Chapter 702: Zhenwu Mountain

“Senior, Senior… how could this happen?”

Under the moonlight, Xun Heihu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing far across the great river, exuding the aura of a master—though inside, he was panicking.

“Why has this Tianxin Immortal attached herself to me? After returning, Yuyan will explode…”

“Hahaha…”

Inside the Zhenwu Talisman, Fang Xing laughed heartily: “I told you before—the Zhenwu Visualization Method forbids bowing to others. You resorted to desperation and implanted your own visualization directly into her mind. What else could you do? But… Tianxin Immortal isn’t foolish; she’s clever. She’s already offended every sect in the martial world by aiding the tiger. If she doesn’t cling to a thick thigh soon, she might get raped and killed first… And among those present, is there any thigh thicker than yours?”

Xun Heihu froze.

Indeed, everyone here was a Grandmaster—what beautiful women hadn’t they seen?

Even if the Jingxin Nunnery possessed secret methods to cultivate a heavenly maiden aura and craft the image of the world’s most beautiful woman… in truth, it was all just surface.

This time, the Heavenly Nun had deeply offended everyone. If they retaliated, the nunnery might be wiped out entirely.

Thus, she had no choice but to seek his protection.

“I knew it… even planting a Zhenwu statue centered on me wouldn’t immediately bind us in life-or-death loyalty—just a bit of fondness at most… after all, I’m not that Panwu Demon God…”

Xun Heihu sighed inwardly, looking at the Heavenly Nun—or rather, Tianxin Immortal.

Looking again now, he saw a flicker of unease and anxiety in her eyes—even resolve!

If he refused her, this woman would likely kill herself to prove her loyalty.

“Fine… follow me for now.”

Xun Heihu sighed.

“Thank you, Lord.”

Tianxin Immortal smiled sweetly, leaving Du Qiankun and other martial artists momentarily stunned…

…

In the 1150th year of the Jiuzhou Calendar, Xun Heihu emerged suddenly, slaying the Black Lotus Elder with his Supergrade “Void Realm” cultivation.

The Black Lotus Sect’s many masters and powerful demons all fell into madness, becoming martial maniacs.

Although the “Zhenwu Visualization Chart” later spread and could help those only slightly corrupted regain their nature, these martial maniacs still caused horrific casualties.

Even so, due to their disunity, the Black Lotus Sect quickly collapsed.

After this battle, less than one in ten of the Dragon-Tiger List masters survived. The enlightened of Jiuzhou re-ranked the Dragon-Tiger List—Xun Heihu ascended to the top without dispute.

From then on, the name “Black Tiger” shook Jiuzhou, causing the Wuqin Sect and Qinglong Sect, who had once refused to take him in, to regret bitterly…

…

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.

Manzhou.

Zhenwu Mountain.

This mountain originally had no name, but one peak rose like a giant serpent, beside which lay a massive rock shaped like a reclining turtle.

One day, while passing through, Xun Heihu was struck by inspiration, settled down, named it “Zhenwu Mountain,” and founded the “Zhenwu Lineage.”

Now, he had taken seven disciples, with Tianxin Immortal and other masters serving as guardians, gradually overshadowing the rebuilt Dahesi Temple of the later Qingyong Monk, becoming one of the Nine Great Sects.

Some enthusiasts had even bestowed upon Zhenwu Mountain the title of the Number One Power in the World.

Of course, “Zhenwu Mountain” was still weak—its true core members numbered fewer than ten.

“By now… the Panwu corruption has been mostly purged, right?”

Xun Heihu gazed at the Zhenwu Talisman in his hand, feeling wistful: “I think… I finally understand how the Black Lotus Elder felt.”

In the past, with his golden finger, his cultivation was effortless—he even reached Supergrade effortlessly, as if he could do anything.

But after breaking through to the Absolute Peak, he realized he had nowhere left to go.

What kind of despair was this?

Not to mention, he was still under fifty, with over nine hundred years left to live.

Nine hundred years of martial stagnation—if his will wasn’t strong enough, he might be driven mad.

“It’s limited by the world…”

Fang Xing also sighed: “You cleared Panwu’s corruption so thoroughly that you even spread the ‘Zhenwu Visualization Method’—this is a spiritual technique that helps martial artists open their mind-sea, even achieve spiritual immortality… but how many more Dragon-Tiger List Grandmasters have appeared in the world since?”

“Yes… the world.”

Xun Heihu swept his sleeve and stood atop the sky.

Riding the mountain winds, hiding among white clouds, he arrived at the back courtyard of Zhenwu Mountain.

There, two young men and women were practicing martial arts.

Their technique was the “Xuanwu Stance,” and beside them, Jiang Yuyan watched sternly, scolding her two children until they groaned in misery.

“Yuyan’s talent is limited. With ordinary resources, she’ll likely only break through to Collapse Peak in this lifetime…”

Xun Heihu glanced at them, sighing: “She’s changed so much—even after I brought Tianxin Immortal home, she didn’t throw a tantrum. She accepted it calmly…”

“That’s because you’re far beyond her…”

Fang Xing sneered: “But from your words, I sense some unspoken meaning.”

“Yes. I will die someday. The Zhenwu Talisman will pass on.” Xun Heihu said: “I plan to let Ao’er inherit it. As for Biao’er? She has better talent—even without help, she might reach a higher realm. And she can lend the Zhenwu Talisman to her sister and mother… that way, my family can live with me for a thousand years.”

“Are you sure about this?”

Fang Xing was surprised: “Though the world has limits, the Zhenwu Talisman’s power is beyond your imagination. If you persist, training inside it for centuries, you might break through another grade… If you ascend beyond Supergrade, your lifespan won’t be limited to just a thousand years.”

“A thousand years already feels too long to me…”

Xun Heihu laughed: “I have no other talent but contentment. You mentioned that a martial golden age will come—but whether it’s tens of millions or hundreds of millions of years from now… what will those people then think of me?”

“Actually…”

Fang Xing thought for a moment: “You’ve already brought the Xuanwu True Art to its peak. If you focus on the ‘Gui Xi Gong’ and use the Zhenwu Talisman to break its limit over decades or centuries, you can enter a ‘hibernation state.’ Then, if you go to the Far North and freeze yourself in ten-thousand-year ice… you might survive until a million years later and witness the true martial golden age!”

A million years!

To the evolution of a planet, this was nothing.

But who cared—Fang Xing was abnormal to begin with!

The world’s essence, opened by the Gates of All Realms, was of the “All Realms” tier.

Thus… the world’s evolution would be extremely rapid!

Perhaps, after hundreds of millions of years, it would rival the Qingyuan Great Realm, the Great Xia Universe, or the True Immortal Realm…

Of course, when a Thirteenth-Level Law Lord emerges, Panwu will surely revive first within that being.

At that point, even a higher world tier won’t matter.

Fang Xing thought this host was decent, so he wanted to help him.

If Xun Heihu could survive until a million years later, he might join the golden age’s struggle.

Then, even breaking through to Thirteenth-Level Law Lord might be possible!

“A million years from now… will the golden age definitely come?”

Xun Heihu’s eyes held a trace of longing.

“I’m not sure. It might come sooner—or be delayed by another million years…”

Fang Xing said: “But the martial golden age will surely come. Then, there will be a chance at immortality.”

“Hahaha, a thousand years already feels too long—I only seek today.”

Xun Heihu laughed: “Thank you, Senior, for your kindness—but this old relic won’t compete with the younger generation for opportunities… besides, with my true talent, I might not win anyway.”

o￠o

In his heart, he privately scoffed: “Breaking the limit of Gui Xi Gong is already unreliable… freezing myself for a million years? I might just die outright…”

“Besides… to preserve myself and compete in the great age, I can’t be in an aged state…”

Physical aging greatly affects martial artists.

Even though he can live a thousand years, after eight or nine hundred, his breakthrough potential will surely decline.

Best to freeze himself before age five hundred.

Xun Heihu didn’t want to do this—because if it failed, it would be too much of a loss…

Besides… he was already satisfied with how far he’d come.

“If this is your decision, then so be it.”

Fang Xing sighed.

He never forced his hosts’ choices.

He only felt a little regret.

If Xun Heihu had kept the Zhenwu Talisman, he might have broken through once more.

If he chose to freeze himself, he could still live until a million years later.

But he planned to pass the treasure to his son—and even let his wife use it…

This almost guaranteed he wouldn’t survive the thousand-year limit.

“I wonder… what will this boy’s final fate be?”

“Giving a divine artifact to others so casually isn’t necessarily good.”

Fang Xing yawned and waved his hand.

Inside the Zhenwu Talisman, the space shifted again—the stone tablet appeared.

He was preparing to enter deep meditation, summarizing the “Zhenwu Dao.”

It was through those past meditations that he had developed the foundational Zhenwu methods.

Now, he needed to meditate again, contemplating what Xun Heihu and today’s martial world had achieved.

Of course, surveillance of the outside world would remain active.

But he clearly had no heart for becoming a grandfather to Xun Heihu’s wife,

son, and daughter…

“I wonder what this world will look like when I emerge from my next seclusion?”

“And what will become of Xun Heihu?”

Fang Xing’s expression was cold and detached; with a thought, he modified the Zhenwu Space, leaving only one room for future arrivals.

Then he began to contemplate the Zhenwu Dao…

“I hope I won’t regret this…”

Zhenwu Mountain.

Xun Heihu summoned his wife and his one son and one daughter; gazing at their adoring, affectionate expressions, his demeanor suddenly grew solemn: “What I am about to tell you is my greatest secret of rise…”

Looking at his wife and children’s excited faces, Xun Heihu chuckled, pulling forth the Zhenwu Talisman beneath his neck: “This is a supreme treasure passed down from the Great Xia Martial Emperor, called the ‘Zhenwu Talisman’—it…”