Chapter 1198 - 826: The Queen Mother of the West Beyond Comprehension

Will the Queen Mother of the West reward me?

As long as the Queen Mother doesn’t end my life, it’s all good.

While Zhang Chen was secretly criticizing in his heart, he saw the Queen Mother of the West on the altar suddenly open her eyes. Her gaze turned towards Zhang Chen waiting below the altar, and she spoke, "Come up to the stage!"

With the Queen Mother’s words, the operating Innate Grand Array also stopped, and the entire altar returned to calm. The Queen Mother was surrounded by divine light, making it hard for anyone to discern her appearance.

Zhang Chen quickly ascended the altar, came before the Queen Mother of the West, and respectfully greeted her: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother was stunned by his words, looked Zhang Chen up and down, and her eyes revealed a hint of curiosity: "Why haven’t you fallen under Celestial Punishment?"

Zhang Chen was speechless upon hearing the words, secretly grumbling: ’Would you be satisfied if I died under Celestial Punishment? This is simply excessive. Even if you don’t care about my life, you shouldn’t ask such a thing.’

Though Zhang Chen ridiculed in his heart, he dared not show it on his face. Instead, he sincerely and obediently replied to the Queen Mother, "I do not know why, when that Celestial Punishment fell, I was unharmed. Even I find it strange."

The Queen Mother looked Zhang Chen up and down. Zhang Chen thought the Queen Mother would examine the anomaly in him, but unexpectedly, lightning suddenly sparked from the Queen Mother’s sleeve. A terrifying bolt of lightning shot from her fingertips, flying towards Zhang Chen.

"Your Majesty, spare me!" Zhang Chen’s heart skipped a beat as he watched the lightning, which was immensely terrifying. Not only would he be struck dead, but even those at a Fruit Position level would be killed by one blow!

Thoughts raced through Zhang Chen’s mind, considering whether to use the Ice Domain. But at the moment he thought about it, the Celestial Punishment Eye deep within his Primordial Spirit suddenly flickered, and Zhang Chen gained a glimmer of insight, halting the activation of the Ice Domain. The next moment, as the lightning approached Zhang Chen, it mysteriously vanished.

It seemed to disappear into thin air, but in reality, the Celestial Punishment Eye absorbed the lightning striking Zhang Chen.

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I know nothing! I know nothing!" Zhang Chen seemed to be in a state of panic, continually begging the Queen Mother to let him go.

Hearing Zhang Chen’s cries, the Queen Mother’s eyes showed a hint of surprise and confusion, quietly watching Zhang Chen without speaking.

At this point, Zhang Chen seemed to realize he had survived. His shouting gradually ceased, and he stared blankly at the Queen Mother, as if he didn’t know what happened.

The next moment, he saw lightning surge from the Queen Mother’s sleeve, and then dozens of terrifying bolts of lightning struck Zhang Chen’s body. All the lightning vanished upon touching Zhang Chen, as if it didn’t exist in the world.

Zhang Chen secretly observed his Celestial Punishment Eye. As bolt after bolt of lightning was devoured, the Celestial Punishment Eye, as before, showed no changes.

"How strange!" The Queen Mother finally spoke, her voice full of wonder, then grabbed Zhang Chen and pointed her hand at his forehead, beginning an examination of Zhang Chen’s acupoints, meridians, and soul. After a long while, she released him and silently watched Zhang Chen, leaving others uncertain of her thoughts.

Zhang Chen felt the Queen Mother’s divine power continually scanning over his body and acupoints, a blatant sense of being searched, causing a trace of resentment in his eyes, yet he was powerless, only able to endure the humiliating feeling, wishing he could draw his sword immediately.

"Your Majesty...my body???" Zhang Chen looked towards the Queen Mother with apprehension. He knew the Queen Mother could not perceive the profundity of his Celestial Punishment Eye nor detect any anomalies within him, but he had to feign fear.

"You truly are exceptional. Not only did you coincidentally cultivate into a Primordial Spirit, but you also possess a unique constitution, which makes you immune to the Power of Thunder between Heaven and Earth. Not even the Power of Celestial Punishment can affect you; it’s truly inconceivable," the Queen Mother spoke with curiosity.

Being immune to the Power of Thunder was already rare, but being immune to the Power of Celestial Punishment was not merely rare; it defied destiny.

Zhang Chen listened to the Queen Mother’s words, unsure what to say, standing quietly, contemplating how the Queen Mother might decide his fate.

While countless thoughts surged in his mind, the Queen Mother spoke to the nearby blue bird, "Lady Biyun."

"Your Majesty," Lady Biyun flew up from below, standing beside Zhang Chen.

"From today, place Jia Shiba in the Alchemy Hall and do not allow him to leave without orders," the Queen Mother instructed.

Lady Biyun bowed courteously, glanced at Zhang Chen, then took hold of him and flew off riding a white crane.

Zhang Chen sat on the white crane, feeling somewhat speechless: Is this it? No rewards at all!

"The Alchemy Hall is where the Queen Mother crafts the Elixir of Immortality. The Queen Mother desires to create a Divine Medicine that grants immortality, and thus established the Alchemy Hall," Lady Biyun hesitated slightly, then explained to Zhang Chen and subsequently warned, "Be extremely careful when you go to the Alchemy Hall; your constitution has already aroused the Queen Mother’s curiosity. I’m afraid she wants to study your constitution to deal with the Power of Celestial Punishment."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen felt speechless, unsure of what to say for a while before tentatively asking, "Is there a mortal risk in the Alchemy Hall?"

Lady Biyun glanced at Zhang Chen without speaking, merely turning her head to navigate the white crane through the mountains.

The white crane glided through the void, revealing a very steep mountain nearby, surrounded by a medicinal garden that spans a hundred miles. The lush garden is filled with countless Spirit Medicines growing within, with powerful warriors carefully weeding and catching insects for the Spirit Medicine.

An unusual medicinal fragrance permeates the mountain, inhaling it causes one’s organs to open up, a sense of indescribable comfort filling the heart.

"What a huge medicinal garden!" Zhang Chen murmured to himself.

Lady Biyun kept the celestial crane in flight, leading the way to a palace complex, where she landed on a square. Dismounting from the crane with Zhang Chen, she began to introduce him to the palace layout.

"There are eight hundred and eighty-eight palaces here, with eighty-eight Alchemy Halls each crafting various Spirit Medicines. They can prolong the lives of Demon Beasts and enhance bloodline essence. There are eighty-eight Preparation Halls for processing different herbs. There are eighty-eight Planting Halls responsible for the cultivation of Spirit Medicines and eighty-eight Testing Halls..." Lady Biyun introduced the palace halls to Zhang Chen with a sense of pride in her eyes.

"Interesting!" Zhang Chen murmured to himself.

He had an interest in alchemy; after all, if he could research unique Spirit Medicines during this era, he might replicate the Queen Mother’s creations upon returning to the real world.

"I also must find an opportunity to take the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit; the Queen Mother of the West is quite unscrupulous. Since she’s tasked me with bearing the punishment without regard for my life, I needn’t be polite," Zhang Chen’s mind gleamed with thoughts.

Lady Biyun guided Zhang Chen to a grand hall, which appeared empty, save for a single furnace emitting a mysterious fire, seemingly surrounded by mysterious power.

A unique exotic fragrance wafted through the grand hall. Upon smelling this fragrance, Zhang Chen’s Primordial Spirit was unexpectedly nourished.

Below the furnace, unique flames burned, and Zhang Chen sensed the Qi mechanism of the flame, his eyes sparkling with joy: "That’s the power of the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit! The fire contains the unique power of the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit."

"The Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit survived firstly because the Queen Mother wanted to craft Spirit Medicines, and secondly because she needed to forge copper and iron. Hence, among the Four Spirits of Heaven Opening, the other three perished, leaving only the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit preserved by the Queen Mother. Yet, this place directly connects to the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit, making it convenient for me," Zhang Chen’s thoughts raced, but Lady Biyun’s words brought him back:

"You’ll stay within this grand hall from now on, awaiting the orders of the Queen Mother."

Lady Biyun’s tone carried a hint of seriousness when she continued, "The Queen Mother has decreed that you must not leave the Alchemy Hall, so unless necessary, you must remain here. Otherwise, should the Queen Mother punish you, there’s likely nothing left of you but a scattered soul."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen nodded, indicating that he understood. Lady Biyun then took Zhang Chen around the grand hall, introducing him to various aspects before departing, turning into a streak of light.

Watching Lady Biyun’s figure disappear, Zhang Chen’s gaze swept over the grand hall. Besides the furnace in the center, there were racks all around, neatly arranged with gourds and Jade Purification Bottles.

The gourds shimmered with luminescence, proof that they were rare Spiritual Objects, while the mouths of the Jade Purification Bottles emitted radiant colors as if Divine Water rippled within.

Numerous small compartments divided the racks. Each compartment had streams of mysterious power flowing, appearing extraordinary.

"Could these be Spirit Medicines crafted by the Queen Mother?" Zhang Chen’s gaze swept across the compartments, a curious glint in his eye.

Zhang Chen continued to explore the grand hall, discovering a cloud bed upon which lay a stack of golden scrolls. Curious about the scrolls, his face showed intrigue yet dared not approach recklessly.

After circling the grand hall, Zhang Chen wisely found a spot, sitting on the ground to ponder his next actions.

Setting aside other matters, the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit was something Zhang Chen must claim; if the Queen Mother schemed so against him, he could not let it slide. He must avenge this dishonor.

The flames here directly connect to the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit; Zhang Chen figured he might seize the chance to capture it first and then ponder how to break free from this situation, for he always felt that the term ’alchemy’ wasn’t a good sign, giving rise to an ominous premonition.