This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 522 - 520: The Path to Rise, Soul of the Ba Serpent

The night was deep.

In the southwest direction of the Outer Sky, deep in the endless grasslands whose depths were unknown, several campfires had been lit both near and far.

They were the stopping points where caravans trading along fixed merchant routes gathered at night.

When the campfires came alight, the periphery would be lined with numerous benches, food, and water bags, offered to lone travelers passing by as a gesture of mutual support and goodwill.

Over time, these nocturnal flames had become regular gathering places for travelers on the prairie.

Those familiar with the grasslands knew that here lay swathes of ferocious beasts, inexhaustible hordes of wild animals, and unexplored veins of minerals.

It concealed countless dangers that could swallow a man whole.

It also hid chances that could make one rich overnight.

Near one of the campfires, a group of people who had gathered there were chatting and laughing, drinking, and talking.

At the edge where the firelight shone, about half of the benches were occupied, continuously welcoming new arrivals from the darkness, while others rose and vanished into the night.

Thus, when the young man with a spear on his back and short hair walked into the edge of the 'Barrier' created by the light, he did not attract much attention.

He simply took a seat in the corner, pulled out a piece of dried meat from his bosom, and uncorked a jug of fragrant wine.

The aroma of the wine drifted with the breeze, reviving the spirits of many a weary traveler.

The voices of the people who had been chatting idly grew a bit louder unconsciously.

"...This time the haul is good. Taking these hides to the east, I could make at least this many shells."

"The east? Isn't there trouble brewing there?"

"Hey, the trouble is in the Martial God World. Dozens of Divine Realms have surrounded that place with their armies, but that's none of our concern."

"You think, why would the Martial God, such a strong God, bother to make a fuss with the Master of Heaven and Earth?"

"Mortals should not gossip about the affairs of Divine Spirits. Keep quiet."

"What's there to fear? We're not insulting the Divine Spirits, just talking about matters of the Divine Realm. Besides, this place is all barren mountains and fierce waters, with no Divine Realm presence. Who could hear us?"

The young man gnawing on dried meat slowed his chewing.

He overheard others talking:

"That desertification of the Divine Realm a few years ago, haven't you heard? It was the Martial God who did it, to plunder the Power of Living Beings and become a true supreme being."

"Really? I heard it was the Master of Heaven and Earth who did it."

"No, you bunch of hide traders, where did you hear these rumors? I'll be damned, why can't I catch wind of any news, only keeping tabs on old Lady Wang's affairs back home."

A group of men burst into roaring laughter.

When their gaze accidentally swept the corner, the short-haired, spear-bearing young man was nowhere to be seen.

This was, of course, Wu Wang.

In the veil of night, having just brushed with the warmth of the crowd, he was now speeding across the grassland, rushing toward the next target point marked by the Eastern Emperor's Bell.

Five years! Do you know how I've spent these five years?!

Tsk, quite comfortably.

The affairs of the Martial God World had spread far and wide, so much so that they were being mentioned even here.

Of course, Wu Wang did not need to rely on such primitive means to gather information; the movements within the Martial God World and the entire dynamics of the Outer Sky were always within his grasp.

In five years, Wu Wang had traversed nearly half of the Outer Sky.

From the ancient untamed jungles to the lofty mountains reaching tens of thousands of feet;

From the fierce beasts lurking underground to the strange creatures floating among the clouds.

Wu Wang fought his way through, searching for the marks left by Emperor Suiren.

The passage of time was too long, enough to erode all traces, and most of the opponents that Emperor Suiren faced, apart from the Divine Spirits, were no longer around.

After each battle, whenever conditions allowed, Wu Wang would meditate in the area for a few days, awakening the echoes of the Dao rules hidden in the sea of his memory, seeking to recreate the scenes of Emperor Suiren's battles on this land.

Once memories corresponded one by one, parts of Emperor Suiren's experiences would become those of Wu Wang, and he would gain a fraction of Emperor Suiren's combat experience.

One could consider this a form of inheritance.

Albeit with a suspicion of cheating by using the Eastern Emperor's Bell, the years left to him were indeed not many.

This journey, Wu Wang had another goal: to collect scattered precious materials related to the body of the Eastern Emperor's Bell.

The body of the Eastern Emperor's Bell required not only the melting of many Divine Artifacts but also some unique 'materials' buried within the earth.

In the timeline where the Eastern Emperor's Bell was forged, Wu Wang had nearly exhausted all his resources. He had also scoured various treasures from the world with the help of the Heavenly Dao.

Having more preparations now would save some effort later.

The Eastern Emperor's Bell spirit felt quite pleased with this.

Her master wasn't always serious and would sometimes make her wear a maid outfit for no reason. However, he never disappointed the Artifact Spirit when it came to reliability.

Under the starlight and clear moon, Wu Wang's figure came to a halt atop a grassy slope.

The night breeze swept through, stirring waves of pale green in the grass, and the scent of vegetation filled every corner around him, making one's spirit refreshingly content and wanting to lie down and sleep in this place.

However, Wu Wang's expression was grave as he pulled the long spear from his back and thrust its shaft heavily into the ground.

THUD!

The earth, like a drumhead, let out a dull booming sound.

Following that, Wu Wang began to repeat the action, injecting force into the earth in a certain rhythm.

In five years, this incarnation had consumed over three hundred various Spirit Fruits.

On average, one had to be swallowed every three days, a treasure that Martial Artists dreamed of.

Almost after every major battle, he took the opportunity to absorb Emperor Suiren's combat experience and used such heavenly materials and earthly treasures to enhance the strength of this incarnation.

[No cultivation, no harvesting.]

——The Spirit Fruit Protection Association condemned this.

The functions of these Spirit Fruits varied, but for Wu Wang, the most significant benefit was that they allowed him to quickly draw in the Spiritual Power within them, which was a hundred times faster than absorbing Spiritual Energy on his own.

The Spirit Fruits the Martial God had placed in the jade thumb ring, originally regarded as 'inheritance', indeed helped Wu Wang a great deal.

After all, when he first left the Luili Realm, the strength of this incarnation of Wu Wang had only just stepped into the realm of Martial Emperor.

THUD!

THUD!

The long spear fell rhythmically again and again.

The night wind gradually ceased, and suddenly, the moonlight in the sky was obscured by dark clouds.

The spectacular waves of grass also vanished, and the atmosphere in various places seemed somewhat stagnant.

Wu Wang suddenly stopped his movements.

If viewed from above, the grassy slope under Wu Wang's feet appeared to be covered by a shadow, with the edge of the distant horizon gradually eroded by dark miasma.

Wu Wang suddenly raised his long spear and smashed it down forcefully!

The ground bizarrely formed a pitch-black vortex, with a diameter exceeding a hundred measures, swallowing towards Wu Wang's incarnation!

But Wu Wang scoffed, his figure swiftly soared into the sky, seemingly in a perilously rushed manner but actually ascending steadily faster than the vortex rose.

At this moment, Wu Wang hovered a thousand measures in the sky, his long spear glowing with a jade-colored brilliance.

He looked down, his eyes keen as a hawk's, his face filled with murderous intent.

That vortex turned out to be a giant mouth, resembling both a snake and a crocodile, as if lurking in the shadows of the earth; the ground was covered by a black fog that spread for a hundred measures.

Within the fog, a massive entity moved, and the vague outline of a giant crocodile emerged.

There were not only Innate Gods in the Outer Sky, but also living creatures, ferocious beasts, birds, insects, and fish.

Due to the incomplete natural laws of the Outer Sky, many possibilities fermented. Living beings could more easily break through their limits through cultivation, but this also meant various monsters could easily arise.

In ancient times, Emperor Suiren once battled alone against six Divine Spirits on this prairie, repelling all the Gods.

Today, although Wu Wang could not challenge Divine Spirits, he still found himself a worthy opponent.

The black fog below suddenly surged as if the massive creature was about to burst into the sky.

Wu Wang, with both hands holding the spear, plummeted like a comet towards the fog, roaring as the jade brilliance pierced the heavens!

HUM—

...

"Why has the wind suddenly become so strong?"

"And it carries an odd, sinister energy."

The merchants huddled by the campfire tightened their robes, looking up to gauge the direction of the howling wind, relieved to see no dark clouds blowing in.

Now was the season for merchant travel, with little rain.

Here, even if they encountered heavy rain, it wouldn't be a problem; the cargo beasts they used had a trace of bloodline from an ancient, exotic beast—a kind of mythical fish, unafraid of water or wind, possessing great stamina, and of decent size.

The strong wind slowly weakened, and the people felt somewhat irritable.

Just then, a shadow emerged from the night and sat on a small stool at the edge.

He seemed to have come here before, then disappeared somewhere; carrying a spear, with short hair, his profession was unclear.

Several gazes slid over the newcomer's face, yet they found nothing unusual.

The traveling merchants continued to blabber carelessly, having already moved on to discussing the romantic exploits of the Martial God and the Liuli God.

Yes, this was Wu Wang who had returned from ending his Duel.

Wu Wang listened quietly beside them, took out a wrapped piece of paper, and started crunching on the fruit inside as if it were an apple, then closed his eyes to focus.

He sought the memories of Suiren and relived the previous Duels.

As the night deepened, Wu Wang seemed to frown slightly.

Now, as the strength of his incarnation improved and the number of Duels he fought increased, the Martial Arts understanding he gained from the Duels was becoming less and less.

"Zhong?"

"Here, Master!"

In a place invisible to others, a clever young girl sprang up before Wu Wang.

She was only over a foot tall, dressed as a flower fairy, complete with a pair of tiny wings on her back, and a round, deliberately adjusted face.

Without moving his lips, Wu Wang's voice rose from the depths of his heart:

"If my incarnation were to challenge an Innate God now, what are the odds of winning?"

"Around thirty percent for an ordinary lesser God, depending on whether they specialize in Dueling or not."

Zhong, her face adorned with large framed glasses, pushed them up and analyzed with utmost seriousness, "Your current Divine Soul's strength is still lacking, Master. Both the quality and quantity of Spiritual Power stored in your body cannot compare to the Divine Power of those lesser Gods. This is a significant shortcoming that cannot be increased in the short term.

Your advantages lie in your physical body and combat wits during a Duel.

I suggest that you complete this training in its entirety. In about three more years, with the help of the Heavenly Dao and me, you can forge a perfect battle body and reach the limit of living beings!"

Wu Wang asked, "Can I be as strong as the great Suiren then?"

"You might be just a tad short," Zhong gestured 'a teeny-weeny bit' with her tiny fingers.

She smiled and said, "After all, Suiren benefited from a fragment of the Dao rules left by the great goddess Nuwa, which allowed him to eventually break through the limitations of living beings.

If you, Master, feel that living beings have limitations, this incarnation of yours doesn't have to remain human either.

Though you often aren't one."

"Hmm?"

"You're a God!"

Zhong waved her little fist vigorously and shouted, "Eastern Emperor Taiyi, the invincible, the leader of the Heavenly Dao, unrivaled through the ages!"

Wu Wang: ...

"Stop shouting such slogans for no reason, do something meaningful," Wu Wang scolded. "Act like this every day, and people will think I've done a lot of awful things to you."

"Heh, like being a mount."

"That was just materializing a form."

"And wearing a maid outfit."

"I didn't force you; you did it willingly."

"And making me sing 'Pink Memories'!"

"You seemed quite happy singing it at the time, summer, summer, quietly passing by~"

"The design for big-eared Zhong!"

"Hahaha!"

Smiling, Wu Wang said indifferently, "Don't worry about these details. The design is just at the planning stage right now. Don't we have to wait for that fixed moment before we can start forging it?"

Zhong pursed her lips, her face full of silent grievances.

After carefully considering, Wu Wang asked, "How's the situation now?"

"Why don't you just look directly with the Heavenly Dao?"

Wu Wang said seriously, "Even the Heavenly Dao can't see what Emperor Shun and Candle Dragon are up to. You're secretly watching them from outside the River of Time, so of course, we should make the most of it."

"Heh, those two have completely teamed up now. The pressure you've put on them is truly immense."

Zhong muttered, "You have no idea how lively it is inside the body of Candle Dragon, cracking jokes every day. Who would have thought, the notoriously brutal Candle Dragon, could be so wickedly sarcastic."

A look of realization dawned on Wu Wang's face.

So, the sharp tongue of the Goddess of Fortune also had a source?

"Back to serious matters."

"Based on the current trend of possibilities, they shouldn't be planning anything major in the next few years," Zhong Ling said. "Emperor Shun is still pondering the Cataclysmic Formation, aiming to refine the Outer Sky directly to nourish the Dao of Chaos.

But there are still many uncertainties.

The Martial God World has already been surrounded by a large number of Divine Guards and Divine Generals. They are all prepared and simply waiting for the Martial God to make a choice. Undoubtedly, they will continue to put pressure on the Martial God.

If the Martial God reacts more intensely, the likelihood of full-scale war is infinitely close to certainty.

Emperor Shun is only wary of the Water God forming an alliance with the Martial God."

Wu Wang immediately said, "I have been contemplating lately whether the great formation that Emperor Shun wants to create could be this great calamity we're facing?"

"It won't be."

Zhong Ling, however, answered decisively:

"First, the hour hasn't come. There are still over a thousand years until the calamity starts.

Second, although the form and content of the calamity are uncertain, it will certainly not be so easily overcome. Emperor Shun's plan, even if its scale were magnified tenfold, wouldn't be nearly enough.

Because what Emperor Shun is utilizing is merely the power of Dao rules, whereas the coming calamity has the potential to destroy all Dao rules."

Wu Wang couldn't help but place his hand on his forehead.

He was getting a headache again.

Wu Wang asked, "How are Brother Yun Zhongjun and Grandpa progressing?"

"Wouldn't it be better if you summoned them directly instead of having me go check?"

Zhong Ling complained half-heartedly, but then quickly responded:

"The Water God does have a foundational support base and commands high prestige among Innate Gods.

Candle Dragon and Emperor Shun have united ninety-five percent of the Outer Sky's Divine Spirits over the past five years, but most of these spirits are only superficially loyal, or controlled by Candle Dragon.

If you want to have more than eighty percent of the Outer Sky's spirits stand up against Candle Dragon, it's still very difficult to achieve at present.

Lord Yun Zhongjun is devising a strategy to win hearts and minds. Lord Water God is focused on rescuing Cang Xue quickly, to ensure you aren't forced to hold back on her account when the critical moment arrives..."

In Zhong Ling's narrative, Wu Wang's eyes reflected the flickering flames.

The sounds of conversation around the campfire had gradually faded away, and the sky, which had been turbulent moments ago, had returned to a clear Star Sea.

Little Zhong Ling was sitting on Wu Wang's shoulder, gently swinging her legs.

After a long while, Wu Wang smiled inwardly. Getting others to eliminate one's enemies is truly not easy.

"There's no such thing as perfection in this world. We just need to strive for perfection and achieve an outcome that satisfies us," Zhong Ling said cheerfully.

Wu Wang said, "Alright, modify the plans for my upcoming trials. Choose for me some opponents who can strengthen the power of my Divine Soul and whose strength exceeds my own by thirty percent."

"Are you sure you want opponents with a comprehensive strength exceeding yours by thirty percent?"

Zhong Ling blinked. "Aren't you being a bit too harsh on yourself? The basis for overcoming challenges beyond one's level is to use one's strengths against the opponent's weaknesses. Every decision you make now will affect future developments..."

"After all, it is but an incarnation."

Wu Wang smiled. Zhong Ling no longer insisted and soon closed her eyes, seemingly beginning to traverse the river of time and space.

Shortly after, a map, a scroll, and a piece of text were projected into Wu Wang's mind.

[The Ba Serpent swallows elephants, and its bones emerge in three years.

There exists a Ba Serpent with a lifespan of one hundred thousand years. After its body withers away, its spirit remains undying, now taking refuge in a desolate village, pretending to be The God of Ba Mountain.

Slaying it allows one to seize its soul crystal and enhance the power of one's Divine Soul.]

Ba Serpent?

This opponent seems fitting, serving as practice for the eventual challenge against Candle Dragon.

Wu Wang raised his eyebrows slightly, stood up slowly, and once again melted into the night.

To this campfire, he was nothing more than an ordinary passerby taking a rest.

"By the way, Master."

Just as Zhong Ling had slipped back into Wu Wang's chest, she stuck her head out again and spoke, "This place just happens to have the information you need to know now."

"The information I need to know now?" Wu Wang asked.

"The Enlightenment Curse that Emperor Shun has spread has already begun to take effect," Zhong Ling said with a smile. "Here, at the soul of this Ba Serpent, you might just see some novelty."

"Don't beat around the bush, what's the new thing."

Zhong Ling giggled, took a dramatic pause, and then whispered softly, "Demons."