Inside the Ruyi Great Luo Bodhimanda, among the protective treasures Yan Kongcheng had cast aside moments earlier, a fish-shaped treasure suddenly took flight in silence. Sprouting sharp claws like a fish monster and swishing its head and tail, it glided soundlessly toward the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler.
The moment this treasure made a move, a massive flower in the bodhimanda erupted into action, opening a gaping bloody maw and swallowing the treasure whole!
Having consumed the treasure, the great flower uprooted itself and tiptoed forward on its root-feet. Sneaking up to the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler, it pressed itself against the ruler as though it had ears of its own, trying to listen in.
The other treasures Yan Kongcheng had dropped suddenly leaped into the air, clattering and clashing as they swarmed the bizarre flower in an all-out assault. Fearless, the strange flower whipped its branches about; now and then its flower-head swelled as large as a mountain to swallow at the treasures—a truly hair-raising sight!
Outside the bodhimanda, a swarm of immortal insects suddenly flew out from the Central Palace carrying the Son of Heaven of Zhou, diving into the Great Luo Bodhimanda one after another.
These immortal insects possessed impressive strength, flying into the bodhimanda one by one and withstanding the crushing weight of Xu Ying's Ruyi Great Luo Bodhimanda.
Yet the Great Luo Bodhimanda was not merely a bodhimanda; it also housed the Ten Scenes of Luotian.
The immortal insects darted forward at high speed, only to be crushed and popped to pieces in the next instant. Strangely enough, even as they shattered, they continuously divided themselves to form new immortal insects, pressing on toward the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler.
Soon, the immortal insects reached the ruler, clinging to its surface and seemingly listening to the commotion within.
Seeing this, the strange flower of the Heavenly River and the other treasures ceased fighting at once. As if reaching an unspoken agreement, they all gathered before the heaven-measuring ruler, clinging to it to eavesdrop on the voices inside.
However, Xu Ying was channeling the Taiyi Divine Bridge within the ruler. With everyone standing atop the bridge, not only could the strange flower hear nothing through the ruler's surface, but even if they slipped inside, they would still fail to catch a single word from Xu Ying and the others.
Realizing it was impossible to hear what was happening inside, the strange flower, the treasures, and the immortal insects gave up. The treasures returned to their original spots.
The immortal insects suddenly burrowed toward the flower bud of the strange flower, gnawing ravenously in an attempt to seize control of the plant and turn it into their spy.
The strange flower retaliated immediately. Its bud parted into a gaping maw, shooting out tentacle-like stamens that hunted down insects in all directions.
Creepers and vines proliferated wildly across its body, creating a horrifying spectacle.
The immortal insects divided and multiplied incessantly, growing ever more numerous. These were no ordinary insects of the Immortal Realm; like the Brood Mother belonging to Xu Ying, they were immortal Dao creatures constructed from immortal Dao runes.
In essence, they were unique rune structures capable of self-replication.
After swallowing a few mouthfuls, the strange flower realized it could never finish eating them all. Enraged, it abruptly unleashed a peculiar divine power. The space occupied by the insects suddenly collapsed into annihilation, wiping every last one out of existence!
The strange flower paid it no mind and retracted its wild tentacles and stamens. The portion of the Great Luo Bodhimanda it had just destroyed remarkably restored itself to normal in the blink of an eye.
Yet this scene had been witnessed clearly by the big bell, which was hiding in the ninth scene, the Void Flame.
"These days, the strange flower of the Heavenly River is growing too lazy to keep up appearances. Now it doesn't even bother disguising the Great Luotian Obliteration Technique. Does he think that taking this flower as a physical body will let him defeat Ah Ying?" the big bell thought to itself.
It did not dare leave the Void Flame. If it stepped out, the strange flower would likely silence the bell to hide its secrets, gobbling it down as well.
Inside the heaven-measuring ruler, atop the golden bridge, Xu Ying gave a general account of how he was being plotted against by the Immortal Emperor Supreme, though he omitted many crucial details.
After all, he could not place absolute trust in Xing Daoyuan, Zulong, the Son of Heaven of Zhou, and the others. If he disclosed everything he knew and any one of them betrayed him, he would end up dead without a burial ground.
Hearing this, the others gained a clearer understanding of their own circumstances.
Previously, they hadn't been certain whether they were leeks, but hearing Xu Ying's ordeal convinced them that they, too, were prime, bona fide leeks growing stout and strong for harvest.
"Brother Xu, judging by what you've said, it sounds like you're about to be harvested," Yan Kongcheng analyzed. "When a Nuo master reaches the Ninth Heaven, they become a Nuo immortal. That cave abyss of yours should also be close to reaching the Ninth Heaven, right? The moment you break through the Ninth Heaven will likely be when you are reaped."
Xu Ying's eyelids twitched.
Yan Kongcheng was referring to the cultivation realms of Nuo masters, which corresponded one-to-one with those of Qi Refiners. Nuo masters cultivated cave-heavens through nine tiers of cave-heavens, corresponding respectively to the nine great realms of Qi Refiners from Qi Gathering to Ascension.
Xu Ying's cultivation of the Taiyi Cave Abyss was essentially an extension of cave-heavens. For Xu Ying to cultivate to the Ascension Stage meant that his Taiyi Cave Abyss had also reached the ninth realm—and was bound to be extraordinarily close to the mortal world!
Once Xu Ying attained the rank of Human Immortal and broke past the ninefold cave-heavens, he would likely be able to summon the Taiyi Cave Abyss completely into reality!
Yan Kongcheng had used analogy, comparing cave-heavens to cave abysses, yet he had arrived remarkably close to the truth. He simply did not know who was reaping Xu Ying, nor did he know that what Xu Ying was summoning was the Taiyi Cave Abyss.
During this period, Xu Ying had spent practically every waking moment either beating someone up, getting beaten up, or on his way to do one of the two. His cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, bringing him to the brink of crossing the heavenly tribulation and ascending at any moment. And once he ascended, the Taiyi Cave Abyss could be summoned into the present world!
He had used the Yingzhou cave abyss to conceal the Taiyi Cave Abyss, but lately, with the progress in his cultivation, the Taiyi Cave Abyss drew closer and closer to reality. Yingzhou was barely able to mask its aura anymore!
If the Taiyi Cave Abyss were summoned into the world, Yingzhou might very well burst at the seams!
A Supreme-grade cave abyss was simply not to be spoken of in the same breath as an Immortal Monarch or Heavenly Monarch-grade cave abyss!
The Master of Mud Pill Palace, also a grandmaster of Nuo techniques, nodded and said, "The Immortal of Longevity will be harvested before us. Being harvested is not what we should fear; what matters is how to keep our lives when the harvest comes."
Solemn-faced, the five nodded in unison.
With their current strength, they had no power whatsoever to resist the harvesters. Since resistance was impossible, preserving their lives became the foremost priority.
A wave of emotion washed over Xu Ying. It had been a long time since anyone called him the Immortal of Longevity; hearing that title once more made him feel as though he had returned to the Yuanshou world.
"If the Immortal of Longevity can survive this harvest, then there is hope for us to survive as well," the Son of Heaven of Zhou said. "If he cannot survive, none of us should dream of making it out alive."
The others nodded silently.
Xu Ying's current strength made him the undisputed head of the Five Gentlemen of Yuanshou. Moreover, he possessed numerous treasures and abundant means of self-preservation.
If he could not survive, the others would have even less hope when facing their harvest.
Xu Ying hesitated, then said, "The one harvesting me is Zulong's master—the current Immortal Emperor Supreme."
At those words, silence fell over everyone.
The Immortal Emperor Supreme was the sole overt Supreme-realm existence in the Immortal Realm. No one else had been able to reach the Supreme realm and instead had to follow the ancient paths of the Daluo Golden Immortal and the Wondrous Realm of Great Luo; he alone had mastered this unique cultivation realm.
His combat strength was number one in the Immortal Realm!
"Let's just call it quits," Yan Kongcheng said, patting Xu Ying on the shoulder. "From now on, eat whatever you like and drink whatever you want—don't shortchange yourself. After all, you don't have many days left."
He sighed, thinking that his own days were probably numbered on his fingers as well.
Xu Ying said, "Aside from him, there should also be a Daluo Golden Immortal plotting against me—the immortal plant from the Heavenly River in my bodhimanda. In life, he was an evil Golden Immortal of antiquity. In addition, there might be another Supreme subtly plotting against me, who is most likely the owner of the Returning Dao Jade Platter."
He hesitated, looking rather pitiful as he added, "The owner of the Supreme treasure we're currently inside, the Landscape Heaven-Measuring Ruler, might not be dead either. The fact that I obtained this treasure also seems to have been part of someone's scheme..."
At this revelation, strange looks crossed the faces of Zulong, the Son of Heaven of Zhou, and the Master of Mud Pill Palace.
"Brother Xu, is this plot of land you call yourself unowned territory?" Yan Kongcheng couldn't help but ask. "Everyone wants to plant some leeks in you, and everyone wants a cut."
Xu Ying felt sheepish and rubbed his nose: "Perhaps it's because I'm just too outstanding."
Incredibly, a surge of jealousy and irritation arose in the others. They were each being harvested by one such figure, yet Xu Ying was being targeted by four! It showed just how much more highly valued he was.
The Master of Mud Pill Palace, Xing Daoyuan, sighed. "You're going to be harvested for multiple crops... Wait a minute, that's where the lifeline lies!"
The giant's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands with a hearty laugh. "The Immortal of Longevity's lifeline lies in the fact that he can only be harvested once! If the Immortal Emperor harvests him and cuts him down to death, the other two Supremes and the Daluo won't be able to reap him!"
Zulong chimed in, "Therefore, those two Supremes and that Daluo will never allow the Immortal Emperor to harvest him successfully—they will definitely interfere!"
The Son of Heaven of Zhou said, "And if another Supreme attempts to harvest him, the Immortal Emperor and the others won't sit idly by either; they'll surely lend a hand!"
Yan Kongcheng added, "Which means Brother Xu's chance to rise has arrived!"
Xu Ying's eyes brightened. Standing on the bridge, he bowed deeply to the four in thanks: "Thank you, fellow Daoists, for your guidance! Otherwise, I would still be lost in the fog, blind to any path of survival."
The four hurriedly returned the bow and said, "If you have a thread of hope, then we have a thread of hope as well. In the future, we will still need the Immortal of Longevity (Brother Xu) to save us."
Zulong said, "Our plan now must be to seize this chance to soar, growing and elevating ourselves as much as possible."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou gripped the railing of the golden bridge, gazing into the distance with a profound look. "The traps left behind by the Daluo Immortals high in the Nine Heavens are bound to be so deep that we cannot detect them. Knowing whether the techniques we cultivate, the elixir pills we ingest, or the beauties beside us are traps will be a difficult problem."
With arms crossed over his chest, the Master of Mud Pill Palace stood tall and said calmly, "That will test our wisdom. I consider my wisdom second to none."
Zulong said indifferently, "Ours as well."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou smiled faintly. "We may not match you in personal wisdom, but Our capable ministers and fine generals surpass yours a hundredfold!"
Yan Kongcheng thought for a moment and said, "My Emei is weaker than no one."
Yet as he spoke those words, even he felt the lack of conviction behind them.
Xu Ying burst into hearty laughter and declared loudly, "Those old bastards sit in high positions, hogging resources, dreaming of remaining eternal and unchanging while devouring the talents, efforts, and even the bodies and souls of the generations that follow! Well then, we youngsters will take them on and see whether they are old yet vigorous, or whether we are young and promising!"
Zulong and the Son of Heaven of Zhou could not shake the feeling that his words carried hidden barbs—as if he were taking jabs at them.
"Oh right, there's one more thing."
Xu Ying looked at Zulong and said with a beaming smile, "Is that Fangzhang immortal mountain Xu Fu gave you back then still around? I'll trade you treasures for it—how about an Immortal King treasure?"
Zulong's eyes lit up: *So the big sucker the Immortal Emperor mentioned was him!*
Outside the Ruyi Great Luo Bodhimanda, Wei Xu fought like a ferocious demon, his fists and feet flying. He shattered the skull of a divine dragon skeleton with a blast, then roared thunderously, shattering the lingering will within the dragon skeleton to dust!
Liu Ruyi, Chen Chaosheng, and the group of fairy maidens were shaken by his roar until blood leaked from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses, leaving them struggling desperately to hold their ground.
Fortunately, after roaring the dragon skeleton's will to pieces, Wei Xu mounted the back of another divine dragon, hammering its skeletal frame from the sky down to the earth and deep into the subterranean depths.
Lifting the bones of the two dragons, he circulated his cultivation technique and forcibly absorbed the remaining power within the two skeletons. In time, the divine dragon skeletons disintegrated and drifted in the air around him, malevolent energy and dragon qi surging out of the bones into Wei Xu's body.
Suddenly, all the bones popped and burst into powder, every bit of energy harbored within them devoured clean by Wei Xu.
"As expected of the most vicious being from the dawn of the Immortal Realm!" Chen Chaosheng and the others watched with pounding hearts.
Having devoured the lingering essence of the two divine dragon skeletons, Wei Xu flashed into motion and appeared before them. Reaching out, he seized the divine dragon skeleton that had been locked in combat with them, clamping down on its neck bones.
The dragon skeleton possessed formidable combat strength. Its bony joints extended sharp talons that dug firmly into Wei Xu's muscles, sinking deep into his flesh as its body coiled around him several times.
Yet all resistance proved futile. Before long, this dragon skeleton was also drained of all its essence by Wei Xu, crumbling entirely into fragments.
Wei Xu squeezed his palm tightly, popping the dragon's neck bone to powder. His cultivation surged, and his aura grew increasingly powerful and terrifying. Standing before Chen Chaosheng and the others, he resembled a violently churning vortex of dark clouds and ferocious energy!
Having devoured three dragons, fierce light flashed in Wei Xu's eyes as his gaze landed upon Liu Ruyi and the other beautiful, slender-waisted maidens.
There was no lust in his gaze; looking at these fairy maidens was no different to him than looking at a pile of bones. He merely wished to devour them as well to restore his cultivation.
Startled, Liu Ruyi hastily shielded the women behind her and said, "We are disciples under the Nine Palaces Dao Lord. Greetings, Heavenly Venerable Wei! The Nine Palaces Dao Lord holds great admiration for Heavenly Venerable Wei. Whenever mentioning your distinguished self, he always says that Heavenly Venerable Wei values loyalty and righteousness, a rare hero among men!"
Back in the day, Wei Xu had overseen the subjugation of the Ancestral Court's remnants and had been conferred the title of Heavenly Venerable, ranking above Heavenly Lord Pingnan.
Hearing her mention the past, the ferocious light in Wei Xu's eyes dimmed slightly. Just then, Xu Ying and the others stepped out of the Great Luo Bodhimanda. The baleful glint in Wei Xu's eyes vanished, and he said to Zulong, "Martial nephew, let us depart."
Zulong Zhao Zheng came to his side, cast a backward glance at Xu Ying and the others, and departed with him.
Xu Ying's face was as dark as still water, his expression far from pleasant. Moments earlier, Zulong had demanded an exorbitant price, extorting a mountain of treasures from him for that tiny Fangzhang immortal mountain.
The treasures Xu Ying had spent all this time running to and fro to plunder across the myriad worlds had virtually all been extorted away by Zulong!
That stone the size of a zhang had cost him half his fortune!
"I'll have to work even harder to make it back in the Dragon Court. But on the bright side, the Fangzhang immortal mountain is finally in my hands! The Yingzhou cave abyss, capable of nurturing the Heavenly Monarch realm, can finally be restored to its original state!"
Chapter 543