Chapter 278 - 237: [Celestial Will Array Body] Complete, Preparing to Lurk and Slay Demons

Chapter 278: Chapter 237: [Celestial Will Array Body] Complete, Preparing to Lurk and Slay Demons

After seizing Ze Yao’s fortune, Zhang Ji’s cultivation and other endeavors became much smoother.

Ji Ziyang had also sent Zhang Ji eight Spirit Restoring Fruits. These were all Saint Tier treasures, which would be considered (Legendary) grade.

The fruits’ purpose was to strengthen and repair the Divine Soul.

They had all been extorted from Six Clouds Peak. Apparently, ten fruits were obtained in total, and Ji Ziyang had also sent one each to Xiao Mingyu and Wan Lan.

In addition to this benefit, Zhang Ji also received his reward for being the chief disciple of the Qingcang Divine Acupoint.

It was nothing more than some Elemental Stones and precious medicines for cultivation. While this was a great fortune for a Mountain-Splitting Realm cultivator, it was nothing special to someone with Zhang Ji’s current status as a Heavenly Monarch’s personal disciple.

He wasn’t short on such trifles.

However, after displaying the strength and talent to defeat an opponent of a higher realm, Zhang Ji had become famous.

Many disciples of the Qingcang Sect now knew of a Heavenly Monarch’s personal disciple named Li Long.

It also became much easier for Zhang Ji to collect the Cultivation Techniques from the various peaks.

With the slight exception of the uncooperative Six Clouds Peak, the other peaks let him peruse their collections as he pleased.

Even though Six Clouds Peak was uncooperative, they still opened their library of scriptures for Zhang Ji, just without granting him search privileges.

The authority of a Heavenly Monarch’s personal disciple was quite significant, after all.

.....

「December 30th on Origin Star.」

Zhang Ji had finally finished inscribing the [Celestial Will Array Body].

The next step was to install the Celestial Intent Seal.

The Celestial Intent Seal had already been modified back on Origin Star. It was upgraded with materials from the Divine Emperor’s old weapon and had a Demon Energy System added.

Storing energy was now easier, and its total capacity was much greater.

When fully charged, it could be used for roughly three attacks.

The combined power of these three attacks was enough to sink a continent three times over.

On Origin Star, it would be no problem to punch a hole straight through the planet.

Zhang Ji took a moment to leave an avatar behind at the Qingcang Sect. He then returned to Origin Star with the majority of his consciousness to begin the installation of the Celestial Intent Seal.

-----------------

「Origin Star.」

Zhang Ji took possession of the modified Celestial Intent Seal.

A golden casing now enveloped the original seal, making it look heavier and more magnificent.

At the same time, Zhang Ji could feel an aura of life within it.

It was now alive.

It was an Alchemy Organ.

Zhang Ji extended his right palm. Countless profound patterns materialized on it—Demon Pattern Curse Seals entwined with Spirit Patterns.

The moment Zhang Ji’s right palm touched the Celestial Intent Seal, the seal reacted like a living creature. It dissolved into Energy Particles that coiled around Zhang Ji before merging into his entire right arm.

When the process was complete, Zhang Ji’s right arm had been fully transformed, now imbued with the power of the Celestial Intent Seal.

[System Prompt: You have obtained [Celestial Will Array Body] (Legendary) Fighting Skill Crystal x1. It can be extracted and stored in the Limited Space.]

Zhang Ji clenched his fist slightly, feeling the boundless power within his right arm—a power capable of destroying all things.

This power was now completely under his control. He could do more than just use it for a wide-area Palm Skill like the original Celestial Intent Seal; he could now condense and focus it into a powerful, destructive punch.

A single punch could pierce a small planet!

In truth, however, he still couldn’t unleash the full potential of the Celestial Intent Seal, at most utilizing eighty to ninety percent of its capabilities.

Transforming a (Myth)-grade artifact into a (Legendary)-grade fighting skill crystal was, in a sense, a downgrade.

But this downgrade had its advantages.

It was far more convenient to use.

Moreover, its full potential could be unleashed later when synthesizing it into a higher-tier fighting skill crystal.

In the future Zhang Ji envisioned, this fighting skill crystal, forged from the Celestial Intent Seal, would be a critical component in his world-creation.

’My strength has taken another huge leap. I’m one step closer to getting a seat at the table,’ Zhang Ji thought, a smirk playing on his lips.

Once he broke through and possessed true SSS-rank combat power, he would be considered a conventional top-tier power in the Origin Universe.

His personal strength alone would be enough to deter many advanced cosmic civilizations.

After all, even a powerful civilization would have a massive headache if a being of that level decided to ignore all else and cause trouble for them directly.

With that kind of power, he could at least stand on the table and make some noise.

’Next is to deal with the Ju Ruo Divine Iron. Robby and the others need to hurry it up,’ Zhang Ji thought.

He had brought the Ju Ruo Divine Iron back a while ago. It had been inside the Shennong Cauldron ever since, consuming a massive amount of Spiritual Qi in order to refine it into the [Ju Ruo Divine Shell] he desired.

Fortunately, Zhang Ji’s requirements weren’t too high. Otherwise, given the toughness of a (Myth)-grade material, the project might have taken years.

As it was, it would be completed next month.

Then, Zhang Ji could add another layer, a shell, over his own skin. His physical strength would increase yet again, laying a firmer foundation for his ultimate goal: creating a new world, a microcosm within his own body.

-----------------

「Tining Realm.」

A massive Leopard Demon, over twenty feet tall, shot across the plains like a yellow bolt of lightning.

Behind it, Qiu Yiyang gave chase, axe in hand.

After receiving Zhang Ji’s guidance, Qiu Yiyang’s Body Technique had improved greatly. Now, his running speed was at least somewhat respectable.

Of course, he still couldn’t catch the Leopard Demon. The creature even had the leisure to look back and mock Qiu Yiyang’s speed.

"You’re a strong one, ugly man, but you’re a thousand years too slow to catch me, your Lady Leopard!" the Leopard Demon taunted loudly.

It had been peacefully cultivating in its palace, awaiting its underlings to deliver this year’s tribute of human flesh.

Who would have thought a brute with an axe would be delivered inside the tribute box instead?

His strength was terrifying. With just two swings of his axe, he had cleaved its palace in two.

After a hundred rounds of combat, the demon realized it was no match for him and had no choice but to abandon its lair and flee.

Naturally, it was filled with resentment over the whole ordeal.

Still, it was lucky to escape with its life. It had no idea where that Human Race cultivator came from. How did such a fearsome killer suddenly appear in Hunran Country?

Behind the Leopard Demon, Qiu Yiyang remained silent, simply channeling his True Qi and continuing the dogged pursuit, herding it in a specific direction.

Suddenly, a whistling sound filled the sky.

A burning volcano was plummeting from the heavens.

The Leopard Demon, which had been about to escape Qiu Yiyang’s line of sight, saw this, and its expression changed drastically. It spun around to flee, but it was too late.

Immense air pressure bore down, while the qi of the earth’s ley lines sealed the area, causing spikes to erupt from the ground and restricting its movement.

"RUMBLE—!"

The earth buckled as the Flame Mountain crashed down, smashing the Leopard Demon into a paste of flesh and bone. The impact caused the ground for miles around to shake violently.

A dozen breaths later, Zhang Ji’s figure drifted down from the Flame Mountain to stand before the approaching Qiu Yiyang.

"That Leopard Demon really thought it could get away. It had no idea your Flame Mountain was waiting for it, Brother Zhang!" Qiu Yiyang said with a laugh as he put away his axe.

"Now that this Leopard Demon is dead, only one of the six Demon Kings in Hunran Country remains: the Black Python Demon King near Luoliu Abyss," Zhang Ji proposed. "We should set out tonight, before word reaches him and he has a chance to flee."

"My thoughts exactly."

Qiu Yiyang nodded in agreement.

The two of them immediately looted whatever valuables they could carry from the Leopard Demon’s palace, feasted on the Demon King’s meat, and then set off for Luoliu Abyss without delay.

....

Luoliu Abyss was a massive canyon.

At the bottom of the canyon flowed a great, treacherous river called the Luoliu River. Its channels snaked off in all directions, and countless demons made their homes along its banks.

A large number of humans were also mixed in among them.

Their status was generally lower than that of the Demon Race; most of them existed to serve the demons.

Of course, being a servant had its advantages.

Under normal circumstances, if you found the right master, you didn’t have to worry about being casually beaten to death and eaten.

Most could even live past the age of forty.

At this moment, Zhang Ji and Qiu Yiyang were in a crowded boat cabin, traveling along the Luoliu River toward the heart of Luoliu Abyss.

The cabin was crowded because, besides the two of them, it was packed with other humans, all of them sacrificial offerings.

There were old and young, men and women. The faces of most were etched with fear, worry, and even despair.

They were the unlucky ones, chosen to become food for the local Demon Race.

Soon, the boat docked. Rat demons armed with weapons began pulling on ropes, dragging the people off the boat.

Zhang Ji and Qiu Yiyang were tied together on a single rope. Behind them were a youth of about fifteen or sixteen and a little girl around ten years old.

The four of them were pulled along by a rat demon, with no idea of their destination.

The little girl was on the verge of breaking down, only able to stumble forward because the youth was holding her hand.

"Hurry up! All of you, move faster! If you delay Lord Wuzang’s banquet, I’ll make sure your deaths are anything but quick!" the rat demon snarled, yanking hard on the rope.

Wuzang was the name of the Black Python Demon King here.

Every so often, he would devour a batch of humans and then fall into a long slumber.

He was particular about how he ate people.

His victims had to be starved for three days to cleanse their systems. Then, they were washed, sprayed with perfume, and dressed in fine clothes before he would begin his feast.

He would swallow a hundred or so whole in a single sitting.

Every month, he consumed several thousand people.

Zhang Ji’s group, more than three hundred strong, was destined to be Wuzang’s meal in three days.

Soon, the four of them were brought to a cell and locked inside.

Though it was a cell, it was immaculately clean and tidy, with incense burning constantly.

They were to be ’marinated’ here by the incense for three days and nights. Afterward, they would be washed, perfumed, dressed, and sent to be eaten by Wuzang.

Once the cell door was locked and the guards had departed, Zhang Ji and Qiu Yiyang’s demeanors changed completely. They relaxed, each finding a spot to sit down.

"’This was a good plan, Brother Zhang. We slipped right in. That Black Python Demon is probably still fast asleep!’" Qiu Yiyang said, transmitting his voice to Zhang Ji using his True Qi.

"’Don’t get careless,’ Zhang Ji replied. ’If we startle it and it escapes through one of its tunnels, we’ll have a hard time catching it.’"

Zhang Ji knew a few things about Wuzang.

This particular Demon King had plenty of escape methods.

He had dug numerous tunnels beneath Luoliu Abyss, forming a labyrinth that connected to everywhere.

If they had attacked him head-on, Wuzang would have fled the instant he sensed trouble, and all their efforts would have been for nothing.

That’s why they had used the same tactic they’d employed against the Leopard Demon: infiltrating among the sacrificial offerings.

Now, they just had to wait for Wuzang to begin his meal. Then, they would strike and kill him instantly.