Chapter 204: with translation of chapter title

Under the gaze of all, the legendary Chen Zheng descended upon the Sumeru Golden Summit, his divine bearing majestic, transcending the mundane, radiant like the Great Sun, illuminating the vast earth, radiating the boundless starry sky, causing the assembled heroes to be unable to contain themselves, looking up in awe.

This young prodigy who surpasses all geniuses and demons of past and present could not be steadied by anyone in person.

"Everyone, please sit." At the mountain peak, Chen Zheng lowered his head, gazing down at all below, and nodded calmly.

Everyone felt his gaze fell upon themselves individually, as if he were looking at each person alone and speaking only to them, their spirits jolted, and they hurriedly sat respectfully.

"You sit too; you're always standing. You're stealing the limelight from this birthday star of mine."

The Exquisite Immortal Venerable beside him teased, pointing with one finger at the throne that had materialized in mid‑air on his right side.

"No, no, I can't compare to the master's peerless elegance." Chen Zheng shook his head with a smile, took a few steps forward and sat down, then seemed to recall something; his sleeve twitched, and a scroll flew out, drifting to the Exquisite Immortal Venerable's front, saying, "This is the birthday gift I prepared for the master."

Curious, the Exquisite Immortal Venerable lifted his hand, caught the scroll, unrolled it, and saw a vividly rendered vast world whose outline vaguely resembled the current Xuanhuang Great World, yet far more expansive, as if it were the aggregation of billions of such worlds.

At the very center of that vast world stood a towering ancient tree whose roots delved deep into the earth and whose branches pierced the cosmos, its limbs interlacing and traversing all heavens and realms.

Even the main trunk of the ancient tree passed through the ethereal barrier of the celestial realm, reaching the legendary celestial realm.

This tree was evidently the World Tree of the ancient ages, not yet felled by the divine race's founding saint‑king with the Axe of Nature, the ancestor of all trees!

Moreover, the vast world depicted in the painting was the ancient Xuanhuang Great World, many times larger than today's Xuanhuang.

Above that world, a celestial‑beauty of jade‑like grace rode the wind away, intending to enter a magnificent gate before her, as if to use that gate to reach the celestial realm.

"So this is the long‑lost 'Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady Painting', which will greatly aid my exploration of the Human Emperor's Brush and my comprehension of higher realms. Chen Zheng, you have thought of everything."

The Exquisite Immortal Venerable recognized the scroll's origin, was moved, turned to Chen Zheng and bowed his thanks.

Legend says that in ancient times, the divine race's army surged forward; the three sovereigns of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity rallied all Xuanhuang cultivators to resist. When defeat seemed imminent, the celestial gate suddenly opened, and a peerless beauty named Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady emerged, slaying eighty‑one supreme divine warriors in a row, shattering the divine army's assault, then drifting away.

Though the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady appeared only fleetingly, she left an indelible impression in the Human Emperor's heart, never forgotten.

Unfortunately, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady has long since become a mortal wife, and her husband is powerful; even the Human Emperor cannot harbor covetous thoughts, so he only used the Human Emperor's Brush to paint this Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady Painting for his own viewing.

"As expected." Chen Zheng smiled and waved his hand.

The Exquisite Immortal Venerable noticed the endless‑affliction thread tied to his left fingertip, a faint smile appearing on his face, took the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady Painting, and asked, "Among all these young talents below, who can claim first place?"

While they conversed, the plaza below swelled with crowds; youths such as Jiao Fei, Xing Mie Xie, Ying Tianqing, Fang Han and others gathered at the arena edge, eagerly registering with Qiu Xiyu, ready to compete in the upcoming matches, each hoping to showcase their skills and earn the two's generous rewards.

Countless elder masters, ancient giants, and heads of major factions debated loudly, praising various youths, noting how many divine techniques they had cultivated, and speculating who would win.

The square was bustling beyond measure.

Moreover, many beautiful female cultivators paid no attention to the arena, instead gazing at Chen Zheng seated atop the Sumeru Golden Summit, preening or casting seductive glances, as if they could devour him in one bite.

Chen Zheng ignored the lecherous gazes and said succinctly, "Fang Han."

"Fang Han?"

The Exquisite Immortal Venerable nodded; he recalled that Fang Han seemed to be Chen Zheng's junior brother from the Feather‑Transformation Gate and was on good terms with him, likely possessing some exceptional qualities.

He said nothing further and closed his eyes.

Chen Zheng also said nothing more, withdrawing his gaze from the plaza below.

Such divine‑tech level battles are like children's make‑believe, unable to capture his interest.

He waited quietly for Tai Hun Tian's arrival.

Besides, he knew not what had become of the Red Abyss Demon Venerable, whether, with the Old Heart Demon's aid, he had escaped the Five Elements Land.

If he had escaped, he should now be heading to the Infinite Great World to assault the Infinite Star Palace.

The Pure Yang Sea of the Infinite Star Palace would be of great use to him; he has long coveted it.

Once he refines the Pure Yang Sea, his magical power will surge.

………….

Elsewhere.

Thump— thump— thump!

Chen Zheng controlled his clone and returned to the Cultivation Great World, marched straight into Jinxiu Mansion, arrived at the topmost hall of the loft at the city's center, and knocked on the hall's door.

Creak!

The hall door opened from inside; a delicately beautiful girl clad in sunrise robes stepped out, the young lady of Jinxiu Mansion, Yun Jin.

Upon seeing Chen Zheng at the doorway, her pretty face lit with surprise: "Young Master Chen, you've returned!"

"Huh, Daoist Chen, you were pursued by the Dry‑Prosperity True Lord yet managed to come back unharmed? Did you shake him off? That seems impossible; though the Dry‑Prosperity True Lord's strength is weaker than mine, he wields the power of a hundred thousand primordial celestial dragons, surpassing many great merchants' heads. How could you escape him?" A startled female voice echoed from deep within the hall.

As soon as the words fell, a woman appeared beside Yun Jin, eyes wide with shock, scanning Chen Zheng from head to toe.

The woman was a beautiful lady, about thirty years old, skin as white as tofu, delicate enough to break with a breath, bearing a resemblance to Yun Jin yet a completely different aura.

Yun Jin was the type of girl with slender branches bearing ripe fruit, a hint of youthful innocence.

This woman, however, was voluptuous, with every curve pronounced, her form perfect like a ripe, large peach that one could not help but want to grasp and savor.

She was the mistress of Jinxiu Mansion, named Yun Yun, Yun Jin's mother, a practitioner at the peak of the Eighth Level Mixed Cave Realm of Longevity.

It is said she is but one step away from undergoing the Celestial Realm's Thunder Punishment, to become a Ninth Level Void Immortal.

"Dry‑Prosperity True Lord? Yun Yun says you mean Wu the steward, right? I have already beheaded him in the cosmos; the True Lord Tower's priceless treasure, Boundless Eternal Sand, also fell into my hands."

Chen Zheng did not conceal anything, pulling out the bowl that contained billions of Boundless Eternal Sand; he came to Jinxiu Mansion to sell this treasure.

"What?"

Seeing the transparent bowl in Chen Zheng's hand, Yun Jin's small mouth formed an "o" shape, large enough to fit a big egg.

Yun Yun shivered, her whole body trembling, and exclaimed, "The Dry‑Prosperity True Lord is dead? It really is Boundless Eternal Sand—this is a supreme artifact sent by the Great Yi Sect Leader to the Infinite Great World to collect billions of Boundless Eternal Sand, forged by his grandson Qi Minghao into a priceless Dao instrument, placed in the True Lord Tower to intimidate the petty ones! It was also just one step away from crossing the celestial realm's thunder punishment, comparable to a Void Immortal, yet you have taken it!"

"Isn't Boundless Eternal Sand forged by Qi Zhenjun?" Chen Zheng's eyes flashed with surprise, but he remained composed.

"Who is Qi Zhenjun?" Yun Jin asked, bewildered.

Yun Yun also showed a puzzled look, then suddenly said, "The Qi Zhenjun you mention, could it be the Qi Minghao you slew outside the Nine Tripod Pavilion? That person indeed possessed extraordinary talent, ranking within the top twenty on the cultivation potential list, just one step short of ascending to the Realm King realm; many in the Great Yi Sect call him Little True Lord. The name of the True Lord Tower originates from him."

"Hmm, then I misremembered." Chen Zheng's face showed a dawning understanding, and he continued, "Then who is Qi Minghao's father? I killed him, and I fear retaliation from his father; I need to be cautious."

Yun Yun shook her head, astonishingly saying, "Daoist Chen, you are not from our Cultivation Great World, so you may not know, but Qi Minghao is a deity descended from heaven, having no biological father; his mother, while a maiden, dreamed of uniting with a certain celestial immortal surnamed Qi, and thus conceived him. Therefore you need not worry about retaliation from Qi Minghao's father, for ordinary immortals cannot descend to the mortal realm."

At this point she warned gravely, "It is the Great Yi Sect Leader who used Qi Minghao as an agent to do business in the Cultivation Great World, siphoning wealth for the sect; now that you have killed his agent, be careful. Also, the heads of the three major merchants—the Heaven and Earth Hall, the Sun‑Moon Treasure Pavilion, and the Shaking Universe Tower—are all Void Immortals; their sons died at your hands, and they are now searching for you, so be cautious."

"Like that, thanks for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Yun Yun." Chen Zheng nodded solemnly.

He finally fully understood the principle of the Three Lives Stone; the memory of Qi Zhenjun, who was erased by this stone, in others' hearts would also be erased.

Including all his past and present lives' blood ties with others, familial relationships, possessions, which would be transferred to others via some unknown strange power, or directly erased, keeping everything normal.

As for the future, Qi Zhenjun is dead; there will be no chance of reincarnation, no future.

The Three Lives Stone, truly a heavy weapon for erasing three lives.

He changed the subject, waving the bowl in his hand before the exquisite mother-daughter pair of Yun Jin and Yun Yun, asking: "I intend to sell this Boundless Everlasting Sand; will your Brocade Manor buy it?"

Yun Jin gasped again upon hearing that.

Yun Yun's eyes flashed with fiery desire; she very much wanted the Boundless Everlasting Sand in Chen Zheng's hand—with this treasure, her Brocade Manor's strength would greatly increase, making it possible to rise from twenty-fourth to the top twenty.

Yet she did not immediately agree, but with a hesitant expression asked: "Boundless Everlasting Sand is a sect-level supreme treasure, rare to encounter—are you truly willing to sell it to my Brocade Manor, Fellow Daoist?"

Chen Zheng countered: "If I don't sell it, would I just keep it taking up space?"

""

Yun Jin and Yun Yun couldn't help but twitch the corners of their mouths.

Hear what kind of words Chen Zheng is saying?

Boundless Everlasting Sand is renowned in the Great Cultivation World; it is only one step away from withstanding the Immortal Realm's heavenly tribulation, its power terrifying, causing countless experts—including Yun Yun, a peak expert of the Chaos Void Realm—to feel terrified, yet in Chen Zheng's mouth it became merely a space‑occupying object.

It is simply treating a supreme treasure as nothing!

What immense wealth and grandeur!

This also indirectly shows Chen Zheng's strength, exceeding what the mother and daughter imagined; even if he falls short of a False Immortal, he is not far off.

Thinking this through, Yun Yun secretly felt awed, her regard for Chen Zheng rising another level.

She pondered a moment, took a deep breath, and said: "Fellow Daoist Chen Zheng, my Brocade Manor will take the Boundless Everlasting Sand; I offer five hundred trillion Pure Yang Pills—what do you think?"

Having said that, she gazed at Chen Zheng with anxiety.

Five hundred trillion—almost the Brocade Manor's total assets; once the Boundless Everlasting Sand is purchased, the capital chain will be completely broken, announcing bankruptcy.

But it is all worth it; I believe any head of a major merchant guild, faced with this situation, would unhesitatingly pull out all assets to buy the Boundless Everlasting Sand.

If this opportunity is missed and the Boundless Everlasting Sand slips away, one will surely regret it for life.

"Okay."

Chen Zheng agreed without a moment's thought, and casually tossed the bowl holding the Boundless Everlasting Sand toward Yun Yun, seemingly unconcerned that she might flee with the treasure.

The price of an ordinary supreme Dao artifact is around a hundred trillion; the Boundless Everlasting Sand fetching five hundred trillion is about right.

"This..."

Yun Yun didn't expect Chen Zheng to be so straightforward; she stared blankly for a moment, then her cheeks flushed with excitement as she hurriedly caught the Boundless Everlasting Sand, speaking rapidly: "Fellow Daoist Chen Zheng, I'll go gather the Pure Yang Pills right away—give me two… no, give me one hour; five hundred trillion Pure Yang Pills will surely be delivered to you, Fellow Daoist."

She earnestly sent a mental message to Yun Jin: "Jin'er, Mother is going to gather resources; you must keep Fellow Daoist Chen Zheng company, preferably developing a relationship beyond mere Dao companions, even directly dual cultivating, so we need not fear those who covet our mother‑daughter pair."

Yun Jin never expected her mother to say such a thing; she froze instantly, ashamed, burying her face in her chest.

"Why don't you dual cultivate with Chen Zheng yourself?"

"Obviously yours is bigger than mine."

Yun Jin only dared to mutter these thoughts in her heart, but on the surface she replied via mental transmission: "Daughter understands."

Yun Yun nodded, but inwardly sighed.

She alone brought her daughter, struggling in the Great Cultivation World for years, enduring unknown hardships and sacrifices, to give the Brocade Manor its present prosperity.

Yet behind the prosperity lurks great danger; many eyes constantly fix on the Brocade Manor as a piece of fat meat, and on the mother‑daughter duo's beauty, all wanting to take a bite.

The previous visitor to the Brocade Manor, Qi Minghao, is a living example.

Therefore she wishes to find a backer for herself and her daughter.

Chen Zheng is the best choice.

Young and accomplished, his battle power shocks the world; even the True Immortal‑level Zumara Sect Leader honors him as an esteemed guest.

With such a person, if the family's daughter could become his Dao companion, it would be a blessing of three lifetimes, and the Brocade Manor would be as stable as Mount Tai, unshakable by anyone.

Two benefits at once.

Hope Yun Jin succeeds.

Yun Yun departed.

Only Chen Zheng and Yun Jin remained in the hall.

Chen Zheng glanced at Yun Jin; seeing her body tense like a soldier entering his first battlefield, he wondered aloud: "What are you nervous about?"

"No… nothing… Chen… Young Master… let's talk in my room…"

Yun Jin was flustered, unprecedentedly shaken, shaking her head like a rattle drum, her words incoherent; even she didn't know what she was saying.

After speaking, she regretted it—how could she have invited Chen Zheng into her boudoir?

Her face grew hotter, like a ripe apple; she wished she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into.

She suspected Yun Yun had placed a charm to lure Chen Zheng; otherwise, why would she speak without thinking?

But now it's too late to regret.

All she could do was pray in her heart that Chen Zheng would not agree.

It's too fast; she hasn't prepared yet.

Unfortunately her prayer had no effect; Chen Zheng, half‑smiling, said: "Then lead the way."

Yun Jin's body trembled; she could only grit her teeth and lead the way toward her boudoir.

After one hour.

Nothing happened.

Chen Zheng sat in the hall drinking tea; earlier he had merely teased Yun Jin offhandedly.

Yun Jin stood beside him pouring tea, occasionally glancing at Chen Zheng's face; though she felt relieved, she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, her thoughts wandering.

At the same time, he secretly thought Chen Zheng was upright and worthy of being a marvelous talent who had slain enemies across several major realms.

Swish!

Yun Yun finally twisted her waist and returned to the hall, seeing that nothing seemed to have happened between Chen Zheng and Yun Jin; she felt deeply disappointed and gave Yun Jin an angry glare.

Soon a smile appeared on her face as she handed Chen Zheng a storage bag: "These are five hundred billion Pure Yang Pills, Fellow Daoist Chen, please inspect the goods."

Chen Zheng took the storage bag and looked inside; sure enough, there was a Pure Yang River equivalent to five hundred billion Pure Yang Pills. He nodded in satisfaction: "The amount is correct, Fellow Daoist Yun; I have other matters, so I'll take my leave."

He rose and left the hall.

Watching Chen Zheng fly out of the Brocade Manor's bounds, Yun Yun finally withdrew her gaze and, feeling frustrated, said: "Yun'er, you're clueless—do you know what you've missed?"

"Mother, I..."

Yun Jin lowered her head, unable to argue.

"You..." Yun Yun wanted to scold her further, but suddenly seeing Yun Jin clutching a dark-gold token, she frowned and asked: "What is this?"

Yun Jin whispered: "This is a communication token given to me by Master Chen; he said I can send him a message if anything comes up."

Yun Yun's brows relaxed, a strange light flashing in her eyes as she extended her fair, slender arm toward Yun Jin: "Give me the token."

Yun Jin blinked, looking at her mother in confusion, but obediently handed over the token.

"You can't; only I, the old lady, can do it myself."

After leaving Brocade Manor, Chen Zheng came to an uninhabited mountain forest, where he condensed the "Refining" character true fire into a giant cauldron, poured the five hundred billion Pure Yang River he had obtained from Yun Yun into it, and began refining it.

As the refined essence entered his body, his mana surged—two million strands of Primordial Heavenly Dragon Power... two hundred sixty thousand dragons... three hundred thousand dragons...

In a moment, he reached four million strands of Primordial Heavenly Dragon Power.

Such mana was already comparable to that of a cultivator at the peak of the Hundun Realm.

"I can now begin advancing to the second level of the Longevity Realm." Chen Zheng smiled and flew away from the forest.

The matter of the breakthrough will be handled by my main body; this avatar must go to the White Emperor Chamber of Commerce to seek the Fragments of Creation.

Elsewhere.

Inside the Linglong Blessed Land.

"Huh?"

The Linglong Immortal Venerable, seated atop the Sumeru Golden Summit, suddenly opened her eyes and looked in astonishment at Chen Zheng beside her.

She wondered if she had sensed wrong, as Chen Zheng seemed to have suddenly surged in mana.

What's going on?

Chen Zheng had been sitting here without moving at all—how could his mana possibly explode?

Could it be that he broke through again?

At that moment, Chen Zheng also opened his eyes and smiled: "I'm about to break through."

Hearing this, the Linglong Immortal Venerable became even more astonished.

(End of Chapter)