Chapter 445: Reward Received, Second Source Perfected

Chronicles of Xuanhuang, Chapter Forty-Six

...After Ji Hong's ascension was destroyed by that black rain, Ji Jin, Ji Hong's fourth son, succeeded him as the new Human Emperor of Great Zhou. Just as I had predicted, Great Zhou quickly began its decline after Ji Jin took over.

In less than twenty years, three of the nineteen provinces had already been lost!

I had warned Ji Hong long ago that his mother's excessive doting had fostered a capricious personality in him; his respectful and gentle demeanor in front of others was merely a facade. Even before his ascension, I had cautioned that Ji Jin was not a suitable candidate... He couldn't even summon the Human Emperor Sword, couldn't read the Book of Heavenly Mandate, and couldn't wear the Five Emperors' Armor... How could he be called a Human Emperor?

...Witnessing Great Zhou's continuous decline and its joint siege by the Southern Barbarians and various sects, I decided to intervene and save the country. Although it was no longer the Great Zhou I knew, it was still Great Zhou. Despite realizing that someone was observing me and that the House of Eras might not be entirely safe, I was still determined to act.

However, a miracle occurred. Ji Hong's fourteenth princess, Ji Luoheng, unexpectedly gained the Human Emperor Sword's recognition and successfully passed the Dragon King's trial. She allied with the Three Great Academies and the Dragon Court and, in a palace coup, sent her brother to the Dragon Court for quiet recuperation.

Hahaha, all those years ago, I merely had Xiaoyue place a few leisure books in her bedchamber. Yet, she managed to learn all my divine abilities, even discovering the hidden tunnel that the Grand Minister of Agriculture had sealed, leading her to me. What a clever young girl! Oh no, she should now be addressed as Her Majesty, the Empress. Great Zhou welcomed its first empress!

When Ji Luoheng arrived here, she addressed me as 'Old Ancestor' and inquired about the old stories from Emperor Wu's era and the method of ascension. I recounted Emperor Wu and the Grand Minister of Agriculture's remarkable feats, and she, too, yearned for the world beyond after hearing them. Like Ji Hong, she invited me to help her ascend and follow in her ancestors' footsteps. This time, I felt somewhat swayed.

As Wang Tianzhi wrote this, he suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. For some reason, he had consistently felt this way for over a hundred years. A sense of weariness would always wash over him whenever he recalled his younger days. Was he getting old? Was his lifespan nearing its end? That shouldn't be the case; not only was he inside the House of Eras, but his inherent lifespan should also sustain him for a very long time. Why, then?

Wang Tianzhi lay on his bed, staring blankly at the stars in the sky. He began to divine the possibility of ascending with Ji Luoheng, hoping to avoid that black rain. As time passed, the stars in the sky grew increasingly blurry, and Wang Tianzhi slowly drifted into a dream.

"Wang Tianzhi!""Wang Tianzhi, it's me!"Wang Tianzhi felt someone calling his name. He found himself in a pure white space, with no discernible up, down, left, or right, as a familiar voice continuously echoed. "Who? Who's speaking?""Wang Tianzhi, remember, remember!"The voice still resonated, and an inexplicable sense of familiarity welled up in his heart; he felt it was someone he knew intimately. Finally, unable to suppress his curiosity, Wang Tianzhi proactively emitted energy from his karmic soul, and omnipresent karmic lines traced the source of the voice.

At one moment, a flood of memories surged into Wang Tianzhi's mind. Ji Si's Time Reversal Dream Art had finally taken effect. Past and future resonated, and a familiar figure appeared before Wang Tianzhi. "Ji Si? Lord Ji? Is that you?""It's me." Ji Si's figure nodded. "Lord Wang, long time no see.""Have you come back for me? Is His Majesty, and the Grand Minister of Agriculture, are they well?" Wang Tianzhi choked out, tears in his voice."Lord Wang, please recall carefully; all your questions have answers within history."

In his dream, Wang Tianzhi closed his eyes and quickly absorbed all the information Ji Si transmitted. It was a lengthy span of over 4,600 years, encompassing Emperor Wu of Great Zhou's experiences after departing from the Xuanhuang Realm and flying out of the Desolate Domain. Wang Tianzhi watched for a long time from a third-person perspective. Finally, the scene settled in a refined private room, where Yun Tiandao, Liu Tianning, Zhao Xing, Emperor Wu, and Ji Si were all present."Lord Wang, we have not perished; instead, we have established a firm foothold in the universe.""Now, maintain the same posture as me, and I will allow you to converse with the Grand Minister of Agriculture.""Yes, yes." Wang Tianzhi snapped back to attention, instinctively tidying his clothes. "I am ready."

Within the isolated cultivation space of Jia Chen Pass 14. Ji Si, who had kept his eyes closed, suddenly opened the eye on his forehead. This was the "Eye of Heavenly Mandate," a dual-method great divine ability created by Ji Si himself. When his eye opened, a figure in flowing white robes appeared within it—it was Wang Tianzhi. Simultaneously, a faint glow emanated from the eye, reflecting Zhao Xing's gaze into it as well."Wang Tianzhi, greets the Grand Minister of Agriculture!!!"Zhao Xing quickly knelt to help Wang Tianzhi up, saying with some emotion, "Brother, please don't perform such a grand salute. His Majesty and I couldn't come to pick you up on time; how can I be considered the Grand Minister of Agriculture?""Brother Wang, you've worked hard. It is I who should apologize to you. The universe is exceptionally perilous, and we had unavoidable reasons for not returning home. I hope you can understand."Wang Tianzhi's eyes were brimming with tears, and he repeatedly shook his head, "Grand Minister of Agriculture, I'm not tired, not tired at all..."

Witnessing this scene, Ji Si was also deeply moved, but he had to interrupt, "Grand Minister of Agriculture, Lord Wang, my Eye of Heavenly Mandate cannot hold out much longer. We need to explain the situation to Lord Wang as quickly as possible...""Alright," Zhao Xing said, "Brother Wang, we are trying to find a way to return, but currently..."Wang Tianzhi listened quietly, his expression gradually shifting to astonishment, as Zhao Xing explained that they couldn't return due to Qingyuzi's warning, and that Qingyuzi had actually become a Divine Realm expert? By now, Wang Tianzhi had gained some understanding of the cosmic system and various major powers, and what Zhao Xing told him left him utterly shocked."Grand Minister of Agriculture, don't come back, it's too dangerous!" Wang Tianzhi blurted out!"Hmm?" Zhao Xing was startled, not understanding why Wang Tianzhi had suddenly become so agitated."Grand Minister of Agriculture, I am already at the Dao Domain Realm! Over the past 4,600 years, our homeland has undergone drastic changes; it is no longer the home it once was!""What?!" Shock appeared in Zhao Xing's eyes. He grabbed Wang Tianzhi's hand, "Explain clearly, what exactly is happening?""I can't hold on!" Ji Si shouted.The distance between Wang Tianzhi and Zhao Xing rapidly became infinitely vast. However, the moment Zhao Xing grabbed Wang Tianzhi's arm, Wang Tianzhi transmitted the entire "Chronicles of Xuanhuang" series he had recorded.

"Boom!"Ji Si's third eye exploded, leaving his face bloody and his life essence significantly diminished. Zhao Xing, on the other hand, only felt a throbbing in his head and didn't suffer any significant backlash. Without time to examine the transmitted content, he first inquired about Ji Si's condition."Ji Si, how are you?""Grand Minister of Agriculture, I won't die, but I've lost 100,000 years of lifespan, and my great divine ability, the Eye of Destiny, has been crippled." Ji Si's facial flesh rapidly reformed, his voice hoarse.Zhao Xing couldn't help but gasp. Ji Si was already at the Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm; how could merely transmitting a message cause such severe injury?"Take my token and go to the medical base at Jia Chen Pass for treatment. Any tonics or recovery treasures available... use them all.""As for our old home, let's not contact it for now. Even a Dao Domain Realm expert's lifespan cannot withstand such consumption," Zhao Xing instructed."Alright." Ji Si nodded and withdrew to heal.

After Ji Si left, Zhao Xing closed his eyes to meditate, beginning to review the information transmitted by Wang Tianzhi. He didn't know until he looked, and what he saw shocked him. The Xuanhuang Realm had changed so dramatically?"Old Wang is already at the Dao Domain Realm, ascension from the Xuanhuang Realm is no longer restricted, and there are revived Witches and new sects..."Reading what Old Wang had written, Zhao Xing almost thought he had gone insane from isolation. Many things were different from what he knew. However, numerous events also replicated his existing knowledge. Even if Wang Tianzhi's mind was unstable, he couldn't have randomly guessed the 'version progression.' After repeated sorting and reviewing, Zhao Xing finally arrived at an astonishing conclusion:"Why does it seem like everything, big or small, is happening ahead of schedule?"

"The spiritual energy revival occurred early, I met Yu Tianqing early, the treasures from the Yue Luo Mausoleum were dug up early, we arrived at the Imperial Primal Realm early, and the development and expansion of the Desolate Domain were also premature. Even the changes in the Xuanhuang Realm are like this."Upon closer examination, Zhao Xing finally pinpointed what that unsettling feeling was: "It's as if the entire world is racing against time."Regardless, returning to the Xuanhuang Realm was impossible now. He carefully considered it and realized that a visit at the Reincarnation Realm strength would be a more suitable juncture."Seal!"Following the old rule, he performed a triggered memory seal. Having completed everything, Zhao Xing exited the independent cultivation space.

On Crystal Island, at Jia Chen Pass. As Zhao Xing stepped out of the palace, he saw two of his clones return, accompanied by several people. One was Emperor Jun Chenjiu, and the other was Emperor Jun Lushan. Zhao Xing wasn't surprised by Emperor Jun Lushan's presence; the old man would always come to visit him after each Dharma Assembly. But what was Emperor Jun Chenjiu doing here?"Greetings, honored Emperor Juns," Zhao Xing said as he stepped out to welcome them.

"Zhao Xing, Emperor Jun Chenjiu and I have come together this time to settle your merit rewards for the rescue mission," Emperor Jun Lushan said with a beaming smile.Zhao Xing realized, nearly forgetting about it. He had rescued the trapped personnel at Diejieshan, and the reward for that mission hadn't been settled yet. He had just come out for the Dharma Assembly and had been kept busy by the people of Primordial Hill; now they had finally remembered this matter. Zhao Xing respectfully said, "Please instruct me, Emperor Jun."

Emperor Jun Chenjiu remained expressionless. "Coral-level member Zhao Xing, your status has been elevated to Coral Ninth Rank.""The total merit points for the rescue operation task are 1.05 billion. You will receive 550 million, and the remaining 500 million will be distributed equally among the rest of the personnel."The rescue operation awarded over one billion merit points in total, and Zhao Xing was an absolutely irreplaceable individual who played a crucial role in the operation. Thus, he alone received 550 million merit points."Thank you, Emperor Jun." Zhao Xing was delighted; this was a significant gain.

The Empire had invested heavily in developing the Desolate Domain this time. One hundred million merit points could be exchanged for a top-grade Origin Divine Weapon or a slightly weaker Reincarnation Dao Weapon. The key was that the list of redeemable items had greatly expanded, and some were even limited-time offers. Only during such large-scale operations were these restrictions lifted. For instance, Zhao Xing could use his merit points to redeem opportunities for his relatives to cultivate in the Primal Realm, or to borrow the Great Evolution Divine Weapon to deduce secret techniques... Due to the Empire's cooperation with forces like the Origin Heavenly Palace and the Reincarnation Divine Hall, Zhao Xing could even redeem items from the treasuries provided by other super-powers.

"If you have any redemption needs, you can tell me directly, and we can make the exchange now," Emperor Jun Chenjiu said. "Otherwise, for some items, you'll have to queue and wait."Emperor Jun Chenjiu was a split manifestation of the Great Evolution Divine Weapon, possessing storage capabilities himself, essentially a massive mobile treasury. Just like the 'Two-Liang Slope Ring' worn by Emperor Jun Mengwu. Emperor Jun Chenjiu delivering items in person was a privilege rarely afforded to ordinary people; it was primarily due to the intangible fame bonus from Zhao Xing's treatises.

Without a moment's thought, Zhao Xing immediately said, "I'd like to redeem two types of Origin Elixirs from the Heavenly Palace."Origin Elixirs were highly renowned treasures from the Origin Heavenly Palace, concocted using a formula invented by Palace Master Jiujue, a master alchemist. There were two main series: the Origin Elixirs and the Reincarnation Elixirs. Origin Elixirs were specifically for the Great Divine Ability realm, accelerating the absorption of various primal forces. Reincarnation Elixirs were treasures that strengthened the true spirit, with one key ingredient being the True Spirit Fruit cultivated in the Primal Realm. The most potent Reincarnation Elixir was said to be capable of resolving the Tribulation Era. Reincarnation Elixirs were normally unobtainable, but they were available for purchase this time, though at an astonishingly high merit point cost: 800 billion for one. Otherwise, Han Chuchen's Tribulation Era could have been directly resolved.

"Very well, which two types do you wish to redeem?""Twenty Life Origin Elixirs and two hundred Geocentric Origin Elixirs," Zhao Xing replied."The total cost for this exchange is 220 million merit points. Do you confirm this exchange?""I confirm," Zhao Xing nodded.Life Origin Elixirs corresponded to the Path of the Ego School, while Geocentric Origin Elixirs corresponded to the Path of Geomancy. His Path of the Ego was nearing its limit, so twenty elixirs would be sufficient. The primal force of the Geomancy School was not yet perfected, so he needed to purchase more of those.

Emperor Jun Chenjiu pointed at his chest, and with a flash of light, a red sandalwood medicine cabinet adorned with profound patterns appeared before them. Zhao Xing recognized it as a physician's medicine cabinet, also serving as a spatial storage artifact. Although it only had nine drawers, it was covered with numerous star-like buttons. A single drawer could be subdivided to contain billions of types of medicinal ingredients, with different items dispensed each time. Even if someone obtained the cabinet but didn't know the password, they could at most only retrieve the contents of the nine primary drawers."This medicine cabinet is not encrypted; the items you desire are in the top-left and second-from-right drawers," Emperor Jun Chenjiu stated. "However, be aware that these elixirs must be consumed immediately upon retrieval, or their efficacy will diminish. If you cannot handle it, do not take out too many at once.""Thank you for the reminder, Emperor Jun.""Do you have any other redemption needs?""Not for now."

Palace Master Jiujue had not yet concocted the Origin Elixirs for the Chronomancy School. Perhaps this was because the Chronomancy School lacked a super-power backing. However, even if they existed, Zhao Xing hadn't mastered a great divine ability of Chronomancy and thus couldn't properly channel the elixir's primal energy; purchasing them would be pointless for him. Additionally, he planned to save some merit points to send Ji Si for advanced studies at the Royal Astrological Palace. The Empire's Path of Destiny was incredibly powerful, as evidenced by its achievement of the first divination at Ten Directions Mountain. Ji Si had always been self-taught through unconventional means, and Lord Zhao had long intended for Ji Si to undergo a systematic development. Now was the time, but such a request didn't need to be mentioned to Emperor Jun Chenjiu. He could simply handle it with the Imperial Military Department once Ji Si had fully recovered.With a whoosh, Emperor Jun Chenjiu swiftly vanished after completing his task. He still had many deliveries to make and wouldn't waste a single moment.

"Zhao Xing, I was originally going to advise you to purchase Geocentric Origin Elixirs, but you seem quite confident, buying two hundred at once!" Emperor Jun Lushan chuckled. "Even I only consumed eighty-nine back in my day.""This disciple is simply being prepared for contingencies," Zhao Xing replied."Very good. Now you can properly learn the secret techniques of our Primordial Hill," Emperor Jun Lushan said. "Originally, the cultivation methods of Primordial Hill required merit points to purchase within the Empire.""However, I've come this time to deliver some good news: the elders of the Three Realms and Twelve Mountains have all agreed to grant you access to all the profound techniques of Primordial Hill, and the corresponding cultivation resources will be completely free!"Completely free? Zhao Xing's heart skipped a beat."Martial Uncle, is this truly real?!"The sudden arrival of good fortune was overwhelming. Zhao Xing had anticipated that Primordial Hill would grant him some benefits due to his treatises, but he never expected such immense advantages! The benefits gained from writing treatises and boosting his reputation far exceeded Zhao Xing's expectations.

It was important to remember that when he had purchased the first layer of the Extreme Continent in the Ancient Yuan Sea Kingdom, the accompanying resources had consumed more than half of his funds at the time. The cultivation methods and divine abilities he learned in the Primal Realm were also acquired through his own efforts, by arduously accumulating points from clearing challenges in places like the Primal Ocean and Wind Thunder Canyon with multiple clones, like ants moving house. Now, Primordial Hill was giving them away for free! It was truly a delightful surprise!

"Hahaha, of course, it's true." Lord Lushan was very pleased with Zhao Xing's expression. "Whatever you wish to learn, I've brought it all. Between Junior Brother Hongshan and me, we can teach you most of the complete range of spells and profound techniques. Combined with consuming the elixirs, there will be no problem perfecting your Geomancy Origin.""Of course, if you want to practice more profound techniques that require special locations, you'll still need to go to Primordial Hill itself. We can't simply move the earth veins of the Primordial Ancient Realm, the Dao Manifestation Realm, and the Primordial Realm here.""That's more than enough, Martial Uncle," Zhao Xing said excitedly. "Thank you, Martial Uncle!!! Thank you to all the elders of Primordial Hill!!"

When opening ancient paths in the Desolate Domain, navigators below Level 1 were responsible for specific daily duties. A Level 1 navigator, however, only needed to handle emergencies and could assume any position at critical moments. Now that the issue with Diejieshan was no longer a problem, Emperor Jun Hongshan simply granted Zhao Xing, as a navigator, a leave of absence, instructing him to focus on his cultivation at Jia Chen Pass and just send a clone to maintain appearances. Consequently, Zhao Xing began consuming elixirs and cultivating Geomancy techniques at Jia Chen Pass 14.

Emperor Jun Lushan had prepared thoroughly for Zhao Xing, providing techniques such as the Earth-Cracking Method, Profound Earth Method, Underground Palace Method, Mountain Method, Earth Communication Method, Earth Treasury Method... there was nothing Zhao Xing couldn't learn that wasn't available to him. The accompanying resources were also perfectly prepared; although they didn't actually bring ancient earth veins from the Three Realms, they had prepared several top-tier earth veins to carry with them. Zhao Xing's cultivation setup could be described as luxurious, the kind that would make all Geomancy School Cultivators envious.

Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, 352 years had passed.On Crystal Island, at Jia Chen Pass 14. On a uniquely shaped, ram-horn-like mountain peak, a gigantic seven-colored boulder suddenly exploded, showering the sky with golden light and catching Emperor Jun Lushan's attention."It only took 352 years for his Geomancy Origin to reach true perfection. Wonderful!""He is indeed the Saint Child destined to emerge from our Primordial Hill!"