Volume One, Chapter 20: The Savage Land, the Hidden Realm
As soon as Chen Xuanting emerged from seclusion, his master suddenly appeared.
“Disciple pays respects to Master.”
Dugu Wufang immediately discerned that Chen Xuanting had reached the pinnacle of the Celestial Realm. His aged face was filled with shock. “Pinnacle of the Celestial Realm?”
To rise from the Yin-Yang Realm to the Celestial Realm’s peak within three years—truly a prodigy. Is this the terrifying potential of the divine body?
“Xuanting, your cultivation has advanced too rapidly. You must temper your mind; otherwise, instability may lead you into demonic deviation.”
Demonic deviation? What a joke.
My mind and cultivation have reached the Saint King Realm.
Naturally, Chen Xuanting kept this secret to himself and replied respectfully, “Yes, Master.”
Dugu Wufang said, “Recently, a secret realm has appeared in the Wildlands. It’s not too late for you to go now that you’ve emerged. With the fate bestowed by your divine body, you are bound to gain great opportunities within.”
Chen Xuanting knew well that he possessed no great fortune. His Sword Pupils were seized from Chen Fuyao, who was the true destined individual of this era.
No fortune? So what!
If fortune does not come to me, I shall seize it.
He had long planted a pawn meant to seize the Heavenly Dao’s fate.
“I will take you to the Wildlands.”
The master and disciple vanished instantly.
The Wildlands lay at the far west of Huang Province.
Soon, Dugu Wufang led Chen Xuanting there.
The Wildlands were thin in spiritual energy, rife with savage and ferocious beasts, fraught with danger. The region was inhabited by the Barbarians, a branch of humanity with ancient shamanic bloodlines. The Barbarians cultivated their physical bodies, which were incredibly powerful, enabling them to battle ferocious beasts.
The two arrived at a valley.
A massive fissure split the mountain within the valley—that fissure was the entrance to the secret realm.
“Go forth.”
Chen Xuanting entered the secret realm.
He soon found himself in a strange world.
Only a sage could carve out a small world.
He was not interested in sage inheritances, but rather in the rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures within the realm. He unleashed his divine sense to search for treasures.
After a long search, not even a single spiritual herb was found.
No need to guess—it had been preempted by others.
A woman in red came into Chen Xuanting’s sight.
Li Hongxiu sensed someone spying on her with divine sense and immediately grew alert.
Suddenly, Chen Xuanting appeared and without a word swung his sword. The Sword Intent of No Life captivated her mind, plunging Li Hongxiu into endless slaughter. Before she could escape, she was slain by a single strike.
With his current cultivation, even those at the Celestial Realm could be killed instantly.
Chen Xuanting used the Devouring Demon Technique to absorb Li Hongxiu. She possessed the Water Spirit Body; devouring her primordial demon embryo strengthened him considerably.
The power of the Devouring Demon Technique was linked to the strength of the demon embryo—the stronger the embryo, the greater the technique’s power.
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Over the years, Chen Xuanting had focused on refining his sword technique and had not sought out prodigies with special constitutions to devour, causing the Devouring Demon Technique to stagnate.
No doubt, many prodigies would come to the secret realm seeking opportunities. All would become his prey.
Li Hongxiu’s storage ring fell into Chen Xuanting’s hands. Inside were numerous spiritual herbs and even two Medicine Kings—quite a bargain for him. With a single step, he vanished instantly.
A thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy clad in animal skins was locked in combat with a ferocious saber-toothed tiger.
The boy’s physical body was incredibly strong, matching the tiger blow for blow in close combat.
A divine sense fell upon the boy.
From over a hundred miles away, Chen Xuanting retracted his divine sense.
“Barbarian.”
The Barbarians carried the shaman bloodline; devouring this boy would also significantly enhance his demon embryo.
He vanished instantly.
The boy was struck by the tiger’s claw and hurled back, his animal hide torn, several shallow claw marks left on his body.
The saber-toothed tiger lunged with its jaws toward the boy.
At the critical moment, a powerful force erupted from his bloodline. With a punch, he sent the tiger flying.
A sword aura surged out, cleaving the saber-toothed tiger in two instantly.
Chen Xuanting appeared beside the boy, surprised at the fierce bloodline power he had unleashed. Using physiognomy, he gazed at him and discovered his fate was marked by a flood dragon.
A fate of the flood dragon.
Such a transcendent fate!
He had seen such extraordinary fate only once before, in Qi Haoran.
Qi Haoran had inherited the Confucian-Daoist fate and was destined to become the Great Emperor Haoran. Such a transcendent fate was fitting.
How did this boy possess such a transcendent fate?
Could he have inherited the Barbarian or Shaman fate?
With such a transcendent fate, he was bound to become a great emperor.
Chen Xuanting did not recall any record of a Barbarian Emperor in later times.
“Thank you for saving me, big brother.”
The boy pulled out a purple ginseng to thank Chen Xuanting. “This purple ginseng is for you as repayment.”
Chen Xuanting asked, “What is your name?”
“My name is Tuoba Zhan.”
“Keep the purple ginseng for yourself.”
Chen Xuanting chose not to devour Tuoba Zhan. The boy had the potential to become an emperor, and devouring him now would be a waste. He would let him grow for a while longer.
He vanished instantly.
“My mother says outsiders are crafty, but this big brother seems kind,” Tuoba Zhan said as he stored the ginseng in his storage pouch.
In a valley,
Three prodigies from different sects were united in an assault on a domineering man wielding a Fangtian Huaji spear. The man was slaughtering wildly, and even the three prodigies combined could not overpower him.
Among the three was none other than Long Aotian.
Nearby, others lay wounded.
They were all here to compete for the millennium-old Vermilion Fruit in the valley.
The Vermilion Fruit was a sacred medicine, rare and precious.
“Is this all you sect prodigies can do? You disappoint me—I'm done playing.”
“Wrath of the Thunder God!”
The domineering man summoned a towering hundred-meter thunder giant, surrounded by roaring lightning, like the descent of a Thunder God. Swinging his Fangtian Huaji spear, countless bolts of thunder surged toward the three prodigies.
“Heavenly Flying Immortal!”
“Dark Nether True Energy!”
“Mighty Dragon Elephant Fist!”
The three unleashed their respective divine arts to counter the thunder.
The thunder was overwhelmingly powerful, shattering their defenses and causing them to cough up blood.
Jun Lingtian, brimming with dominance, challenged, “Who else dares to face me?”
“I do.”
A voice sounded.
Everyone looked toward the source, seeing a figure appear above the valley.
“Chen Xuanting.”
Long Aotian was shocked.
Pinnacle of the Celestial Realm.
Impossible!
Only three years ago, Chen Xuanting had just entered the Yin-Yang Realm.
Now, three years later, he had broken through to the peak of the Celestial Realm.
Even with a divine body, such prodigious advancement seemed impossible.
Jun Lingtian gazed at Chen Xuanting and immediately discerned his cultivation. “Pinnacle of the Celestial Realm. You do have the qualifications to battle me.”
“Take my spear!”
He swung his spear, unleashing a terrifying force toward Chen Xuanting.
Chen Xuanting formed a sword with his finger, shooting a sword aura to block the strike.
“Still, to dare to shout in front of me at the late Celestial Realm stage…”
“Flaming Sword Rain!”
Chen Xuanting summoned the Chilian Sword and unleashed the Flaming Sword Technique. Countless fiery sword auras densely filled the void, raining down like a torrent upon Jun Lingtian.
Ninety percent sword intent.
Jun Lingtian was greatly alarmed and withdrew his disdain.
“Thunder Domain!”
Jun Lingtian released his domain, thick with thunder. The lightning shattered the sword aura.