Chapter 135 ·Heaven’s Favored Son Xuan Zhenzi

Ye ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Chen struggled to raise his head and stared blankly at the ferocious earth spikes hanging from the cavern ceiling.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍steaming heat rising from the boiling oil cauldron below smoked his face, sweat and blood mingling together as they dripped downward.

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍living for so many years, starting as a mere Foundation Establishment disciple of the Azure Wave Sect and stumbling all the way to the Void Refinement Realm, he had thought he had already witnessed enough storms of the world.

Yet ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍in the end, he was still being hung up like livestock with a boiling oil cauldron beneath him.

What ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a damned irony.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍closed his eyes as scenes from the past flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

A tear slid from the corner of Ye Chen’s eye.

It was not fear of death.

In this lifetime, Ye Chen had crossed seas of blades and mountains of fire, wandered before the gates of hell, and long since grown indifferent toward life and death.

It was just...

He wanted to return home.

Cultivators cultivated immortality, but in the end, they were not truly immortals.

As long as one was human, there would be emotions and desires. There would always come moments of homesickness.

But the greatest problem was...

Where exactly was his home?

Ye Chen desperately tried to remember, but his memories seemed veiled behind a layer of mist, blurry and impossible to see clearly.

He only remembered that he came from the Azure Wave Sect.

He remembered how the Sect Master Nether Soul once said to him:

“Cultivate properly within the sect. Once your abilities are sufficient, then go out and gain experience.”

He had not listened.

Later, he secretly slipped away on his own, after which came endless wandering and endless slaughter, growing amid danger and lingering between life and death step by step until today.

If he absolutely had to say where his home was, then it could only be the Azure Wave Sect.

Yet when he thought about it carefully, he truly did not hold any special feelings toward that place.

The mountains were ordinary mountains.

The waters were ordinary waters.

Only that figure...

Sect Master Nether Soul.

For some unknown reason, whenever Ye Chen thought of this person, an indescribable sense of closeness surged within his heart.

As though he were an old acquaintance he had known for countless years.

But how many times had he even met Nether Soul?

Ye Chen could not understand it.

Just as he was lost in thought, a flapping sound suddenly came from the cavern entrance.

A bird demon flew in.

Calling it a bird demon was rather strange, because its appearance was bizarre beyond reason.

It had a bird’s head and a human body, yet possessed no hands, replaced instead by a pair of broad wings.

Its cultivation was clearly already at the Transformation Spirit Realm. Logically speaking, it could completely transform itself into a perfect human form, yet it stubbornly maintained this grotesque half-human appearance.

A few days ago, after being tortured to the point of irritation, Ye Chen could not help mocking it a few times.

The bird demon merely glanced sideways at him and declared righteously:

“What do you know? This is Demon Clan aesthetics!”

“You think having half demon blood makes you a demon? Don’t speak nonsense if you don’t understand.”

Ye Chen had been left speechless at the time.

Fine then.

Demon Clan aesthetics. As long as you’re happy.

At this moment, the bird demon flapped its wings as it flew before the stone platform and landed beside the Bull Demon Demon King, its expression somewhat panicked.

“Your Majesty, something bad has happened!”

The Bull Demon Demon King was gnawing on a beast leg. Hearing this, he frowned and glared over with his bull-like eyes.

“What are you panicking for?”

The bird demon hurriedly replied:

“A human cultivator came from outside claiming to be... what was it... right, Xuan Zhenzi! He said he’s an elder of the Xuantian Sect from the Central Lands and came to slay demons and eliminate evil!”

“He already killed several of our brothers patrolling outside just now!”

The Bull Demon Demon King was first stunned before bursting into booming laughter.

The thunderous sound shook dust loose from the cavern ceiling.

“Xuan Zhenzi? Never heard of him.”

“A mere human cultivator dares run wild in this king’s territory?”

He casually tossed aside the beast bone he had finished gnawing on and licked the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“How many came? What cultivation level?”

The bird demon hurriedly answered:

“Just him alone! As for his cultivation... this subordinate couldn’t see through it, but since he easily killed our Transformation Spirit Realm brothers, he must at least be at the peak of Void Refinement Realm. Maybe even...”

“Maybe he’s in the Tribulation Crossing Realm!”

The Bull Demon Demon King’s smile stiffened.

Tribulation Crossing Realm?

He slowly straightened his body, a trace of seriousness flashing through his eyes before being replaced once more by arrogance.

“So what if he’s Tribulation Crossing Realm? Do you think this king fears him?”

“Perfect timing. This king’s mouth has been so bland lately I could spit out birds. I’ll use him as drinking food!”

......

Meanwhile, who exactly was this Xuan Zhenzi?

This man was a true inheritance disciple of the Xuantian Sect from the Central Lands and was currently only nine hundred and ninety-nine years old.

Within the Spirit Realm, reaching Void Refinement Realm at such an age could truly be called a genuine heaven’s favored son.

Yet this Xuan Zhenzi also happened to possess immense fortune.

One hundred years ago, while venturing outside for experience, he accidentally entered an ancient secret realm.

That secret realm was the place where an ancient great power had passed away, containing countless opportunities within.

Xuan Zhenzi was trapped there for a full hundred years, yet not only did he survive, he also inherited the great power’s lifetime legacy.

His cultivation directly rose from the early stage of Void Refinement Realm to Great Ascension Realm, then surged once more to the early stage of Tribulation Crossing Realm!

He also obtained several supreme-grade magic treasures, balanced perfectly between offense and defense. It could be said that he ascended to the heavens in a single step.

The only issue was that memories not belonging to him occasionally surfaced in his mind, though he did not pay them much attention.

And now, after the hundred-year period expired, the secret realm opened by itself, and Xuan Zhenzi emerged brimming with confidence.

The very first thing he did was inquire about the outside situation.

Upon learning that a Bull Demon Demon King had appeared in the Western Wasteland, unified the demon race, and was preparing to wipe out the human race of the Northern Plains, his thoughts immediately stirred.

Slaying demons, eliminating evil, and becoming famous throughout the world—this was a heaven-sent opportunity!

Xuan Zhenzi had secluded himself for a hundred years and had only just entered the Tribulation Crossing Realm. He was in desperate need of a worthy opponent to verify his current strength.

As for the rumors claiming the Bull Demon Demon King was comparable to the peak of Tribulation Crossing Realm?

Xuan Zhenzi did not care in the slightest.

He possessed supreme-grade magic treasures for protection and the inheritance of a great power as his foundation. Why would he fear a mere Demon King formed from a wild bull?

If he could kill this fiend, the name Xuan Zhenzi would surely resound throughout the entire Spirit Realm!

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