Chapter 330: Black-Yellow Qi

After circling the region south of Jingcheng where the space had expanded, Tong Yao parted ways with Hua Changxi, Jing Le, and Yan Zhenzhen.

He had stayed in Jingcheng before because the Artifact Sage Palace ruins were located there; now that the Artifact Sage Palace had 'detached' from Jingcheng, he no longer needed to return to the city.

Watching Tong Yao's light and brisk figure recede into the distance, Jing Le couldn't help but say, "Speaking of which, this time the Artifact Sage Palace has truly turned a disaster into a blessing."

Yan Zhenzhen nodded in agreement: "Although the Artifact Sage Palace has not yet fully reappeared in the mortal world, disciples possessing the Sacred Land token can now freely cross the barrier and enter the interior of the Artifact Sage Palace."

Hua Changxi understood the meaning behind their words.

To put it simply, due to the realm seal, the Five Great Sacred Lands had been compressed within a sealed space.

To make a Sacred Land reappear in the world, one must break open this sealed space.

However, breaking the sealed space requires conditions; the first is that the spiritual energy in the outside world must be sufficiently dense. Otherwise, forcibly making the Sacred Land reappear would cause spatial tears, or even spatial collapse.

Furthermore, since the Five Great Sacred Lands suppress the Demon Prison, any mishap could lead to the leakage of demon qi, resulting in an even more critical situation of loss of control.

The sealed space cannot be broken open directly, but it can be unlocked region by region, just as the Alchemy Sage Hall revived.

Currently, the revived regions of the Alchemy Sage Hall include the Alchemy Cauldron Altar, Alchemy Origin Peak, Divine Grain Peak, Green Jade Peak, and Black-Yellow Peak. Although the revival speed is somewhat slow, it excels in being steady and methodical, emerging smoothly into the world.

As for the Artifact Sage Palace, it directly broke open the sealed space, effectively unlocking all sealed regions at once. The consequences, however, were spatial tears, the dissipation of demon qi, and countless casualties among living beings.

Of course, this is only the negative aspect; but in all things, where there are disadvantages, there are also advantages.

The positive aspect is that although all sealed regions of the Artifact Sage Palace have been unlocked and it has not yet reappeared in the mortal world, it is now hidden within spatial fissures by the barrier inherent to the Sacred Land itself.

For the disciples of the Artifact Sage Palace, the palace can be said to have fully 'revived'; they can now 'use' everything within the Artifact Sage Palace.

In other words, while many resources in other Sacred Lands remain locked, the Artifact Sage Palace has opened up completely.

It is foreseeable that a period of rapid development and flourishing for the Artifact Sage Palace is about to arrive!

Yan Zhenzhen sighed with emotion: "I never expected that among the Five Great Sacred Lands, the Artifact Sage Palace would be the first to revive." She then looked at Jing Le and Hua Changxi, "We must also accelerate our pace."

The three of them flew toward Jingcheng at a swift speed.

"Hmm?"

"Stop for a moment."

While still some distance away from Jingcheng, Hua Changxi suddenly called out to Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen.

Yan Zhenzhen looked over: "What's wrong?"

Hua Changxi did not answer. There were obvious spatial fluctuations in the region below, yet staring intently revealed nothing unusual. She could only say to Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen, "There seems to be something happening below; let's go down and take a look."

Having spoken, she flew down to the ground first.

Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen exchanged a glance, then followed her down.

After landing, Hua Changxi felt the spatial fluctuations even more distinctly. She looked at Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen: "Did you two feel anything unusual?"

At first, neither of them noticed anything, until Jing Le activated his Talisman Eye.

"That is..."

After activating his Talisman Eye, several wisps of drifting, uncertain black-yellow gas appeared in Jing Le's vision. As soon as he guessed what kind of gas it was, his face was immediately covered with an expression of astonishment.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi hurriedly asked, "What did you see?"

Regrettably, her Eye of Truth could only see through 'living flesh' and could not perceive other forms of existence between heaven and earth.

Jing Le's breathing became somewhat rapid: "I think I saw... the Black-Yellow Qi recorded in ancient texts."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi reacted with indifference. Although 'Black-Yellow Qi' sounded very impressive, she knew nothing about its effects, so she could only remain silent.

However, the knowledgeable Yan Zhenzhen suddenly widened her eyes: "Are you sure you didn't see wrong? Are you certain it's Black-Yellow Qi?"

Jing Le also lacked confidence: "It seems... it should be." This was also his first time encountering Black-Yellow Qi!

Yan Zhenzhen was somewhat speechless. Looking at the region before them, she swallowed hard: "If you truly saw Black-Yellow Qi, then the place where we are standing right now is quite extraordinary."

Hua Changxi's eyes were full of curiosity: "How extraordinary?"

Yan Zhenzhen looked at her: "Only the Black-Yellow Tree can produce Black-Yellow Qi. Do you know where the Black-Yellow Tree grows?"

Every time she was asked such questions, the ignorant Hua Changxi felt somewhat frustrated. At such times, the only thing she could do was shake her head.

Jing Le's somewhat ethereal voice rang out: "The Black-Yellow Tree grows on the heart of the continent. The heart of the Central Continent... is Xuanyuan City. According to ancient records, a Black-Yellow Tree is planted within the City Lord's Manor of Xuanyuan City."

Yan Zhenzhen picked up the conversation: "In other words, the location where we are currently standing is... the site of the City Lord's Manor of Xuanyuan City!"

As soon as these words fell, Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen simultaneously looked at Hua Changxi with shining eyes.

"Changxi, how did you sense that this region was unusual?"

Hua Changxi looked at the two of them: "Didn't you feel the spatial fluctuations?"

Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen shook their heads in unison.

Subsequently, Jing Le said, "Spatial fluctuations and Black-Yellow Qi; the appearance of both indicates that the City Lord's Manor of Xuanyuan City is about to emerge into the world."

Hua Changxi asked: "What effect does Black-Yellow Qi have on cultivators?"

Yan Zhenzhen replied: "Black-Yellow Qi is the finest heavenly treasure for nourishing and strengthening the physical body. For body-refining cultivators, Black-Yellow Qi is an irreplaceable supreme treasure."

Upon hearing that Black-Yellow Qi was a supreme treasure for body refinement, Hua Changxi's heart began to pound. Touching her chin, she mused, "Since Black-Yellow Qi is so useful, is there any way to obtain some?"

Yan Zhenzhen said: "Don't even think about it. Only the City Lord of Xuanyuan City can enter and exit the City Lord's Manor."

Hua Changxi's eyes rolled slightly: "Not necessarily."

Hearing this, Jing Le first fell into thoughtful contemplation, then his gaze suddenly brightened.

The first time he met Changxi, he had probed her with his Talisman Eye. He remembered that Changxi seemed to have mastered the spatial law of the character 'Split'.

Yan Zhenzhen also became somewhat excited: "Do you have a way to get in?"

Hua Changxi, who already had considerable experience entering and exiting spatial fissures, said: "Where there are spatial fluctuations, spatial fissures must exist. Theoretically, as long as we can pry open a spatial fissure, we can enter this region."

Yan Zhenzhen looked at her, her eyes flashing: "But tearing space, without the aid of high-grade magical treasures, requires at least a cultivator of the Dao-Integration Realm or above to accomplish."

Hua Changxi did not respond to this remark: "I need to go to the Artifact Sage Palace once more." The law of the character 'Split' could only be manipulated by the Great Sun Divine Flame.

Before Yan Zhenzhen could say anything else, Jing Le spoke first: "We will accompany you on this trip."

Hearing this, Yan Zhenzhen glanced at Jing Le, thought for a moment, and chose not to say any more.

Immediately, the three of them flew together toward the Artifact Saint Palace.

On the other side, Tong Yao, who had just returned to the Artifact Saint Palace and was about to check the stability of the spiritual energy barrier, saw his three friends turning back and immediately hurried forward to meet them.

"Why have you returned again?"

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Tong Yao, I wish to go to Tang Gu once more."

Tong Yao's expression changed; after a moment of silence, he asked, "You wish to enter Tang Gu to subdue the Seven-Colored Spiritual Fire?"

Hua Changxi: "Yes."

Tong Yao: "May I ask why you are so eager to subdue the spiritual fire?"

The matter of discovering spatial fluctuations and Xuanhuang Qi on the way was not something that could not be told to Tong Yao, but Hua Changxi did not wish to speak of it at this time.

The authority to enter Tang Gu rested in the hands of the Artifact Saint Palace; they were in a passive position, and to resolve this passivity, they needed sufficient bargaining chips.

News of such magnitude as 'the imminent emergence of the Xuanyuan City Lord's Prefecture' would certainly make an excellent bargaining chip.

Before Hua Changxi could decide how to respond, Yan Zhenzhen spoke up.

"Tong Yao, during this great upheaval at the Artifact Saint Palace, the three of us contributed no small effort; we ask for no other reward, only to enter Tang Gu once."

Tong Yao examined the three of them with a probing gaze, then fell silent for a moment before saying, "I do not have the authority to allow outsiders to enter and exit Tang Gu. Thus, I will take you to see the Great Elder."

The implication was clear: the three should negotiate with the Great Elder of the Artifact Saint Palace.

Seeing that Yan Zhenzhen and Jing Liao had no objections, Hua Changxi nodded.

Tong Yao looked at the three: "Wait here for a moment; I will go inform the Great Elder first."

After Tong Yao departed, Hua Changxi looked at Yan Zhenzhen: "I thought you would tell Tong Yao about the matter of the Xuanyuan City Lord's Prefecture."

She had always believed that Tong Yao, Jing Liao, and Yan Zhenzhen were inseparable friends.

Hearing this, Yan Zhenzhen smiled: "Since the revival of spiritual energy, do you know what the most valuable thing is?" Without waiting for Hua Changxi to respond, she continued, "It is intelligence regarding various ruins and secret realms."

"Whoever obtains first-hand news of a ruin can, on a smaller scale, seize the initiative and control the situation; on a larger scale, they can monopolize the ruin and achieve total victory."

"Although our relationship with Tong Yao is profound, friendship is friendship; when interests are involved, one must offer corresponding assets to participate in the distribution."

Hua Changxi listened and said, "In that case, very good."

Friendship is friendship, and interests are interests; the greatest taboo is mixing the two, ultimately resulting in the loss of both friendship and extra gain.