Chapter 262: Chapter 252: Returning to Nanyang Government, Peering into the Legacy of Slave Tao

The Great Dream had just begun to fade, and not a word was spoken throughout the night.

By mid-morning, Yue’er was still fast asleep in bed, a blissful smile on her face.

"Yuan, should we just rest today and practice martial arts tomorrow?" Lin Yiru whispered gently, her doe eyes shining brightly.

Feeling Lin Yiru’s gaze upon him, Hong Yuan subtly shifted his eyes away.

As the years passed, Master Lin Daoyan became increasingly concerned with the matrimonial prospects of his juniors. On several occasions, the elder brothers of his master indirectly probed whether he harbored romantic feelings for Lin Yiru.

But he, Hong Yuan, was a cultivator of Longevity Martial Arts.

Ultimately, it’s a path difficult to walk together.

Sister Yiru, I still prefer your prideful demeanor, Hong Yuan thought.

But outwardly, he said indifferently, "That’s fine. However, in half a month, I’ll be participating in the True Transmission assessment. I’ll need you to take extra care of Yue’er then."

"Mhm, I know," Lin Yiru replied with a sweet smile, her dimples charming and enchanting.

The next moment, however, Yue’er made a soft whimpering sound and awoke from her pleasant dream.

As soon as Yue’er had awakened, she saw Hong Yuan and Lin Yiru. She leapt out of bed and jumped towards Hong Yuan.

Hong Yuan had no choice but to extend his arms and catch her securely.

The daily routine of martial arts practice commenced once again.

This time, Yue’er’s fighting spirit was exceptionally focused, and her will was very determined, impressing Hong Yuan.

But happy times are always fleeting, and the half month passed in the blink of an eye.

「Half a month later.」

In the Deacon Hall of the Sect.

The Power Tao incarnation boarded the flying ship and waved goodbye to his friends and family below.

His destination was Nanyang County, to serve as a casting master for a year, akin to military service.

To outsiders, Hong Yuan’s safety seemed absolutely guaranteed while he was in Nanyang County. Not to mention that the Power Tao incarnation possessed the Four Great Divine Powers, making his combat prowess extraordinary.

"Little Uncle, good luck!" Yue’er shouted loudly, blessing Hong Yuan’s path to a successful assessment.

The flying ship set sail.

Carrying Yue’er’s blessing, Hong Yuan once again headed to Green Sun Prefecture in Nanyang.

Once a great war began, it was difficult to stop.

The conflicts between Phoenix Creek Sect, Qinglu Taoist Temple, and several other Overlord Sects had gradually entered a relatively calmer phase, no longer as fierce as they were at the start. Instead, they opted to use contests between Heavenly Talents to decide the ownership of cities.

This further strengthened Hong Yuan’s belief that these wars were merely a means of selecting disciples with exceptional talents and fortunes.

Prosper, and the common people suffer. Perish, and the common people suffer.

No matter how the mighty Overlord Sects made their decisions, the lives of the common people remained difficult.

"Hey, have you heard? Long Zhandu wanted to emulate Bo Qing and become a Martial Saint through battle, but now he’s trapped on Yaoshan Mountain."

"Tsk tsk, shortcuts are not so easily taken. The trials of becoming a Martial Saint have thwarted many a Heavenly Talent. Over the years, more than a few of the nine great Phoenix Creek True Transmissions have fallen in such attempts."

"Indeed, Long Zhandu was a bit too arrogant. That Bo Qing is inherently a man of the Demon Tao, and taking dangerous risks is his forte. But we, as members of the righteous path, should firmly follow the correct way – that is the true Road to Light."

A few cultivating disciples exchanged information about the battles ahead, discussing strategies and landscapes. In their conversation, they showed a hint of disdain for Long Zhandu, a Phoenix Creek True Transmission.

Long Zhandu was one of the nine Phoenix Creek True Transmissions, the current owner of Black Wolf Blessed Land, and one of the most outstanding disciples within Phoenix Creek Sect. His proficiency in Slave Tao was extraordinarily deep – he enslaved demons, objects, and people! Nothing was beyond his control.

"Long Zhandu..." Hong Yuan sat reclining in his chair, silently muttering this name.

If I remember correctly, this person is Senior Brother Xu Haisheng, Xiao Youjun’s master, with whom I have a grudge.

However, he was now a Soul Tao Grandmaster. If he could obtain a profound Slave Tao inheritance, his Demonic Body might then be able to execute high-level micromanipulations during the Ten Thousand Domains struggle.

I wonder if Treasured Yellow Heaven has any Slave Tao inheritance that leads directly to the Martial Saint Realm, Hong Yuan mused, closing his eyes slightly and shifting his primary consciousness to Bo Qing.

「Heavenly River Blessed Land, the Little Western Desert.」

This was a desert, where settlements were clustered around oases.

Under Hong Yuan’s deliberate arrangement, this area was mostly inhabited by ferocious, solitary Sword Beasts.

At this moment, Bo Qing was extracting the fierce, malevolent aura from these Sword Beasts, preparing to sell it.

The Heavenly River Blessed Land was a top-grade blessed land, producing one hundred Green Grapes Immortal Nuances every year. Compared to other blessed lands, its output was extremely high. This was more than enough to maintain the cultivation of the Sword Tao incarnation.

However, the Heavenly River Sword was a Holy Artifact and a major consumer of Immortal Nuance. Moreover, Hong Yuan also needed to accumulate Immortal Nuance to endure the blessed land’s tribulations.

Fortune and misfortune went hand in hand. The dangers faced by the Heavenly River Blessed Land were far greater than those of other blessed lands.

CLANG!

A sword hum resonated.

Hong Yuan’s hand clenched tightly, and the body of the Sword Tao incarnation suddenly emitted a series of explosive sounds. A surging, overwhelming power emerged—a force capable of destroying heaven and earth and remaking the universe.

For a moment, Hong Yuan was somewhat infatuated.

Such a powerful force used as a mere tool... tsk tsk, that’s a bit lavish, Hong Yuan thought, shaking his head and sighing softly. He thought no further.

With a wave of his hand, Sword Qi Storms immediately arose in the Little Western Desert. The Sword Beasts hidden within the oases shrieked sharply, yet faced with these Sword Qi Storms, they were powerless to resist and were all reduced to fierce, malevolent aura, which Hong Yuan collected.

With a light exhalation, a gentle rain began to fall over the Little Western Desert, and young Sword Beasts broke through the soil. It wouldn’t take long for Hong Yuan to harvest again. These Sword Beasts were like leeks to Hong Yuan; after he cut one batch, another would grow back.

"Communicating Sky Bug, rise!"

Hong Yuan formed sword seals with his hands and channeled Immortal Nuance into the Communicating Sky Bug.

Soon, Hong Yuan’s will ascended to Treasured Yellow Heaven via the Communicating Sky Bug.

This was a world of Chaos, hazy and indistinct, where the passing wills appeared as mere silhouettes. Hong Yuan’s will manifested as a blue figure, brimming with sharp Sword Qi.

Arriving at Treasured Yellow Heaven again, Hong Yuan took a careful look around. He wanted to see if there were any Tao Marks left by the Heavenly Horned Ant, Tianli, but regrettably, there were none. Hong Yuan couldn’t be sure if the fragmentation of Yellow Heaven was due to the great battle between Tianli, the three Quasi-Emperors, and the Emperor Artifact.

"Selling fierce and malevolent aura! Seeking Slave Tao inheritance that leads directly to the Martial Saint Realm!"

Occupying a high platform, Hong Yuan announced his goods and requirements.

Waves of light spread all around, reaching the passing wills of Demon Saints and Martial Saints. Many paused, but in the end, they all departed with regret.

Ultimately, Hong Yuan had to lower his requirements. He now sought a fifth-rank Slave Tao inheritance and offered to trade not only his fierce and malevolent aura but also other resources from his own stock. Only then was the transaction successfully completed.

One must always prepare for the worst. A fifth-rank Slave Tao inheritance... I feel it’s not enough to deal with the seventy-two kings.

If I withdraw from the Ten Thousand Domains struggle too early, that would be quite a loss.

It looks like I’ll have to disguise myself and pay a visit to Long Zhandu. He definitely has Slave Tao Divine Powers in his hands!

This journey for the True Transmission... I’ll need to make more moves, Hong Yuan thought, his expression unchanging as he silently planned in his heart. This True Transmission trip would require a lot more running around.