine Ability Tenfold Heaven-defying Fate-changing realm, and even mastered a full ninety-nine divine abilities, enough to slay an Eternal Giant.

He could be called the number one heaven's pride of the Xuanhuang world aside from Chen Zheng, shocking countless people and thus giving rise to his desire to chase after Chen Zheng.

But after the news of Chen Zheng slaying the Nine Cauldrons Immortal Sovereign spread, his desire to chase him suffered a blow.

Now hearing that Chen Zheng can effortlessly produce Eternal Giants whose battle power rivals his own, his desire to chase him is like a candle in the wind, about to gutter out.

Inside the Yellow Springs Diagram, Yan advised: "Fang Han, the gap between you and Chen Zheng is like that between the Yellow Springs Great Emperor and the Gate of Eternal Life that created everything—they are not even in the same dimension; you could never catch up to him, so why bother worrying? Moreover, I suspect Chen Zheng is related to the Gate of Eternal Life; perhaps he is its reincarnation, otherwise how could he be so terrifying?"

"Yan, I understand."

Fang Han let out a long sigh, having heard Yan speak more than once of the grandeur of the Gate of Eternal Life, his expression strange as he said: "But you say Senior Brother Chen is a reincarnation of the Gate of Eternal Life? That would make him the father of us all."

"Not bad."

Yan chuckled hehe: "If Chen Zheng is willing to take me as his adopted son, I wouldn't mind immediately solidifying a father-son relationship with him."

Fang Han retorted angrily: "You're dreaming; Senior Brother Chen would surely look down on you, that shameless, thick-skinned stupid dragon."

"Damn it, who are you calling stupid?"

While Yan and Fang Han traded barbs, those around them had various thoughts—some were shocked, roaring inwardly again and again, while others envied the female disciples of the Linglong Blessed Land, their eyes turning red.

Especially the women of the Jialan Society, they felt even more urgent, wishing to immediately seek an audience with Jialan, beg her to whisper pillow-wind, so they too could join the Linglong Blessed Land and later receive Chen Zheng's bestowal, becoming Eternal Giants admired by all.

"Young Master Fang, you are a friend of the Supreme Elder; you may proceed to the Guest Hall and wait for the noon birthday banquet to begin, please." Piao Yun gave a slight bow of invitation.

"Very well, thank you and all the fairies."

Fang Han led the members of the Ascension Sect, following Piao Yun and the other women as they flew up, heading to the Guest Hall of the Linglong Blessed Land, causing another wave of envy, jealousy, and hatred among the onlookers.

Especially many Eternal Giants secretly sighed at how huge the gap was between them and Fang Han, unable to receive the warm welcome of the Linglong Blessed Land's people.

The Guest Hall was extremely grand, resplendent with gold and brilliant hues, already hosting many high-ranking figures from various major powers.

For example, the Star Lord at the helm, with Star Cloud Treasure and Star Extinction Evil and others; the Sect Leader Sword Fifteen at the helm, with Jiaofei and others of the Penetrating Heaven Sword Sect; the Sect Leader of the Crystal Cave Heaven; the Heavenly Dao Dharma King of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion and his disciple Xiao Gangzi; the Profound Emperor and his many heirs, and other great figures were all seated here on their thrones, either chatting or marveling at Chen Zheng's miraculous means of mass-producing powerhouses.

Fang Han and company soon arrived here; many Sect Leader–level bigwigs knew his relationship with Chen Zheng and cast friendly glances his way.

The Star Lord himself even rose to approach Fang Han, laughing heartily, relating some amusing anecdotes about Chen Zheng, and saying that Fang Han truly deserved to be Chen Zheng's junior brother, bearing the semblance of an immortal, encouraging him to interact more with the Star Cloud Treasure and other youngsters.

Thus, the hall filled with joyous harmony, extraordinarily lively, awaiting the start of the birthday banquet.

Elsewhere.

In the independent spacetime of the Taiyi Sect, above the high heavens, higher even than the great sun, loftily floating is a massive divine furnace.

This furnace is simply boundless, permeating endless exotic spaces, with no visible end, as if the Grand Dao furnace were suspended at the universe's center, emanating boundless immortal light that illuminates all realms.

This is the Taiyi Sect's sect-protecting supreme treasure, the Eternal Divine Furnace.

As long as this furnace exists, even if Chen Zheng slays countless true disciples, vice sect leaders, and Supreme Elders, the Taiyi Sect will never fall, forever remaining the foremost power in the Xuanhuang world.

All because this furnace is an immortal artifact.

Immortal artifacts cannot be forged by mortals; even as mighty as the Linglong Immortal Sovereign, or the Yellow Springs Great Emperor before receiving the Reincarnation Daoist's bestowal, cannot craft one.

Not even heavenly immortals can forge them.

Only divinities who have forged their own inner universe can cast immortal artifacts.

Moreover, it is extremely difficult, requiring one to relinquish part of their own immortal Dao principles and fuse them into the artifact for any chance of success.

This will drain one's own strength; ordinary divinities would not do so unless absolutely necessary.

And many immortal artifacts in the three thousand worlds are mostly relics left from ancient times.

Another portion of immortal artifacts are crafted by certain beings in the immortal realm who fear the decline of their lineage in the lower realm, yet are barred by rules from descending; they thus forge immortal artifacts to send down to the human world as sect-protecting treasures for the lower realm's lineage.

The Taiyi Sect's Eternal Divine Furnace was a gift from the Eternal Heavenly Lord of the immortal realm.

At this moment, within the Eternal Divine Furnace, in a void where neither heaven nor earth can be seen, two people stand.

One is the Sect Leader of the Taiyi Sect, Tai Hundian, who slightly bows to the other, as if seeing an elder.

Who could make Tai Hundian so reverent?

He is a middle-aged man wearing imperial robes, his visage ancient and exalted, his stature impossibly tall, his head crowned by a heavenly canopy—a boundless, vast expanse of wilderness, as if even the sum of the three thousand worlds could not compare to a fraction of that world.

Faintly visible within that world are bizarre sights: infants born as Eternal Giants, low hills broader than the great world, and even a grain of sand on the ground possibly containing a multiverse.

That world seems like the ultimate goal all cultivators painstakingly seek, dubbed the primordial point of the immortal realm.

This man, whose head seems to bear the immortal realm, is the Taiyi Sect's founding ancestor, Tai Huangtian, a supreme true immortal.

Tai Huangtian silently regarded Tai Hundian before him and asked: "Going to the Linglong Blessed Land, do you have confidence to strangle Chen Zheng?"

Tai Hundian replied via voice transmission: "Master, I have absorbed the Eternal Qi within the Eternal Divine Furnace for thirty thousand years, attaining the Eighth Layer of Longevity Chaos Void Realm; my strength is incomparable to before. Even if Chen Zheng can slay the Nine Cauldrons Immortal Sovereign, he is far no match for me—I will torture him to death before the heroes of the world, so all will know the fate of offending my Taiyi Sect."

Tai Huangtian said in a deep voice: "Remember to rescue Yan Chenyu from Chen Zheng's grasp; she is Yan Yujing's daughter. If anything happens to her, I will have trouble explaining when I later ascend to the immortal realm. Go; I will watch over you, preventing that Linglong traitor from seeing Chen Zheng slain by you and becoming enraged to strike you with a killing blow. If necessary, I will have the Eternal Divine Furnace suppress Linglong."

"Yes, Master." Tai Hundian bowed, his form gradually dissipating within the Eternal Divine Furnace.

Inside the exquisite blessed land.

Chen Zheng rose, dressed, and flicked his fingers, sending two streams of mana into the limp Yan Shuiyi and Jia Lan lying on the bed, nourishing their severely wounded bodies.

"That old dog Wu Mingskong, it's time to settle him."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes; he moved and left the exquisite blessed land.

There's still some time before the birthday banquet begins; just enough time to make a trip to the Feather Ascension Sect and return.

Before, lacking strength was fine; now that we have strength, not dealing with those old things is like a bone stuck in the throat.

Feather Ascension Sect.

The Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace still floats serenely above the cloud layers, vast and towering, like the heavenly emperor's palace.

The deepest part of the heavenly palace is a vast, ethereal emptiness, filled with immense halls permeated with immortal qi.

Inside the hall, giant mountain peaks rise from the ground, towering amidst the immortal clouds and mist; they are all crystal mountains formed from condensed pure yang primordial energy, numbering over a hundred.

High in the sky hang three great suns, sunlight brilliant, radiating surging heat, blazing flames that melt the void, and they illuminate the pure yang crystal mountains so they shine brightly, leaving the entire hall without a trace of darkness.

Within those blazing flames are countless golden crows spreading their wings across the sky, each as large as a mountain, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas; sometimes they circle the great suns in flight, sometimes they arrange themselves in the sky into three shining golden characters: Golden Immortal Hall!

Golden Immortal, also known as Grand Luo Golden Immortal, wanders freely through all time and space, eternal and self-sufficient, with an indestructible metallic nature.

Now this hall is actually named after the Golden Immortal—what grandeur!

No, it's simply outrageous beyond bounds.

Atop numerous pure yang crystal mountains stand one powerhouse after another; they are all Feather Ascension Sect's Supreme Elders, also mythic legends, the foundation that lets the great sect endure for tens of thousands of years.

Ruyizi's master, Sun Xihua, is among them.

They all lowered their heads to gaze at a person, a woman standing beneath the pure yang crystal mountain.

This woman wears white that outshines snow, her black hair flows like a waterfall, her appearance is peerless, an indescribable noble cold beauty—she is none other than Fang Qingxue.

"The reason Junior Brother Chen withdrew from the sect is that many of you are occupying positions without merit, clueless; you are utterly unworthy to be Supreme Elders."

Fang Qingxue lifted her head, her cold eyes like lightning, sweeping over the Supreme Elders on the mountain peaks, barely concealing her contempt.

Hearing this, Elder Xietiankui, Elder Lin Feiyan, and others who had once thought well of Chen Zheng all showed ashamed expressions.

Yet someone's face suddenly darkened.

An Elder with a bluish complexion, known as the Blue-Faced Venerable, as if struck in a sore spot, anguished and indignant, said: "Fang Qingxue, as a disciple, how dare you be rude to the Supreme Elders? You've just returned to the sect; perhaps you don't know that Chen Zheng's betrayal of the sect stems from his own insatiable greed and deep demonic nature."

Sun Xihua said gloomily: "Indeed, back then Patriarch Wu Mingskong had already prepared to nurture that demon, but that demon insulted the patriarch and later even caused the death of Junior Brother Deng Ao."

A man with five small swords inserted in his daoist topknot, gleaming with golden light, known as the Five Sword Lord, earnestly advised: "Fang Qingxue, you are someone the three patriarchs value; why oppose us over a trainee? Go cultivate properly in the Lesser Immortal Realm; Chen Zheng achieved today's success thanks to our Feather Ascension Sect's training, yet he repays kindness with enmity—such a person of low character is not worth your defense."

"A bunch of hopeless idiots."

Fang Qingxue was utterly disappointed with this lot, turned and walked toward outside the Golden Immortal Hall.

"Fang Qingxue, you're not going to cultivate in the Lesser Immortal Realm? Where are you headed?" Elder Xiuliwang, seeing Fang Qingxue's resolute expression, instantly felt uneasy and shouted.

"None of your business." Fang Qingxue replied without turning back.

"You cannot leave; I order you to immediately go to the Lesser Immortal Realm and enter seclusion." Sun Xihua's expression turned grim, and as he moved, he blocked Fang Qingxue's path.

Fang Qingxue is the reincarnation of the Mother of Lightning, extremely important to the Feather Ascension Sect; whether the Three Sages of Feather Ascension can later survive the Immortal Realm's heavenly tribulation and comprehend the laws of life and death hinges on her, and there can be no loss.

"Get out of my way; whoever blocks me dies."

Fang Qingxue's face was expressionless, her words utterly blunt, showing no regard for Sun Xihua as a Supreme Elder, as if she regarded him as a mere ant.

As she spoke, a huge city slowly rose above her head, appearing to be cast from black stone, its walls inscribed with dense ancient patterns.

When the patterns stirred, they turned into hundreds of millions of thick lightning bolts—Zixiao divine thunder, Dayan divine thunder, Ri-splitting divine thunder, Jade-pillar divine thunder, Heaven-piercing divine thunder, Beiji Zhongtian Ziwei divine thunder… and so on, fearsome divine thunder that only existed in the primordial era, all wandering in the void, booming and exploding, as if to shatter the world.

Even more, there is the "Impermanence Thunder" ranked first among the primordial heavenly thunders—impermanence of life and death, vague and profound; only when a cultivator's practice reaches the deepest level, nearing immortality, does it erupt within the cultivator's own mind and spirit, enabling one to transcend the laws of life and death, shaking the dead back to life from nothingness.

Above the great city, a bronze cannon was mounted, its muzzle aimed at Sun Xihua; once fired, it would seem to cause the heavens and earth to collapse, pierce through eternity, and make this person die beyond death.

"What, this is the rumored Thunderbolt City that punishes the heavens, an ultimate Dao artifact older than the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace, virtually an immortal artifact!"

Upon seeing the huge city and cannon atop Fang Qingxue's head, Sun Xihua recoiled repeatedly like a startled rabbit.

Many Supreme Elders also changed expression, feeling locked onto by the cannon's muzzle, unable to sit or stand comfortably.

No one expected that Fang Qingxue carried such a terrifying lethal weapon on her person, and that she had become this unyielding.

This time it's not going to be easy.

Although Fang Qingxue had only reached the first stage of Longevity, the City of Violent Thunder possessed tremendous power; inside dwelled an artifact spirit, whose aura rivaled that of cultivators at the sixth or even seventh stage of Longevity, and none could withstand her.

Even if they managed to block her, they would likely have to argue again over Chen Zheng's matter, leading to a complete falling-out.

Could it be that the Feather Ascension Sect is about to lose another Fang Qingxue?

Everyone fell silent.

Fang Qingxue then stepped forward, moving step by step toward the outside of the Golden Immortal Hall.

"Stop!"

In the heavens, from the sun at the very center came a voice; upon it appeared a seated figure, wearing a tall cap and ancient robes, majestic and divine, with boundless pure qi above his head like a vast river flowing into the void.

"Paying respects to Ancestor Wumingkong." Everyone let out a sigh of relief and bowed toward the figure on the sun.

With Wumingkong stepping forward, even though Fang Qingxue possessed the City of Violent Thunder, she dared not act recklessly.

To everyone's surprise, Fang Qingxue ignored Wumingkong completely and continued walking toward the outside of the Golden Immortal Hall.

"I told you to stand…"

"Ahhh!"

Wumingkong, seated within the great sun, showed an angry expression, about to rebuke Fang Qingxue, but at that moment, piercing wails came from outside, as if someone was unleashing a massacre.

(End of chapter)