Chapter 491: The Marvelous Treasure Land

Long before entering that Buddha-realm in the form of the Spirit-Ming Stone Monkey, Master Master Kongkong had deduced the secrets of Dong Dong Gaozi and Jingcang Jingcang Bianji Buddha through divination.

And because his true form, the Red-Cheeked Horse Monkey, naturally understood yin and yang, mastered human affairs, excelled in entering and exiting realms, and could evade death and extend life, he was inherently attuned to the art of divination.

Not long after returning from that Buddha-realm, Master Master Kongkong's true form had rarely left seclusion; he set up altars and performed rites, even borrowing the Upper Salvation Golden Dipper to personally divine Dong Dong Gaozi's current situation, seeking to learn just how far this man had advanced.

Master Master Kongkong had never walked the path of blessings and fortune, and had no great Dao conflict with Dong Dong Gaozi.

The two ought to have remained uninvolved, each pursuing their own path.

But Master Master Kongkong knew that in this multiverse, every additional player equal to himself—amid a situation where pulling one hair moves the whole body—inevitably produced immeasurable effects on the balance of power.

Causing the undercurrents below to grow fiercer, even influencing his own future grand scheme…

Thus, Master Master Kongkong could not rest easy.

Yet though Master Master Kongkong had rarely taken his true form to act directly, and had borrowed a great treasure, he could only deduce that Dong Dong Gaozi had shifted from karmic virtue to blessings and fortune, intending to use blessings as his foundation to attain a higher realm.

But whether Dong Dong Gaozi had truly succeeded in his intentions, advanced further along the Dao, and become a player equal to himself…

In this regard, since the divination revealed Dong Dong Gaozi's final aura vanished at the Gate of All Wonders, it seemed he had entered deep within the Gate of All Wonders.

Even with his supreme mastery in divination, Master Master Kongkong's power could not pierce that chaotic, layered expanse where the Dao's order was inverted and confused—the ruins of the ancient past—and thus could not accurately determine Dong Dong Gaozi's condition; he could only shake his head and cease.

"The chaos in Fa Sheng Heaven is growing ever more intense; if the great calamity truly erupts, how many factions will place heavy bets? How many immortals and gods will descend personally?"

Unless someone of my teacher's stature intervenes directly and fully mediates, the structure of the multiverse will surely be shattered; at such a time, whichever faction grows strongest will have the greatest chance to survive the great calamity to the end.

Seen this way, Yu Yu Yuchen's weight may have increased slightly?

Dong Dong Gaozi faked his death to escape; Da Xian has forged the Celestial Punishment Axe—think on it, truly a time of turmoil!"

Suddenly, Master Master Kongkong on the cliff shook his head and spoke these words, his gaze deep and enigmatic.

The old monkey beside him, still dazed, immediately lowered his head.

He forced himself to suppress the shock and fear on his face, cultivated and regulated his breath several times, and finally regained his composure.

Due to Master Master Kongkong's ritual, the old monkey had seen every scene that had just unfolded.

Whether it was the Nine-Headed Lion splitting earth and sea, or Zhan Luo Gongshou Tian's Xuanji Tianzun openly revealing the White Sun Observatory, or Ci Xian Jin Guang Fo manifesting a solemn divine form in boundless emptiness…

None of these were anything less than mighty beings famed throughout the multiverse!

Ordinary beings, without destiny or opportunity, could hardly hope to meet even their disciples or kin, let alone witness them manifesting their divine forms!

Yet even these shocks paled beside the immense terror the ancient stone axe had inflicted upon the old monkey.

The stone axe looked utterly ordinary, as if a clumsy mortal craftsman's poor work—rough, pitted, even the sharpest edge scarred and uneven.

Aside from lightning and Lei Mang coiling around it, there was nothing else extraordinary.

Yet this ordinary stone axe somehow gave the old monkey an overwhelming sense—as if it could wield heaven's punishment, supreme and boundless, emerging without interval, harmonizing yin and yang to govern all things!

As if, the moment the axe fell, whatever lay before it—no matter what—would be cleaved in two!

And after the stone axe had repeatedly clashed with Ci Xian Jin Guang Fo, nearly slain the Nine-Headed Lion, and even forced Master Master Kongkong to rise and form hand seals, preparing to engage it in combat…

That terror reached its peak, leaving the old monkey's mind unsteady, thoughts hazy.

"…"

At this moment, the old monkey had barely steadied his spirit; he hesitated several times, then could not help asking:

"Fuchan Laozu, that axe just now?"

Master Master Kongkong glanced at him and said:

"The Celestial Punishment Axe—the ultimate treasure Da Xian once wielded. But this artifact was inherently incomplete; before Tian Yi Yan rebelled against heaven, Da Xian had even persuaded Tian Yi Yan himself to repair it, yet even with Tian Yi Yan's creative power, he failed utterly."

Since then, the axe had rarely appeared in the world; Da Xian mostly used other immortal treasures in battle. Now, this is strange indeed."

"So… the Celestial Punishment Axe is now fully repaired?"

The old monkey involuntarily interjected, recalling the fierce might of the scene just witnessed, still trembling with lingering fear.

Master Master Kongkong paid no mind to the old monkey's idle speculations; he gazed into the distant sky, lost in thought.

Today's spectacle was, for him, a truly delightful show.

Master Master Kongkong knew full well that, under the pretext of Dong Dong Gaozi's shift to the path of blessings and fortune, the great beings just now had subtly united, each harboring silent agreement, intending to jointly challenge Yu Yu Yuchen.

Their aim was to probe Yu Yu Yuchen's depths, to gauge the current strength of his celestial immortals, so they might prepare better for the coming great calamity.

Ideally, they hoped to force Dong Dong Gaozi to appear, to assess the cultivation of this former Lord of the Heavenly Gang Transformation Court.

Of course, if Yu Yu Yuchen showed weakness here and yielded territory or benefits, that would be ideal—perfectly aligning with their intentions.

But Master Master Kongkong knew that if Yu Yu Yuchen showed such weakness, this sect would no longer be called Yu Yu Yuchen, and would never possess its current glorious reputation!

Under siege by enemies, showing weakness is a last resort.

In Master Master Kongkong's view, as long as any alternative exists, one must never act thus.

Such a move brings no breathing space—it only reveals one's fatigue to the enemy, inviting even harsher pressure, like a slow blade cutting flesh, step by step, until no retreat remains.

"Who could have foreseen that these people, united in pressure, would force not Yu Yu Yuchen's celestial immortals—but Da Xian?"

"It's as if one sought to catch a whale of the deep ocean, yet met a great dragon of the celestial river. But then again…"

Master Master Kongkong shook his head, smiling inwardly.

In truth, he was pleased by the actions of the Nine-Headed Lion, the Red-Robed Daoist, and others.

Though he had once expended great effort to divine that Dong Dong Gaozi should now be within the Gate of All Wonders, unlikely to appear openly,

Still, witnessing Yu Yu Yuchen's celestial immortals act before the Fa Sheng Heaven calamity, glimpsing this sect's depths, was not without value.

Yet Da Xian had remotely summoned the Celestial Punishment Axe, shattering the Nine-Headed Lion's scheme in brutal fashion—something even Master Master Kongkong had never anticipated.

"To witness the true nature of the Celestial Punishment Axe today is, in itself, worth this spectacle."

"But how, after Tian Yi Yan himself failed to repair it, and after Tian Yi Yan was imprisoned in the Three Realms Grotto and the ancient world collapsed, could the Celestial Punishment Axe now be fully restored?"

Master Master Kongkong's thoughts shifted, then his gaze settled on Chen Heng, then turned to the old monkey standing silently beside him, and he smiled:

"Enough. Since the show is over, it's time for serious matters—what are Yu Shu's plans?"

"…"

Upon hearing this, the old monkey was startled; he raised his head in bewilderment, looking utterly clueless.

Master Master Kongkong spoke leisurely:

"I know Yu Yu Yuchen's character; in my view, though we share no blood ties, our temperaments seem to stem from the same lineage.

Indeed, I have always pinned high hopes on Yu Yu Yuchen; observing his actions, he is destined to glorify the Calamity Immortal lineage I founded and is fated to become a sect-founder and ancestral master.

So long as he survives the Human Calamity and achieves the status of a Heavenly Immortal, sooner or later he will become one of us, capable of trampling all living beings and ruling heaven and earth!

Yet all of this... depends entirely on whether he can survive that very Human Calamity."

Hearing this, the old monkey finally understood; he glanced down at a cloud mass below the cliff, where Fu Lao had placed a hand on Chen Heng's shoulder, their two figures transforming into a streak of Lei Jin Guang as they headed toward a nearby void-realm.

The old monkey pondered for a moment, but after racking his brain through several turns of thought, he still could not recall any instruction or order from Chen Chen Yushu directed at himself.

He offered an awkward smile, fearing he might offend Master Master Kongkong, and cautiously bowed his head:

"Fuchan Fuchan Laozu, allow me to report: before Yu Chen Yushu sent me to Douyu Heaven to pay respects to you, he indeed spoke only of the Primordial Ancestor Yuanchen and the Disaster-Relief Talisman Decree.

As for how Yu Chen Yushu intends to deal with Chen Heng, well... prior to our departure, Yu Chen Yushu indeed never briefed me on this matter."

Master Master Kongkong cast a meaningful glance at the old monkey and smiled:

"Still haven't remembered? You are mistaken; he explained it to you clearly and thoroughly."

With that, Master Master Kongkong raised his hand and pointed at the old monkey's brow.

In that instant, the old monkey felt a thunderous shock reverberate through his mind; a memory forgotten at some unknown time suddenly surged forth, forcing the old monkey to widen his eyes in astonishment.

"Yu Chen Yushu, you certainly have a bold stroke!"

The old monkey's expression suddenly turned ugly.

After Master Master Kongkong's finger-point, the old monkey finally recalled the instructions Chen Chen Yushu had given him before departure.

And the reason Chen Chen Yushu acted thus was that he had deliberately obscured his own spiritual memory.

Thinking it over, it was actually not hard to guess...

"How little time has passed, yet Yu Chen Yushu, you have already mastered the 'Fetal Light Passing Shadow' technique that Fuchan Fuchan Laozu entrusted Elder Mu Sou to teach you?

Do you intend to use this method to display such immortal prowess of yours, in exchange for Fuchan Fuchan Laozu's support of your grand scheme? Such innate nature is truly terrifying and awe-inspiring!"

The old monkey reviewed the events again, yet still could not recall when, inside that Rongcheng Rongcheng Duming Fan Fan Dongtian of water, Chen Chen Yushu had secretly clouded his spirit using the 'Fetal Light Passing Shadow' technique.

He scratched his head, his face twisting into a bitter expression.

Although he already knew that Chen Chen Yushu was no longer who he was yesterday—now a mighty Demon Master of the Tangtangliu Sect, a great Pure Yang Chen Yuanshu Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun, a figure of immense renown across the Nine Provinces and Four Seas, and a destined companion for ascension in the eyes of the Xuanyang Xuanming Wuxian Daojun!

He was no longer that Tianchi True Talisman from the Xu Huang Tian era, who needed me secretly exerting effort at his side just to preserve his life.

Yet to see Chen Chen Yushu so casually and lightly manipulate me behind the scenes, using me as a testing piece to demonstrate his talent to Master Master Kongkong, while I remained completely unaware of anything amiss from start to finish.

At this moment, the old monkey's thoughts were truly complex, a mixture of a hundred flavors, unsure of what to say.

While the old monkey was pondering, Master Master Kongkong had already, in an instant, reviewed that deliberately concealed memory of the old monkey's, understanding exactly which path Chen Chen Yushu intended to take with his next move.

He narrowed his eyes and smiled; after a long pause, he let out a sigh of admiration.

"Yu Chen Yushu, so you intend to use this method to confront the Human Calamity? Indeed, one who does not plan for the whole situation is unfit to plan for a single region; one who does not plan for ten thousand generations is unfit to plan for a single moment.

For an obstacle-calming calamity such as this, even if you are exceedingly cautious, it is not excessive; as for the length of time involved, it is truly not worth over-calculating.

If one were to speak of the merit of this method, in my view, its excellence lies precisely in being unavoidable and undefendable!

Though the preparation is difficult, consuming time and effort, if you truly succeed in the future, Yu Chen Yushu, you will likely be able to remove Chen Heng, this grave threat close to your heart.

But if it fails..."

At this point, a strange smile touched the corner of Master Master Kongkong's mouth; his words halted halfway, and he did not continue.

He nodded slightly at the old monkey:

"Initially, I was somewhat curious: given Yu Yu Yuchen's current momentum combined with Chen Heng's present identity, how would Yu Chen Yushu proceed to engage Chen Heng in battle using a divine descent body?

A divine descent body is ultimately inferior to one's own flesh; even a difference of a mere hair's breadth can often become a fatal flaw during spell-battle; if he truly planned thus, he would indeed be squandering the Calamity Immortal Talisman Decree in his hands.

Such a strange stratagem...

Among the many calamity beasts following beside the Calamity Seed, you are likely the one who has achieved the most."

At this, the old monkey swept away the slight stifling resentment in his heart and repeatedly offered apologetic smiles.

Ever since Master Master Kongkong created him, he and Chen Chen Yushu have shared a fate of mutual prosperity and ruin.

Since their interests are aligned, if Chen Chen Yushu truly attains the Dao, then even chickens and dogs like himself could ascend to heaven together in broad daylight.

Given this, why dwell on that minor displeasure?

"From dispatching Brother Lady Yue You from the Earth Abyss, to setting an ambush in the Eastern Sea, to the divine descent body at the Ganliu Medicine Garden, and now today's scheme..."

The old monkey thought it over and could not help but feel his scalp go numb:

"Truly, one link follows another; Yu Chen Yushu, whoever opposes you is truly in for terrible misfortune!"

While the old monkey secretly felt post-fear, Master Master Kongkong finally turned his gaze toward Chen Heng, then waved his hand slightly; the hundreds and thousands of cloud masses below the cliff instantly scattered and vanished, never to return.

To cultivate the Tai Yi Shen Lei at the Golden Core Realm—

Master Master Kongkong could not help but feel a touch of cherishing talent arise within him, and his intention to recruit him as a Calamity Seed grew even stronger.

If Chen Heng hailed from an ordinary background, he could easily set an ambush, step by step forcing him into a dead end until he had no choice but to reluctantly join his sect, just like the stories of other Calamity Seeds.

But unfortunately, Chen Heng has already entered Yu Yu Yuchen's sect, with Yu Yu Yuchen's list of immortals, or even the Great Manifestation, acting as backers behind him.

Such routinely used methods would likely fail to achieve Xiao Jian Gong now...

"Very well; let us see whether you can escape once again in that coming calamity conflict; Chen Heng, I await your Dao achievements!"

Master Master Kongkong smiled inwardly.

Meanwhile, in a small void-realm near the Buddha Land.

After explaining in detail to Chen Heng what had just occurred, Fu Lao pondered for a long time, his face filled with a sense of emotion; then, steadying his mind, he stated his intention to depart once more.

"Senior, do you not wish to return first to Xiaoming Great Marsh?" Chen Heng asked.

"With nothing currently amiss in the sect, my return would serve no purpose; even Great Ancestor Daxian just manifested his holy presence personally—which petty thief would dare to covet anything?"

Fu Lao gazed at the vast sky and sighed:

"After sitting for so long in the bitter prison of the Buddhist Realm, I have finally gained my freedom; there are certain matters I must now go and settle."

Chen Heng performed a bow, smiled as he bade farewell to Fu Lao, and once again thanked him for his assistance.

"No need for such formality; this was no great virtue. It is a pity that after contending with that Monk for years within the Buddhist Realm, the few elixirs I had on my person were long since exhausted; otherwise, as an elder of the sect, I ought to have presented you with a meeting gift."

Before Chen Heng could politely decline, Fu Lao waved his hand as if brooking no refusal, cutting him off with a loud laugh:

"Once your Primordial Spirit is achieved and you have suppressed that Ji Fa to advance and become a Dao Son, I shall return to Xiaoming Great Marsh to congratulate you in person; until then, I shall make up for it all at a later time. I take my leave now!"

With those words, Fu Lao instantly transformed into clear light and vanished, leaving only his rumbling laughter echoing endlessly through the cloudy sky.

That air of pure joy and satisfaction, even from afar, was enough to make one feel it as if it were one's own.

"Great Ancestor Daxian, the Heavenly Punishment Axe..."

Standing rooted to the spot, Chen Heng did not rush to depart; after pondering for a long while, a smile suddenly appeared on his face, and then he too transformed into a streak of sword light, vanishing into the extreme heavens in an instant.

Thanks to the opportunity obtained within the Buddhist Realm, in merely five years he had already entered the realm of Tai Yi Shen Lei, fulfilling his long-held wish.

Compared to his earlier plans, this was ahead by far more than a year or two!

Since there were still over forty years until the convening of the Dan Yuan Assembly, he would stick to his original plan: observe heaven and earth, travel through the various realms, seek out hidden mysteries wherever possible, and advance his cultivation to the stage of Jin Dan San Chong.

Tai Yi Shen Lei, You Ming Zhen Shui—

These two great divine abilities naturally consumed immense amounts of magic power, far beyond what ordinary divine techniques could compare to, a difference as vast as that between clouds and mud.

Even though he had achieved Elixir Achieves First Grade, his magic power far surpassed that of others at the same realm by an incalculable margin.

Yet, with his current cultivation, it was still somewhat insufficient; only by advancing one minor realm further could he barely cope.

And in over forty years, barring any accidents, it should be enough for him to break through another minor realm and successfully cultivate his Inner Scenery before the Dan Yuan Assembly arrived!

Faintly, a streak of sword light in the clouds, agile as a swimming dragon, flashed for an instant and then vanished.

Twenty-four years later, Miaobao Land.

A mass of clear light slowly descended, then vanished mid-air, revealing Chen Heng's figure from within.