Chapter 34: Seizing the Fate‑Weaving Immortal King

"Yue Er, let's go."

Yu Er, Ai Wei, Nan Beibei and the other women each rode a celestial crane up to about ten zhang of altitude, circling back and forth above.

Only Xu Yueer remained below, still unmoving.

The women urged her to leave quickly.

Xu Yueer bit her red lip, looked up, and said to the women, "Wait for me a moment."

She fished a palm‑sized jade token from her bosom, waved it before Chen Zheng, and instructed, "Junior Brother Chen, the border of the Great Virtue Dynasty is still a fair distance away, and the underground fissures recorded in the various worlds are also far. Without a flying mount you'll struggle to arrive quickly, and powerful demons will be hard to escape. This is the Beast Token that controls my celestial crane; take it, and return it to the sect when you get back."

Without waiting for Chen Zheng's reply, she tossed the Beast Token to him, leapt off the crane's back, vaulted more than ten zhang upward, and landed on the celestial crane ridden by Nan Beibei.

She actually intended to lend her own crane to Chen Zheng, while she rode together with Nan Beibei.

"Yue Er, you actually lent your mount to Chen Zheng? If he dies in the underground world, won't Senior Sister Jialan lose a celestial crane?"

"You're being foolish; aside from his good looks and refined temperament, he's utterly useless. You've already been charmed by him…"

Amid the women's scolding, the seven celestial cranes circling in the air emitted a series of high‑pitched crane cries and flapped toward the heavens.

In an instant, only seven tiny white specks remained visible.

From then on, the eight women and Chen Zheng went their separate ways.

"Having a celestial crane to ride isn't bad."

On the steppe, Chen Zheng stared at Xu Yueer's silhouette against the sky and shook his head.

He leapt onto the crane's back, examined the Beast Token that Xu Yueer had left.

The token bore a carving of a crane no larger than a fly's head, vivid as if the crane's soul were sealed within the jade.

"Go, to that side."

Chen Zheng, clutching the Beast Token, commanded.

The crane beneath him held its head high, its crown a bright red, turned and glared at Chen Zheng as if resentful of his order.

Nevertheless, the crane obeyed, flapped its wings fiercely, surged upward like an arrow through the mist, and sped toward the Great Virtue Dynasty.

According to records from the various worlds, the Great Virtue Dynasty contains more than ten abyssal fissures that connect to the underground.

Chen Zheng was heading to the nearest one.

After flying for about an hour, Chen Zheng saw a massive chasm suddenly yawn across the endless plain below, as if the earth itself had been split open.

The fissure was pitch‑black and bottomless, with bat silhouettes darting through the darkness.

"Fly down."

At Chen Zheng's command, the crane dove and plunged into the black fissure.

Squeak—squeak—squeak!

Countless bats were startled, rose from the darkness, emitting sharp screeches that swarmed over Chen Zheng and the crane like a cloud of locusts.

Each bat was the size of a palm fan, its fangs blade‑sharp, eyes blood‑glinting, all of a rare, ferocious vampire bat species.

If an ordinary cultivator encountered them, especially in such numbers, they would be drained into a desiccated corpse.

Unfortunately, they ran into Chen Zheng.

"Get out!"

Chen Zheng exhaled, his voice like a dragon's roar, generating massive gusts that whirled around three zhang from the crane.

Puff—puff…

The gusts, as sharp as blades and as violent as an erupting volcano, sliced the oncoming swarm of giant bats to pieces, sweeping them away.

"My god, what technique is this?"

A coarse, wild shout suddenly rang out, emanating from the Beast Token—it was the crane speaking.

The Beast Token is a magical artifact linked to the crane's spirit, capable of converting its calls into human language for communication with its master.

Celestial cranes of the Feather Ascension Sect are also intelligent. Some cranes, being gluttonous, even command disciples who raise spirit beasts to hunt wild game in the Feather‑ascending mountains for them.

The crane beneath Chen Zheng was originally very resentful toward him, and it was especially incensed about being lent to Chen Zheng by Xu Yueer.

It is, after all, the celestial crane of Jialan, one of the Feather Ascension Sect's five true‑lineage disciples, equivalent to a seventh‑rank official before the prime minister.

Chen Zheng, however, is merely a minor figure.

Had the Beast Token not been in Chen Zheng's hand, it would not have obeyed his command and would have flown away long ago.

Whether Chen Zheng lives or dies has nothing to do with it.

But now, the crane realized it had been deceived.

This child is certainly no ordinary person.

"What are you still hesitating for? Fly down."

"Oh!"

This novel you...

Chen Zheng's scolding made the crane shudder, and it rushed toward the bottom of the black fissure.

All the way down.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the bottom was no longer dark, and specks of faint light appeared.

The crane finally landed on the ground.

"So this is the underground world."

From the crane's back, Chen Zheng looked around; the surface was covered in black soil, and not far away ran several streams and various towering plants.

The plants were essentially mushrooms, resembling huge umbrellas dotted with specks like gems, bringing faint glimmers to the sunless underground world.

"Go, let's check over there."

Chen Zheng pointed arbitrarily in a direction, sending the crane that way.

According to records from the various worlds, the underground realm teems with countless strange beasts, and demons are innumerable.

Even there are dynasties and tribes built by demons, not much different from the forces on the surface.

If he could find an Earth Demon Tribe, then reaching Rou Shen Di Shi Chong in body refinement would be imminent.

Moreover, the underground world also has abundant mineral deposits: millennium cold iron, ink crystal, purple silver, refined gold, white lustre steel, azure fall stone, and other heavenly treasures rare on the surface, excellent materials for alchemy and forging, also very valuable.

"Hurry up, hurry faster!"

"After another three thousand plus li, we will reach the underground of the Great Li Dynasty; this time we must definitely, on behalf of Lord Chilong, find the trace of Baihai Chan, capture him, and seize the Radiant Blessing Golden Circle Diagram and the Nine-Opening Golden Pill."

"Whoever dares to block in front of me, I will kill them; even the disciples of the Immortal Dao Ten Gates must die, kill them all..."

An immortal crane carried Chen Zhenggang as it flew not far ahead, when suddenly a series of fierce roars sounded.

Chen Zheng looked ahead; it was a dragon‑like line of people, endless, racing madly in one direction.

The troop consisted entirely of tall humanoid creatures, each wielding a gleaming steel fork, their backs bulging like two big meat buns.

The appearance of these tall humanoid beings differs slightly from the divine power puppet Chen Zheng killed in his entry exam; they are yakshas.

The Underground Demon Clan: first are demons, and only a higher rank are yakshas.

Demons are equivalent to martial artists at the Fivefold Divine Power Realm.

Yakshas are equivalent to martial artists at the Eightfold Divine Valor Realm.

"So many yakshas!"

Gazing at that yaksha troop, a faint glimmer flickered in Chen Zheng's eyes.

(End of chapter)