Chapter 504: Heavenly Patrol, Dual Cultivation Dream

Two crystal-clear dragon horns emerged from the clouds. On closer inspection, numerous lines were visible inside the horns, with jade-bead-like liquid flowing along them.

As the dragon horns appeared, Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun began to tremble slightly.

When the dragon's head fully appeared, they immediately fell to their knees, overwhelmed by the pressure of the Great Dao.

Zhao Xing and Fu Mengzhen, however, remained standing, unaffected.

The dragon's head was about a hundred meters tall. Its eye sockets were empty, but within each, a figure resided. The space in the left eye emitted a flickering light; on closer inspection, it was a miniature spherical array of magic circles, seemingly with stars in motion. The right eye space, except for its pale blue glow, was arranged identically to the left.

"A mechanical dragon?" Zhao Xing had expected a true dragon to appear, but instead, it was a mechanical dragon, or rather, just its skull.

"Your Majesty, this is a Sky Patrol Divine Guard from Yuzhou." Perhaps spurred by the sight, Fu Mengzhen suddenly reverted to her previous demeanor, no longer bouncing around.

"Is God Yu the God of Mechanisms?" Zhao Xing asked, intrigued.

"This humble servant does not know," Fu Mengzhen replied, shaking her head. "God Yu has never publicly revealed his Dao, nor has he ever preached."

Recalling how Wei Tianchen was captured by the Self-Sovereign God Danyue after revealing his Heart-Bewildering Divine Medicine, Zhao Xing realized that demonstrating one's Dao in the Unfathomable Bone Divine Realm might not be a good idea, unless one had absolute certainty of safety.

"God Yu Moyuan is already a divine realm expert, capable of creating his own Dao in the Unfathomable Bone Divine Realm, yet he keeps it private. He is truly cautious," Zhao Xing mused.

"However, I don't need to worry about this danger for now. One must at least be a demigod to seek to become a deity."

"Weaker demigods usually can't even find their own Dao."

Thinking of Venerable Bamboo Sword, before he came to the Profound Yellow Realm, he sought a bounty from the Shadow Sanctuary for a divine sword, clearly indicating he hadn't yet found his path to godhood.

After arriving in the Profound Yellow Realm and entering the Five Tribulations Bone Divine Realm, his true spirit realm improved, but he remained confused about achieving godhood.

Bovary was even more exaggerated; he had survived eighteen tribulations before finding his Dao!

"Only powerful demigods who follow the path of attaining godhood through heaven and earth will be targeted."

While he was pondering, the dragon skull slowly approached, finally stopping motionless at a safe distance.

The skull emitted ominous red and blue auras.

The figures in the eye sockets remained silent, continuously emitting light, seemingly engaged in some form of assessment.

After receiving a nod from Zhao Xing, Fu Mengzhen stated her identity and purpose: "I am Fu Mengzhen, bearer of a First-Rank Fire Seed Ring. I greet the Sky Patrol Divine Guard. We wish to reside in Yuzhou."

Fu Mengzhen was a Thirteenth-Tier demigod; as long as she didn't encounter a divine realm expert, she was considered powerful in the Bone Yin Realm.

Powerful individuals command respect everywhere, and she also possessed a First-Rank Fire Seed Ring. After a soft hum, Zhao Xing felt the mechanical dragon skull noticeably lower its alert level.

"Sky Patrol Divine Guard, Yi Qing. This is a mechanical puppet I control," the two figures inside the dragon skull declared in unison.

"Your Majesty, this person can control powerful puppets and magical artifacts; he must also be a demigod," Fu Mengzhen secretly transmitted.

"He is a mechanical demigod skilled in puppet and Dao soldier arts. His true body hides far behind, yet he can continuously dispatch powerful mechanical puppets. He's a formidable individual; I can't pinpoint the direction of his true body at all."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly. He had also discerned this, not through a system panel, but through the Eight Directions Divine Mirror left by Wei Tianchen.

The Eight Directions Divine Mirror even displayed fragmented 'future scenes,' showing what Yi Qing's true body looked like.

Although old Wei was dead, his divine artifact was still functioning. With his legacy as a foundation, Zhao Xing didn't even need to equip the palm bone of the God of Auspicious Fortune.

"Fellow Daoist Fu, are you visiting Yuzhou temporarily or seeking permanent residence?" Yi Qing quickly inquired. "Do you wish to enter the Yu Divine Grotto-Heaven?"

"Only temporarily."

"If temporary, you only need to submit a complete set of the corresponding advancement materials," Yi Qing explained.

Fu Mengzhen somewhat reluctantly handed over all the materials.

Yi Qing then led them in flight.

En route, Fu Mengzhen transmitted a complaint to Zhao Xing: "Your Majesty, the rules are different now. Before, entering Yuzhou only required half a set of advancement materials; now it's a full set. I'm afraid the rules for entering Moyuan City have also changed."

"What are the rules for Moyuan City?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Your Majesty needs to evade the pursuit of the Self-Sovereign God Danyue, so naturally, it's safer to reside in a city near the Yu Divine Grotto-Heaven."

"It's even safer inside the Grotto-Heaven where God Yu resides, but the Yu Divine Grotto-Heaven is not open to the public; entry is usually by invitation only."

"Previously, Moyuan City also only required the submission of treasures like soul crystals, bone spirit stones, or bone bodies. But just now, Yi Qing told me that for long-term residence in Moyuan City, one needs to leave behind a Dao Stone."

Leave a Dao Stone? Zhao Xing's brow bone twitched.

A Dao Stone is a vessel for storing secret techniques and insights into the origin of the Dao.

If Fu Mengzhen wanted to bring Zhao Xing, Hu Qing, Yan Jun, and Bai Lanjun to live in Moyuan City, she would have to leave behind one of her learned secret techniques and its corresponding Dao insights. Zhao Xing felt that this rule had ill intentions.

However, Fu Mengzhen also mentioned that the rules were the same in Yuezhou.

God Yu had simply established this rule later, and the requirements were relatively lower.

As they traveled by array teleportation, it only took half a month from the border to outside Moyuan City.

Moyuan City was built on a cliff edge, beside a bottomless great rift valley.

Outside the city was a smaller town called Jidao Palace.

Of course, this palace collected others' Dao; God Yu himself had left no secret techniques.

To reside long-term in Moyuan City, one had to contribute a secret technique and insights, which Fu Mengzhen naturally provided alone.

"Your Majesty, I'm going in," Fu Mengzhen said, looking back at Zhao Xing.

"Understood. Thank you for your trouble," Zhao Xing replied, maintaining his role.

"Your Majesty, there are five of us, needing five sets of secret techniques in total. I've provided them all myself. Shouldn't you give me some reward?" Fu Mengzhen asked playfully.

"What do you want?" Zhao Xing asked, somewhat wary.

Fu Mengzhen said nothing, merely rubbed against Zhao Xing with the flesh of her lower body, desire burning fiercely in her eye sockets.

Zhao Xing's skull felt a bit numb.

Old Wei's Heart-Bewildering Divine Medicine was truly potent; what had it turned Fu Mengzhen into?

"You go first," Zhao Xing said evasively.

There were too many people present to administer the medicine. He would switch Fu Mengzhen's mode once they returned to their residence.

Within the old imperial physician's red jade thumb ring, there was a city of medicine.

Some medicines could even be continuously manufactured. He had set up many medicinal puppets, so Zhao Xing didn't even need to understand medicine; he just had to find the materials and give them to the puppets to produce finished products.

What he lacked in other areas, he made up for in an abundance of medicine.

"Smooch!" "Your Majesty, I'm going!"

With his permission, Fu Mengzhen swiftly lunged forward, kissed Zhao Xing's facial bone, and then joyfully walked inside.

Zhao Xing glanced back to see Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun beside them, seemingly disconnected, pretending not to have seen anything.

"To think I was taken advantage of by a 'pink skeleton'."

Zhao Xing shook his head and waited quietly to the side.

After leaving Jidao Palace, Zhao Xing and his four companions entered Moyuan City under the guidance of the Sky Patrol Guards.

As a Thirteenth-Tier demigod, Fu Mengzhen received her due treatment after paying the price: a five-hundred-mile-radius estate in Moyuan City for residence.

"Your Majesty, this is our new residence. You three, please step outside," Fu Mengzhen said, looking at Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun.

The three from the Divine Fire Sect immediately left, understanding the hint.

"Your Majesty, am I beautiful?" Seeing the three leave, Fu Mengzhen immediately twirled her magical robes and pounced on Zhao Xing.

"Wham!" Zhao Xing was caught off guard and hit hard, feeling a sharp pain. Just before Fu Mengzhen could forcibly engage in 'divine intercourse' with him, he finally managed to administer the medicine.

"Woof!" The humanoid illusion in Fu Mengzhen's eye sockets quickly faded, switching her to another mode.

Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun, who had not yet gone far from the main hall, heard the dog bark and exchanged glances.

The outspoken Hu Qing blurted out, "That senior and his Dao companion certainly have unique tastes—"

Although Bai Lanjun thought the same, she reprimanded him, "Senior Brother, are you tired of living? Is Sir Zhao someone we can discuss? How many more times must you die to learn your lesson?"

"Mmph," Hu Qing immediately covered his mouth.

"Junior Brother, don't blame Senior Brother Hu," Yan Jun said. "He's died nine times; his mind isn't quite right."

"Nine times? I thought it was only seven?"

"Sigh..."

"Ah..." In Mount Fugu, an old man in dark green robes let out a sigh.

"Careless. I didn't expect to be affected by the Dao of Fortune and miss that minor character for seven years." The Self-Sovereign God Danyue looked at the ruins below, regret on his face. Behind him, a retinue of bone kings followed.

"When one person attains the Dao, even their dogs and chickens ascend to heaven. Wei Tianchen, my good disciple, why wouldn't you leave it for me?"

"Once I verify the origin, how could I ever mistreat you?"

The Self-Sovereign God Danyue's gaze fixed on a dilapidated Soul Well. He waved his hand, and a divine light showered down.

The divine light affected the space around the ruined Soul Well, causing heaven and earth to tremble.

Danyue waved his hand casually, as if performing a miraculous resurrection, and the ruined Soul Well actually recovered.

Moreover, bone creatures began to crawl out.

"Swish, swish, swish!" They were collected one by one by the Self-Sovereign God Danyue and carefully examined.

"It seems he's truly dead."

The Self-Sovereign God Danyue then began to question some newly formed bone creatures, reviewing the battle from half a year ago in Fugu City through their preserved memories.

A complete spatiotemporal scene quickly formed in his mind.

It was the battle scene between Venerable Bamboo Sword and another bone king.

"Destroying all the Soul Wells in a mutual destruction, that was a clever move, but they still underestimated me." The Self-Sovereign God Danyue instantly spotted something amiss.

He then closed his eyes and continued to restore the key points of Fugu City.

"Whoosh~" A fire pit within Fugu City also reignited.

But at that moment, the fire pit suddenly contracted, forming a human figure.

"Hmph!" A cold snort came from the fiery shadow, which then quickly extinguished.

The Self-Sovereign God Danyue was pensive.

He could heal many things, even the Soul Wells. However, the fire pit array bore the imprint of a divine realm expert from the Divine Fire Sect. Even if it was just Bai Lanjun's routine prayer during the array setup, it could not be invaded by the Self-Sovereign God Danyue.

This imprint was insensitive to other things, but if the Self-Sovereign God Danyue tried to deconstruct the fire pit array, it would be akin to deconstructing the Great Dao of the Divine Fire Venerable from the Divine Fire Sect.

However, Danyue also understood that Zhao Xing and his party had escaped through the fire pit.

In such a situation, divine power searching was inconvenient, so he could only dispatch his subordinates for on-site verification and to find clues.

After much searching, about a year later, the Self-Sovereign God Danyue finally received news from his subordinate.

"Master, there's a seventy percent chance the target went to Yuzhou, a twenty percent chance to Yuezhou, and only a ten percent chance they're hiding in an unknown place obscured by mist barriers," a demigod reported, riding atop a turtle.

The Self-Sovereign God Danyue commanded, "Aiyiso, go to Yuzhou and either bribe or become a Sky Patrol Divine Guard. Hongwu, go to Yuezhou and either bribe or join the Moon Divine Guard. Find this person, then bring them back."

It was taboo for the Self-Sovereign God Danyue to personally trespass on God Yu Moyuan's territory.

"Yes, Master."

Moyuan City, Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.

"Whoosh~" Zhao Xing suddenly felt a premonition, then immediately pulled out the Eight Directions Divine Mirror from his red jade thumb ring.

The aura on the Eight Directions Divine Mirror dispersed, revealing a young man in black robes, riding a turtle.

The divine mirror displayed a warning signal and transmitted specific karmic sensations.

He even learned that this person was named Aiyiso, a Thirteenth-Tier demigod sent by the Self-Sovereign God Danyue.

The Eight Directions Divine Mirror was powerful, which was why Wei Tianchen knew Danyue was coming to seize his Dao after seeing him; everything had been foretold.

"Possesses flesh and blood, yet only a demigod?" Zhao Xing looked at the mirror. "It seems this is a very important subordinate of the Self-Sovereign God Danyue."

Demigods could also possess flesh and blood bodies; Zhao Xing had learned this from Fu Mengzhen.

It was also one of the three important pieces of information Wei Tianchen had intended to share.

Possessing flesh and blood, and resurrection, were two distinct stages. Having flesh and blood did not mean one was a divine realm expert, nor did being a divine realm expert guarantee resurrection back to the living world.

Both required obtaining corresponding secret techniques. Fu Mengzhen had said these techniques came from the Divine Fire Temple.

However, the secret technique she had exchanged for was incomplete, only covering her lower body so far.

Clearly, the Self-Sovereign God Danyue had mastered such a secret technique.

Restoring flesh and blood offered too many advantages. Zhao Xing could utilize his inner world and fully exert his combat power.

Of course, it was also possible that the Self-Sovereign God Danyue, being the God of Physicians, possessed abilities similar to healing bones and flesh.

"The previous arrangements only bought me a little over a year; I've still been found." Zhao Xing thought to himself that the bad news was the Self-Sovereign God Danyue was truly coming to hunt him. The good news was that Danyue wouldn't easily set foot in Yuzhou.

A Thirteenth-Tier demigod was not yet an unavoidable threat.

"Senior Divine Mirror, how does he plan to deal with me?"

Zhao Xing consumed his true spirit energy and the mana from his bone marrow to activate the Eight Directions Divine Mirror.

Normally, the Eight Directions Divine Mirror could provide warnings without consuming mana or true spirit energy. However, Zhao Xing was now using the divination function of a diviner's divine artifact.

He had to infuse his mana and true spirit to awaken the divine mirror's artifact spirit, providing a medium for the artifact spirit to gain direction from the mana and true spirit, and thus glean more information.

"Whoosh~" As a large amount of mana and true spirit energy was infused, the Eight Directions Divine Mirror immediately displayed a series of future scenes. Moments later, Zhao Xing learned of Aiyiso's actions.

"He plans to bribe or become a Sky Patrol Divine Guard, then find an opportunity to capture you and take you out of Moyuan City. To capture someone under the 'official' gaze of Yuzhou, the only way is to become 'official'."

This way, he would acquire legitimate authority to act.

Upon receiving the answer, Zhao Xing immediately smiled.

"How easy is it to bribe a Sky Patrol Divine Guard?"

Zhao Xing had been here for a year and had gathered much information.

The Sky Patrol Divine Guards held a very high status in Yuzhou, and indeed throughout the entire Bone Yin Realm.

After all, God Yu Moyuan was the second divine realm expert to open up a Grotto-Heaven world, second only to the Moon God.

After Moyuan opened the Grotto-Heaven world and radiated Yuzhou, its Dao, laws, matter, and life became richer than anywhere else.

When one person attains the Dao, even their dogs and chickens ascend to heaven. If God Yu were to advance further in the future, the Sky Patrol Divine Guards would undoubtedly enjoy immense blessings, perhaps even returning to the mortal realm.

Under such circumstances, how could a Sky Patrol Divine Guard be easily bribed?

"Joining the Sky Patrol Divine Guards is also very difficult; the assessment is not something ordinary people can pass."

"Senior Divine Mirror, assuming Aiyiso chooses to become a Sky Patrol Divine Guard, how long would that take?" Zhao Xing asked again.

"At least sixty years, at most one hundred and twenty years."

"Senior Divine Mirror, assuming Aiyiso becomes a Sky Patrol Divine Guard, or successfully bribes one, what is the probability of me being captured?"

The divine mirror provided the answer: "If that were the prerequisite, there would be over 1,600 possibilities in the future, and you would only have over 100 possibilities of escape."

Zhao Xing was stunned. "Doesn't that mean less than a ten percent chance?"

The divine mirror analyzed: "You possess many divine artifacts, but most of them cannot unleash their full power."

"You are merely an Eighth Tribulation Emperor, and your magical cultivation is too shallow. Your foundation has improved too quickly, but the power of your spells is only average."

"Meanwhile, your opponent is a Thirteenth-Tier demigod. Under the premise of becoming or bribing a Sky Patrol Divine Guard, you have a one percent chance of escape, and that is only because of my existence."

The artifact spirit of the divine mirror's words were quite disheartening, as they were very frank.

Zhao Xing had advanced from a First Tribulation Emperor to an Eighth Tribulation Emperor in just thirty-three years, relying entirely on the unique resources of the Bone Divine Realm for his progression.

In thirty-three years, no matter how much one cultivated, the progress of spells could not keep up with the advancement speed of true spirit and mana. Indeed, many of Zhao Xing's current spells had only just entered the Reincarnation-tier secret technique level.

If he could restore his flesh-and-blood body, that would be ideal. Zhao Xing's other spells were relatively weak, but once he regained his flesh-and-blood body, wielding the "Nine Marshes God" with his current foundation, coupled with the Heaven-Changing Divine Needle, would definitely put him at a demigod level!

Over the past year, he had been cultivating the flesh-and-blood secret technique given to him by Fu Mengzhen.

"Senior Divine Mirror, can you predict when I can restore my physical body, and what is the probability if I wish to join the Sky Patrol Divine Guards?"

Restoring his physical body was only one part; that alone wasn't safe enough. Joining the Sky Patrol Divine Guards would be double insurance.

If he couldn't defeat them, he would join them. If he became a Sky Patrol Divine Guard himself, he naturally wouldn't fear Aiyiso harming him using such methods.

The divine mirror's artifact spirit: "If you cultivate at your current speed, it would take approximately five hundred years to recover. As for the Sky Patrol Divine Guards, the probability is too minuscule, almost impossible."

"Five hundred years?!" Zhao Xing was stunned. "Senior, are you mistaken? With my talent, would it still take five hundred years?"

Zhao Xing had always been confident in his talent and had put in enough effort. Of course, he made no mention of the system panel.

Could it be that the divine mirror was unaware of the system panel's existence, leading it to conclude five hundred years?

The artifact spirit of the divine mirror still spoke emotionlessly: "The flesh-and-blood regeneration technique Fu Mengzhen gave you is incomplete. Furthermore, the 'Desire Dream Art' is a dual cultivation method. How can you make progress constantly cultivating alone?"

The "Desire Dream Art" was precisely the flesh-and-blood regeneration technique that Fu Mengzhen cultivated.

This method involved 'divine intercourse' in dreams, experiencing intense love to nourish the spirit with emotion and foster flesh and blood with mental power.

In short, it could be summarized as: flesh and blood grow through being loved.

But it was a dual cultivation method. Zhao Xing's slow progress wasn't because he was incompetent or because the system panel was ineffective; it was purely due to the lack of a dual cultivation partner.

"It's not that I don't know," Zhao Xing sighed. "It's just that I have some secrets I don't want Fu Mengzhen or anyone else to know."

This method required two people to be completely open with each other, with their souls intertwined. How could Zhao Xing be completely open with Fu Mengzhen?

Moreover, Fu Mengzhen wasn't in a normal state. If she were to regain her consciousness while cultivating, everything would be ruined.

"Then you can only find another method."

"Senior, can you derive a solo cultivation version from the 'Desire Dream Art'?"

"I am not for granting wishes."

Zhao Xing knew he was asking too much of the mirror. The Eight Directions Divine Mirror's functions didn't cover this; a divine artifact with such a capability would be the Scarlet Star Empire's 'Great Derivation Divine Armament.'

Putting away the Eight Directions Divine Mirror, Zhao Xing fell into thought.

He found Fu Mengzhen and inquired about the possibility of exchanging for another flesh-and-blood technique.

But Fu Mengzhen told him it was impossible: "Your Majesty, exchanging for the 'Desire Dream Art' already exhausted my accumulation of one hundred and fifty years. Other techniques would be even more expensive; we couldn't exchange for them in a short time."

Zhao Xing wanted to say he could try selling a divine artifact, but the Divine Fire Temple didn't accept them.

It only issued quests; completing them earned exchange points.

Fu Mengzhen had never visited the Divine Fire Temple herself. She received quests through her Fire Seed Ring, accumulated points, and then stated her desired exchange through the Fire Seed Ring. Soon after, treasures would descend from the sky; everything was conducted via the Fire Seed Ring.

"Your Majesty, have you grown tired of me?" As she spoke, Fu Mengzhen suddenly covered her face and sobbed, agitated.

"Huh?" Zhao Xing was suddenly bewildered.

"Why are you unwilling to dual cultivate with me?"

"This—" Zhao Xing was speechless. Under the stimulation, Fu Mengzhen seemed to be on the verge of regaining consciousness.

Helpless, facing Fu Mengzhen, who seemed to be on the verge of conscious awakening, he could only administer the medicine again, switching her to another state.

"Woof!"

Leaving Fu Mengzhen's residence, Zhao Xing sighed.

He regretted letting Venerable Bamboo Sword leave so soon.

If Venerable Bamboo Sword were still here, with the assistance of his Fortune Divine Bone and the functions of the Eight Directions Divine Mirror, it wouldn't be impossible to subtly defeat Aiyiso.

Aiyiso might possess a flesh and blood regeneration technique. However, going against a Thirteenth-Tier demigod alone now was truly too risky.

Should he use Fu Mengzhen? She had been affected by the Heart-Bewildering Divine Medicine and was only at the level of a Twelfth Tribulation demigod, and her performance was very unstable.

Zhao Xing pondered over it and realized he truly had no more options.

"Damn it, is dual cultivating with Fu Mengzhen really the only path left?"