Chapter 502: Dan Ye, the Free Spirit God

Wei Tianchen looked up at the sky, and Zhao Xing followed his gaze.The next moment, a voice emerged from the ground, less than ten thousand miles away from them."Your medical arts are quite interesting. Did you refine this item? What is its name?"Wei Tianchen and Zhao Xing were startled by the voice.A figure in a dark green robe appeared on the island. He had no aura whatsoever, not even bone power, yet he possessed a body of flesh and blood. His reddish-brown hair, like flames, was fastened by a jade hairpin. His facial contours were perfect, his skin radiant, and his eyes piercing.The system panel displayed only two lines of information for Danye, the Free God:Name: DanyeProfession: Divine PhysicianDue to the difference in levels, Zhao Xing couldn't tell if this person was a Free God or a True Unhindered God."My name is Danye, and I have attained the Dao through self-realization," the figure in dark green smiled faintly.Zhao Xing immediately cupped his hands and bowed. "Greetings, Senior."Wei Tianchen, however, did not bow. He remained silent, lost in thought.

"Don't be nervous, I have no ill intent. I was just passing by," Danye, the Free God, extended his hand. "I saw something interesting."*Whoosh!*A box appeared out of thin air in his hand; it was precisely the Dao Heart Bewildering Elixir that Wei Tianchen had just been showing off to Zhao Xing!Old Wei was truly unreliable. With a pile of divine artifacts at hand, he only realized someone was near when they were already close enough to take his belongings!"What is this medicine called?"Wei Tianchen replied, "It's called the Dao Heart Bewildering Elixir."Danye, the Free God, crushed the box and inhaled the powder inside in one breath, then nodded repeatedly, a look of intoxication on his face. "Excellent, excellent, truly wonderful.""What is your name?""Wei Tianchen.""Do you have any other miraculous medicines?""I haphazardly made a few; they're all here.""I'd like to take you as my disciple and teach you alchemy. Are you willing to come with me?"

Zhao Xing and Wei Tianchen had previously established a mental space to deal with Fu Mengzhen, and at that moment, Zhao Xing clearly saw Wei Tianchen trembling. This trembling within the mental space indicated that Wei Tianchen was experiencing significant emotional fluctuations. Zhao Xing didn't understand why Wei Tianchen was shaking. Danye, the Free God, seemed to have no ill intent and completely ignored the numerous divine artifacts. Wasn't this a good thing?However, Wei Tianchen quickly returned to normal. He bowed and said, "I am willing to come with you."Seeing Wei Tianchen agree, Danye, the Free God, was very pleased. His gaze finally rested on Zhao Xing for a second but quickly dismissed him. Upon seeing this, Wei Tianchen pointed to Zhao Xing. "He is my subordinate. I'd like to give him some instructions and have him return to manage my territory.""You may."Wei Tianchen then handed the red thumb ring from his hand to Zhao Xing.He then calmly stated, "I have met a venerated deity, and there is hope for my Great Dao. Return on your own and cultivate diligently.""Yes," Zhao Xing replied, taking the red jade thumb ring.The next second, Wei Tianchen flew to Danye, the Free God's side, without looking back.*Whoosh!*Danye, the Free God, did not spare Zhao Xing another glance. With a wave of his hand, he vanished with Wei Tianchen from Five Fortunes Island.

Zhao Xing calmly put away the imprisoned Fu Mengzhen and then flew towards Bone Territory.*Rumble!*Soon after he departed, Five Fortunes Island, having lost its divine aura, self-destructed. The violent explosion obliterated all traces of the island, scattering its remnants into the vast Nine Yin River.On his way back to Bone Territory, Zhao Xing felt bewildered. This was because Wei Tianchen had given him his most important storage ring. He had personally witnessed Wei Tianchen place all five divine artifacts used against Fu Mengzhen—including the Eight Directions Divine Mirror, the Azure Water Golden Divine Gourd, the Primordial Wheel, and others—into this very red jade thumb ring! It was even highly probable that something Wei Tianchen valued immensely, Fan Qianrou's "Seven Stars Cabinet," was also inside."This Danye, the Free God, has a big problem!"

Wei Tianchen being taken as a disciple by Danye, the Free God, should have been a good thing. Yet, Wei Tianchen's actions were as if he were never coming back, subtly implying he was entrusting his legacy by having Zhao Xing take all his precious belongings back. Zhao Xing carefully recalled the conversation between Danye, the Free God, and Wei Tianchen. He hadn't noticed anything amiss. Danye, the Free God, didn't care about the treasures of Five Fortunes Island, nor was he Fu Mengzhen's reinforcement. He didn't even spare a glance for the divine artifacts Wei Tianchen had left out, such as the Eight Directions Divine Mirror."What exactly happened?""Is this an opportunity after my luck surged?""Even though I can't open the red jade thumb ring right now, I'm no longer bound. If I were to run away with this ring—that would be a huge fortune!"As this thought flashed through his mind, Zhao Xing immediately calmed down."No, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Before I know the reason, it's best to return to Bone City first."The red jade thumb ring still held Wei Tianchen's seal; as long as he wasn't dead, Zhao Xing couldn't open it. If he couldn't open it, it was as good as not having it. Running around with so many divine artifacts might not be a blessing but a calamity!"Return!"Zhao Xing suppressed his greed and returned to Bone City two months later.

*Whoosh!*When Zhao Xing returned to the fire pit in Bone City, he saw a clone of Wei Tianchen waiting in front of it. Wei Tianchen originally possessed multiple worldly avatars, but after entering the Bone God Domain, they had disintegrated one after another. This was because those avatars were merely 'living dead,' their lifespans already ended, just empty shells of flesh and blood refined by Wei Tianchen into living corpses and controlled by his soul. The current clone was a temporary avatar cultivated over these past thirty-three years using the Fire Seed Soul-Splitting technique."Old Imperial Physician, I've brought your things back," Zhao Xing said, taking off the red jade thumb ring and tossing it to Wei Tianchen's clone."You're back, that's good," Wei Tianchen said. "If you had run away, the red jade ring would not have been a blessing but a calamity for you."Having said that, Wei Tianchen tossed the thumb ring back to Zhao Xing."You mean—" Zhao Xing was stunned for a moment."If I die, this item will be yours," Wei Tianchen's clone said. "At that moment, the spirit of the red jade ring will automatically help you open the seal.""If that day truly comes, Zhao Xing, you might as well also cultivate the medical path. With Fan Qianrou's Heart Sealing technique as a foundation and the legacy I've left behind, becoming a god by this path might not be a bad thing."Zhao Xing felt complicated. He hadn't expected Wei Tianchen to genuinely intend to entrust this item to him."Now, quickly contact Venerable Zhujian and have him return, then use that boy Bai Lanjun's formation to escape with you."

"Is that guy problematic?" Zhao Xing did not use Danye, the Free God's honorific title. He merely contacted Venerable Zhujian while also contacting his clone to notify Venerable Zhujian in Anshan Territory to return quickly."Hmm," Wei Tianchen sighed softly."As I said before, becoming a Free God involves self-realization of the Dao, but after becoming a Free God, one still has to endure divine tribulations.""Only through Heaven and Earth Dao realization, becoming a True Unhindered God, can one achieve true freedom.""He took an interest in me; either he intends to seize my Dao, or he plans to make me his tool.""A disciple—heh, he doesn't even care about divine artifacts. Why would he take a disciple for no reason?"Zhao Xing understood. Wei Tianchen didn't want his method of Heaven and Earth Dao realization to be stolen by Danye, the Free God, and the Seven Stars Cabinet was his most crucial item for Dao realization. If Wei Tianchen died, it would prove his conjecture was correct. If he guessed wrong and Danye, the Free God, truly wanted to take him as a disciple, then Wei Tianchen could return and retrieve the red jade thumb ring later. However, Wei Tianchen believed the former was more likely.The Old Imperial Physician regarded gods as parasites, just as cold-blooded and selfish as Bovai believed divinity to be. In comparison, he preferred to give the Seven Stars Cabinet to Zhao Xing rather than to the divine Danye."Old Imperial Physician, didn't you say you weren't afraid of ordinary gods?" Zhao Xing asked. "With so many divine artifacts, can't you fight him?""Even if I win, I can't kill him, and if I lose, I'll have nothing," Wei Tianchen shook his head. He dared not take the risk. If he lost, his lifelong aspiration would become impossible to achieve.

"Where should we run to?" Zhao Xing asked."According to Fu Mengzhen's testimony, I'm almost at the destination, I can't say more—" The small fire seed within Wei Tianchen's clone's skull was dimming at an alarming rate.*Thud!* The skeletal body fell heavily to the ground."Old Imperial Physician?!" Zhao Xing rushed over to check, only to find that Wei Tianchen's fire seed was now only the size of a firefly. Although not completely extinguished, he could no longer communicate.*Whoosh!*A few days later, a figure emerged from the fire pit. Venerable Zhujian had returned from Anshan City."What happened? Where's Wei Tianchen?""We encountered a Free God," Zhao Xing said, pointing to Wei Tianchen's clone's bones, and briefly recounted the situation. "That's how it happened."Venerable Zhujian fell silent. In the Profound Spirit Star Domain, he had only personally seen divine beings twice in his lifetime, and communicated with one only once. He had never imagined the Profound Yellow World to be so dangerous, encountering a divine being after only thirty-odd years of arrival. While he knew it would happen sooner or later and that interacting with divine beings was dangerous, he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. After a brief shock, Venerable Zhujian asked the same question Zhao Xing had asked earlier: "If a divine being wants to pursue us, where is it safe to go?"

Zhao Xing took out three pieces of animal hide with confessions recorded on them. "According to Fu Mengzhen's testimony, we have three options.""First, go to Fu Mengzhen's lair. Her lair belongs to the territory of a Free God, which is the core region of the Bone Yin Realm. There's a Moon God Grotto-Heaven there, and it's publicly known. Fu Mengzhen has consistently paid tribute to that entity and gained the Moon God's protection. Since we can now control Fu Mengzhen, we can temporarily hide in her lair.""Second, do the opposite: move away from the center of the Southern Continent and hide in the peripheral regions where bone creatures are sparse.""Third, still go to the core region, but in a different direction from Fu Mengzhen's lair, and seek the protection of another divine being, Yumo, the Free God. This location is also publicly known."

Venerable Zhujian mused, "Fu Mengzhen's lair is clearly not a good place. Who knows if Fu Mengzhen might recover, and I'm no physician.""Besides, the one paying tribute is Fu Mengzhen, not us.""Hiding in the peripheral regions may not be safe either. Let's go to Yumo Grotto-Heaven."Zhao Xing actually thought the second option wasn't bad. Assuming Wei Tianchen was truly dead, with a pile of divine artifacts and thirty-tier luck, hiding in the peripheral regions would be feasible. Furthermore, he wanted to know what kind of treasure he had summoned, and successfully summoning it right under the nose of a divine being might not be a good thing. However, Venerable Zhujian's point was also very valid. Hiding in the peripheral regions might not be secure, and would they have to hide forever?"Then let's go to Yumo Grotto-Heaven."Ultimately, Zhao Xing and Venerable Zhujian reached an agreement. He had Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun secretly go ahead to set up fire pits along the route according to the map obtained from Fu Mengzhen. Zhao Xing and Venerable Zhujian, meanwhile, continued living as usual in Bone Territory.

About seven years later, the fire pit network was successfully established. At this time, Wei Tianchen's clone was still in a semi-comatose state. Seven and a half years later, Venerable Zhujian challenged a level-13 Bone King to a duel. The two fought a world-shattering battle in Bone City, with raging wildfires burning, ultimately leading to the entire city being destroyed in the war between the two kings. Both kings "perished together."In the Bone Yin Realm, Yumo State, the sky was hazy and gray, and mist seemed to fill the entire world, making visibility extremely low. It was almost impossible to distinguish day from night.*Whoosh!*On the edge of Yumo State, a small bonfire, only ten meters in circumference and half a person's height, suddenly illuminated the mist. Immediately after, five figures emerged from it.*Pop!*Upon seeing Zhao Xing, Venerable Zhujian, and his senior brother and sister emerge, Bai Lanjun immediately extinguished the fire pit and completely destroyed it, as per the original plan."Sir, everything is ready," Bai Lanjun said. "From here, heading east, it will only take about half a year to enter the Yumo State territory.""For safety, my senior brother, sister, and I also set up a fire pit route leading to Moon God State, and then extinguished them one by one.""Xiaobai, you've worked hard," Zhao Xing nodded. The Divine Fire Sect's fire pit formations were very sophisticated, and according to Xiaobai, they were very difficult for gods to track. However, to be safe, Zhao Xing had them arrange an additional deceptive route, just in case something bad happened, to buy more time.

"Fu Mengzhen, you lead the way," Zhao Xing said, looking at the faint mist around them, instructing Fu Mengzhen to guide them through the final leg of the journey. Map fog was a characteristic feature of the Bone Yin Realm, just like the underworld in the Profound Yellow World back then; it required specific routes to navigate. According to Fu Mengzhen, some divine territories were public, while others were hidden. In the three hundred years since the formation of the Bone Yin Realm, the only public divine territories she knew of were these two places."Yes," Fu Mengzhen was still in a dazed state at this time. She had not recovered from the Dao Heart Bewildering Elixir Wei Tianchen had given her. According to the system panel, Fu Mengzhen's realm, luck, spells, and so on, were all abnormal.At this time, Zhao Xing had also equipped the divine bone of Xuerui, God of Luck. Over the next few months, they safely passed through the mist.One day, they passed through the last patch of mist, and suddenly the world became clear. The ground beneath their feet was no longer barren and lifeless but lush green grassland."You have arrived at Yumo State. Coordinates: Bone Yin Realm Southeast, Tian Shu 42, Di Zang 5, Yu God 52.Yu God 'Moyuan' spread his teachings in the Profound Yellow World, established Yumo Grotto-Heaven, and seized a heavenly secret for fifty-two years.""Hmm?" Zhao Xing looked at the coordinate prompt and couldn't help but feel a ripple of unease. Why did such a prompt appear again?"It seems this Yu God Moyuan is also a significant figure. If the New Profound Yellow World is a 'version,' then Yu God Moyuan is an important character in this version. However, he and Yuan are probably not on the same level," Zhao Xing thought.Just then, Zhao Xing's left hand bone suddenly felt hot. The red jade thumb ring he wore suddenly emitted a slight vibration.*Pop!*It was like a pebble dropping into still water.Zhao Xing's entire body trembled.The red jade thumb ring had been unsealed!