Chapter 849: Chapter 572: Martial Destiny Forges the Golden Body
"Is this junior the Lu Chenzhou from Water Mansion?"
The Eternal Immortal replied proudly:
"Yes."
"Is Lu Chenzhou even stronger than you, sir?"
"I merely started earlier, that’s all."
"When the war is over, can I stay by your side?" The Goddess clutched her skirt, eyes full of hope.
"Of course."
...
Returning Ruins Great World.
Somewhere at the bottom of the sea, within a Grotto Heaven.
Three powerful figures gathered together.
A giant ten thousand feet tall, a six-armed sea demon, and an eight-headed sea flood-dragon—each, no weaker than the Eternal Immortal.
The eight-headed sea flood-dragon’s golden eyes shone brightly, its Dragon Power thick and intense.
"Overestimating themselves. Even the Divine Court lost? What use is there for us to come out? Might as well enjoy our final peace."
This was the Emperor of the Sea Clan, the Nine-headed Flood Dragon Emperor, bearing the ancient True Spirit bloodline of the [Nine-headed Dragon]. His strength was considered top level even across the Three Thousand Worlds, and he ruled over the Returning Ruins Realm.
"Indeed. We still want to live a little longer."
The giant hailed from the clan of Dragon Bo, carrying the [Kua Zu] bloodline, unrivaled in speed, his ancestors once great generals of the Divine Court.
"They’re just hopeless desperados who’ve burned their lifespan and potential to achieve hasty breakthroughs, destined never to become Gods. So what of becoming Seventh Realm within a century?" sneered the six-armed sea demon.
"The Tianxia human civilization is far too young, never having lived through the horrors of a Divine War. They treat the billions killed in war as mere numbers in a chronicle. Only those of us who lived through it and survived by luck understand—that it’s better to live shamefully than die with honor. Each extra year is a blessing."
The Nine-headed Flood Dragon Emperor sighed.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t fought.
He’d fought with all his might, but lost.
By luck, he survived.
Now, he clung to life, relying on Secret Techniques and binding himself to the will of the Returning Ruins Great World, living on as a quasi-Earth God.
"Even with all its might, the Divine Court couldn’t defeat the Evil Gods. How can just a few hidden cards hope to turn the tide?"
"Enough, let’s go back to sleep."
"If we don’t come out, there’s no war."
"Even if the gods truly revive, dying in a dream is painless."
The three brothers lay down and instantly fell asleep.
A life of lying flat requires no more words.
...
Heavenly Pool Great World.
Four Symbols Personnel’s eyes gleamed with joy.
"Little junior has reached Breakthrough Seven. My Elephant Form branch truly abounds with talent; there are now five at the Seventh Realm. I must not be complacent and should strive to reach the Late Stage soon."
In this Great World, he matched wits and strength with the Eighth Realm expert, the Demon Lord, and his Demon Clan, and finally discovered the location of the legendary Grotto Heaven left by the mighty Chasing Sun Dragon Emperor.
Alas, the Demon Lord also discovered the Grotto Heaven. Now, with the Demon Clan’s armies guarding it, he was powerless to do anything.
...
"A third Spear Skill Absolute Peak has emerged! Next time I meet him, I must properly consult with him on the ’Martial God Spear’!"
The Sea Covering Spear was in high spirits.
...
Relying on the Lighting Order, many of Da Xia’s experts who roamed abroad all heard the news of Lu Chenzhou’s Breakthrough Seven.
This was a major event.
They had awaited this day for so long.
A newly advanced Seventh Realm who might be even more terrifying than the Dragon King—he would strongly improve Tianxia’s current predicament.
...
Kunxu Great World.
Inside an Ancient Cultivation Cave Mansion.
"Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures belong to the virtuous. If Fairy doesn’t want to suffer, hand them over."
"You’re a foreigner, yet seek to covet fortunes of my Kunxu Realm. Don’t you think you’re being a little too greedy?"
"Fairy, you might as well ask the Kunxu Daoist friends exploring these cave mansions—Jushan Three Companions are not to be trifled with!"
The three oddly dressed men surrounded the Yaochi Immortal.
The Yaochi Immortal’s brows, beneath her veil, were furrowed tightly.
"I risked half my life for this fortune, and you three ugly freaks—dream on! What Jushan Three Companions? Just a pile of twisted fruits. Jushan Three Uglies is more like it. What a waste of Seventh Realm Cultivation, only doing such filthy deeds."
Her character would never let her suffer a loss.
The strongest of the three sneered.
"You upstart civilizations probably have no idea how brutal the Great Wilderness once was! Survival of the fittest—that’s heaven’s law! You ought to be glad you ran into us, the Jushan Three Companions who don’t fancy women. If, say, you’d been found by some other Peak Seventh or even Eighth Realm old demon from the Three Thousand Worlds, you’d have long been caught as a cauldron!"
"Big brother, do it."
"We’re too softhearted."
The three began muttering incantations.
Behind the Yaochi Immortal, a Divine Woman Dharma emerged.
She plucked a peach from the void.
She tossed it out, and it expanded in the wind into a mountain-sized fruit, then exploded with a thunderous boom.
Vast Qi-Blood surged out like a nuclear blast.
Jushan’s eldest waved his hand, sending forth a flower basket. With a spin, it actually absorbed the explosion entirely.
The Yaochi Immortal’s gaze sharpened.
The eldest gave a sly chuckle at this.
"Foreigner, let me show you the true might of Kunxu’s True Treasure Dao. Since the [Kunxu Ancestor] reformed the Qi Refining Dao ten thousand years ago and created the [True Treasure Dao] to break through to the void, our True Treasure Dao has long reached its peak."
Ordinary Spiritual Weapons cannot compare to True Treasures.
Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz!
Flower basket, ancient umbrella, and ancient ruler—three True Treasures gleamed with arrays of treasure seals, sealing a thousand miles of void.
Boom!
The ancient ruler fell from the heavens.
The Yaochi Immortal was blasted to the ground.
She was instantly left battered and bloody.
"What Martial Artist?"
"Exactly, nothing special."
"Our True Treasure Dao is superior."
Jushan’s eldest used the basket to snatch through the void, drawing the Yaochi Immortal uncontrollably toward him. At the crucial moment, a resplendent Phoenix Armor appeared on the Yaochi Immortal’s body.
The three companions’ faces changed dramatically.
"Divine Phoenix Immortal Armor?"
"A fine True Treasure. It’s mine now."
The Yaochi Immortal’s feathered armor flared, and she dashed forward like a mirage, smashing the Protective Barrier with a single punch.
"She’s a tough one, retreat!"
The three fled in panic.
...
Meanwhile.
A low-tier world.
Inside an ordinary mountain Daoist temple, a Daoist wearing a seven-colored Daoist Robe rich with precious gems yawned.
"A thousand-year nap—how wonderful. If I calculate rightly, the Zhou Sword Immortal’s cave mansion in Kunxu must be opening too? Probably those Forbidden Zone fellows will soon revive as well. I wonder how the Three Thousand Worlds are faring nowadays. The disciples I once whimsically instructed—like Qingyunzi or the Sword Elder—I wonder if they’ve reached the Eighth Realm."
The Daoist took a single step forward.
He vanished from the world.
"Time to enter the world."
...
Blue Mountain Buddha Country.
Within the Pagoda, a lofty voice echoed:
"I have sensed that, within the past 300 years, 21 Daoist friends in the Mortal World have become Buddhas. Among them, three are positioned in the starry sky world of the Eastern Extreme Territory. Great Boruo Moonlight Buddha, Great Vajra Heavenly Dragon Buddha, you two shall descend to the mortal world, seek out these new True Buddhas, and invite them to Blue Mountain."
Two illusory figures rose.
One was entwined with a Heavenly Dragon, with Vajra Glaring Angry Eyes.
One had a full moon above his head, radiating compassion.
"At your command."
On the other side.
The newly advanced Sixth Realm Early Stage Di Jialou beamed with joy—there was only one starry sky world in the Eastern Extreme Territory.
"I didn’t expect my Po Suo would give birth to three more Seventh Realm experts. Counting those roaming the Three Thousand Worlds, that’s seven."
He put his palms together: "Disciple too hails from the Starry Sky World of the Eastern Extreme Territory. Please allow this disciple to descend as well."
The lofty voice spoke: "Your Cultivation is now stuck at a bottleneck; to become a True Buddha, you must temper yourself in the mortal world. But when wandering outside, be careful not to reveal the Buddha Country’s existence."
"Disciple understands."
Di Jialou joyfully descended into the mortal world—this could truly be called a return in glory. A seventy-odd-year-old Sixth Realm Early Stage Po Suo Heart Cultivation, expected to reach Breakthrough Seven before a hundred and twenty—who knows what waves he would stir in the Xia Realm!
"Du Meng, have you reached Breakthrough Sixth?"
Di Jialou’s heart pounded.
...
Somewhere in the starry sky.
Du Meng was staring into space.
He had already reached Sixth Realm Middle Stage.
The Late Stage was not far off.
A black-robed, dragon-horned man asked:
"What troubles you?"
"Nothing, just heard astonishing news from a senior—Lu Chenzhou has reached Breakthrough Seven."
The Black Annihilation Dragon Emperor was silent.
Then he too began staring blankly.
...
"It’s over, Lu Chenzhou has really reached Breakthrough Seven."
The Shadow Stream Dominator and the Myriad-Spider Ghost Empress clustered together, anxious and uneasy. In the void, a projection of the Witch Master appeared.
"Avoid confrontation for now. Hide as far as you can."
...
Eye of Truth.
The many Evil Gods stood silent as statues.
The Witch Master spoke: "Spread the word—besides the Demon Saints, if any Demon Venerable or Ghost Venerate encounters Lu Chenzhou in the Three Thousand Worlds, do not engage him. Avoid until we revive."
The Witch understood,
Even for Demon Saints, killing Lu Chenzhou would be difficult. His means are numerous and his ability to survive has reached the peak.
Only Demigods can truly change the outcome.
Now, it’s simply a race for time.
"If we could find Ninth Rank Tiger Clan Essence Blood and revive that beast who calls himself the Dragon and Tiger Great Saint, there might be a chance."
The Witch murmured inwardly.
Honestly, with his status, during the Divine War era, he’d never even have paid attention to the likes of the Dragon and Tiger Great Saint.
But now, he’s forced to deal with such minor players as equals.
...
Time passed swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of year 75.
Beidi City.
"Still no flesh and blood grown back?"
Chen Beiming gazed at the Nine-Colored Skull before him.
Skeleton Lu Chenzhou nodded.
"The power of the Nine Tribulations is too strong. I thought about wearing some armor, but even Sixth Rank quality would be destroyed instantly. I estimate even Seventh Rank Low Grade Spiritual Weapons wouldn’t hold up."
"Then there’s nothing to be done."
Seventh Rank armor-type Spiritual Weapons are exceedingly rare.
"Once my Withering and Flourishing Dao reaches Fifth Rank, I can recover."
Lu Chenzhou, however, was unfazed.
Chen Beiming began chanting, and an illustrated scroll flew from his mind, bearing over a thousand portraits of powerful figures.
Including Lu Chenzhou.
"I’ll pass on the secrets and refining methods of the Heavenly Person List to you. When you master them, you’ll know the benefits."
Streams of information poured into Lu Chenzhou’s mind.
Buzz—
Within the Inner Scenery Land, a scroll spanning the starry sky appeared, with over a thousand powerful figures lined up upon it.
A dignified voice resounded:
"I am Chi Ji, Star Lord of Destiny for the Divine Court..."
Moments later, Lu Chenzhou opened his eyes.
At a thought, a ghostly scroll visible only to him appeared before his eyes, with lines of text upon it.
[Heavenly Person List Owner: Lu Chenzhou (World)]
[Heavenly Spirits: 108]
[Heavenly Person Daoist Lords: 42]
[Heavenly Person Martial Arts: Stage One (42/50)]
The voice of Chen Beiming sounded:
"Why must you be the list owner? Because you walk the World Dao, and your talent is the strongest. In a sense, you are the agent of the Will of Xia Realm, and the Heavenly Person List its manifestation. The stronger your gifts and the faster your progress, the faster the Heavenly Person List evolves, and the more prosperous the fortune of Xia Realm—further supporting the cultivation of all Martial Artists beneath heaven.
Conversely, the more flourishing the Great Xia Martial Arts Dao, the faster your own cultivation. Once Xia Realm’s Heavenly Realm births fifty experts, the Heavenly Person List will evolve into a quasi-Supreme Treasure. At that moment, the [Martial World] will be able to project into the Three Thousand Worlds. The Heavenly Spirits of our Great Xia ancestors and the Martial Souls of departed mighty ones will stand high in the Martial World like gods themselves, protecting a realm’s martial fortune with faith and cultivating Martial Arts Golden Bodies.
One day, when the entire top 1000 on the Heavenly Person List have all become Heavenly Realm experts, and Da Xia Martial Arts has developed to surpass even the Four Sects, then those like Lv Ancestor, Zhang Ancestor, Kongwen Divine Monk, and Ling Kong Personnel—those Heavenly Spirits—will be able to condense Divine Rank!
The Heavenly Person List shall become...
The Investiture of the Gods!"