Chapter 691: The Five Elements United, the Miao Fa is Born; Meeting Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long in Battle (Combined Chapter)

"A high-grade strange land?"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long raised an eyebrow: "High price, how high?"

"Nearly ten times the normal price!"

"What?"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long was startled: "Such a lavish offer?"

Exploring for strange lands was an extremely dangerous affair, so the normal price was already extremely high, yet it had been raised tenfold in one go…

"What kind of strange land would warrant such an enormous outlay?"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long couldn't help but grip his communication sphere tightly. Could it be a secret strange land of the Weiti Dao Sect, or an alternate dimension within the Opening Gui Xu?

"After Feng Feng Wu Ding issued the recruitment, it caused an uproar, drawing countless seekers of the hidden. Reportedly, many long-established seekers have been contacting him."

The disciple answered respectfully: "Reportedly, many true inheritors of great clans, and even one of the three great Dao Sons of the Boatman Sea, 'Du Jin', have gone to Wind God City."

"Is that so?"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long waved him away. With a thought, he opened his communication sphere, hesitated for a moment, then still tapped into the friends interface and inquired of Ying Ying Shan Xuan Long.

"Suspected to be a secret trial ground of the Weiti Dao Sect?"

Before long, Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long received a reply confirming the matter was true. But to his astonishment, Feng Feng Wu Ding had refused everyone, including Ying Ying Shan Xuan Long and Du Jin.

"He's trying to hog it all for himself!"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long closed his communication sphere, yet couldn't help but sneer inwardly: "Recruiting seekers with such fanfare, and still thinking he can sideline the Five Great Grotto Heavens and hog it all for himself?"

Does he really think that just because he's enrolled in the Weiti Dao Sect, he can intimidate the Five Great Grotto Heavens?

He felt Feng Feng Wu Ding must have lost his mind, but he also kept this matter in mind, planning to wait until he had refined the Longhu Dadan, then he could follow Ying Ying Shan Xuan Long to grab a share.

"No rush. Let's deal with that Ba Ba Wanli first."

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long calmed his thoughts. Compared to a high-grade strange land whose origins were still unknown, the benefits of defeating Ba Ba Wanli were tangible.

Over the past month or so, he had watched Ba Ba Wanli's viewership skyrocket at a jaw-dropping pace, and several times he couldn't resist preparing to enter the fray.

"Can't wait any longer. The other top twenty are probably already eyeing this guy…"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long felt a twinge of urgency. Ba Ba Wanli's ability to become famous throughout Tian Shi Yuan so quickly was largely thanks to his own efforts.

If someone else snatched the harvest before him, he'd probably vomit blood.

"Whoosh~"

In the star curtain formed by the viewing area, all sorts of battle information cascaded down like a waterfall, updating extremely fast.

"Ba Ba Wanli."

With a slight thought from Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long, the battle information in the star curtain was filtered to show only Ba Ba Wanli's.

"Ba Ba Wanli's first battle in the Third Realm!"

"First battle after five thousand wins!"

"Ba Ba Wanli crushes Tong Tong Heihu…"

……

All kinds of messages packed densely together; at a glance, there were several thousand of them, and the viewership for each was quite substantial. Especially after the five-thousand-win mark, it had attracted even more viewers.

"This progress is truly astonishing. He must indeed be a true inheritor seed from some great sect…"

Casually opening a few of the battles, Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long couldn't help feeling a bit of shock. Though still not his match, Ba Ba Wanli was now more than ten times stronger than before his breakthrough.

He couldn't possibly be the legendary Mu Mu Xiantian Dao Body, but he must certainly be a divine-demon-level prodigy gestating some powerful constitution…

"If he can maintain this pace of progress, in twenty or thirty years he might really be able to top the Dou Zhan List?"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long's heart sank slightly. He never underestimated his opponents. As things stood, Ba Ba Wanli had also earned the right to be called a 'formidable dragon from beyond the realm'.

"Can't wait any longer!"

There was less than two years until the Dou Zhan List closed, but to avoid any unforeseen complications, Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long decisively chose to act.

He first notified a few recording masters he was familiar with to warm things up for him. Yu Yu Xuanji had already calmed his mind, carefully watching Ba Ba Wanli's battles after his breakthrough, waiting for him to appear again.

……

"Buzz~"

Li Yuan introspected his own body. With the augmentation of the Five Senses Set, in the deepest origin place within his body, he once again saw that two-colored interweaving, gestating divine body.

"What divine body will it be?"

Li Yuan focused intensely. Vaguely, he could even see wisps of divine patterns coming from nowhere, sinking into that two-colored divine light.

During this period, he had borrowed quite a few books on Dao Bodies, but had gained nothing, unable to identify what constitution was gestating within him.

"A Dao Body is formed when certain types of divine patterns gather within a cultivator's body, thereby gestating. Theoretically, the cultivator's cultivated Zhi Gen Ben Fa, as well as various spells, can potentially influence the direction of the divine body's gestation."

"The Seven Great Spirit Aspects I cultivate, and most of my spells, fall within the Five Elements…"

"A Five Elements Dharma Body, a Five Extremes Divine Body… or, a Yin-Yang Sacred Body?"

After perceiving for a long time, Li Yuan withdrew from this state and instead entered the Ni Wan Shen Jing.

"Buzz~"

On Xuanteng Island, faint and indistinct lights flowed and intertwined, slowly revolving around the Five Extremes Divine Temple as their center, nourishing the island and the Zuo Shen Jing.

This change came after he had visualized the Qianshan Qianshan Qilin.

"Woo~"

When Li Yuan ascended Xuanteng Island, the Five Extremes Temple trembled lightly, and five-colored light gathered like water waves, as if draping a five-colored dharma robe over him.

In that instant, he could feel the rhythm of the entire Zheng Zuo Shen Jing. With the Five Extremes Temple and the Seven Great Spirit Aspects as centers, various auras flowed and intertwined, possessing a sense of perfect harmony and completeness.

"The Five Elements all present, the Miao Fa is born."

Li Yuan closed his eyes and sensed.

The Five Extremes Great Scripture, among the various great scriptures of Mount Mount Dongxuan, was also considered quite wondrous. A single copy alone might be slightly inferior to the Formless Immortal Sword Scripture of Yu Yu Fa Huan Zhen, but cultivating both together was already no less.

If one could cultivate all five extremes simultaneously, one would surely rank among the very top.

At this moment, although the fundamental method Li Yuan cultivated was only the Qing Emperor Longevity Scripture, once the seven great spirit forms gathered the five elements, they faintly took on the bearing of a five-extreme great scripture.

"Hum~"

As if summoned, the seven great spirit forms came from all directions, gathering before and behind Li Yuan. The five-colored radiance grew ever denser, enveloping all seven true forms within.

Then, within the five-colored radiance, all manner of divine patterns flowed, transforming into divine prohibitions, then into wondrous sights—mysterious waters flowing, sword qi shooting forth, a great roc spreading its wings, a spirit tortoise dozing…

These were precisely the various spells he cultivated.

"Once the five elements are all present, any spell that falls within the five forms receives a certain amplification, whether in cultivation speed or in the might when unleashed…"

"The greatest amplification goes to Qing Di Yan—nearly doubled. Next come water-aspect spells like Shan Xuan Gang Heavy Water and the Mysterious Dark Body Protection Shield, at twenty or thirty percent. The Divine Fire Shield only gets ten or twenty percent…"

"This is because of the lack of corresponding fundamental methods and magic power…"

In but a moment, Li Yuan had already grasped the benefits of gathering all five-element spirit forms.

"If I could possess five-element magic power as well, the amplification would be even greater. And if I could possess the five-extreme great scriptures and the corresponding five emperors' magic power, the might of all my spells would surely skyrocket!"

Li Yuan's mind stirred slightly. He exited the Ni Wan Shen Jing, opened his communication orb, and went to the Weitian Martial Arena to verify the changes in spell power with Yellow Ape.

Not long after, he withdrew from the combat platform fully satisfied.

"The amplification is huge!"

In the bamboo tower, Li Yuan's eyes shone bright.

With the five elements all present, the might of Qing Di Yan—this divination and Cang Xing Fa spell—surged dramatically. The spells Yellow Ape unleashed couldn't even approach before he sensed them in his heart, making evasion and response far more composed.

"A spell of the Er Shi Yi Zhong prohibition unleashes might nearly equivalent to one of the San Shi Er Chong prohibition—amplified by more than double!"

"Though the water-aspect spells' amplification is less, it's still equivalent to adding five prohibitions. Shan Xuan Gang Heavy Water especially is now equivalent to forty-one prohibitions!"

Li Yuan was well pleased.

The amplification of various spells, especially the water-aspect ones, was a tremendous boost for him. In this battle, even when Yellow Ape deployed all nine great spirit forms, he still held out for three hundred exchanges!

"Cultivating other magic power must also be put on the daily schedule."

Li Yuan adjusted his cultivation plan.

Every true form chart corresponded to a type of magic power, but a cultivator's energy was limited, so he had previously had no intention of cultivating 'Bai Hu Fa' or 'Fire Phoenix' magic power.

But now, to say nothing of the rest.

"Bai Hu, Fire Phoenix, Shan Xuan Huang Qianshan Qilin—these three types of magic power must be cultivated alongside!"

Having made his calculations, Li Yuan tried cultivating spells again and found the speed had likewise increased enormously, the amplification nearly identical to that of spell might.

"Truly worthy of being a top-tier great scripture of Mount Mount Dongxuan!"

After various experiments, Li Yuan was in excellent spirits, and his desire to cultivate the five-extreme great scriptures simultaneously—even the Mixed Origin Five Extremes Dao—grew ever stronger.

……

"Hoo!"

"Haa!"

On the qi-gathering platform, Li Yuan divided his attention, running Xing Gong to refine methods and the demon-refining method in parallel. When the Xing Gong was complete, he had once again harvested a small mountain of demon remnants.

"The efficiency of method-refining has also increased considerably!"

Li Yuan let out a long breath. Just as he was about to return to the small tower, he saw a flash of nine-colored radiance in the distance—Shen Ying'er had returned from gathering.

"Master!"

From far away, the white-skinned little gourd was already calling out.

"You've worked hard."

With a flick of his finger he sent a wisp of magic power as reward to the white-skinned little gourd. Li Yuan couldn't help but pat the little female dragon's bun hairstyle—after method-refining her body had grown a bit, but she still looked no more than five or six years old.

"You're not still going to refine methods, are you?"

Seeing Li Yuan's kindly smile, Shen Ying'er even forgot to resist having her head patted. Her heart gave a sudden thump, and she had a bad premonition.

"Mm, twenty spells, and three types of magic power."

Li Yuan nodded.

"T-twenty-three?"

Shen Ying'er felt her vision go black and nearly fainted on the spot.

"This time it's not gathering, it's buying."

Seeing her like this, Li Yuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and reflected on whether he'd been too harsh with her.

"Buying?"

Shen Ying'er's eyes immediately lit up: "I can leave?"

"…I'm not trying to imprison you."

Li Yuan felt utterly speechless. He raised his hand and stuffed a brand-new communication orb into her arms—it was one he'd casually bought when he went to Wind God City before: "A gift for you."

"A communication orb!"

Shen Ying'er let out a piercing shriek and nearly pounced on it like a starving wolf, clutching it to her chest. Her nose stung, and tears were already streaming down her face.

Heaven have mercy!

She couldn't even remember what the Grand Void Spirit Realm looked like anymore.

Seeing her teary-eyed appearance, Li Yuan said no more, merely summoning Li Yi to take her down: "Rest for a few days, contact your clansfolk. Afterwards, I'll send you to the Domain Gate area."

Although he'd resolved to cultivate five-element magic power alongside, Daoist Li was a considerate man and didn't rush the little female dragon into gathering and purchasing divine patterns, or the spiritual materials needed to refine the White Bone Human Demon Mountain.

But the next morning, after finishing his daily hundred battles and rising to go to the qi-gathering platform to refine methods, Shen Ying'er was already there waiting, hugging the white-skinned little gourd.

"What's this?" Li Yuan was somewhat surprised.

"I-I didn't dare…"

Shen Ying'er lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

After obtaining the Tongshi Orb yesterday, she had wanted to contact her clansmen at once, but she didn't dare, afraid of receiving some bad news.

"Then take it slow, or I'll go back with you another day."

Li Yuan wasn't good at comforting people, but he was decent at changing the subject; with a light cough, he handed her the procurement list.

Twenty spells, the divine patterns needed for the magic power of Bai Hu, the Fire Phoenix, and the Xuanhuang Qianshan Qilin, plus all sorts of patterns he'd thrown in to confuse things — fully a thousand kinds of divine patterns in all.

Of course, these were all ordinary divine patterns.

Shen Ying'er hurriedly noted it down, then hugged the white-skinned little gourd, wore the White Bone Human Demon bracelet, and went with Li Yuan to the domain gate district.

……

"Bang~"

In the snap of a finger, having slain a second-realm demon with Shan Xuan Gang heavy water, Li Yuan slowly withdrew his stance, ending today's Xing Gong refinement of law.

"It's still inconvenient without a Dao Soldier."

Glancing at the somewhat ashamed black-skinned little gourd, Li Yuan raised his hand and collected a pile of demon remains into his Mud Pill Palace, feeling all the more that he should refine the White Bone Human Demon Mountain as soon as possible.

For a cultivator, a Dao Soldier's importance is second only to a magic treasure, and sometimes even more important than a magic treasure.

For example, exploring You Jing, cultivating and refining demon law, and later forging a Dharma Realm, weathering the Dao Tribulation, and even guarding a Dharma Heaven.

"With a demon-refining method, the White Bone Human Demon Dao Soldier is the best choice for me."

Li Yuan planned in his heart.

Mount Mount Dongxuan had thousands of Dao Soldiers; the most top-tier were naturally things like 'Yu Xuanji Dao Soldier', 'Wanhua Dao Soldier', and 'Zhuxing Tribulation Soldier' — the White Bone Human Demon could only be considered a tier below.

And this was mostly thanks to that White Bone Dao Lord.

But for him, it really was a good fit.

"As for other Dao Soldiers, I don't need them for now; the demon shadows refined from Ying Mo Shen can also count as a kind of Dao Soldier."

Li Yuan's mind stirred as he sensed Ying Mo Shen.

……

"Crack!"

Blood-colored Lei Ting tore across the sky, blasting open large swathes of black fog; countless demon shadows were blown to dust, and sheets upon sheets of Black Cloud Dao Soldiers shattered into black smoke.

Within the Cloud Demon Strange Land, Li Yuan stood atop the nine-layered Rosy Cloud Tower.

He saw dark clouds gathering in the vault of heaven, with hundreds and thousands of blood-colored Lei Ting weaving through like dragons, and at the center of the thunder clouds, guarded by blood-colored Lei Ting, was a massive Lei Chi.

The Lei Chi flickered in and out of view, its Lei Guang flowing like water; occasionally a wisp would leak out and transform into hundreds or thousands of blood-colored thunder dragons, its aura chilling and heart-stopping to behold.

"Hoo~"

In just a few instants, the Lei Chi tore through the sky and departed; wherever it passed, one strange land after another either fell into the dust or hid within the shadows.

"Can't swallow it."

Li Yuan was quite regretful.

That was a broken fifth-realm strange land, a loser from the core battlefield — but even if broken down to just a single Lei Chi, its might was still terrifying.

Ten thousands of thunder dragons followed along, like an ancient Thunder Emperor setting out.

"Without swallowing a fifth-realm strange land, there's no qualification to enter the core battlefield at all…"

Streams of demon shadows drifted after the thundercloud; Li Yuan had had his eye on this Lei Chi for months — though he couldn't take it now, later was anyone's guess.

"I need to find a way to lure a few strange lands to besiege that Lei Chi…"

Planning in his heart, Li Yuan looked behind him; amid the swirling black fog, third-realm Black Cloud Dao Soldiers numbered in the hundreds and thousands, with even more demon shadows lurking in the dark, guarding Ying Mo Shen.

"Daoist friend…"

Sensing Li Yuan's gaze, Duan Yang Jian Tian Yi squeezed out an ugly smile from a corner of the deck; beside him was Wang Shan Xuan Dao, who was healing his wounds and had already grown his lower half back.

'This demon cultivator is getting more and more terrifying…'

Wang Shan Xuan Dao, who was healing, couldn't help but shiver, feeling a deep chill.

His Divine Palace had already been forged with six layers of heaven; he was a somewhat renowned You Jing explorer who had explored many strange lands, but recalling everything he'd seen and heard these past few months, he felt nothing but hair-raising horror.

This demon cultivator was also a third-realm cultivator, but his methods were bizarre beyond compare; over six months, he had devoured twenty or thirty strange lands of the second realm or above.

Wherever he passed, whether strange beasts or strange soldiers, all were devoured — either becoming nourishment for his cultivation, or turning into a wisp of dark shadow that vanished into the black clouds.

"Daoist friend, this Lei Chi is called the 'Shan Xuan Yin Lei Chi'; it should be left behind by a fifth-realm cultivator who practiced the 'Shan Xuan Yin Lei Dian' after passing away…"

Duan Yang Jian Tian Yi answered carefully.

"Mm."

Li Yuan responded absently.

These two were people he'd picked up along the way while devouring strange lands; both were veteran You Jing explorers with substantial backing, offering a hundred million yuan coins as life-buying money right off the bat, so naturally he didn't refuse.

Of the two, Wang Shan Xuan Dao had a higher realm and excelled in combat, while this fat Daoist Priest was Liu Liu Jingshan at exploring You Jing and seeking strange lands, and was very familiar with many strange lands.

Of course, according to the fat Daoist Priest, he was a 'Shepherd of the People'.

That is, one who shepherds and guards the myriad people among many life-stars to nurture incense and fire; the holy lands and sects of the various heaven realms all had dedicated 'Shepherds of the People'.

Many Weitian Dao Sects even specially left a path of advancement to True Lineage for 'Shepherds of the People' — shepherd ten trillion people, and one could advance to True Lineage.

"The Shan Xuan Yin Lei Chi abhors yang-qi and blood the most. Daoist friend can seek strange lands of this type; with just a little provocation, the two sides will surely fight…"

Duan Yang Jian Tian Yi gauged the thoughts of the 'demon cultivator' before him and carefully offered his suggestion.

Sure enough, the demon cultivator was drawn in and looked over:

"Do you know where to find strange lands of this type?"

"I…"

Duan Yang Jian Tian Yi's fat face stiffened slightly, but he could only brace himself and agree; he took a reluctant glance at Wang Shan Xuan Dao, who had his eyes closed healing, and left the Cloud Demon Strange Land under the 'protection' of a host of demon shadows.

"Hoo!"

Li Yuan then sat down cross-legged and began sorting through the gains from Ying Mo Shen.

……

【The 'Sixth-Tier Battle Fighter Eighty Thousand Li' you challenged has not responded. You may continue to invite, or challenge other Battle Fighters……】

"Bang!"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long nearly crushed the Tongshiqi in his grip. His face was dark as still water, the fury in his heart nearly past restraining.

One month!

He had waited nearly a full month, back to back. That Eighty Thousand Li fought a hundred battles every day, his accumulated victories already nearing seven thousand, yet he had not the slightest intention of paying him any heed.

"He's afraid of me!"

Forcibly pressing down the rage in his heart, Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long's expression was cold and severe. He knew in his heart that Eighty Thousand Li must be afraid he would end his winning streak, which was why he refused the challenge.

"But that won't be up to you!"

Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long gave a cold laugh, no longer sending challenges. Instead, with a shift of his mind, he transformed into a streak of flowing light and plunged into the Battle Platform!

The Battle Rankings had been open for eight years. There weren't many fifth- and sixth-tier Battle Fighters still in combat. As long as one had the patience, one was bound to run into that Eighty Thousand Li.

"Random match — you can't refuse that!"

……

"Hum~"

Beneath the Shan Xuan Teng Tree, Li Yuan sat cross-legged.

All manner of wondrous sights rose and faded within his Divine Realm, and at the slightest shift of his mind, transformed into divine patterns that gathered upon Shan Xuan Teng Island, flowing around one another and gradually merging.

The Five Extremes Temple provided no small amplification to the Five Element magic power. In barely more than ten days, he had separately condensed one strand of Bai Hu Fa, one strand of Huo Huang Fa.

What he was condensing now was the Xuanhuang Qianshan Qilin magic power.

"Boom!"

At a certain instant, accompanied by the roar of the Divine Realm, a strand of xuanhuang-colored magic power slowly rose, and in the next instant, sank into the eagerly awaiting Xuanhuang Qianshan Qilin.

"Roar!"

The Qianshan Qilin shook its body and let out a deafening, wild howl.

Yu Yu Xuanji, the Huo Huang dove down from the clouds, and together with the Jin Chi Peng bird that had leapt forth from the Shan Xuan Teng Tree, circled around Li Yuan in motion. The Bai Hu beneath the tree also raised its head.

The Shan Xuan Teng Tree trembled lightly and lowered its branches and leaves as well.

"Hum~"

Streak after streak of intense radiance rose into the air, gathering around Li Yuan as their center, interweaving, transforming into five-colored splendid light that shot straight up into the sky — magnificent beyond compare.

At the same time, Li Yuan sensed the rhythm of the Five Extremes Temple. Just as he had anticipated, after gathering the complete Five Element magic power, the amplification the Five Extremes Temple provided to the Five Element magic power had grown once more.

"Hiss~"

Li Yuan flicked a finger. A pillar of Shan Xuan-colored water tore through the air, like a top-grade flying sword piercing the void. In but an instant, the boundless sky was split in two.

And within a thousandth of an instant, it split into thousands upon thousands, crisscrossing and surging above the boundless Wang Yang, leaving behind fine, dense trails of Qi that covered the firmament.

"Hiss!"

Tens of thousands of water droplets wove and flowed, now becoming swords, now becoming dragons, sweeping through silently yet incomparably sharp.

Li Yuan pointed with a finger. Streak after streak of magic power converged, transforming now into Kun Pengs, now into Bai Hus, evolving all manner of spells — yet each and every one was annihilated within the overwhelming Shan Xuan Gang Zhong Water.

"Hiss!"

The next instant, the tens of thousands of water droplets suddenly reversed course, like thousands upon thousands of flying swords shooting forth in a volley — yet they silently dispersed, transforming into a water dragon that wound and writhed about Li Yuan's palm.

"Power multiplied!"

Li Yuan practiced all manner of spells, transforming them into wondrous sights above the Wang Yang. Only after a long while did he withdraw his stance, deeply satisfied in his heart.

The Bai Hu, Huo Huang, and Xuanhuang Qianshan Qilin magic powers combined amounted to no more than three strands. Compared to the Kun Peng magic power and Qing Di Fa, they were hardly worth mentioning — yet possessing all Five Elements brought him an astonishing improvement.

"The forty-six-zhong Shan Xuan Gang Zhong Water probably isn't far off from Senior Brother Huang Yuan's, either!"

Within the bamboo tower, Li Yuan lightly flicked his finger, swallowed a spiritual pill, then opened the Tongshiqi and entered the Battle Hall.

He had, of course, seen Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long's challenge. The reason he had not responded was that he was waiting to gather the complete Five Element magic power.

"To be safe, the Soldier Register should also be paired with one or two."

Beneath the star-curtain formed by the Battle Hall, Li Yuan's mind shifted slightly. Though he was not yet certain whether he would need them, he still changed his command combination.

Taking the merged Dun Tian Zhou and the Si Wu Jingshan Xuan Teng She slough as the core, paired with spiritual treasures and Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing such as the 'Shan Xuan-Inducing Qi Gourd,' 'Qing You Little Thunder Dragon,' and 'Jiao Fu Huang Quan Tu.'

These command combinations were mostly related to innate talent and the realm of the fundamental method. Even if activated, they would not draw the attention of the Taixu Divine Realm.

"Hoo!"

After his preparations were complete, Li Yuan then discovered that Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long was actually inside the Battle Hall.

"Couldn't wait?"

Li Yuan gave a wry smile. He first informed Feng Feng Xiuqi, then accepted Chao Ying Shan Xuan Long's challenge, quietly waiting for him to finish his random match.

"Hum~"

Before long, a wisp of starlight rose from beneath him, wrapping Li Yuan and drawing him into the Battle Platform.

(End of chapter)