Chapter 216

“A fifth-rank City God… Dao Foundation perfection?”

Fang Qing gazed at the divine body before him, towering like a small mountain, and smiled faintly.

“Kneel.”

Under the suppression of the Duzi divine status, the massive divine body bent one knee.

But in the next instant, furious rage erupted.

“You dare?!”

“Haha. What is there that I would not dare?”

Fang Qing raised a hand, and a blazing sun crashed into the City God’s chest.

Sizzle!

The scorching sun instantly burned through the official robes. Countless fragments of golden dust and shattered gold blocks exploded outward, scattering in all directions. Through the destruction, Fang Qing caught sight of a fifth-rank divine seal hidden within.

Its base was crimson, inscribed with golden characters:

‘Official Fifth Rank Great Sui Jiujiang Provincial City God.’

“You are not a cultivator of this land?”

The City God’s thunderous voice rang out, yet strangely carried a trace of delight.

“You are an outsider celestial demon? The Divine Court has issued an order. Slay outsider celestial demons, and one earns heavenly merit! One may even become an ‘attendant of the imperial hall’!”

Heavenly merit ranked above human merit and earthly merit. It could not be earned through mere toil, only bestowed directly by heaven.

To enter the Divine Court’s halls was to truly step into the inner circle, becoming a third-rank grand official.

Even within the divine path, this represented an enormous leap in status.

“So that is how it is? A pity… your strength falls short.”

Fang Qing laughed loudly.

His mana shifted, and the radiance of [Nu Earth] gathered together, transforming into a savage two-headed bat.

Its wings spread wide, casting a darkness that blotted out the sky as it enveloped the City God’s divine body.

At the same time, countless tides of black earth surged upward, forming a burial mound that entombed the divine form.

“In the end, you are merely a Dao Foundation perfection cultivator. And yet you dared provoke a Duzi?”

He let out a sigh.

“Ah… you leave me with no choice but to loot your treasury.”

But as Fang Qing sighed, a sudden chill crawled down his spine.

The cultivator’s instinctive premonition screamed in warning.

An overwhelming catastrophe seemed poised to descend in the very next moment.

“This!”

He seized a fragment of the shattered golden divine body and immediately began calculating with his fingers.

“A fifth-rank divine office… possesses the authority to submit memorials directly? Reporting straight to the Divine Court through the incense and divine law, arriving instantly and reaching heaven’s ears?”

It was like the difference between an ordinary county magistrate in ancient times, whose memorial might take ages to reach the emperor and could easily be buried beneath countless others, versus a major fifth-rank official whose memorial would be placed directly upon the emperor’s desk.

“Never having dealt with the divine path before, I grew careless.”

“But obtaining such crucial information is not bad.”

“So who comes next? A third-rank divine official comparable to a Purple Mansion Spiritual Master? That would at least be the position of a provincial governor, or perhaps a grand general?’

‘By the time they arrive, I’ll already be long gone…’

Fang Qing was already preparing to flee toward the provincial capital and loot a bit more before leaving.

Even though this was merely a Dao Foundation body, saving what could be saved was still worthwhile.

“No. If pursuit were too slow to matter, why would I feel such overwhelming danger?”

His expression changed instantly.

Then he raised his head toward the heavens.

And in the next moment, he saw it.

The heavenly astral winds parted.

Revealed beyond them was an unimaginably enormous face.

Its features were perfectly distinct, overflowing with divinity. It was neither male nor female.

This was merely the face of a Dharma Manifestation, yet it surpassed every divine body Fang Qing had ever seen.

Even the sun and moon within that Grotto Heaven were nothing more than its left and right pupils.

Light.

A single gaze descended.

It was heavier than mountains, carrying a weight of status beyond description.

Fang Qing was instantly crushed flat against the ground.

Countless divine patterns gathered across that inhuman face, twisting and writhing like a mask constantly shifting through different colors.

Thunder raged.

Gales howled.

It merely cast Fang Qing a casual glance.

There was neither sorrow nor joy in its eyes.

There was the lofty authority of one who ruled the world and commanded the four corners of the cosmos.

Yet there was also the innocent curiosity of a child.

It was as though something behind glass had noticed a tiny insect.

There was no malice in its gaze.

Only curiosity.

And then Fang Qing’s body died.

...

Qi Refining world.

Inside a cave dwelling within the marketplace.

A blue-robed youth sat cross-legged in meditation, a Bronze Ge resting before him.

Suddenly!

His eyes snapped open.

Clutching his forehead, streams of terrifyingly sharp qi burst from every pore of his body.

“Dao-Genesis Pearl!”

Fang Qing shouted sharply, using his golden finger to suppress the phenomenon of Dao transformation.

Only then did he slowly begin sorting through the Dao insight and information that had been forcefully poured into him.

“Metal essence has gained sentience!”

“The ruler and source of the divine path within White Luminary Heaven… is an ownerless strand of metal essence! A strand of [Ghost Metal] metal essence.”

“It seems that within it, there are no surviving memories or Dao attainment left behind by that True Lord. Otherwise, it would have long since ascended to its rightful fruition.”

“Even so, once metal essence resonates with heaven and earth and undergoes Dao transformation into sentience… its status far surpasses all Purple Mansion Spiritual Masters.”

Purple Mansion cultivators possessed no ‘Metal Nature’.

The moment one truly proved and attained Metal Nature, one would no longer remain within the Purple Mansion realm.

Precisely because there were no memories belonging to a True Lord, the amount of [Ghost Metal] attainment Fang Qing gained from this expedition was not particularly great, and what he did obtain was fragmented and chaotic.

Of everything, the thing that left the deepest impression on him was a single divine office:

“The Obsidian Vault Characterizing the World, Suppressor of the Underworld, Manifesting Emperor of the Netherworld (Yin Tianzi)[1]!”

“According to that Grotto Heaven’s divine hierarchy, this should be a true First-rank Golden-Seal divine status.”

“Divine names hold power.”

“At least within White Luminary Heaven, if one speaks this name aloud, it will immediately draw the wrath of that Emperor of the Netherworld. A guaranteed mutual-destruction trump card.”

“Perhaps it can serve as one of my hidden aces.”

Other cultivators could not make use of it, but Fang Qing still had spare Bright Sons. They could easily be turned into disposable self-destructing bombs.

“Metal Nature turning into Dao transformation, becoming the Emperor of the Netherworld? That level of power likely far surpasses Purple Mansion Perfection.”

“Even that monster born from Suwu’s Dao transformation was no match.”

A failed Purple Mansion breakthrough into Metal Nature still produced a monster within the Purple Mansion category.

Just like the Great Demon Suwu. In the end, it had still been torn apart and devoured by several peak Purple Mansion Demon Kings.

But Metal Nature Dao transformation was practically equivalent to a fragment of a Golden Core True Lord’s position transforming into a monster.

With an entire major realm separating them, Purple Mansion cultivators simply had no way to resist.

“As long as True Lords remain absent, this Emperor of the Netherworld within White Luminary Heaven is probably unstoppable.”

“Unless a Golden Core sect brings out its own foundational legacy.”

“For example, if the Yin Corpse Sect activated that True Lord corpse within the Buried Earth Blessed Land, perhaps they might have a chance of taking it down together.”

“But no sect would willingly pay such a price.”

Fang Qing’s thoughts shifted.

‘Should I use White Luminary Heaven to set Lian Chen up?’

‘Mm. Any plotting on the Ancient Shu side is safer if left to Sangji.’

‘If he decides to act, I can simply manipulate one of my Bright Sons to cooperate.’

‘As for now?’

His gaze shifted toward the Bronze Ge before him.

This treasure had originally been brought into the Qi Ingestion world and handed to Sangji.

Later, Sangji had sent it into White Luminary Grotto Heaven.

Once the refinement was complete, it had been taken back out and ultimately returned with Fang Qing to the Qi Refining world.

But now, unlike before, this Bronze Ge radiated an indescribable divine brilliance, carrying an immense and ineffable dignity and pressure.

This was the profundity of the Purple Mansion realm.

“A Purple Mansion dharma treasure.”

“It’s finally done.”

Fang Qing let out a satisfied sigh and reached out to grasp the Bronze Ge.

The weapon had originally seemed to weigh a thousand jun, yet in his hand it felt as light as a feather, almost as though it were weightless.

After performing a brief refinement, he shook his head.

“Too much of a shortcut. Although it barely qualifies as a Purple Mansion treasure, it possesses only a single divine power, [Divine Might].”

“Divine Might means majestic authority, solemn bearing, a dignified presence made manifest outwardly, with force capable of shaking mountains and rivers.”

“This divine power can enhance the wielder, intimidate enemies, or be concentrated entirely into the Bronze Ge itself to amplify its raw power.”

“Not exactly an exceptional divine power, but acceptable enough.”

“Unlike the White Bone Sarira, this Purple Mansion treasure is suited for close combat.”

“It would make an excellent signature weapon for Vajra Strength Duzi.”

“Heh… if a mere Duzi possesses a Purple Mansion treasure, then the rumor that Vajra Strength Duzi is the White Bone Dharma King’s most favored subordinate has effectively become fact.”

Gripping the Bronze Ge in hand, Fang Qing’s killing intent surged.

At that moment, he almost wished a Core Formation great cultivator would appear before him, just so he could fully unleash this treasure’s power.

‘A third-rank body refinement paired with a close-combat treasure, this is the definition of a brute.’

He shook his head and cast the thought aside.

‘Weapons bring calamity, battle invites danger. Unless absolutely necessary, it’s best not to solve problems through fighting.’

After pausing briefly, Fang Qing connected with the Dao-Genesis Pearl and checked on the situations of those on the Qi Refining side.

“The Minor Huan Sea remains stable. Shi Tiexin has confirmed failure in attempting Core Formation.”

“But the Blue Sea Sect still has me, a Core Formation ancestor. That means we still effectively have two Core Formation True Personages.”

“Under Yu Xiang’er’s suppression, the remnants of the Sea-Destroying Alliance have completely withdrawn into their shells and made no moves.”

“And even if something does happen, with my ability to traverse the void, I could arrive and suppress it within half a day to a day at most.”

“As for Yuanxin Market, Zhong Lingxiu has already formally moved the Zhong Alliance into the marketplace. Thanks to that earlier wave of speculation, they’ve made a fortune beyond imagination.”

“Even more absurdly, Xuanqi True Personage never actually left in the end. He joined the Zhong Alliance as a guest elder?”

“Reduced to earning his keep under Zhong Lingxiu?”

“That really turns heaven and earth upside down.”

After organizing all the information, Fang Qing stretched lazily and stepped out from the temporary cave dwelling he had rented in the market.

Before him stretched a landscape of spiritual flowers carpeting the earth, where sea and sky met in a single horizon.

Several pure white seagulls glided overhead.

A gentle breeze blew past, purified by arrays, carrying with it fresh and invigorating air.

This place was Tianquan Island, already within the territory of one of the Eastern Sea’s nine great powers, the Profound Center Sect.

Fang Qing had wandered his way here while leisurely touring the Eastern Sea’s local pleasure industry and, incidentally, searching for superior springs for alchemy.

The Profound Center Sect excelled in alchemy, both water-method and fire-method alike.

Tianquan Island housed a fourth-rank water vein, with many surrounding third-rank low-grade, mid-grade, and even high-grade spiritual springs available for rent.

As a result, Tianquan Island was considered a holy land for water-method alchemy, renowned throughout the Eastern Sea cultivation world.

“However, supposedly true fourth-rank and higher alchemy grandmasters no longer rely on ordinary fourth-rank spiritual springs.”

“A genuine water-method alchemy grandmaster uses a Sea Eye itself as the alchemy furnace.”

“They even wait for specially chosen auspicious moments between heaven and earth.”

“Borrowing the inhalation and exhalation force of the Sea Eye, using the momentum of heaven and earth itself to refine pills.”

“To reach the level of borrowing heaven and earth’s power for pill refinement, one’s water-method attainment must naturally be incredibly profound.”

“After all, the Great Dao has three thousand paths, yet all ultimately lead to the same destination.”

“Unfortunately, in the past several decades, no such water-method grandmaster has publicly refined pills for others to observe.”

Water-method alchemy was grand and spectacular by nature, often favoring public demonstrations before crowds.

Fang Qing certainly would not mind taking some temporary work while openly stealing a master’s techniques in the process.

“As for my current alchemy skill?”

“It should probably rank somewhere between third-rank mid-grade and high-grade.”

“Though if I happen to encounter a pill formula that aligns perfectly with my Qi Ingestion path’s alchemical philosophy…”

“Heh.”

“Then I'll show them a sight they will never forget!"