Chapter 54: Fang Qingxue Returns!

The person sent to win over has arrived.

Hearing Jialan's words, Chen Zheng smiled to himself, and likewise smiled on his face, nodding slightly to her: "Then I'll trouble you, Senior Sister Jialan."

The way of cultivation consists of wealth, partner, method, and land as the four essentials.

As for method, he already has it.

As for land, it is currently under construction.

As for wealth, he has just obtained an Azure Heaven Easy Origin Pill, and for now he is not lacking.

Only the partner aspect—he truly lacks fellow cultivators.

Since Jialan intends to win him over, she is personable and beautiful, so he naturally will not refuse.

Thus, he and Jialan and the other women fly toward Jialan Peak.

Jialan Peak lies among the mountains west of the Feather Transformation Mountain Range; on the peak every stone and tile, pavilion and tower are all a light blue color, emitting a faint glow like blue crystal, dreamlike and illusory, as if transcending the mundane world.

Chen Zheng conversed briefly with Jialan in the main hall at the peak, ate some spiritual fruits, after becoming somewhat familiar, he said he would cultivate in seclusion, and thus stayed in a side hall arranged for him by Jialan.

"This Jialan is rather interesting."

In the side hall, Chen Zheng flicked his sleeve, and a flying sword about an inch long, entirely azure blue, hovered before him, flashing with mysterious light.

This is a medium-grade treasure obtained in exchange with Jialan.

Earlier in the main hall, Jialan said that the female disciples under her Jialan Association were lacking spiritual artifacts to use.

Jialan also happened to know that Chen Zheng possessed many spiritual artifacts, as well as the Silver Snake Sword and Gold Azure Silk Robe he had obtained from Yuan Jiankong.

Therefore Jialan proactively produced this medium-grade treasure, wishing to exchange it with Chen Zheng for that batch of spiritual artifacts.

Those mere dozens of spiritual artifacts are naturally unable to match the value of a medium-grade treasure.

Jialan's move can be said to have suffered a great loss, letting Chen Zheng take full advantage.

Such an exchange is not like a superior bestowing a gift upon an inferior; the medium-grade treasure is also useful to Chen Zheng, so he cannot refuse.

Precisely for this reason, Chen Zheng said Jialan is interesting, which both endears her to him and, without his realizing, incurs a favor owed to her.

Chen Zheng originally intended to give the Flying Snow Divine Sword he had taken from Cang Bozi to Jialan as slight compensation.

However, the Flying Snow Divine Sword was personally forged by Hua Tiandu, and none of Jialan's female disciples dare to use it.

The name Hua Tiandu is too illustrious.

Within the Feather Transformation Sect, from inner and outer disciples up to true transmission disciples, almost everyone fears Hua Tiandu.

Even Jialan earnestly warned Chen Zheng to always be cautious of Hua Tiandu in the future.

Although Hua Tiandu himself would not emerge from seclusion over trivial matters, there are not a few true transmission disciples under him like Cang Bozi.

Among them are not lacking strong cultivators at the second and third levels of Divine Ability.

Even there are formidable figures at the seventh level of Divine Ability.

If Cang Bozi returns after lamenting, seeking people to cause trouble for Chen Zheng, it would also be difficult to respond.

Jialan invited Chen Zheng to stay a few days on her peak, also intending to shelter him so he could temporarily avoid the spotlight.

Things indeed unfolded as Jialan had anticipated.

"Senior Brother Jiang, Chen Zheng has gone berserk, killing my fellow junior brothers and even severing my arm; you must avenge my fellow junior brothers and uphold justice for me!"

At the other end of the Feather Transformation Mountain Range, in the great hall atop a thousand-zhang peak, Cang Bozi pressed his bleeding‑stopped severed arm, gritting his teeth as he growled low at the person seated on the throne above.

That is a young man wearing a shawl, handsome in appearance, emanating a yin‑soft aura; he is indeed one of the true transmission disciples of the Feather Transformation Sect, Jiang Lingkong.

Jiang Lingkong lifted his gaze and said softly: "We are both members of the Tiandu Association; it is only right that I uphold justice for you, but your lost right arm must first be replaced—a mortal arm will not do. You must slay a demon king among the heavenly demons or a great asura among the earthly demons, take its right arm, and then use a Heavenly Vigor Bone-Replacing Divine Pill to reattach it."

Cang Bozi snarled ferociously: "Senior Brother Jiang, I am not in a hurry about this; you must first severely punish Chen Zheng, even break his arm. No, break all four limbs!"

His resentment could not be quelled; he did not even care about his severed arm, insisting on personally seeing Chen Zheng fall into a pool of blood, wailing and begging for mercy, before he would relent. Moreover, a cultivator's physique is of great importance; once a limb is lost, even if reattached it will bear flaws, affecting future cultivation and making the hope of attaining the Dao slim.

Chen Zheng could be said to have severed his path.

Plus the humiliation of being forced to kneel.

How could he not hate?

Jiang Lingkong shook his head: "I just saw Chen Zheng heading for Jialan Peak; with her protection I cannot act against him for now. I will wait until his mountain peak is completed and he moves in, then I will strike."

Cang Bozi's expression stalled, then he snarled fiercely: "This slut Jialan dares to oppose our Tiandu Association; once Senior Brother Hua ascends to the position of Sect Leader, I will surely press her beneath me and torment her to death!"

"Alright, first we will go to the Underground World to reattach your severed arm, then return to deal with Chen Zheng."

Jiang Lingkong rose, his body emanating icy aura, and with a flash he took Cang Bozi and vanished.

……

On Jialan Peak, Chen Zheng was completely unaware that Jiang Lingkong intended to deal with him on the day his mountain peak was completed.

He had already taken the Azure Heaven Easy Origin Pill and begun to gradually transform his intangible yet substantial magical power into tangible true essence.

In this novel you have arrived.

Only when the transformation is completely successful can he advance to the second level of Divine Ability, the True Essence Realm.

This is a painstaking, gradual process.

Ordinary cultivators would need more than ten or twenty years of bitter practice to go from the first to the second level, which is extremely difficult to achieve.

Take Cang Bozi: he has cultivated to the first level of Divine Ability for over five years, yet has only increased his magical power by a dozen or so 'horses', and is still far from perfecting this realm, let alone transforming true essence.

Even though Chen Zheng has the Azure Heaven Easy Origin Pill, which specially aids in transforming true essence, he will still need considerable time.

Time flies; three days pass in the blink of an eye.

Boom—

That day, a mighty surge like mountains and seas overturning erupted from the side hall where Chen Zheng resided, as if a primordial beast awoke, sweeping over the entire Jialan Peak, which reaches ten thousand zhang in height, causing countless spirit beasts in the mountains and forests to tremble.

Even the immortal cranes soaring in the upper air became unsteady, nearly being pressed by this force to fall from mid‑air.

Longxuan and Xuyuer, the women on the mountain, were also startled and hurriedly rushed toward the side hall where the aura erupted.

"Senior Brother Chen, are you about to break through?" Longxuan stared at the side hall where Chen Zheng was, her pretty face full of astonishment.

Upon first seeing Chen Zheng in the Inner Immortal Academy, she marveled at his ability to slay the Imperial Clan Asura, regarding him as a formidable rival in her contest for this season's Mountain River Ranking.

Who would have thought that after just half a month, Chen Zheng had directly cultivated a divine ability, and now he is about to break through to the second layer.

What kind of freak is this?

"Chen Junior Brother is indeed extraordinary."

Jialan also gazed at the side hall where Chen Zheng was, her beautiful eyes flashing with strange light.

Immediately she ordered the women around who were stunned: "Chen Junior Brother still needs a bit more time before true breakthrough, you may disperse, do not disturb him."

Thereafter, the women departed.

Chen Zheng continued to cultivate painstakingly inside the hall.

What Jialan said was true; he had not yet broken through, the final strand of magical power had not yet been transformed into true essence.

At the same time.

A mighty caravan crossed the Great Li Dynasty and reached the outskirts of the Feather Transformation Mountains.

The caravan was filled with many people and horses: there were servants in gray clothes and small caps, noble ladies wearing white boots, and maidservants in attendance.

The person leading the caravan had flowing black hair like a waterfall, wore white clothing whiter than snow, her eyes flashed with purple lightning, cold and gorgeous—it was Fang Qingxue!

(End of chapter)