Chapter 433: Peak Strawman, Demon God Underground Palace, Extreme Continent Kaizi Mountain

"Old Hongshan, please wait outside. We have some private matters to discuss." Emperor Wudu and Zuo Qiyu led Zhao Xing through the barrier and into the Huai Liu Courtyard, but they kept Emperor Hongshan outside.

"Old Hongshan?" Zhao Xing's eye twitched slightly. Emperor Wudu, as a teacher, was truly too informal. How could he ask someone so elderly to wait outside instead of inviting them in?

Emperor Hongshan, however, wasn't offended. He simply glanced at Zhao Xing and smiled, saying, "It's no trouble. I can take the opportunity to explore Coral City. When it was first built, it was just a rough construction; this is my first time visiting since its completion."

Zhao Xing gave an apologetic look before Zuo Qiyu and Emperor Wudu, one on each side, gently pressed his shoulders and guided him into the Huai Liu Courtyard.

A shadow enveloped the willow tree, and the next second, the three entered Emperor Wudu's Inner World.

It was Zhao Xing's first time entering Emperor Wudu's Inner World, which gave him the impression of a bustling, vast Dao.

On one of his world-stars, there were trillions of plants, many of them hybridized. Sometimes, a single plant displayed features from multiple categories, such as the *Bencao Gangmu*, *Benmu Gang*, bamboo, and thorny plants.

Various classifications like 'family,' 'order,' 'class,' 'phylum,' and 'species' were stacked upon one another in Emperor Wudu's Inner World. Each type pulsed with immense vitality, creating a sense of violent aesthetic beauty.

Clearly, Emperor Wudu's Inner World was in the 'Myriad Phenomena' stage, one of four distinct phases.

Gu Luohe's Inner World, however, was different. His Dao was clear and precise. Each world-star typically held only one tree, but that tree often transformed decay into wonder. Zhao Xing wasn't sure which stage Gu Luohe's Inner World belonged to.

"Master, your Inner World is truly grand and magnificent, with spiritual energy flowing like a force that could swallow the cosmos—" As the saying goes, flattery gets you everywhere. The moment Zhao Xing entered, he showered Emperor Wudu with compliments as if they cost nothing.

"Hahaha, really? I think so too!" Emperor Wudu was instantly delighted.

Zuo Qiyu couldn't stand it anymore. With a single finger, he caused one of Emperor Wudu's world-stars to explode, turning it into ash.

"What are you doing?!" Emperor Wudu glared furiously.

Zuo Qiyu said nothing, merely shifting his finger to aim at a second world-star.

"Alright, alright, I'll get to the point!"

Emperor Wudu finally reacted.

Zuo Qiyu immediately withdrew his finger.

Zhao Xing, standing nearby, felt his scalp tingle. He truly didn't understand how these two communicated.

Emperor Wudu turned to Zhao Xing: "Disciple, I have something important to tell you."

"Please speak, Master."

"The Empire is currently undertaking massive development in the northwest. Along the Jiachen Pass, heading towards the Void Moon Desolate Domain, over 30,000 large and small exploration outposts have been established."

"The Empire's military, with all its legions combined, numbers over a million, making this the largest exploration effort since the beginning of the Desolate Domain Era," Emperor Wudu began, explaining the context.

"As for why this exploration has begun, I'm sure you already know."

"The Profound Spirit Starfield is undergoing desolation."

Zhao Xing listened quietly. This was the background story for the *Star River Myriad Worlds* version.

Emperor Wudu continued, "Different major powers have varying understandings of desolation. Some believe it can be stopped and managed."

"Others believe it is unstoppable and irreversible."

"According to our Id Sect's theory, the phenomenon of desolation means that the cosmic region where the Profound Spirit Starfield is located has entered the 'Nirvana Stage'."

"Physicians, on the other hand, theorize that the Profound Spirit Starfield harbors a super pathogen, and desolation is born from this pathogen. Recovery is possible simply by eradicating it."

"Scholars believe..." Emperor Wudu was speaking enthusiastically, but his eyes darted to Zuo Qiyu's fidgeting finger. He immediately skipped the lengthy explanations and got straight to the point.

"In short, all major powers now agree that to increase habitable territories, we must either manage existing ones or explore unknown cosmic regions. Otherwise, when the time comes, we will all be doomed."

"Since the beginning of the Desolate Domain Era, the Empire has performed exceptionally well in both aspects. The Agricultural Officers of the Primal World have contributed immensely, leading some to argue that, considering the Empire's achievements in governance, the 'desolation theory' is invalid."

"However, our neighbors are too incompetent," Emperor Wudu lamented. "The demon race is muddle-headed, knowing only how to devour and not cultivate, extensively damaging the environment of spiritual energy starfields. Among humans, the efficiency of various ancient kingdoms varies, and the spiritual energy territories are still shrinking overall."

"Before the Desolate Domain Era began, the Empire continuously dispatched Fate Officials to ascend Mount Shifang."

"Finally, in Desolate Domain Era 1, they obtained the fortune of the First Divination."

"They also learned that the Void Moon Desolate Domain was a promising direction for exploration."

"It was then that the Empire began small-scale explorations."

Zhao Xing's expression showed sudden realization.

No wonder the Empire suddenly launched a large-scale exploration of the Void Moon Desolate Domain; it turned out they had obtained the precious 'Shifang First Divination' in Era 1!

Mount Shifang is one of the ten great wonders of the Profound Spirit Starfield and is strongly associated with the profession of Fate Masters.

It appears only once per era.

Any Fate Master who performs a divination on Mount Shifang requires no payment, incurs no backlash, and cannot be traced.

Within a limited timeframe, the first Fate Master to ascend the mountain has a 100% success rate for divination. However, the timing for the First Divination is extremely stringent.

In the historical records of the Profound Spirit Starfield, those who obtained the First Divination were exceedingly few.

Because of its extreme rarity, those who obtained the First Divination never revealed its contents, so there are many differing opinions on how many times it has actually appeared.

Unexpectedly, the Empire had obtained the Shifang First Divination?

"Indeed, with the guidance of the Shifang First Divination, the Empire would invest regardless of cost and spare no effort in exploration," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Emperor Wudu cupped his hands and bowed towards the heavens, saying, "As the saying goes, if one obtains the Shifang First Divination, becoming a god is not difficult. That legendary diviner of the Empire received this divination but used it to foretell the Empire's future, essentially forfeiting the chance to become a god. They are truly worthy of respect."

This time, Zuo Qiyu didn't complain about Emperor Wudu's rambling. He also cupped his hands towards the heavens, seemingly paying distant homage to that legendary diviner.

Zhao Xing followed suit and bowed as well.

Emperor Wudu did not continue speaking about Mount Shifang or the legendary diviner. Clearly, this information remained confidential to Zhao Xing, and even Coral-level members only knew fragments.

"The contents of the First Divination are incredibly precious."

"Originally, the Empire intended to carry out this endeavor alone."

"However, Desolate Domain Era 2 is drawing to a close, and circumstances have changed."

"The Empire has deployed too many resources and personnel, so we've had no choice but to invite other powers to join," Emperor Wudu explained. "Currently, influential figures from the Samsara Divine Palace, the Primordial Hill, the Origin Heavenly Palace, the Desolate Ancient Kingdom Alliance, and the Academy City have all arrived in the Primal World to discuss specific cooperation details."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly. Exploring unknown cosmic regions was akin to waging a major war, primarily involving pure investment with little early return. With exploration, combating desolation, guarding against demon invasions, and managing internal human geopolitical conflicts, the Scarlet Star Empire faced immense pressure.

After the incident with the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, the acceleration of desolation intensified the Empire's pressure. Teaming up with others to share the burden was a reluctant but necessary measure.

"What benefits will the Empire concede?" Zhao Xing asked, hoping to glean some true insights into the Empire's situation from a powerful figure like Emperor Wudu.

Emperor Wudu replied, "Undoubtedly, the Empire retains primary control over the development."

"Some wish to see the contents of the Empire's Shifang First Divination. Since Desolate Domain Era 1, the Empire has endured countless large-scale attempts at fate-peeking and even attacks."

"However, with the Grand Divination Divine Weapon and that legendary Fate Master standing guard, they have never succeeded."

Zhao Xing's mind conjured an image: countless threads of fate surged from all corners of the Profound Spirit Starfield, attempting to infiltrate the Empire and uncover the secret of the First Divination. Yet, the people living within the Empire remained completely oblivious, continuing to live in peace and prosperity.

"Truly magnificent. No wonder even their names are hidden."

"So, the Empire's swift reaction during the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom incident was also because they frequently encountered fate attacks, enabling them to quickly know everything happening in the world?" Zhao Xing speculated.

Emperor Wudu said, "Since it's a cooperation, we must offer some incentives."

"While various parties want to gain from the Empire, the Empire also needs them to provide resources and labor."

"The precise distribution of benefits is complex and still undecided, so I won't elaborate further."

"In summary, the Primal World has decided to confirm initial responsibilities and powers through a decisive battle, with participants not exceeding the Dao Domain Realm."

Zhao Xing understood, but he didn't grasp why Emperor Wudu was telling him all this today. Although his growth rate was rapid, it wasn't so fast that he'd be sent to participate, was it? Was this information solely for him? And what was Zuo Qiyu's purpose in coming?

Emperor Wudu looked at Zhao Xing: "All this talk is because I want you to be one of the combatants."

"Me?" Zhao Xing was stunned. Were they really sending him?

Old Master Zhao was quite self-aware. Even with the Void Effigy, his overall combat strength barely met the threshold of the Life-and-Death Dao Domain Realm. He might be able to fight ordinary Life-and-Death Dao Domain experts, but anything stronger would be too much. For example, he definitely couldn't defeat someone like the Ocean Guardian 'Lance.'

And Lance wasn't even the strongest in the Life-and-Death Dao Domain Realm.

Was Emperor Wudu planning to let him gain some experience?

After a moment's thought, Zhao Xing confirmed, "Master, with my current abilities, I'm only suitable for ordinary arena battles."

Zhao Xing made his thoughts clear: if it was a truly decisive arena battle, he shouldn't be sent.

Emperor Wudu said, "Don't worry, we won't make things difficult for you. Your opponent has already been chosen."

Zhao Xing immediately let out a sigh of relief. "In that case, I'll follow Master's orders."

Zuo Qiyu added, "You will be fighting Du Yun."

Zhao Xing: "???"

The breath he had just released was suddenly caught in his throat again, nearly choking Old Master Zhao. *He* was fighting Du Yun?

"Senior Zuo, did I hear that right? Du Yun of the Origin Heavenly Palace?"

"That's right, it's him." Emperor Wudu squeezed Zhao Xing's shoulder with some force. "Are you scared?"

"No, it's just that I know Du Yun too, and I'm certainly not scared—" Zhao Xing said with difficulty.

It wasn't about being scared at all, was it? How could he possibly fight him?

What caliber was Du Yun? In the entire Profound Spirit Starfield, he was a top-tier genius!

As early as the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom period, Du Yun was already a Prefect, and a high-ranking one in the Purple God Prefecture at that.

During the exploration of the Phantom God Galaxy, Zhao Xing gained many opportunities, and Du Yun gained no less.

How did he repay his debt back then? Du Yun received ten Origin Divine Weapons as spoils, and only after Zhao Xing took one for himself was Han Chuchen's request satisfied.

Not to mention, Du Yun had accumulated experience in the Great Divine Ability Realm for several millennia.

Back in the Time Hut, several Emperors who arrived all recognized Du Yun.

How could he possibly fight him?

"Good, as long as you're not scared." Emperor Wudu patted Zhao Xing's shoulder with a grin. "You're both in the Origin Realm, so you should have the courage to challenge him!"

"Your Senior Zuo is here to help you."

Without a word, Zuo Qiyu began pulling things out.

Soon, at the location where Emperor Wudu's world-star had exploded, precious materials ten times its volume appeared.

The mystical glow of the treasures quickly blinded Zhao Xing.

"Damn, is that Void Spirit Coral? Fifteen stalks cut?!"

"Seven-Colored Void Ancestor Profound Crystal? It's rumored to be the life essence transformed from the Void Ancestor's third reincarnation. This large, how many pieces must there be?"

"Heavenly Demon Spirit Gourd? A spirit gourd grown from the corpse of a Heavenly Demon born in the Void Ancestor Galaxy?"

"Emperor-grade Soul Tree? No, it's the Core of the Ultimate Soul Tree grown in the Void Ancestor Galaxy!"

"Star-Annihilating Sand, Earth Core Blood Nucleus... and seven Void Ancestor Metamorphic Bones—"

Seeing so many treasures, Zhao Xing lost his composure for a moment.

It was also because he was an expert and understood the immense value of these items.

They were so precious that even if he sold the Northern River Overlord, he couldn't gather enough to buy the treasures before him!

"Master, Senior Zuo, are these... all for me?" Zhao Xing's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes, are you happy?" Emperor Wudu chuckled.

"Hmph," Zuo Qiyu retorted with a grimace.

He had provided most of the items.

Only he had the authority to acquire them.

Zuo Qiyu felt he must have lost his mind to agree to such an outrageous request from Emperor Wudu.

Old Master Zhao was overjoyed. His eyes transformed into the shape of treasures, momentarily the Heavenly Demon Spirit Gourd, then the Earth Core Blood Nucleus—a surge of overwhelming happiness!

"Stop that silly grin!"

Zuo Qiyu couldn't bear it and slapped Zhao Xing and Wudu toward the material planet.

"Get to work immediately."

"Wudu, if Zhao Xing wastes even half a portion of material, both of you will reincarnate together!"

For five whole years, Zhao Xing worked relentlessly in the Inner World, pressed by Zuo Qiyu.

The materials for the Void Effigy were extremely high-end, requiring him to exert his full essence, energy, and spirit with intense focus.

However, this was the first time he had ever worked so happily.

Even five years later, when the uneven material planet had transformed into a Void Effigy, he still felt as if he were dreaming.

At this moment, Zhao Xing's soul resided within the Void Effigy's head, specifically within a section of the Core of the Ultimate Soul Tree.

Emperor Wudu and Zuo Qiyu, meanwhile, stood inside his ears.

"Are you ready, disciple?" Emperor Wudu tapped Zhao Xing's ear wall. "You'd better get the Void Effigy moving, or this old fellow might really kill someone!"

"Master, please rest a million times assured!" Zhao Xing replied with utmost confidence. "I guarantee your satisfaction!"

Zhao Xing suddenly opened his eyes, and simultaneously, the Void Giant also opened its eyes.

"Hwang!" A single syllable echoed from the Void Giant's mouth. It was the Rare Sound of the Grand Dao!

Neither Zuo Qiyu nor Emperor Wudu heard the sound, yet they felt as though they witnessed a scene: a giant being born in the primordial chaos, unleashing a world-shattering roar.

"Yu~" The green leaf Emperor Wudu was attached to in the Huai Liu Courtyard instantly shattered, forcing his projection to descend to the ground. But then the ground also shattered. The mere residual ripple directly pierced through the entire surface of Coral City, striking the green leaves of the Primal Divine Tree.

"Hm?" Emperor Hongshan was walking through Coral City when he suddenly seemed to sense something. He looked down at the ground, deep in thought.

"It seemed to come from the Huai Liu Courtyard, but it was fleeting."

"I wonder what happened."

With a thought, Emperor Hongshan immediately flew towards the Huai Liu Courtyard.

The disturbance was very small, and the large pit in the ground was quickly self-repaired.

Apart from individuals like Emperor Hongshan, who were highly sensitive to ground pulse fluctuations, no one else noticed.

Inside Emperor Wudu's Inner World.

"Alright, stop shouting." Emperor Wudu quickly manipulated the Grand Dao within his Inner World, sealing off the area around the Void Effigy. He then looked at Zuo Qiyu: "Envoy Zuo, how is it? Are you satisfied?"

Emperor Wudu was unaware of the Void Effigy's true marvel; those who hadn't cultivated it couldn't comprehend its profundities. The exact capabilities of Zhao Xing's Void Effigy would have to be confirmed by Zuo Qiyu.

Zuo Qiyu's gaze seemed to freeze for a moment before he replied, "It's acceptable."

Emperor Wudu grinned. If Zuo Qiyu said "acceptable," it meant it was exceptionally good! Had Zhao Xing fallen short even slightly, Zuo Qiyu would have cursed him outright in the current situation!

"Envoy Zuo has a grand vision," Emperor Wudu said with a smile. "That's why they say you truly are the Primal Envoy."

"Get lost!" Zuo Qiyu retorted angrily, vanishing directly from Wudu's Inner World. Wudu was gloating after getting his way; if he stayed any longer, he feared he wouldn't be able to resist hitting someone.

As Zuo Qiyu left, he happened to encounter Emperor Hongshan.

"Envoy, did something happen—" Before the words were fully out, Zuo Qiyu vanished.

"Strange, what's wrong with Zuo Qiyu?"

In that instant, Emperor Hongshan sensed a fleeting emotional change in Zuo Qiyu: gratification, anticipation, but also sorrow and melancholy.

"People from the Id Sect are truly complex."

Emperor Hongshan shook his head. He didn't dwell on it; masters usually didn't allow others to grasp their true shifts in mood or emotional fluctuations. Zuo Qiyu's complex emotions clearly indicated he had something on his mind, and Emperor Hongshan felt it best not to inquire further.

When Emperor Wudu and Zhao Xing emerged, a figure also rose from the earth within the Huai Liu Courtyard.

Seeing this, Emperor Wudu immediately flew into a rage: "Old Hongshan, are you secretly listening in with your Grandma's Earth Listening Technique?!" "I despise people who eavesdrop like you! Take this!"

Zhao Xing watched a dark light shoot from Wudu's sleeve, utterly speechless. He truly couldn't predict Emperor Wudu's next move. Emperor Hongshan had clearly just arrived!

"Brother Dao, calm your anger, I was not eavesdropping." Emperor Hongshan was struck by the accompanying poisonous vine but disintegrated into scattered sand, his true form reappearing in another direction.

Emperor Hongshan truly had a good temper, remaining amiable and pleasant, to the point that even Zhao Xing found it hard to watch.

"Master, Emperor Hongshan is known for his excellent character; he wouldn't possibly eavesdrop."

Emperor Wudu discreetly transmitted a message: "Of course I know that, but if I don't appear difficult, Old Hongshan might not genuinely teach you. Just listen from the side and don't speak."

Zhao Xing paused, then remained standing.

After two or three exchanges, the sparring quickly ceased.

Emperor Wudu impatiently said, "Emperor Hongshan, your Primordial Hill has rules. If you want to accept Zhao Xing, you may, and I'll grant you this favor."

"However, Zhao Xing is my disciple. If you intend to transmit your teachings and cultivation methods, then do so properly."

"Don't half-heartedly teach him, or you'll distract my disciple. It's not as if he absolutely *needs* to learn this."

Emperor Hongshan cupped his hands and said, "I will do my best."

"Not 'do your best,' but 'you *will*!'" Emperor Wudu adopted a menacing demeanor. "I'll give you a maximum of fifty years. If, by then, he's only learned a half-baked version, I'll cripple his Earth Advantage Sect techniques and then publicly declare that you've ruined my disciple's cultivation. At that point, your reputation and that of the Primordial Hill won't sound so good."

Emperor Hongshan gave a wry smile. "As Brother Dao says, fifty years."

Seeing Emperor Hongshan agree, Emperor Wudu returned a serious bow. Then, following tradition, he pulled out an exchange jade token and tossed it to Emperor Hongshan.

In the future, if Emperor Hongshan had a disciple who wished to learn the Way of the Id, they could use this token to find Emperor Wudu.

The Huai Liu Courtyard quickly quieted, leaving only Emperor Hongshan and Zhao Xing.

The two exchanged glances. Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "This junior, Zhao Xing, greets Emperor Hongshan."

Emperor Hongshan was merely kind-hearted, not foolish. Hearing Zhao Xing's manner of greeting, he understood that Zhao Xing didn't wish to meet as 'Emperor Tianning,' or at least found it inconvenient at present.

Thus, Emperor Hongshan, who had initially thought of reminiscing, set aside his intentions and, respecting Zhao Xing's preference, accepted his bow.

Emperor Hongshan then drew an enigmatic mountain pattern on the ground beneath his feet and chanted, "Mount Hongshan above, Extreme Land as witness, I, Qiu Chongyue, 158th Mountain Master of Hongshan, by Primordial decree, accept this Extreme Land cultivator. Zhao Xing, you shall become my registered disciple. I will dedicate myself to transmitting the Dao and teaching the methods for fifty years."

As Emperor Hongshan's words settled on the ground, the soil beneath condensed into a magical power talisman seal and flew towards Zhao Xing.

"Mount Hongshan above, Extreme Land as witness; I, disciple Zhao Xing, greet the Mountain Master. I will wholeheartedly receive the Dao and study the methods for fifty years." Zhao Xing knelt and bowed, then straightened his upper body. The talisman seal landed on his brow, forming a twin-peak mark. With this, the Primordial Hill's induction process was complete.

Zhao Xing received a Hongshan mark, which contained the cultivation method and Dao charm that Emperor Hongshan intended to impart.

Emperor Hongshan stepped forward and helped Zhao Xing to his feet.

He then slapped Zhao Xing's forehead mark.

"Boom~" Zhao Xing immediately sank into the ground. As he descended, a vast amount of Earth Vein power enveloped him, quickly forming an inverted mountain peak hidden deep underground. Below the inverted mountain peak, a small palace appeared.

When Zhao Xing landed inside, he couldn't help but feel surprised.

"Is this the Demon God's Underground Palace? Emperor Hongshan has such a unique skill? How did I not know?"

It was quite surprising. In his previous life, when he checked Emperor Hongshan's information, he hadn't found any mention of this secret art. Had he not seen all the information back then? Or had something changed in this lifetime?

If it were an ordinary underground palace technique, Zhao Xing wouldn't have been too surprised.

But the Demon God's Underground Palace secret art could be cultivated up to the Samsara Realm!

Legend had it that it was created to imprison and refine the Twelve Primordial Demon Gods!

It was one of the top-tier underground palace techniques of the Primordial Hill.

The Demon God's Underground Palace was arguably the most lethal and offensively powerful underground palace technique.

What surprised Zhao Xing was that Emperor Hongshan, such a kind and benevolent old man, actually knew such a secret art?

"It's rumored that cultivating the Demon God's Underground Palace requires a lot of killing; it's hard to imagine..." Zhao Xing thought to himself. "It's not just a rumor," Emperor Hongshan's mellow voice entered Zhao Xing's mind. "The best way to cultivate it is indeed to refine powerful beings."

"A long time ago, I too was covered in blood. The corpses of the beings I slaughtered could fill an entire galaxy."

"When it comes to killing, ten Emperor Wudus combined might not have killed as many as I have."

Zhao Xing: "..."

Emperor Hongshan had such a past? Indeed, honest people are scarier when they go berserk!

"These are old matters. We won't dwell on the past today, so I won't say much more."

"Cultivate diligently."

As Emperor Hongshan's voice faded, the Demon God's Underground Palace closed, and Zhao Xing fell into deep cultivation.

Time passed, and the Primal World gradually became lively. As cooperation among various factions further solidified, the genius showdowns were soon put on the agenda and became widely known.

The true intent of the duels was not widely publicized; everyone merely regarded them as normal Daoist exchanges. Nevertheless, this still greatly piqued the interest of geniuses. Many ended their seclusion, wanting to join the excitement.

Even Yu Tianqing came to Jing Yan to inquire about insider information.

"Jing Yan, many geniuses have arrived in the Primal World, even including people from the Samsara Divine Palace. Have you heard?"

"Of course I have," Jing Yan nodded. "The Primal Dao Arena has become much livelier recently, and many wandering geniuses have returned, such as You Beixuan, the Primal World's foremost Sword Sect master in the Dao Domain Realm."

"He was already a Coral-level Nine member twenty thousand years ago and gained renown in a single battle by slaying twelve royal river demons outside the Zi Wu Pass."

"I wonder who's stronger, him or the Yellow Sand Prefect," Yu Tianqing said. Both he and Jing Yan had met Du Yun and at the time found him unfathomable.

Two or three thousand years later, Yu Tianqing was now in the Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm, yet he still felt Du Yun was unfathomable.

"General You is indeed very strong. He and Du Yun should be on par," Jing Yan mused. "If they were both Qi Sect masters, it would be easier to compare, but their Daos are different—one is Qi, the other is Sword—so it's hard to say."

"True," Yu Tianqing nodded. "Legend says Du Yun cultivates the Void Ancestor Reincarnation Scroll, while You Beixuan cultivates the Feather Emperor Sword Art. Both secret arts were passed down from the Five Emperors era."

The Void Ancestor and the Feather Emperor were both among the Five Emperors. Who's stronger, their ultimate techniques? It's genuinely hard to say. Both Qi Sect and Sword Sect masters have dominated at different times, earning the title of 'First Martial Artist.'

"Martial artists' fights and killings aren't very interesting," Jing Yan said lazily. "Our artificers' battles are much more intricate: the Limitless Ruler Stream, the Divine Luo Stream, the Thousand Mechanisms Array Stream, the Twelve Roaming Gods—any of these schools is more visually appealing than a martial artist's duel."

"As a mechanical warrior, I still want to see Du Yun and You Beixuan's match," Yu Tianqing said. "I just don't know when they'll have a bout at the Dao Arena."

"Just wait," Jing Yan mused. "This sudden Dao discussion assembly certainly isn't that simple. I fear some battles will involve vested interests, so they won't begin so early."

"I want to go see the World Transmission Tower. Are you coming?"

"World Transmission Tower?" Yu Tianqing shook his head. "I won't go. The Starry Sky Historian's World Transmission Tower offers no significant benefit to my training."

"Damn, you're showing off again," Jing Yan grumbled indignantly.

He now knew that Yu Tianqing possessed the innate great divine ability "Eye of Deception-Shattering." With this talent's boost, Yu Tianqing was progressing rapidly in all aspects. He consistently ranked in the top ten among artificers.

In contrast, he, a prince, only ranked in the thousand-plus range, appearing rather ordinary.

"I'll go find Zhao Xing. By the way, has he contacted you?"

"No," Yu Tianqing shook his head. "He should still be in seclusion."

"It's truly hard to understand," Jing Yan said, shaking his head. "How can he endure loneliness so well?"

"Brother Zhao's mindset towards cultivation is worthy of our study," Yu Tianqing sighed. "Despite his immense fame, with many challenging and inviting him, he managed to resist going to the Primal Dao Arena to accept battles." "Even the Primal Six Holy Sons weren't as famous as he was, a last-place contender, at that time. Brother Zhao's experiences are truly unfathomable."

In Coral City, a mound of earth rose from the ground in the Huai Liu Courtyard, as if something was breaking through.

Emperor Hongshan, who was in meditation nearby, suddenly opened his eyes.

"Only forty-five years, and he's about to break through his seclusion. So fast."

In fifty years, Emperor Hongshan had only enough time to selectively transmit the core techniques. Zhao Xing received two methods: first, a cultivation technique called *Mustard Seed Mountain*, the second layer of the Extreme Land cultivation method, also known as Extreme Land Mustard Seed Mountain. Second, a magical method called the Demon God's Underground Palace.

According to Emperor Hongshan's estimation, it would be difficult for Zhao Xing to even grasp the basics within fifty years, but any gain would greatly benefit him. By using the Underground Palace and Extreme Land to broaden his origin, the magical power he would generate upon breaking through to the Dao Domain Realm would be many times stronger than that of ordinary geniuses.

"Emperor Tianning, who exactly are you...?" Emperor Hongshan murmured to himself.

Ordinary cultivators in the Samsara Realm, when re-cultivating, don't necessarily have absolute certainty of reaching the Samsara Realm again; only those at the Emperor-level have such confidence.

Re-cultivating for another lifetime could reveal past cultivation experiences, and Emperor Hongshan had met countless people, yet Emperor Tianning's experiences made it impossible for him to associate him with anyone he knew.

As he pondered, the rising mound suddenly paused, then abruptly collapsed, as if the breakthrough had failed.

Emperor Hongshan looked up, and then saw a figure suddenly emerge from the collapsed ground: it was Zhao Xing. The lack of significant disturbance precisely proved that Zhao Xing had truly mastered the technique.

Zhao Xing took a step, and the soil beneath seemed to carry him forward. In a single stride, he arrived before Emperor Hongshan, yet there was no trace of movement on the ground.

"Xing bows to thank the Emperor for transmitting the Dharma and imparting the Dao," Zhao Xing said, bowing respectfully.

Emperor Hongshan observed Zhao Xing, seeing within his spiritual vortex the ethereal image of an underground palace floating, with a half-bodied demon god phantom majestically standing within it.

Emperor Hongshan nodded slightly. "The Demon God's Underground Palace has a total of twelve techniques, each corresponding to one of the Twelve Primordial Demon Gods. What I taught you is the Xingtian Underground Palace."

"However, I haven't received the complete true transmission myself. If you're interested, you can visit the Primordial Hill in the future."

"Certainly," Zhao Xing nodded.

He would, of course, go. The Primordial Hill imprisoned several descendants of ancient demon gods, all at the demigod level. To further his understanding of the Underground Palace technique, he had to observe them.

Emperor Hongshan likely imparted this method to him also with the thought of meeting again and resolving his past doubts.

"Now that you have learned it, my task can end early."

"We'll meet again."

After speaking, Emperor Hongshan burrowed into the ground and left Coral City.

Zhao Xing cupped his hands in farewell.

Just as he straightened up, he saw a gust of wind sweep into the Huai Liu Courtyard. A figure materialized from the wind, a young woman in a yellow dress with an oval face, who called out, "Junior Brother Zhao, have you emerged from seclusion?"

A clear voice reached him, and Zhao Xing immediately recognized her as Ai Miaomiao, one of Emperor Wudu's other two disciples.

He waved his hand, the barrier opened, and Zhao Xing stepped out.

"Senior Sister Ai, I have emerged from seclusion."

"Master wants you to quickly go to the Primal Dao Arena to observe Du Yun and You Beixuan's arena battle."