Xu Ying was completely unaware of what had just transpired. Upon waking, he suddenly noticed two immortal roots slipping out from the Realm of Xiyi belonging to a headless corpse, attempting to make a getaway. "Why are there two immortal roots here?"
Without a second thought, he caught both in his hands, one in each grip.
Neither of the two immortal roots was particularly pleasing to the eye—one was a green vine with roots and stems but no foliage, while the other was a camellia tree picked bald of its blossoms. Both roots fought desperately against his hold, resisting far more violently than the red bean immortal root had when it fell into Xue Ying'an's hands.
When the red bean immortal root resisted Xue Ying'an, it had mostly acted out of disdain, deeming the youth's meager cultivation unworthy of possessing it. These two immortal roots, however, felt sheer terror toward Xu Ying. Wearing an amicable smile, Xu Ying gradually tightened his grip. "If you try to run, I'll blow you to bits, understand?"
The two immortal roots immediately ceased their struggles and grew thoroughly docile.
Xue Ying'an clicked his tongue in wonder. "Had I known immortal roots could be cowed like that, I wouldn't have had to struggle so hard."
Hearing this, Yuan Qi mused, *You're no great fiend, so why would a spiritual root fear you? You should burn high incense to thank your ancestors that it didn't kill you on the spot!*
Within Xue Ying'an's Realm of Xiyi, the red bean immortal root resting in his Jade Pool whipped anxiously against the water's surface, as though sensing the plight of its two peers. Xu Ying activated his Heavenly Eye to inspect the pair, his eyes lighting up as he reached out and plucked the primordial Dao essence accumulated within both roots.
The moment he swallowed the primordial Dao essence, the immortal medicine residing in his Yellow Court and Crimson Palace was sparked to life. His divine consciousness and strength surged with torrential momentum!
Waves of exotic fragrance wafted from his body as the immortal medicines of divine consciousness and heart power were continuously refined by the primordial Dao essence! "Nuo arts are methods to unlock the human body's six secret depositories and fish out immortal medicines. Yet the Nuo methods circulating through the mortal world are seldom orthodox teachings; rather, they are tailored traps designed for harvesting like chives."
An epiphany arose within Xu Ying's heart. *Orthodox methods are arts meant to refine immortal medicines, kept within narrow circulation. Even so, the current orthodox teachings are flawed—they cannot thoroughly refine the medicine harvested from the six depositories, leaving massive amounts accumulated and unrefined within the body. Over time, even upon reaching the Ascension stage or the realm of a Nuo immortal, one will still end up harvested.*
*Yet the primordial Dao essence condensed by immortal Dao spiritual roots enables a Nuo master to refine these immortal medicines, allowing one's cultivation and strength to advance by leaps and bounds!*
Primordial Dao essence was the key to escaping the harvest!
Xu Ying released the green vine and the camellia tree, chuckling. "Falling into my hands was your good fortune. Off you go."
As if relieved of a heavy burden, the two immortal Dao spiritual roots, which had appeared withered and languid moments earlier, instantly regained their vitality. One plunged straight into Jade Mountain and vanished without a trace, while the other sprouted legs and bolted wildly into the wilderness. Xue Ying'an stared agape. Zhu Hongyi rushed over, stomping her feet in frustration at the sight. "Why did you let the immortal herbs go?"
She started after them, but the two immortal roots were already nowhere to be found.
Xu Ying explained, "The only useful part of these immortal Dao spiritual roots is the primordial Dao essence they accumulate. Once you harvest the essence, of course you let them go. When they condense more, they can be harvested again."
He then surmised, "Immortal Dao spiritual roots prefer rooting themselves near the Immortal Realm likely because, as spiritual light entities, they can draw energy from the Immortal Realm and transform it into primordial Dao essence. This is the heavenly road leading toward the Immortal Realm. Letting them grow here ensures that those who follow after us can also harvest their essence."
He could not help but be filled with yearning. Back when the intact immortal Dao spiritual root flourished in Taiyi Minor Mystic Heaven, its spiritual light bridging directly to the Immortal Realm, what a magnificent spectacle that must have been! Sadly, the true immortal Dao spiritual root had been shattered by an arch-fiend!
Fuming, Zhu Hongyi cried out, "Those were immortal herbs my Zhu clan bought with human lives! My younger brother and the Old Immortal died for them! Even if you didn't want them, you should have left them for the Zhu clan! Why set them free?"
Xu Ying's expression darkened.
His greatest fond feeling toward the Zhu clan belonged not to Zhu Hongyi, but to their donkey; Zhu Hongyi was a distant second at best.
Moreover, if that donkey were to cross him, Xu Ying would slaughter it without hesitation. He replied indifferently, "I am not of the Zhu clan. If I let them go, they are gone. What does that have to do with you?"
Chilled to the core, Zhu Hongyi swiftly softened her tone, adopting a gentle voice. "Monster King Xu, seeing my brother perish just now made me frantic and caused me to speak rashly. Please forgive me, Monster King Xu." Her gaze fell upon Zhu Zhongquan's headless corpse, her eyes welling with ready tears as they brimmed in her sockets.
Only then did Xu Ying realize the headless corpse belonged to Zhu Zhongquan. Feeling a touch of sympathy, he said, "Hongyi, your brother's death has nothing to do with me. Our meeting was merely by chance, and the affairs of your Zhu clan are no concern of mine. If you wish to exchange Nuo arts and divine powers with me, you are naturally welcome. But you had best not think of using me."
Dabbing the corners of her eyes, Zhu Hongyi meekly agreed. "It was my impudence."
She held little genuine sibling affection for Zhu Zhongquan; her true lament was the Old Immortal's death and the loss of his Nuo arts and Qi refinement legacies before they could be passed down.
Yet securing Xu Ying's promise to exchange Nuo arts and divine powers eased her mind somewhat. She mused, *An ageless immortal has the word 'ageless' over an ordinary old immortal. With his promise, my standing in the Zhu clan will surely rise dramatically!*
Not daring to delay Xu Ying any longer, she offered a slight curtsy and murmured, "My Zhu clan has suffered heavy casualties this time, so Hongyi cannot continue exploring this place. I must preserve my useful life to carry the remains of my brother and the Old Immortal back."
Xu Ying gave a gentle nod.
Zhu Hongyi promptly gathered the remains of the Old Immortal and Zhu Zhongquan, hurrying down the mountain to return to Stone City.
Watching her figure recede into the distance, Xu Ying asked, "Lord Qi, what happened to Zhu Zhongquan? Why did he die here?" He remained oblivious to how he had fought Zhu Huang while unconscious and subsequently eliminated Zhu Zhongquan.
Yuan Qi recounted how Zhu Huang had charged in and clashed with him. Xu Ying remained astonished for a long time before remarking, "The Old Immortal seized Zhu Zhongquan's body. By killing him, I suppose I avenged Zhu Zhongquan."
Yuan Qi and Xue Ying'an hesitated, exchanging a glance.
Xue Ying'an whispered, "Lord Qi, should we tell him that after the Old Immortal died, Zhu Zhongquan seemed to come back to life, only to be killed by him right after?"
Yuan Qi shook his head. "Better not speak of it. Zhu Zhongquan was no righteous man; his death is for the best."
Xue Ying'an assented, and the two youths alongside the snake resumed their trek up the mountain in search of more immortal Dao spiritual roots.
Xue Ying'an remarked, "My master told me immortal Dao spiritual roots serve two purposes. One is planting them in one's Realm of Xiyi to cleanse the physical body and Primordial Spirit while elevating natural aptitude and comprehension. The other is consuming them directly to aid in breaking through cultivation realms. Brother Xu, I saw you grab those two immortal roots earlier as if extracting something from them. Do they have another use?"
Xu Ying surveyed their surroundings with his Heavenly Eye. "Both planting and consuming immortal roots most likely rely on the effects of primordial Dao essence. Spiritual light makes up immortal roots; if consuming them directly were truly beneficial, the immortals who ascended here long ago would have eaten them into extinction."
Realization dawned on Xue Ying'an, and he chuckled. "My master probably doesn't know their true purpose either. He instructed me to secure immortal opportunity and bring it back."
Xu Ying noted, "I learned of primordial Dao essence from Lord Bell. Lord Bell said its master once mentioned that immortal herbs containing primordial Dao essence grow in the Heavenly Dao world and the Immortal Realm, and consuming them long-term can lead to immortality."
Xue Ying'an's heart skipped a beat, and he fell silent.
Lord Bell's master was none other than his revered teacher, Li Xiaoke.
If Li Xiaoke already knew that the true efficacy of immortal roots lay in primordial Dao essence, why had he ordered him to bring the roots back to Jiucai Ridge on Jiulong Mountain? A sour sting touched his nose, bringing an ache to his heart.
Xu Ying added, "A Heavenly Dao divine artifact can drag Stone City to ferry us toward Taiyi Minor Mystic Heaven, but Li Xiaoke is too powerful; the divine artifact cannot carry him here."
Xue Ying'an remained quiet.
Xu Ying continued, "He needs a disciple to harvest the immortal roots for him, and you were the first disciple he chose. Whether you succeed or fail, next month he will send another disciple to make the journey here again."
Xue Ying'an forced a thin smile. "Brother Xu, these are merely your conjectures. My master is a very good man..."
Xu Ying smiled. "I never said he was an evil man. However, the greatest benefit of primordial Dao essence is not achieving immortality through prolonged consumption, but refining the immortal medicine of the six secret depositories. Li Xiaoke prides himself as orthodox among Qi Refiners; since he has not opened the six secret depositories, he naturally shouldn't harbor their immortal medicines within him."
He paused, then added with utmost sincerity, "Ying'an, when you return, you must under no circumstances reveal that you obtained an immortal root. Otherwise, if he does possess the immortal medicine of the six depositories, he will kill you to take it."
Unable to bear it any longer, Xue Ying'an flared with anger. "Brother Xu, I have always respected you and am grateful to you for saving my life! But you repeatedly insult my master and question his integrity without a shred of evidence! We walk different paths and can make no common cause! Farewell!"
Incensed, he flicked his sleeve, turned, and marched down the mountain.
Behind him, Xu Ying called out a reminder, "Ying'an, heed my words! When you return to Jiulong Mountain, claim you found no immortal opportunity!"
Xue Ying'an paused for an instant, then quickened his pace and departed.
A long time passed before Xue Ying'an returned to Stone City. A few Nuo masters from the Guo clan stood inside the city, occasionally firing divine powers into the sky to serve as beacons for their kin.
Guided by these beacons, Zhu Hongyi had also made her way back.
Perched atop the stone battlements, Xue Ying'an stared blankly across the outer desert. "Master is definitely not an evil man," he muttered softly. "When my parents sent me up the mountain in my youth, he became like a second father to me. He taught me how to conduct myself and how to be an upright person. I refuse to believe he wears another face!"
Tears fell in heavy drops from his eyes, accompanied by hushed sobs. "I don't believe it..."
The red bean immortal root flew out from his Realm of Xiyi, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes.
Steeling his resolve, Xue Ying'an whispered, "Red Bean, I won't take you back to the mountain. Go on. This is your world; I cannot selfishly carry you away. I will return alone, and I will tell Master that I obtained an immortal root."
The red bean's root tendrils swayed. Reaching into the void, it plucked a cluster of watery light and placed it gently between his brows, its rootlets brushing against his cheek as if urging him to take care. The immortal root then bounded into the desert, burrowed into the yellow sands, and vanished.
Seeing that he had actually discarded the immortal root he had labored so hard to find, Zhu Hongyi stamped her feet in indignation and rushed outside the city, fuming, "You fool! Even if you didn't want it, you shouldn't have tossed it away! You could have given it to me!"
Xue Ying'an rose, cast a cold glance at her, and offered not a single word.
Up on Jade Mountain, Xu Ying and Yuan Qi continued their search until they encountered a green bamboo immortal root. The bamboo had concealed itself amidst tens of thousands of ordinary stalks; had it not trembled in terror upon sensing Xu Ying, he would never have detected it.
Sensing that he was the great arch-fiend who had shattered the spiritual root of Minor Mystic Heaven, the green bamboo immortal root knew doom was imminent and uprooted itself.
The immortal root's bamboo light gleamed like swords, moving like a master swordsman. Instead of retreating, it bravely charged straight at Xu Ying and Yuan Qi, determined to fight to the death! Xu Ying stood his ground without moving an inch.
Beside him, Yuan Qi suddenly gaped his maw wide, revealing dozens of floating magical treasures—bells, cauldrons, towers, pagodas, sabers, spears, swords, and halberds of every description! When the green bamboo immortal root charged near and beheld this sight, its roots went limp. It slid to its knees, its sword Qi and bamboo radiance evaporating as it skidded right to Xu Ying's feet before coming to a halt.
Xu Ying plucked its primordial Dao essence and tested it, finding it could stimulate the immortal medicine of longevity within the Mud Pill Palace. He handed it to Yuan Qi.
Having already ingested a similar primordial Dao essence, taking more would do Xu Ying little good.
Upon swallowing the essence of the green bamboo root, the longevity medicine within Yuan Qi was ignited, causing his cultivation to surge forward at blistering speed. Overjoyed, he gloated inwardly, *Lord Bell is still mired in self-pity, yet Lord Niu Qi is already soaring toward ascension! By the time it comes to its senses, it won't even be a match for Lord Qi!*
Xu Ying waved his hand to dismiss the green bamboo immortal root and pressed forward with the search.
Sudden rolls of thunder echoed from higher up the mountain. Looking upward, Xu Ying saw divine radiance billowing across the peaks, coalescing into a god with the head of a dragon and the body of a man!
"A Heavenly Dao divine artifact!"
Xu Ying's heart pounded. Calling to Yuan Qi, he hurried toward the site where the divine artifact had descended.
Catching up, Yuan Qi felt waves of heavenly majesty pressing down, an uncanny dread seizing him. Hastily shrinking his body, he hopped onto Xu Ying's shoulder and whispered, "Ah Ying, have you forgotten? The Heavenly Dao divine artifact dragged Stone City here specifically to strike you down! Aren't you walking right into the lion's den?"
Xu Ying laughed. "If that artifact could strike me down, it would have done so already. Don't overthink it!"
Reflecting on this, Yuan Qi realized the truth in his words and relaxed.
Others on the mountain were also rushing toward the summit. The appearance of a Heavenly Dao divine artifact was a monumental occurrence; anyone nearby had witnessed the radiant figure illuminating the nine heavens and felt the aura of the Heavenly Dao. Xiao Zheng and Yue Hongzhu had just captured an immortal Dao spiritual root and were preparing to plant it in their Jade Pool when they saw the divine artifact manifest. Suddenly, an immense summon wrenched the root from their grasp, sending it flying toward the artifact!
Startled, the two hurried after it.
Yue Hongzhu spoke rapidly, "Senior Brother, the spiritual root isn't escaping on its own; it's being drawn by the Heavenly Dao divine artifact! The will of the Heavenly Dao has descended—do not attempt to stop it by force!"
Xiao Zheng's expression grew solemn. "I know! Hongzhu, look!"
Yue Hongzhu looked in the direction he pointed, and shock filled her heart. Across Jade Mountain, immortal Dao spiritual roots hidden throughout the mountain forests were emerging one after another!
Previously tucked away in concealment, these spiritual roots were now taking flight of their own accord!
Beyond Jade Mountain, Yue Hongzhu even saw trails of spiritual light streaking across the sky—spiritual roots hidden in other corners of Minor Mystic Heaven were likewise answering the divine artifact's call!
"Why is the Heavenly Dao gathering these immortal roots?" Xiao Zheng stared blankly.
"Senior Brother, look at that outlander!"
Yue Hongzhu's eyes suddenly lit up. Pointing toward a youth dashing up from below, she said excitedly, "He's the expert outlander I ran into before!"
Moving with blistering speed, she charged straight at Xu Ying and sneered, "Last time, I spared your life so Senior Brother and I could gather roots, yet you dared to climb the mountain! Today, your head shall be sacrificed to the Longyuan Heavenly God!"
Her four arms blurred into motion as the Dao image of a thousand-armed fiend-god rose behind her. In an instant, a sky full of palm strikes rained down! This was a premier combat technique of the Yuanding World, stacking crushing palm forces with ferocious, overbearing might!
Halting his charge, Xu Ying opened all six secret depositories behind him. Chanting the incantation of 'Yang' from the Eight Sounds of Primordial Nurturing, his surging primordial yang erupted into a single palm strike. The Dao image of myriad peaks revering Jiuyi materialized, crashing head-on against the deluge of palm shadows!
Xiao Zheng's face changed drastically. He charged forward, shouting, "Junior Sister, dodge! His cultivation is vastly more profound than yours!"
Yue Hongzhu could not help but sneer inwardly at the warning. *How could I not know the extent of his cultivation? I already felt it out at the foot of the mountain—his arts are loose and unrefined, unable to even breach my guard...*
The moment their palm forces met, an overwhelming, masculine force crashed down upon her. Yue Hongzhu grunted in pain as her thousand palm shadows shattered simultaneously. The thousand-armed fiend-god Dao image behind her wavered, went limp, and collapsed!
*Crack!*
Both of her arms snapped. Raging flames erupted before and behind her—not true fire, but a phenomenon wrought by the invasive power of pure yang Dao methods!
*Down at the base of the mountain, he was clearly a step weaker than me. How could he...*
Realizing the mortal peril, Yue Hongzhu bit down hard, swallowing the blood pooling in her mouth. With a sharp shout, her furnace vessel soared into the air, her Golden Core blazing with dazzling radiance to suppress all opposition as it hurtled toward Xu Ying!
At the same time, Xiao Zheng leaped into the fray, his four palms stacked together as he struck grimly at Xu Ying!
Xu Ying extended a single finger against Yue Hongzhu's Golden Core. The finger bore the resonance of the 'Yin' tone from the Eight Sounds of Primordial Nurturing, sending a soft, yielding power into the core. Its brilliance instantly dimmed, causing Yue Hongzhu to vomit blood, her aura withering.
Simultaneously, Xiao Zheng's four hands slammed heavily onto Xu Ying's body. A bizarre sound, like the droning hum of the Dao, buzzed in his ears.
Alarm shot through Xiao Zheng. Accompanying that Dao tone, the vital blood within Xu Ying boiled and condensed into an intricate bird-and-worm seal script character—the 'Yong' character for eternity from the Eight Sounds of Primordial Nurturing. The Great Dao power harbored within the word was as solid as an impregnable fortress.
Even so, Xiao Zheng's terrifying force crashed through, jarring Xu Ying's internal organs!
Xu Ying grunted, taking a step back. The vitality of his Mud Pill erupted, circulating the longevity medicine through a full cycle and healing his injuries in a single breath.
"In close-quarters combat, the Qi Refiners of our race reign supreme!" Xiao Zheng's eyes shone with triumph. Just as he prepared to strike to kill, an immense terror seized his soul, compelling him to flip backward.
The instant his palms touched the ground, that dread of mortality surged anew. Pushing off with his arms, he sprang into the air again, weaving left and right through the sky as though dodging invisible strikes. Having suppressed her wounds, Yue Hongzhu saw Xiao Zheng darting toward her; he seized her, leaping with astonishing speed as he bolted toward the mountain peak.
Her fifth senior brother, usually so composed and serene, was now in the grip of sheer panic. Xiao Zheng's pace slowed, his breath growing ragged.
Aware that he had been struck by a hidden art, he halted, raised his hand, tore open his chest, and parted his ribs. Peering inside, he found his heart had grown ancient and withered, on the verge of giving out! Its vitality was rapidly draining away; if it aged any further, it would fail to withstand his vital blood and burst under the violent pressure!
Summoning his Golden Core, he forcibly sealed his heart to stem the loss of vitality, thoroughly horrified. "What divine power is this? I cannot unravel it! Hongzhu, quick—help me reach Martial Uncle and the others! If we are too late, I will die!"
Chapter 145