Chapter 335: Endgame Hou's Reform Strategy Completion, Second Reward (14,000)

"Dean Wang, Wang Gulu, Gulu Gulu?"

As Zhao Xing chased, he noticed his voice distorting, his vision slowly lowering, the pressure on his body increasing, and his speed slowing. Looking at his tender, pale little hands, Zhao Xing couldn't help but pinch his protruding belly.

"Well, I've turned into a Tian Gu Beast too." *Splish.* Stepping into a puddle, Zhao Xing looked down at his reflection in the water.

"No wonder Old Wang ran off. He's a handsome, elegant man. To suddenly become a cute pet is just too embarrassing." *I won't chase him anymore! I'll save Old Wang some face.*

"Gulu Gulu."

Just as Zhao Xing was experiencing this transformation, a slightly larger Tian Gu Beast suddenly appeared before him. It wore a small, dragon-patterned robe and pointed its short finger at Zhao Xing, then at itself.

Zhao Xing understood; it was Ling Tianchen. "Gulu Gulu?" "Gulu." "Gulu Lu?" "Gu."

After a while, Zhao Xing became familiar with his new body and slowly adapted to the new species' language. He and Ling Tianchen then huddled together, gurgling.

"Dean Ling, when did you arrive?" "The spring of Yuanshou's fifth year, I was the fourth to enter."

"You are indeed impressive, having arrived half a year ago. You truly are a Dean." "You've also arrived quite quickly. Which Ultimate Law did you create?" "The Ultimate Wind Law, I plan to call it 'Wind of Annihilation.' And you?" "The Ultimate Rain Law, 'Water Dragon Chant.'"

"Aren't you using the 'Ancestral Dragon Transformation'?"

"The Ancestral Dragon Transformation has an Ultimate Second Turn. I had already created one stance of it, but it doesn't count as a self-created law. If it were the third stance, it would." "I see."

Just as Zhao Xing was about to ask something else, he suddenly saw Ling Tianchen's pupils widen. One of Ling Tianchen's hands instantly reverted to its original form, transforming into a dragon claw, and struck behind Zhao Xing.

"Boom!"

A human palm clashed with Ling Tianchen's. The powerful surge of energy knocked Zhao Xing to the ground, and he rolled a few times like a ball before stopping. When he looked up, he saw two Gulu Beasts fighting.

One was, of course, Ling Tianchen.

The other was somewhat bizarre: it had the body of a Gulu Beast but a human head, and its two hands had also completely returned to human form, looking like a strangely cobbled-together toy.

He wore a golden robe adorned with patterns of clouds, rain, dragons, mountains, and sky. His face was wild and untamed, as if he believed himself supreme in heaven and on earth.

"Divine Master Five-Eight."

Zhao Xing recognized immediately that this Tian Gu Beast was the contemporary Sect Master of the Xuan Tian Divine Sect.

"Ling Tianchen and Divine Master Five-Eight have both recovered some of their strength. From their appearance, Ling Tianchen hasn't recovered as quickly." All inheritors entering Gulu Star would transform into Tian Gu Beasts.

However, Zhao Xing had just arrived and couldn't use any spells.

Tian Gu Beasts themselves had little offensive power, and their innate divine abilities couldn't be used here.

This was because Qing Yuzi lacked the power to completely transform people into Tian Gu Beasts; additionally, the suppression of the Xuanhuang Realm did not allow for such heaven-defying pet beasts to exist, even if they were only support-type pets.

"Breaking free from the Hou Bian suppression allows one to recover some strength. Divine Master Five-Eight was the first to enter, so it seems his recovery speed is much faster than Ling Tianchen's." Zhao Xing could only watch, unable to help.

However, at that moment, Wang Tianzhi returned. His middle finger had also reverted to its original form, allowing him to cast spells. Two against one, they barely managed to hold their own against Divine Master Five-Eight.

"That's enough for today's sparring. You two may retreat."

Divine Master Five-Eight unleashed a palm lightning strike that scorched Wang Tianzhi, then transformed his right leg into a Qilin foot and kicked Ling Tianchen back. He then glanced at Zhao Xing, who was sprawled on the ground.

"You are Zhao Xing?"

"You are indeed quite good. Starting from nothing, from humble beginnings, you've reached such a high position by the age of three hundred." Divine Master Five-Eight stared down at Zhao Xing. "You are far stronger than them."

Zhao Xing remained silent, pretending he hadn't yet grown accustomed to his new body, merely making gurgling noises. Appearing weak was the best option at the moment.

Divine Master Five-Eight said, "You and I share the same origin. If that dog emperor ever displeases you, the Xuan Tian Divine Sect welcomes you back. Many secret techniques of our sect will be open to you."

Wang Tianzhi quickly stepped in front of Zhao Xing, sneering, "To become your slave? Stop pretending and inciting discord!"

Divine Master Five-Eight glanced at Wang Tianzhi. "Ignorant child, I wouldn't even bother to kill you. A dignified orthodox Xuan Tian, yet you couldn't even secure the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture—truly a good-for-nothing!" "You!"

Wang Tianzhi was somewhat enraged. His defeat by Liu Tianning had indeed left him with lingering resentment.

For eight generations, the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture had always fallen into the hands of the Egoist Faction, but this generation was an exception.

Wang Tianzhi had originally been held in high regard, but after his defeat, some even said that the Grand Minister of Agriculture's position was lost because of him. He respected Liu Tianning's strength, but being so stung by Divine Master Five-Eight's words still managed to get under his skin.

"Forget it," Ling Tianchen interrupted him. "Don't engage in a war of words."

"Ling Tianchen, your Hou Bian Law isn't well-practiced either. The Myriad Transformation Cavern is wasted in your hands," Divine Master Five-Eight lectured. "Shangluo Academy was merely a servant branch of our sect in ancient times. How could you allow Liu Tianning to become the Grand Minister of Agriculture? Doesn't that prove your knowledge is lacking?"

"Nonsense!" Wang Tianzhi wanted to rush over and stomp on Divine Master Five-Eight's face; that fellow's mouth was truly foul. His arrogant, lecturing demeanor was truly hard to tolerate.

"Haha." Divine Master Five-Eight floated away.

The two 'Heaven' generation cultivators were quite frustrated by his disparagement.

Zhao Xing didn't know how to comfort them, because in ancient times, Shangluo Academy truly was a mere servant branch of the Xuan Tian Divine Sect, completely insignificant. In the age of spiritual energy, the Divine Sect's powerful plants could grow well on their own; the Egoist Faction's role was merely custodial, almost dispensable.

Even as the Divine Sect later divided and recombined, the Egoist Faction always remained at the bottom of the hierarchy. This was mainly because the formidable plants were controlled by the Xuan Tian Divine Sect's Timely Fortune and Geographical Advantage factions. Though they had the laws, they had no plant-based soldiers, leaving them helpless.

It wasn't until the Shangluo and Shangheng brothers emerged, pioneering the theory of "Egoist Heavenly Objects" and creating the Myriad Law Straw Man and the "Heaven and Earth Seed Soldiers Scripture," that this situation changed. They finally established themselves as an independent faction, breaking free from their servant and minor status.

"Deans, let's ignore him for now. What's the situation with the Hou Bian cycle here?" Zhao Xing asked.

"A small cycle is twelve days, and a large cycle is one hundred and twenty days," Ling Tianchen explained. "To complete Qing Yuzi's trial, one must break free from the restraints at the moment the Hou Bian power is strongest during a large cycle."

"Dean, even with the Ultimate Second Turn of Ancestral Dragon Transformation, you can't break free?" Zhao Xing asked.

"It's difficult," Ling Tianchen shook his head. "Qing Yuzi's trial is very challenging. The life structure diagram of this body is something I've never seen before, nor is it any known creature in the Xuanhuang Realm."

"The key point is that its life level is extremely high, and I've spent a long time trying to comprehend it, yet it's very difficult to break free."

"However, during the weakest point of the Hou Bian cycle, I can barely break free and transform into human form." Zhao Xing nodded. The second stage had three main difficulties.

Firstly, the Hou Bian power of Gulu Star itself was very strong.

This was a controllable Hou Bian area, and combined with the planet's power, the Dao established by Qing Yuzi possessed unpredictable might. Secondly, the Tian Gu Beast was an unseen life form.

It did not belong to the Xuanhuang Realm, and even Ling Tianchen, who excelled in Hou Bian Law, had never seen the Tian Gu Beast's life structure diagram, nor could he find any comparable existence. Thirdly, the Tian Gu Beast's own life level was high.

Though Tian Gu Beasts looked cute and lacked combat ability, they possessed divine abilities in their auxiliary talents. Such a high-level life structure, involving innate divine abilities, made it even harder to fully comprehend.

"These are the three main difficulties of the second stage of the inheritance trial."

"Many people cannot fully return to human form even during the weak cycle, so they have to leave, revert to human form, and then re-enter." After a Hou Bian transformation, if one couldn't change back within a certain time, the form would become permanently fixed.

Therefore, on this planet, Zhao Xing had only seen Ling Tianchen, Wang Tianzhi, and Divine Master Five-Eight. He hadn't found anyone else.

"Has the Grand Minister of Agriculture entered here?" Zhao Xing asked. Old Liu had come to attempt the trial half a year ago, but he didn't know if he had passed the first stage. "I haven't seen him," Wang Tianzhi shook his head.

"He probably hasn't passed yet," Ling Tianchen gurgled.

Liu Tianning had entered the trial half a year ago, which was more than two years later than the others.

Even if his Dao level had reached the seventh stage, it would be difficult for him to create an Ultimate Law in such a short time.

Moreover, Qing Yuzi belonged to the Timely Fortune faction, so the trials he left naturally leaned towards Timely Fortune laws. It was perfectly normal for Liu Tianning not to have passed the first stage yet. "There are six people ahead of me. Have either of you Deans seen any other inheritors?"

"I've seen three," Ling Tianchen said. "Aside from Divine Master Five-Eight, there's one called Mist Walker and another who calls himself Heavenly Venerate Huabao." Wang Tianzhi added, "I've also seen one, but that person retreated as soon as they saw someone appear."

"Heavenly Venerate Huabao." Zhao Xing mused on the name. Heavenly Venerate Huabao was an agriculture official of the Great Serpent Kingdom, holding a position equivalent to the Grand Minister of Agriculture in the Great Zhou. Zhao Xing remembered this person mainly because he had fought him in his previous life when attempting to seize the Dragon Elephant Divine Tree; he was a formidable character.

Of course, this task definitely wouldn't exist in this life, as the Dragon Elephant Divine Tree had already returned to its country. The Great Serpent Kingdom claimed it was excavated from the depths of the Eastern Wilds, and since it was unknown who took it back then, it was nominally a normal transaction rather than a return.

"So, in the second stage, there's me, Dean Ling, Dean Wang, Divine Master Five-Eight, Mist Walker, Heavenly Venerate Huabao, and one person whose identity is unknown." "In total, there are seven people. Divine Master Five-Eight entered earliest and familiarized himself earliest, already able to partially recover and utilize his inherent strength."

"The second and third to enter were Wang Tianzhi and Ling Tianchen. However, although Wang Tianzhi was second to enter, his progress in the second stage is slower than Ling Tianchen's because he isn't proficient in Hou Bian Law; compared to his other spells, Hou Bian Law is considered weak for him."

"The fourth is Mist Walker, the fifth's identity is unknown, the sixth is Heavenly Venerate Huabao, and I am the seventh."

"Regarding the fourth, fifth, and sixth, Ling Tianchen and Wang Tianzhi haven't clashed with them, so their strength is unknown," Zhao Xing mused.

It was normal not to have clashed. After all, those who entered later, even if they wanted to fight, would instantly gurgle seven times and teleport away.

"The second stage might be deadly. Currently, strength recovery is slow, and Tian Gu Beasts themselves have decent defense. But as time progresses, once someone's strength recovers to a certain threshold, they could kill the other candidates."

"Constantly gurgling and fleeing means one cannot complete the second stage. If you don't stay on Gulu Star to experience the Hou Bian transformation, how can you break free from the restraints? The second stage area is also quite small; Gulu Star is only twenty kilometers in diameter, which is too crowded for powerful cultivators."

"I must recover my strength as quickly as possible."

Currently, Divine Master Five-Eight was still very arrogant and disdained attacking other inheritors. Even if he did attack, Ling Tianchen and Wang Tianzhi combined could block him. But one couldn't rely on them not attacking!

Falling behind meant getting beaten. If they weren't attacking now, it was only because they temporarily didn't want to; their main focus was on passing the trial.

"Zhao Xing, we will protect you. You should cultivate here first and quickly gain the ability to defend yourself." Ling Tianchen led Zhao Xing to a bare tree. "As time passes, more and more people will come to the second stage, and conflicts are bound to arise then."

"Okay."

Zhao Xing leaned against the tree and began to cultivate. Karma's cycle revolved, and retribution was swift.

He used to transform people into pigs, chickens, and dogs; now, he finally tasted what it was like to be transformed.

"Becoming a Tian Gu Beast is truly unbearable. He can't walk fast now, nor can he fly."

"This passive transformation is vastly different from actively transforming through internal Hou Bian Law practice. It's like a person's soul being trapped in a restroom, completely uncomfortable." Humans, of course, were most accustomed to their human form.

However, among the three, Zhao Xing wasn't the one suffering the most; it was Wang Tianzhi.

Both Ling Tianchen and Zhao Xing were very proficient in internal Hou Bian Law, while Wang Tianzhi's Hou Bian Law was initially only at the peak of the third turn.

He had relied on his own Wind and Lightning Laws to withstand the Hou Bian power, barely managing to recover one middle finger.

Now, he was also learning Hou Bian Law from Ling Tianchen, but his progress was slow. He had been in for a year, and his 'Ji Meng Transformation' was only at the peak of the fifth turn. "Roar!"

As soon as Zhao Xing sat down, dragon roars emanated from within his radish-like body.

"There are many ways to counter Hou Bian. On Gulu Star, it's like being afflicted by an external Hou Bian Law. Countering external Hou Bian with internal Hou Bian Law is the most effective method." "This stage also tests the most crucial Hou Bian Law among the Timely Fortune Laws."

Zhao Xing hadn't practiced Ancestral Dragon Transformation in a long time because he had too many other things to cultivate previously: the Yuan Seal, Divine Soldier Arts, comprehending the Rule Domain... Ancestral Dragon Transformation was a low priority.

After all, with Ling Tianchen paving the way, he could naturally prioritize it later. "Roar!"

Zhao Xing's Ancestral Dragon Transformation was at the peak of perfection. As soon as he sat down, changes immediately occurred: his body began to swell, and he grew noticeably larger. Faint golden light emanated from his white radish-like form, and layers of fine scales appeared.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss."

His body began to undergo profound changes. "Adjust!"

"Observe the internal world, the five-element particles, and the body's most fundamental life structure." "If an anomaly appears, you must adjust quickly, otherwise, your body could easily disintegrate."

Ling Tianchen took a glance and cautioned, "Once your body shows signs of collapse, you must gurgle loudly and quickly leave this place; everything will return to normal. Don't force it..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Xing had a thought, and the scales on his body quickly disappeared. Ling Tianchen watched this scene with surprise, and Wang Tianzhi's eyes widened even further.

Because Zhao Xing's recently expanded body rapidly shrank back, the scales completely vanished, and his body became pristine white again. Simultaneously, his right hand, from the wrist down, fully recovered, transforming into a human palm.

"You..." Wang Tianzhi was speechless.

He had been there for a year and could only revert his middle finger to cast spells. Zhao Xing, on his very first day, immediately recovered his entire palm. "What monstrous talent..." Wang Tianzhi muttered to himself. Ling Tianchen felt the same way.

"Ancestral Dragon Transformation is truly authentic when Zhao Xing performs it."

He saw the scales emerging from Zhao Xing's body; while their power might not surpass other Ancestral Dragon Transformations, the essence at the bloodline level was purer. "Roar!"

The sounds emanating from Zhao Xing's body grew fainter, becoming completely inaudible after half an hour.

"His internal Hou Bian practice allows for effortless control, with changes occurring only at the five-element particle level, imperceptible from the outside. This is astonishing control." "In his comprehension of the Dao, he is no longer inferior to Wang Tianzhi and me," Ling Tianchen discerned.

Taking advantage of Zhao Xing's rest and summarization, Wang Tianzhi curiously asked, "Zhao Xing, what conditions did you meet to pass the first stage?" "Domain Seven, Ultimate Law First Turn," Zhao Xing replied candidly.

"Gulu!!" Wang Tianzhi exclaimed in admiration.

There were multiple thresholds to pass the first stage, but he never expected Zhao Xing to have passed with a seventh-tier domain and a first-turn Ultimate Law. The difficulty of comprehending Dao was higher than comprehending laws.

It could be seen from the first stage's threshold: possessing a seventh-tier domain and a first-turn Ultimate Law was enough to pass. But with only a sixth-tier domain, one needed a third-turn Ultimate Law to pass.

A seventh-tier domain was the same level as he and Ling Tianchen had achieved!

"I really shouldn't have been born in this era." Wang Tianzhi now deeply envied his senior brother in the underworld. Li Boqian, at his age, was far weaker than him.

When Li Boqian became the Grand Minister of Agriculture, he swept aside his opponents with a third-tier domain