Chapter 491: The Sixth Level, Bai Han Zunzhe's Final Test

Emperor Chi Xiao’s initial reason for attending the Xu Ling Dharma Assembly in the Yuan Hai Ancient Kingdom was that ‘Tian Ningzi’ had provided him with a half-completed treatise on the Tian Shi sect’s teachings. Therefore, after Emperor Chi Xiao finished reading the treatise Zhao Xing presented, he completely put aside the past incident.

In his view, while Tian Ningzi hadn't fulfilled his promise at the time, and almost put him in danger during the Yuan Hai Ancient Kingdom’s assembly, it wasn't entirely Tian Ningzi’s fault. If anyone was to blame, it should be the Dong Yan Ancient Clan for stirring up trouble!

Tian Ningzi later adopted the alias Zhao Xing and authored the 'Dao Manifesting Earthly Changes in the Cosmic Era' treatise, which solved the problem of Die Jie Mountain. Subsequently, he wrote the 'Six Qi of Star Annihilation' treatise, publishing it through the Dao Tree.

If reputation had tiers, Zhao Xing’s among the Si Nong would be as high as a demigod’s. Thus, Emperor Chi Xiao harbored no killing intent toward Zhao Xing; on the contrary, he greatly admired him.

“Splendid, truly splendid!”

“Brother Tian Ning, this treatise of yours could single-handedly elevate any Tian Shi sect faction into a top-tier power…”

After reading it, Emperor Chi Xiao carefully closed the book, reluctantly handing it back.

“Brother Chi Xiao, please keep this book for me.” Zhao Xing pushed it back. “The Bai Han Realm is filled with treacherous mysteries. Trapped here, I may not have a chance to escape. If I die in the Bai Han Realm, I ask that you perfect this treatise and ensure it is passed down through the generations.”

Emperor Chi Xiao’s expression grew solemn, and he was deeply moved, accepting the 'imperial decree' with the utmost gravity, much like a regent entrusted with a dying emperor’s legacy.

“I shall certainly not fail your trust.”

“However, I believe that as one bearing a celestial mandate, you will undoubtedly turn misfortune into good fortune.”

Emperor Chi Xiao bowed with the book in his hands, then tucked the Daoist text close to his body. It was the original, and he was the first to see it.

Zhao Xing also bowed back from across the table, a sigh of relief escaping him.

He had managed to pass Emperor Chi Xiao’s test, and it wasn't solely due to the treatise.

“When one is insignificant, their words carry little weight. If I were still as weak as before, merely in the Origin Realm, no matter how astounding the treatise, it would inevitably be dismissed.”

“But now that I can reach the fifth floor and discuss the Dao with Emperor Chi Xiao, that itself is proof of my strength,” Zhao Xing mused.

A short while later, Emperor Chi Xiao began discussing the secret realm with him.

“Currently, many have ascended to the nine floating islands on the fifth level, and four individuals have established long-term residences. Brother Tian Ning, who do you believe will pass Venerable Bai Han’s ultimate trial?”

Zhao Xing pondered, then said, “Hu An of Luo Island, who has cultivated a wisp of Primal Chaos Innate Qi, can now ignore the Hou Bian transformations on the fifth-level floating islands. He has also seized many Dharma artifacts, so his chances are quite high.”

Emperor Chi Xiao scoffed, “Although Hu An has endured five True Spirit Tribulations and his Primal Chaos Innate Qi is exquisite, he is merely a martial practitioner, nothing to fear.”

“Sword Monarch Ye Liuxin of North Island possesses extraordinary swordsmanship, grasps the origin of the Sword Dao, and replaces the Heavenly Dao with his Sword Dao. He can even suppress the mutated Emperor Tian Wu on Li Island, so he also has hope of ascending to the sixth level.”

Emperor Chi Xiao shook his head. “I’ve exchanged blows with him. He is also a Six-Tribulation Emperor, and it’s true that only losing to me by half a move is impressive. As for replacing the Heavenly Dao with the Sword Dao? That’s utter nonsense!”

Zhao Xing asked, “Then, Brother, do you know the identity of the mysterious individual?”

Emperor Chi Xiao replied, “While I don't know his origins, this person hides his true self and dares not reveal his identity. How can such a one be on the righteous path of heaven?”

“In my opinion, only you and I can pass Venerable Bai Han’s trial.”

Zhao Xing smiled inwardly.

Emperor Chi Xiao was a typical Tian Shi sect Si Nong; he looked down on everyone except the esteemed Tian Shi sect Si Nong.

However, Emperor Chi Xiao was indeed very powerful. As a man who had undergone six True Spirit Tribulations, all of Emperor Chi Xiao’s secret arts had been cultivated to their limit.

In other words, apart from his Tian Shi Dharma power not being top-tier, there was nothing left for him to improve.

If he could possess super cultivation methods like 'Extreme Land' or 'Primal Chaos Realm', he would now be at the level of a Nine-Tribulation Emperor.

In Emperor Chi Xiao’s words: “Apart from self-improvement through True Spirit Tribulations and the Hou Bian method, I have already reached the highest level of the Tian Shi Great Dao attainable by the Tian Shi sect in the Xu Ling Starfield.”

“If I wished, passing the seventh True Spirit Tribulation would be a certainty, and the eighth tribulation wouldn’t be difficult. The weak fear tribulations; the strong actively undergo them to seek breakthroughs.”

“It’s just that the Tian Shi cultivation methods are incomplete. Even after passing the eighth tribulation, perfection remains elusive, so I am not in a hurry.”

“Brother, to what extent do you think the Hou Bian method can still be improved?” Zhao Xing asked.

“Theoretically, one can achieve the Divine Realm through the Hou Bian method; this is Heaven’s compensation to the Tian Shi sect,” Emperor Chi Xiao stated. “If we can fully comprehend the life Dao diagrams of innate divine beings, we Tian Shi sect Si Nong would effectively become divine beings, possessing divine power.”

“However, this is ultimately just a borrowed path and still not a perfect way to achieve divinity and enlightenment.”

Zhao Xing nodded in agreement. The Hou Bian method was currently the Tian Shi sect’s most promising path to godhood.

As long as one obtains the life Dao diagrams, essence blood, and other components of innate divine beings, and creates a corresponding Hou Bian method, then one can transform into a divine realm being.

The imperfection Emperor Chi Xiao perceived was that even if one truly achieved it, after reverting from the transformation, the human form would still not be divine.

He believed true divinity should be achieved by a human body and human bloodline becoming divine.

Of course, even this imperfect path to godhood was extremely difficult, something to aspire to but seemingly unattainable.

Obtaining the life Dao diagram of an innate divine being was equivalent to capturing the racial life form of a primordial divine being—acquired ones wouldn’t suffice. This was even more difficult than achieving godhood itself.

“The life Dao diagram Venerable Bai Han left on the fifth-level floating island is an experimental subject for tracing the origins of the life Dao diagrams from the lower four levels.”

Emperor Chi Xiao waved his hand, and before the pavilion, a Dao diagram appeared. Beneath the clouds, a fleshy monstrous blob with countless horns and eyes emerged.

Having already comprehended numerous life Dao diagrams from the previous four levels, Zhao Xing immediately deduced that this racial life form was not a native species but a derived one.

Life hybridization and derivation aren’t limited to plants; they apply to animals too, though beastly life forms are more complex and uncontrollable.

In the medical path, there’s also the concept of native and derived species. When Emperor Chi Xiao mentioned the words ‘experimental subject for tracing origins,’ Zhao Xing understood Venerable Bai Han’s intent.

“He intends to use this method to restore the racial bloodline of innate divine beings, and then achieve the Divine Realm through the Hou Bian method?”

“Precisely.” Emperor Chi Xiao said, “You must have seen the life Dao diagrams on the lower levels: the Divine Feather life Dao diagram, the Rock God life Dao diagram, the Jia Yue God life Dao diagram… Their experimental subjects are all descendants of divine realm beings.”

“By meticulously unraveling and tracing back to the ancestors, he ultimately aims to obtain a divine-level Hou Bian method. From this trial on Ji Xing Floating Island, one can glimpse Venerable Bai Han’s ambition.”

As Zhao Xing gazed at this Dao diagram, his mind was subtly affected. Though the tiger was dead, its prestige remained; he could feel that the fierce beast in this life Dao diagram had absolutely been at the level of a Six-Tribulation Emperor in its lifetime.

“No wonder Emperor Tian Wu became even more powerful after transforming into a beast.”

Although Emperor Tian Wu was strong, he wasn’t so strong as to be able to effortlessly defeat everyone.

Yet, to this day, Li Island on the fifth level is considered taboo, and few dare to reside there for long, precisely because the mutated Emperor Tian Wu became even more terrifying. He could be called a forbidden life form.

“Venerable Bai Han’s path must have failed. The Hou Bian method isn't simply about researching powerful life racial bloodlines.”

“He used the medical path to assist in researching the Tian Shi Hou Bian Dao, which initially was fine. However, as I progressed to the fifth level, I realized he had slowly deviated from his original intent, focusing on the medical path and losing sight of priorities.”

Emperor Chi Xiao said, “The Hou Bian Dharma Array he left behind is not as profound as the life Dao diagram; this is clear evidence.”

Zhao Xing now greatly admired Emperor Chi Xiao. Excluding Qing Yu Zi, Emperor Chi Xiao’s vision, theories, and myriad spells made him the strongest Tian Shi sect Si Nong Zhao Xing had encountered so far.

Whether old Qing was truly an orthodox Tian Shi deity remained to be seen, because Zhao Xing had learned soul secret arts from him, had seen him use the Dao of Space-Time and Destiny, and Qing Yu Zi had also given him Boundary-Opening Divine Stones, but had never demonstrated divine-level spells of the Tian Shi sect.

“Brother Tian Ning, you may comprehend this Dao diagram, but do not immerse yourself in it too deeply,” Emperor Chi Xiao warned. “Although Venerable Bai Han is a demigod, his path may not be suitable for you or me.”

“Utilize it for its benefits, but do not delve into its ultimate path.”

Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, “Thank you for the reminder, Brother.”

Subsequently, Zhao Xing began comprehending the Dao diagram named Nine Marshes God on Chi Xiao Island.

As his comprehension progressed, Zhao Xing found that it was indeed as Emperor Chi Xiao had described.

The Nine Marshes God Dao diagram delved more deeply into the study of life bloodlines, structure, innate secret arts, and the manifestation of the Dao within living beings.

However, it overlooked a crucial factor: the Hou Bian transformation of the inner Heaven and Earth environment.

“Dharma power is the foundation supporting Hou Bian, the root. Life bloodline, Dao and Dharma body structure, innate secret arts, and Dharma body Dao manifestation are the advancing trunk and branches.”

“Without this, the Hou Bian method goes completely awry.”

Indeed, using the medical path to study derived species makes it easier to obtain certain powerful individuals.

Its beauty lies in the fact that a weak physician might obtain a mutated life Dao body beyond their capabilities, and mistakenly believe it to be their own creation.

In reality, some mutated bodies cannot be controlled or replicated by the physicians themselves.

However, after seven or eight years of comprehension, Zhao Xing’s perspective shifted somewhat.

Because from the Nine Marshes God Dao diagram, he acquired several profound Dharma power cultivation methods.

These could be called ‘Hou Bian Dharma power,’ a power specifically designed to support the Hou Bian method.

Zhao Xing tried it and found that its amplification effect was inferior to Qing Hua Dharma power and Hong Lian Dharma power; in terms of secret art level, it was not as good as either of them.

“Venerable Bai Han perhaps knew he had taken the wrong path, but was helpless. He couldn’t create the fundamental Dharma power cultivation method needed to support his Hou Bian research.”

As his comprehension deepened, Zhao Xing discovered 108 Dharma power cultivation methods, corresponding to the 108 great divine acupoints of the human race.

He seemed to see a cold and ruthless figure, dissecting powerful life forms in front of a prison in a brutal manner, growing increasingly impatient and conflicted at the same time.

The Nine Marshes God Dao diagram that was ultimately left behind also had a grotesque appearance, completely lacking the aesthetic beauty of the Dao diagrams from the previous four levels.

“Rumble!”

One day, twenty-seven years later, a peal of thunder startled Emperor Chi Xiao, who was meditating and comprehending.

He turned his head and found that the thunderous sound was emanating from Zhao Xing’s abdomen.

“Hmm?” Emperor Chi Xiao flashed to Zhao Xing’s side.

He found Zhao Xing at this moment with prominent horns on his head, two tentacles filled with secret patterns growing out, his skin like crystal, and within his abdominal 'inner Heaven and Earth,' storms were brewing.

“This…” Emperor Chi Xiao was somewhat surprised.

He had begun comprehending the Nine Marshes God Dao diagram many years before Zhao Xing.

But now, Zhao Xing’s appearance was completely different from what he had comprehended.

“When I first performed the Nine Marshes God Transformation, my entire body was covered in countless thorny horns; this was a side effect of the method.”

“After two hundred years of refinement and combining my own cultivation insights, I finally suppressed them to nine horns.”

“He only has two horns now?”

“Could it be that his comprehension of the Nine Marshes God yielded greater results than mine?”

Emperor Chi Xiao looked at Zhao Xing with great hope.

He then sat down next to Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing stared at the Nine Marshes God Dao diagram, and Emperor Chi Xiao stared at Zhao Xing.

The Tian Shi Great Dao was like a hidden river with unknown risks.

At this moment, Zhao Xing was feeling his way across the river by touching stones, and Emperor Chi Xiao was feeling his way across by following Zhao Xing.

Another eight years passed. In the thirty-fifth year after arriving on Chi Xiao Island, Zhao Xing’s remaining two horns had become one large and one small.

Emperor Chi Xiao also managed to reduce his horns to five, nearly halving the side effects!

“As expected of Tian Ningzi, he is a pioneer who can forge a path for the Tian Shi sect!” Emperor Chi Xiao exclaimed with boundless emotion.

“But why is it that he can reduce it to two horns, while I still have five horns obstructing the Hou Bian transformation of my inner Heaven and Earth, with a high chance of mutation?”

Once Zhao Xing finished his comprehension, Emperor Chi Xiao posed this question.

“Firstly, there’s individual difference; perhaps my physique is more compatible with the Nine Marshes God Dao diagram.”

“Secondly, there’s the foundation. I actually entered earlier than you, but I explored almost all of the hundreds of thousands of floating islands on the lower four levels, comprehending at least seventy to eighty percent of them completely.”

“Explored all of them? Comprehended seventy to eighty percent of the Dao diagrams completely?” Emperor Chi Xiao was stunned. “How did you manage that in such a short time… Oh, I understand.”

He remembered that Zhao Xing possessed a Primal Beginning clone, capable of simultaneously ascending islands and comprehending. Ordinary Dharma power clones, however, couldn’t even set foot on the islands to comprehend.

Even if they could reach the islands, the focus of the Primal Beginning clone was on tearing the soul body, and the individual comprehension talents of each clone were similar.

Even knowing the method, Emperor Chi Xiao couldn’t replicate it.

This was an exclusive advantage of the Primal Beginning clone.

“I see. It seems I, too, should go down to the lower levels and take a look.” Emperor Chi Xiao sighed. “I criticized Venerable Bai Han for not valuing the foundational Dharma power cultivation methods, yet I made the same mistake myself. Indeed, those involved in the matter are often blind, while bystanders see clearly.”

Actually, there was a third reason Zhao Xing couldn’t elaborate on.

That was the Dharma power cultivation method of the Seven Apertures Heart Sealing Art, which played a decisive role.

His ability to reduce the side effects of comprehending the Nine Marshes God to just two horns was because he didn’t use the Dharma power cultivation method provided by Venerable Bai Han to support the Hou Bian transformation; he used Qing Hua Dharma power instead!

Qing Hua Dharma power was all-encompassing. Using it for spell learning also significantly reduced the risk of mutation, especially since Fan Qianrou was the Goddess of Physicians.

“Brother Tian Ning, I intend to leave the island to comprehend in the lower levels. This Chi Xiao Island is now yours.”

Emperor Chi Xiao left Chi Xiao Island a month later, planning to retrace Zhao Xing’s steps and explore all the islands.

He didn’t seek complete comprehension, but with his True Spirit, which had passed the sixth True Spirit Tribulation, his speed of comprehending the lower-level life Dao diagrams would still be very fast.

“With Emperor Chi Xiao gone, I’m the only one left on the floating island.” Zhao Xing glanced at his status panel.

Qing Hua Dharma Power: 2858/10000Hong Lian Dharma Power: 1750/10000

“While comprehending on the fifth level, both my Hong Lian Dharma Power and Qing Hua Dharma Power significantly improved. Especially Qing Hua Dharma Power; after breaking through 2,000 points, it was no longer tenuous like threads but reached 1 Jie Yuan.”

“Hong Lian Dharma Power, however, was still calculated in strands.”

Two thousand points was a threshold. Before that, there were only sparse, thread-like wisps.

Once it broke through 2,000 points, it instantly surged, as if breaking through a certain limit.

“When manifesting the Nine Marshes God with the Hou Bian method, my skin becomes crystalline, my lower body is covered in scales, encompassing nine Great Daos, and the horns can unleash innate secret arts, yet it doesn’t hinder me from casting human spells in my human form.”

“This new Hou Bian method still has room for improvement.”

“However, my Seven-Color Dharma Power needs to reach comprehension of a third or even fourth type.”

The new Hou Bian method, the Nine Marshes God, already significantly deviated from what Venerable Bai Han had created. It was closer to Venerable Bai Han’s 'idealized' concept, rather than the monstrous body depicted in the Dao diagram.

For distinction, Zhao Xing called his self-perfected version the Qing Hua Nine Marshes God.

Emperor Chi Xiao did the same, naming his Hou Bian method the Chi Xiao Nine Marshes God.

“Can I try the sixth level now?” A surge of impulse rose within Zhao Xing.

He felt an attraction to one of the three floating islands on the sixth level. It was an instinctive yearning that arose after cultivating the Qing Hua Nine Marshes God.

“All Daos return to one. According to my and Emperor Chi Xiao’s conjecture, the final three floating islands on the sixth level should correspond to the forms of the three strongest Hou Bian methods.”

“The fifth level has nine floating islands: three correspond to the Nine Marshes God, three to the Rock Star God, and three to the Pu Luo God.”

“On the fifth level, besides Chi Xiao Island, there are also Li Xing Island and Mi He Island, which share the same origin as the Nine Marshes God Hou Bian method.”

“Mi He Island is unoccupied, and Li Xing Island has the mutated Emperor Tian Wu. I should probably check Mi He Island first.”

Shortly after Emperor Chi Xiao left, Zhao Xing also departed Chi Xiao Island, leaving only a clone to guard it.

Chi Xiao Island contained Dharma arrays built by Emperor Chi Xiao, and with his formidable reputation, there was no need to worry about the island being pilfered.

“Roar!!”

With a thought, Zhao Xing immediately activated the Qing Hua Nine Marshes God. One large and one small demonic horn appeared on his head; the smaller one was hidden in his hair and not very noticeable.

His upper body’s skin and flesh became crystalline, with specks of Qing Hua floating within, while his lower body was covered in layers of Qing Hua scales.

“Cloud Qi Art!”

Zhao Xing could still cast spells in his human form at this time and immediately began traversing the void.

It only took him seven days to catch up with Mi He Island, which was operating according to the rules of the Dharma Realm.

“Whoosh!”

Mi He Island’s environment differed from other floating islands; it was enveloped by tens of thousands of raging void rivers. One could only enter through the crevices, where each river rubbed against the others, forming vortices like eyes, easily capable of crushing early-stage Emperors and some mid-grade Samsara Dao Soldiers.

Entering Mi He Island itself was somewhat dangerous. This island was unsuitable for sustained living and had the harshest environment among the fifth-level floating islands, which is why Hu An, Ye Liuxin, the mysterious individual, and Emperor Chi Xiao did not choose to reside there long-term.

“Nine Marshes Stabilizes the Cosmos!”

The Qing Hua scales on Zhao Xing’s lower body flickered. The innate power within his bloodline naturally drew upon the Great Daos of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Yin, and Yang, forming nine rivers of Qi.

Pulled by the nine Qi rivers, even the rapidly moving Mi He Island seemed to slow down, and the raging void rivers’ power significantly weakened.

“Whoosh!”

Zhao Xing quickly slipped inside.

Just as Zhao Xing entered Mi He Island.

On ‘Spirit Roam Island,’ one of the nine islands, at the peak of the central mountain, a swordsman observed the countless floating islands below. Four small bamboo swords circled around him.

The bamboo swords swam around him like agile fish. As they circulated, the rules of the entire floating island seemed to change, and the Hou Bian transformation nearly came to a standstill.

He was Venerable Bamboo Sword, who had entered the ruins after accepting a capture mission from the Shadow Temple.

After arriving at Ji Xing Floating Island, Venerable Bamboo Sword had occupied Spirit Roam Island, preventing anyone from approaching. Anyone who came near was inexplicably repelled. Because his methods were powerful and he never showed his face, no one knew his identity.

Originally, Venerable Bamboo Sword had planned to immediately search for Zhao Xing’s traces upon entering and then capture him and leave.

However, plans changed, and Venerable Bamboo Sword chose to wait on the fifth level.

“Buzz!”

Just in front of Venerable Bamboo Sword, a faint phantom appeared, and the Hou Bian transformation within the floating island resumed its accelerated operation.

He had white hair and a hunched posture, precisely the appearance of Venerable Bai Han.

“Fellow Daoist, you have been in my cave mansion for over three hundred years, neither comprehending my legacy nor leaving. What exactly are you plotting?”

One of the reasons Venerable Bamboo Sword remained here was that Venerable Bai Han was indeed still alive and had been restraining him.

Both were demigods, and Venerable Bamboo Sword, fighting on unfamiliar ground, was somewhat wary of Venerable Bai Han, who cultivated both the medical and Si Nong Great Daos.

“Even if you don’t wish to speak, I can guess a thing or two,” Venerable Bai Han said, looking at him. “My cave mansion does not permit demigods to enter, yet you forced your way in using a method of 'stealing from heaven and exchanging days,' a profound technique. You surely aren’t here just for my meager legacy, so you must have a grudge against someone.”

“But only Emperor-level individuals have come here. Who among them could have offended you to make you wait here for hundreds of years?”

Venerable Bamboo Sword remained silent, as if treating Venerable Bai Han as air.

“I understand now,” Venerable Bai Han continued to himself. “Heavenly secrets must not be revealed; once you speak them, your plot might fail.”

“Since you are unwilling to leave or speak, then let us continue our contest of Dharma. I also wish to experience the power of a Sword Dao Venerable of this era.”

In the three hundred seventy-fifth year since entering Ji Xing Floating Island.

Zhao Xing emerged from Mi He Island. By now, the smaller of the two horns on his head had completely vanished.

The scales on his lower body had further receded, transforming into crystalline skin flowing with Qing Hua patterns.

“Whoosh!”

Zhao Xing exited Mi He Island and swiftly pursued Li Xing Island.

“Boom!”

The world was dim, and the land was almost boiling like a sea of fire.

Above the floating island, green and purple rain fell, and water vapor evaporated, forming a layer of poisonous mist.

Black lightning flickered north and south of the island, forming mountains of what appeared to be solid thunder.

Only a very small central area offered a foothold.

However, this small area was both a comprehension zone and the habitat of the monstrous Emperor Tian Wu.

“To comprehend, one must directly face Emperor Tian Wu’s mutated form.”

Zhao Xing traversed the Thunder Pool Mountain Range, passed through the corrosive medicinal rain layer, crossed multiple seas of fire, and descended upon the central manifestation site of the Dao diagram.

“Swish!”

No sooner had he landed than a fleshy monstrous blob covered in sharp spikes and compound eyes opened its eyes, all its scarlet gazes fixed on Zhao Xing.

“Roar!!”

Golden light illuminated the monster’s entire body, spreading to cover it completely.

Zhao Xing tentatively cast the Five Finger Mountain.

He drew fire veins from the sea of fire, gathering them into a mountain. The Great Five Finger Mountain, imbued with flames, pressed down towards Emperor Tian Wu.

“Thump!”

Emperor Tian Wu merely trembled slightly, and three fingers of the Great Five Finger Mountain were shattered.

“This is outrageous! In its monstrous state, it actually possesses defenses similar to the Reincarnation Golden Body.”

“It inherited some of Emperor Tian Wu’s characteristics.”

“Emperor Chi Xiao said its defense rivaled that of a Seven-Tribulation Emperor; it truly wasn’t an exaggeration.”

Zhao Xing’s attack enraged Emperor Tian Wu.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

Spikes plunged into the ground, and the fleshy blob rolled, pouncing towards Zhao Xing.

As the spike-covered golden fleshy blob rolled, Zhao Xing felt as if the entire space-time was pressing down on him, like the sky was collapsing.

“Whoosh!”

Zhao Xing turned and ran.

When he lured Emperor Tian Wu to the sea of fire layer, he immediately cast a spell.

“Earth Core Splitting Technique!”

“Five Finger Demonic God Earth Palace!”

In a head-on confrontation, he still found it difficult to defeat the mutated Emperor Tian Wu.

However, the harsh environment of Li Xing Floating Island coincidentally became a place Zhao Xing could leverage.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!”

The sea of fire further cracked open, and streams of fire veins gushed out, lashing Emperor Tian Wu like chains while simultaneously pulling him down into the sea of fire.

At the same time, a large mountain formed above the fleshy blob, pressing down directly upon it.

With pressure from above and pulling from below, Emperor Tian Wu was immediately forced into the underground palace within the sea of fire.

Gurgle, gurgle

The giant beast continued to struggle, its spikes activating layers of Great Dao origins, quickly piercing several holes in the underground palace.

“This won’t trap it for long,” Zhao Xing thought. “At most three days, it will break free. I can only use that method.”

“My apologies, Emperor Tian Wu.”

Tendrils extended from Zhao Xing’s internal organs, activating the Five Elements Sprout Technique.

The Five Elements Sprout Technique was created by Emperor Five Poisons.

It primarily focused on cultivating flesh-and-blood parasitic species, growing five Emperor-level vines within the Dharma body, not within an inner world.

Zhao Xing employed it not for attack, but to cast the next spell.

“Spirit-Absorbing Life Transformation Art!”

Clang, clang, clang!!!

The five vine-spikes rotated and drilled into Emperor Tian Wu’s physical body, immediately emitting sounds of clashing metal.

“Snap!”

Two sprout vines broke instantly, while the remaining three drilled into the surface layer.

“Truly terrifying. Even drilling through the wound, it still corroded two of my Dharma body sprout vines. Now I can only exert seventy percent of my power, and I don't know how long I can last.”

After Emperor Tian Wu transformed into a monster, his 'spirit' became extremely chaotic. Zhao Xing aimed to diminish his 'spirit' to reduce Emperor Tian Wu’s combat power.

The Five Finger Demonic God Earth Palace, combined with the Spirit-Absorbing Life Transformation Art, was the battle strategy of a Demonic Si Nong: planting a person in the ground and draining them dry.

“Comprehend!”

Seeing Emperor Tian Wu trapped, Zhao Xing immediately went to comprehend.

About a month later, Emperor Tian Wu broke free, roaring as he chased after Zhao Xing.

“Whoosh!”

Zhao Xing could only interrupt his comprehension and continue fleeing for his life.

Afterward, he lured Emperor Tian Wu to the sea of fire layer and repeated the trick.

The second siege trapped Emperor Tian Wu for another month and a half.

The third time, he was trapped for two months.

Repeatedly acting and seizing the intervals to comprehend—this was the plan Zhao Xing devised.

His mind was also under high tension.

Because if Emperor Tian Wu merely touched him, he would suffer severe injuries or even death.

Emperor Tian Wu could make countless mistakes; Zhao Xing, however, would be finished if he made one.

“Roar!”

“Roar!”

On Li Xing Island, Emperor Tian Wu roared for a full fourteen years.

As Zhao Xing's comprehension deepened, the horns on his head became shorter and shorter, his crystalline skin increased, and his scales diminished.

“ROAR!!”

As the fleshy blob, wrapped in space-time, pressed down, Zhao Xing instinctively ran towards the sea of fire—this had practically become his instinct.

But this time, something was different.

When the monstrous Emperor Tian Wu was once again trapped by the Five Finger Demonic God Earth Palace, this time he seemed to undergo some kind of transformation.

His entire body’s spikes began to retract, and the fleshy blob seemed to shrink, forming a meaty egg that began to rotate within the underground palace’s sea of fire.

“Hmm?” Zhao Xing observed that the fleshy blob was subtly becoming illusory, and a human silhouette was appearing within it. “What’s going on?”

Zhao Xing activated the Five Elements Sprout Technique, continually poking at the golden meaty egg.

He wanted to stop it from rotating.

At this moment, a faint thought transmitted from within the meaty egg.

“Zhao… Zhao Xing…”

“Hoh!”

Zhao Xing leaped back a great distance, his expression one of shocked uncertainty, as dense Qing Hua mist billowed from his crystalline skin.

“What the hell is that?!”

“Stop hitting me, damn it! I am Emperor Tian Wu!”

The voice from within the meaty egg became clearer, laced with a hint of anger.

“Emperor Tian Wu?”

Zhao Xing was startled. He focused his gaze and saw the figure within the golden meaty egg gradually taking shape, emanating an aura like Emperor Tian Wu’s, yet significantly changed.

“You’re not dead yet?”

The golden meaty egg continued to rotate, its golden light retracting inward. The outer layer began to collapse from the outside in, shattering like crystal, and its entire form progressively shrank.

“I was on the verge of death, but you saved me.” Emperor Tian Wu’s consciousness gradually cleared. “Now, my Reincarnation Golden Body is undergoing its final reshaping.”

“What?” Zhao Xing was stunned. “How can this be? You’ve been a monster for years…”

“Venerable Bai Han’s Hou Bian Dharma Realm is indeed formidable; one could say I died once,” Emperor Tian Wu sighed. “My physical body first underwent Hou Bian transformation, my Reincarnation Golden Body disintegrated, and then the monstrous form affected my True Spirit, turning me into a muddled monster…”

“If you hadn’t attacked me, I might have truly fallen into complete oblivion.”

“I attacked you, and that saved you?” Zhao Xing vaguely realized something. “Could it be because of the Demonic Seed Art?”

“Yes, precisely the Spirit-Absorbing Life Transformation Art of Emperor Five Poisons,” Emperor Tian Wu said. “By using your Five Elements Sprout Technique to absorb my ‘spirit,’ you inadvertently extracted the mutated True Spirit, giving the last shred of my conscious intellect a chance to breathe.”

“There’s such a thing?” Zhao Xing’s eyes widened.

“Don’t you think about it?” Emperor Tian Wu chuckled. “For these fourteen years, I obediently fell into your traps every single time, ha ha ha! How could there be such good fortune?”

“I did turn into a monster, but a monster’s combat instincts remain. How could I fall for it every single time?”

“It was just my gradually awakening intellect cooperating with you.”

Zhao Xing suddenly realized: “I wondered why the time I could suppress you kept getting longer. I thought I was getting stronger, but it turns out it was you…”

Emperor Tian Wu: “I am a Seven-Tribulation Emperor, and after transforming into a monster, I could rival an Eight-Tribulation Emperor. How could you suppress me so easily? I hinted many times for you not to run, but you didn’t understand, and each time you ran without a word…”

Zhao Xing was speechless. Of course he had to run; after Emperor Tian Wu turned into a monster, even a casual touch would severely injure him. That was no laughing matter.

“By extracting my mutated True Spirit, you ironically allowed me to be reborn.”

“Now, the Reincarnation Golden Body I cultivate is about to complete its eighth transformation.”

“After this, I only need to pass one more tribulation to enter the demigod realm!”

“Zhao Xing, I must thank you.”

Qi sect martial practitioners were truly hard to kill. Zhao Xing never expected that Emperor Tian Wu could be pushed to the brink of death and then reborn. The Reincarnation Golden Body truly lived up to its reputation as the strongest path for Qi sect martial practitioners.

“For a True Spirit, confused and influenced by a Hou Bian transformed body, to actually recover through the Demonic Seed Art—there are truly no bad cultivation methods, only those who don’t know how to use them,” Zhao Xing sighed with emotion.

Through this incident with Emperor Tian Wu, Zhao Xing gained a deeper understanding of the Hou Bian method and True Spirit transformation.

In the four hundred first year after entering the ruins, of the two horns, one large and one small, only one remained.

Zhao Xing had completely assimilated all three Dao diagrams related to the Nine Marshes God on the fifth-level floating islands.

“As the physical body undergoes Hou Bian transformation, the True Spirit also changes accordingly.”

“It’s like a wild beast in heat, filling its mind with thoughts of reproduction and mating; even a docile pet beast can become irritable.”

“The fact that I haven’t been able to eliminate the last horn must be the trial for the sixth