Chapter 67: The Astonished Demon Marshal

Chen Zheng flew among the white clouds.

Destination: the Great Northern Ocean.

Just after stepping out, he picked up a Seven-Evil Gourd and felt in good spirits.

After a brief inspection, he found the gourd more powerful than the Flying Snow Divine Sword and the Flying Sword he traded from Jia Lan, deeming it an ultimate Yin demonic treasure.

The many runes flowing over the gourd's surface were etched by a powerful Elder of the Demon God Sect and can form a Wolf Smoke Protective Orb.

It is the same big bubble that previously protected Wang Molin.

Inside the gourd lies another realm; from the entrance down to the bottom, it consists of layered grid chambers, totaling 49 layers.

Most chambers are empty, with only a few storing various strange poisonous insects and Heavenly Wolf Seven-Evil Smoke.

Its greatest strength lies in the seven bottom chambers, resembling seven sword pouches; the lowest base bears an illustration of several ever‑changing sword forms, vivid as if swordsmen were practicing.

It is a Sword Formation Diagram.

Placing seven Flying Swords into those seven chambers would activate the diagram, arranging a Seven-Deadly Sword Formation that unleashes terrifying power.

Unfortunately, there isn't a single Flying Sword inside.

Clearly, Wang Molin is not wealthy enough; possessing the gourd itself and toxins like Heavenly Wolf Seven-Evil Smoke is already rare.

Otherwise, with this Seven-Evil Gourd, Wang Molin could potentially contend with cultivators of fourth or fifth‑rank divine abilities.

Chen Zheng also lacks seven Flying Swords to set the Seven-Deadly Sword Formation, and doesn't really need it.

In fact, with his current strength, the Seven-Evil Gourd isn't a particularly formidable artifact; its boost to combat power is limited.

Nevertheless, the gourd can be sold.

Such a treasure is valuable and can be exchanged for plenty of heavenly materials, earthly treasures, or a sizable number of Baiyang Pills.

"It is said that the Demon God of the Heavenly Demon Sect once tried to mass‑cultivate this gourd, but ultimately failed,"

"If it had succeeded, how wonderful—just turn the sect's disciples into a Gourd‑Doll army; harvesting them would be a breeze,"

Chen Zheng thought with a mischievous grin.

He then tossed the Seven-Evil Gourd into the Chaotic Space, where it landed beside Wang Molin's corpse.

Wang Molin held a high rank within the Heavenly Demon Sect, akin to a second‑generation like Bloodflame Crown Prince.

His corpse itself is also a fortune.

If his memory serves, the Ascension Gate will soon issue a mission to slay Wang Molin, rewarding the Yin‑Yang Ten Thousand Longevity Pill.

When the time comes, he can return to the sect and claim the reward simply by presenting Wang Molin's corpse.

He just wonders whether the sect will still issue the task now that Wang Molin is dead.

The rest of the journey passes in silence.

In less than a day, Chen Zheng flies over dozens of small states such as Great Li and Great Xu Dynasties.

Finally, the air ahead grows humid and the wind carries a salty, fishy scent.

The azure‑rippled Great Northern Ocean is reached.

He recalls that originally he set out from the sea aboard the speed‑renowned Swift Wind Divine Eagle, traveling six or seven days to reach the Ascension Gate.

This time, the return takes less than a day.

His speed is evidently extraordinary.

Even at his unhurried pace, a full effort would allow a round trip in four or five hours.

Nevertheless, compared to the vast, billions‑of‑miles‑wide Xuanhuang Great World, such speed is negligible.

"First boost my strength before anything else,"

Chen Zheng does not head to Golden Feather Island, nor rush to the mission‑designated site to slay demon thieves; instead, he flies toward a large trading market recorded in the annals of the worlds.

He travels southward.

After roughly over a million li, the horizon no longer shows endless sea but a massive island, like a floating continent. The continent is ringed by numerous ports, moored with ship‑sized vessels as massive as mountains, steel behemoths weighing trillions of jin.

On land, towering buildings crowd the skyline, crowds bustling like an anthill, far more bustling than the Ban Yue and North Spirit Market Chen Zheng has visited.

Those two markets pale in comparison, not even matching a rural back‑alley.

Especially, one cannot compare: the former are ordinary martial‑artist markets, while this one chiefly serves cultivators.

Just upon arrival, Chen Zheng sees countless people soaring up and down above the continent; most are martial artists relying on spirit tools, but a few divine‑ability cultivators are interspersed.

This is the Wan Gui Sea Market, established by the Wan Gui Immortal Island of the Ten Paths of Immortal Dao.

Chen Zheng has come to the Wan Gui Sea Market to sell that Seven-Evil Gourd and acquire a batch of pills to boost his magical power.

The seas teem with fish and dragons, pirates run rampant, the Boundless Star Palace has eyes everywhere, and even "Mysterious Traitors" and the divine race hide here; the stronger he is, the easier it is to get things done.

Swish!

He heads straight for the center of the Wan Gui Sea Market, descending onto a building that resembles a palace.

It isn't a palace, for a massive plaque above the hall's entrance bears the bold characters "Mystic Turtle Pavilion."

At the hall's apex a colossal Mystic Turtle is cast, lifelike as if about to take flight.

This novel you have reached

Here is the largest shop in the Wan Gui Sea Market, opened by the Wan Gui Immortal Island itself.

"Senior, are you here at Mystic Turtle Pavilion to buy or to sell?"

As Chen Zheng lands at the pavilion's entrance, several young men standing there approach to ask.

These youths are from the Mortal Secret Realm, their blue garments embroidered with the Mystic Turtle, all disciples of Wan Gui Immortal Island.

Although Chen Zheng isn't wearing Ascension Gate attire, as a divine‑ability cultivator and a customer of the pavilion, the youths treat him rather courteously.

"I'm here to sell…"

"Look!"

Just as Chen Zheng begins to say he wants to sell his treasure and ask the disciples for guidance, a number of people nearby gasp in surprise, all looking up at the sky.

"Who's such a show‑off?" He lifted an eyebrow and, like the surrounding crowd, gazed toward the heavens.

At the far edge of the horizon, a thousand strands of auspicious qi stretched out, a dazzling flower rain fell, and a brilliant bridge spanned across, reaching directly above Xuan Gui Pavilion.

On the bridge, a tall figure bathed in the endless auspicious qi and flower rain, walked leisurely, exuding an indescribable elegance and composure.

Chen Zheng saw clearly; the tall figure was a man in his twenties, with extraordinary bearing, especially a pair of eyes that seemed to encompass the world, magnanimous and vast.

"Sss… that's the Demon Marshal!"

Someone recognized the young man's background and drew a gasp of cold air.

"What?"

"But isn't that the timeless prodigy of the Primordial Demon Sect, Demon Marshal Ying Tianqing?"

The whole venue boiled over.

Everyone's gaze toward the young man—who was the Demon Marshal—changed, some with reverence, some with fear.

A few Wan Gui Immortal Island disciples also wore solemn expressions, and ignoring Chen Zheng, they sprinted toward the interior of Xuan Gui Pavilion.

Soon, a middle‑aged man looking like a Manager led a group of disciples out of Xuan Gui Pavilion in a line, positioning themselves on both sides of the entrance in formation to welcome the Demon Marshal's arrival.

At that moment, the Demon Marshal happened to reach the entrance of Xuan Gui Pavilion, hovering in the air about a zhang high.

"Demon Marshal, Xuan Gui Pavilion has already gathered the latest information on Fang Qingxue for you. Let's discuss further inside; please, come in."

The middle‑aged Manager looked up, showed a flattering expression toward the hovering Demon Marshal, and made a gesturing invitation.

"Hmm, very good."

The Demon Marshal nodded, a hint of tenderness appearing in his eyes, descended, and prepared to enter Xuan Gui Pavilion.

But as soon as he landed, he saw Chen Zheng walking toward the interior; the tenderness in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by astonishment.

"You? That mortal Chen Zheng, you've actually ascended to the Shen Tong Mi Jing?"

(End of chapter)