Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World-Chapter 578 - 573 Gathering at the Divine Beast’s Treasure Land? Taiqing Sect_1
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird sensed Jin Sheng’s aura and tracked it across realms to this world?
Upon hearing this news, Jia Ren felt as if struck by lightning. He had been careful, leaving no significant risks, yet a Golden-Winged Peng Bird had still targeted him. He was immensely relieved to have learned this accidentally; otherwise, had he summoned Jin Sheng, wouldn’t he have walked right into the line of fire and died a senseless death?
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird surveyed its surroundings. This world is rich in talent and spiritual energy, even boasting a Golden Dragon and a Water Qilin; it truly is a treasure trove of Divine Beasts.
In most Cultivation Worlds, the extinction of Divine Beasts was the norm. A world harboring two Divine Beasts could indeed be called such a treasure trove.
"Tell me their locations, and your death will be less painful," the Golden-Winged Peng Bird said, its eyes glinting with malevolence, emanating a fierce aura.
Golden-Winged Peng Birds and True Dragons were mortal enemies; the Peng Birds delighted in hunting True Dragons for sustenance. They particularly favored Golden Dragons, as they were the most nourishing for a Peng Bird’s essence. Golden Dragons were the most revered among dragonkind and exceedingly rare. Now that one had been encountered, it could not be missed. Even though True Dragon Evil was merely the lingering resentment of a dead dragon and not a true member of dragonkind, the Golden-Winged Peng Bird had no intention of letting it survive.
"You damned bald bird! Don’t even think of getting an answer from me!" True Dragon Evil shrieked, its voice laced with desperation and fury upon realizing the Golden-Winged Peng Bird offered no escape.
"I have no connection to it and no intention of being your enemy," Ancestor Ji Kong stated, his voice strained. The two had a mutually beneficial alliance, helping each other out. This alliance was born of necessity, as True Dragon Evil had seized an opportunity to try and possess his body. Ancestor Ji Kong was a Body Integration Realm cultivator, and his Divine Soul hadn’t suffered major damage. Otherwise, faced with True Dragon Evil’s actions, his Divine Soul would have long been extinguished, and his body would be under True Dragon Evil’s control. When facing a great disaster, it’s every man for himself. How could he possibly die alongside True Dragon Evil?
"Without my help, finding a True Dragon in this vast world would be quite difficult for you. I can be of assistance," Ancestor Ji Kong continued, knowing True Dragon Evil was doomed. He decided to leverage the Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s power; this way, the Lingbao Sect would no longer suffer oppression from the Xuantiandao Sect and Beyond the Heavens.
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s sharp talons tightened slightly, and it paused upon hearing his words. It had come to this realm to find the Golden Dragon; crushing True Dragon Evil was merely incidental. Killing this human was not essential.
"I am not alone; I hail from a prominent power in this world. With an extra helper, your goal will be easier to achieve," Ancestor Ji Kong quickly added, sensing the Peng Bird’s consideration.
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird fixed its razor-sharp eyes on Ancestor Ji Kong and nodded. Indeed, as the human said, he was more valuable alive than dead.
"You despicable human! How dare you betray me! I’ll ensure you die a wretched death!" True Dragon Evil’s enraged voice erupted from within Ancestor Ji Kong; the sting of betrayal was bitter. It understood there was no escape from the Golden-Winged Peng Bird, but it refused to let the traitor live!
I’m not dead yet, so I’ll take you with me! True Dragon Evil resolved. A colossal surge of True Dragon Evil Qi erupted, as violent as a tidal wave, as it forcibly attempted to self-detonate. Its aim was to kill Ancestor Ji Kong and heavily injure the Golden-Winged Peng Bird in the process.
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s eagle claws held Ancestor Ji Kong firmly. Feeling the rampant True Dragon Evil Qi within, it discerned True Dragon Evil’s intentions. Such tricks couldn’t possibly harm me, it thought. It opened its beak, and a powerful suction force emerged from its golden maw. The rampaging True Dragon Evil Qi within Ancestor Ji Kong momentarily stiffened, then, as if finding a new outlet, surged rapidly towards the Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s mouth. Nearly seventy percent of the violent True Dragon Evil Qi was siphoned away in an instant.
"Cough! How utterly distasteful!" The Golden-Winged Peng Bird ceased its suction, coughing out a large amount of True Dragon Evil Qi. It had consumed countless Exotic Beasts in its long life, including no fewer than three Divine Beasts, but the taste of this dead dragon’s Evil Qi was appalling, making it difficult to swallow.
With seventy percent of the True Dragon Evil Qi abruptly removed, the self-detonation was forcibly interrupted. True Dragon Evil, realizing the direness of its situation, sank into despair. Escape was impossible, and its last-ditch attempt to kill Ancestor Ji Kong had also failed. Before it could make another move, the Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s eyes flashed like divine swords, piercing into Ancestor Ji Kong’s body. A mournful wail echoed as True Dragon Evil’s consciousness within Ancestor Ji Kong was obliterated, extinguished forever.
Without True Dragon Evil’s restraint, and lacking any Divine Skills in this area, Ancestor Ji Kong could not control the True Dragon Evil Qi now rampaging within him. His body began to draconify at an alarming speed, developing in an inhuman direction. A ball of golden light entered Ancestor Ji Kong’s body. The rioting True Dragon Evil Qi calmed, and the physical transformation gradually halted, restoring stability.
"Thank you for your timely assistance," Ancestor Ji Kong said to the Golden-Winged Peng Bird, expressing his gratitude for saving his life.
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird regarded him with a hint of amusement in its eyes, its voice indifferent. "Don’t celebrate too soon."
"You do not possess a True Dragon’s physique, nor do you have a dragon’s soul; you cannot control the True Dragon Evil Qi. It will gradually corrode your body until both your Divine Soul and physique are tainted, turning you into an irrational, draconic madman."
"My Sharp Metal Divine Light can suppress the True Dragon Evil Qi and also detect True Dragons and other Divine Beasts. The moment you encounter a True Dragon, I will know."
"Find me a Golden Dragon within a hundred years—a Kylin would also be acceptable—and I will extract the True Dragon Evil Qi from your body. Otherwise, death is your only path."
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird had lived for tens of thousands of years and encountered countless humans; it knew their cunning well. It never entrusted its hopes to others. By holding this human’s life firmly in its grasp, he would be forced to search for a Golden Dragon or Kylin to survive; there was no fear he wouldn’t try his utmost.
Ancestor Ji Kong’s expression didn’t change; he seemed to have resigned himself to his fate. Living a little longer was certainly better than dying now at the hands of the Golden-Winged Peng Bird.
"Thank you for your mercy. I will strive to find a Divine Beast for you."
The Golden-Winged Peng Bird nodded, then flapped its wings and flew off towards another part of the Mysterious Realm. This was a speculative move. If it found the True Dragon first, it wouldn’t bother returning to solve the human’s problem; the human would still face death. His only chance at survival was to find a Divine Beast before the Peng Bird did.
Ancestor Ji Kong watched the Golden-Winged Peng Bird disappear into the distance and sighed. He had been away from the sect for four years; he hoped nothing too terrible had befallen the Lingbao Sect. True Dragon Evil had stolen the Azure Dragon Giant Beast Treasure Formation and injured his fellow sect members, causing considerable trouble for the Lingbao Sect. Fortunately, he still had a chance to compensate the sect. Ancestor Ji Kong activated his Escape Light and sped towards the Lingbao Sect.
Jia Ren had been observing quietly from the sidelines, like a mere spectator. After the Golden-Winged Peng Bird departed, he did not reveal himself to meet his master, Ancestor Ji Kong. Times have changed. Ancestor Ji Kong now carries the Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s mark. Who knows if meeting him would expose the hidden Jin Sheng and Mo Lin? The best course of action is to maintain a safe distance, ensuring my own security. I shouldn’t return to the Lingbao Sect for now. Until I find a solution, I must proceed with caution.
How did a Golden-Winged Peng Bird suddenly appear in the Mysterious Realm? This is a real headache! Jia Ren mused. The mark the Golden-Winged Peng Bird left on Master is a hidden danger. If it discovers me, it will mean utter disaster. I am far from being a match for the Golden-Winged Peng Bird. Until I possess the strength to confront it, prudence must be my guide.
If I reach the Body Integration Realm, would I be able to contend with the Golden-Winged Peng Bird? Jia Ren pondered this outcome seriously. The Golden-Winged Peng Bird’s strength far surpasses that of an ordinary Mahayana Stage Cultivator, making it difficult to deal with. Its power is even above that of ordinary Mahayana Stage Cultivators. If I reach the Body Integration Realm, and my Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure also advances to Mahayana Realm completion, I could use the Dusk Treasured Light to absorb massive amounts of nature’s spiritual energy. By entering the Integration state with Jin Sheng and employing my Technique-Nearing-Dao Level Law of Heaven and Earth, I should have the power to fight.
Master has at most a hundred years. I must find a way to reach Virtual Refining Stage Completion within that time and find the necessary Elixir to advance to the Body Integration Realm. For Jia Ren, who had only recently entered the Late Stage of Void Refinement, reaching the Body Integration Realm within a century without fortuitous encounters seemed a bleak prospect. With the aid of the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower, achieving Virtual Refining Stage Completion in a hundred years was feasible, but advancing to the Body Integration Realm in that timeframe was doubtful.
The solution isn’t too difficult to find, he thought. If the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower is upgraded into a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure, replacing the Wicked Flame with Phoenix True Fire, the incineration of Bizarre Demons would be greatly enhanced. The efficiency of absorbing nature’s spiritual energy could also be increased. This would shorten the time needed to reach Virtual Refining Stage Completion. Additionally, the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art and Source Spirit Water could also help. The Spirit Devouring Treasure Art merely requires enough Magical Treasures. As for Source Spirit Water, I still lack the Source Essence from the Source Treasure Cave Heaven, which will take several more decades. With the Golden-Winged Peng Bird roaming the Mysterious Realm, I dare not rashly summon Jin Sheng and Mo Lin into the Source Treasure Cave Heaven.
There’s another issue. After the Seventh-order Li Bird gave birth to Li Feng, and Li Feng spends decades undergoing atavistic regression into a Phoenix, my entering or exiting the Heaven and Earth Mountain and Sea Pearl will trigger visions of this Phoenix regression. Who knows if the Golden-Winged Peng Bird has methods to locate me then? I must also find a way to deal with the peculiar nature’s spiritual energy in the Daqian Kingdom and prioritize upgrading the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower to a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure. Once the Zhenjie Xuanstone issue is resolved and the Phoenix has completed its regression, I must avoid casually entering or exiting the Heaven and Earth Mountain and Sea Pearl to prevent causing conspicuous phenomena in the Mysterious Realm. A Phoenix is a Divine Beast; materials from an adult Phoenix should offer the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower a chance to be upgraded to a Mysterious Heavenly Spiritual Treasure.
With a myriad of thoughts racing through his mind, Jia Ren silently departed the White Bone Mountain Range, flying in the opposite direction of the Lingbao Sect. After traveling tens of thousands of miles, the effects of the Virtual Spirit Pill wore off. Only then did he employ the Bewildering Spirit Bead and the Mirror Flower Divine Moon to conceal his aura. He had acquired numerous treasures from the Daqian Kingdom: two Heavenly Origin Fruit Trees, three pieces of Tongtian-level warding material, and the Yin Five Elements Spiritual Fruit, all of which were immensely useful to him. The Zhenjie Xuanstone was essential for upgrading the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower to a Sky-reaching Spiritual Treasure. The Yin Five Elements Spiritual Treasure would perfect his Five Elements power, which was related to advancing to the Body Integration Realm. To ascend to the Body Integration Realm within a hundred years, the problem of the heterogeneous spiritual energy had to be solved.
The Lingbao Sect excels at refining Spiritual Treasures, but their expertise regarding nature’s spiritual energy isn’t top-tier. They cannot guarantee a solution for nature’s spiritual energy tainted by the Dead Immortal Will... If such spiritual energy could be easily resolved, Emperor Gan and many other High-Order Cultivators would not have been trapped in that bizarre world. This was a significant problem, and he would have to find a solution within the Mysterious Realm himself.
Among the top sects in the Mysterious Realm, the Taiqing Sect is renowned as the strongest concerning spiritual energy. That could be a starting point for a breakthrough. With this thought, Jia Ren flew towards the territory of the Taiqing Sect.
