Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 528 Changing one's footsteps: No such person exists on this mountain!

A ray of purple-gold light burst forth from your body, instantly enveloping the entire courtyard.

Wherever the light shone, all vegetation withered and died, and even the soil shimmered with eerie purple-gold patterns.

This light can scorch the heart and soul; those struck by it will inevitably suffer a backlash of inner fire, their soul burning and difficult to extinguish.

Moreover, this type of magic is a form of heavenly tribulation; any defensive spell is useless against it, and one must withstand it head-on.

[If your cultivation level is lower than yours, it's almost a matter of annihilation.]

Once the Heavenly Horned Ant reached adulthood, aside from its brute strength capable of moving mountains and suppressing peaks, it didn't possess many advantages over other true spirits in terms of supernatural abilities. Yet, it earned its formidable reputation through this "purple-gold light."

Even cultivators at the Great Dao Golden Core stage must be cautious and wary.

You slowly finished your practice, looking down at your jet-black ant-like body.

Its six legs were as if cast from black iron, and faint purple-gold patterns flowed across its carapace; two tentacles swayed unconsciously.

The novelty of this inhuman body made you instinctively touch your mouthparts with your forelimbs.

[It's a bit novel to be unhuman for the first time.]

Even if you use the fourth level of the "Jade Emperor's Aura Observation Technique," what you will see is a genuine True Spirit Heavenly Horned Ant.

The profound mysteries of the "Seven Treasures Mystic Manual" far exceed imagination. At this moment, from your bloodline to your soul, you are no different from a true Purple-Gold Heavenly Horned Ant.

[For the first time, you truly felt the differential treatment that Heaven showed towards different races.]

As a being of true spiritual bloodline, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed around him like gentle water, his vital energy exhaling with a natural affinity.

This feeling of being favored by Heaven gives you a deeper understanding of the mystery of "escaping one's fate"—though the Great Dao is impartial and unbiased, it always leaves a glimmer of hope and a surplus.

[As you silently circulate the mental techniques of the "Seven Treasures Mystic Manual," your jet-black ant body suddenly bursts forth with a dazzling purple light.]

[Light enveloped you like a cocoon, your carapace melted away inch by inch, and your six legs gradually took shape.]

When the light faded, a naked young man stood prominently in the courtyard.

The newborn's body was tall and slender, with muscles sculpted as if by a knife or axe, and black hair cascaded down his shoulders like a waterfall.

The most striking feature is the purple-gold pattern covering your entire body, shimmering with a mysterious luster under the moonlight. You raise your hand to touch your face—the features bear a slight resemblance to your true appearance, yet possess an added air of heroic spirit.

Her eyebrows were like sharp swords, slanting sharply towards her temples; her eyes, when opened and closed, seemed to gleam with a faint purple light.

[You thought it would be the appearance of the Ant Immortal, but it seems the old ant is the most unsightly among this colony.]

[You have realized that this is not a simple illusion technique.]

[At this moment, this body is a perfect Dao body that truly combines the advantages of the human race's Dao body with the power of the Heavenly Horned Ant's bloodline.]

[You are filled with awe, wondering who created this "Seven Treasures Mystic Manual," which possesses the power to rival the creation of heaven and earth.]

It was as if a true spirit had truly appeared in this world, and heaven and earth acknowledged its existence.

[If you exert your power again, after a burst of purple light, your original appearance will appear, and that ancient, desolate aura will have completely vanished.]

You look at your normal hands, fingers together, and clench them; a satisfied expression appears on your face.

Now that you possess the "Purple Gold Heavenly Horned Ant" Dharma Body, you'll sometimes save yourself a lot of trouble when getting things done.

If all seven Dharma bodies were to come together, one wonders what kind of immense power would be unleashed.

Continue your cultivation until dawn.

These past few days I've been busy cultivating the "Seven Treasures Mystic Manual" and haven't had a chance to visit the library.

You first went to the cemetery, and then to the library.

Spiritual practice is inherently a difficult task, requiring consistent effort over time.

Many spiritual practitioners, despite possessing talent, lack the willpower to cultivate diligently, indulging in worldly pleasures, only to regret it too late in the end.

Those who ascend to great heights, aside from those with extraordinary talent, all possess a steadfast commitment to the Dao.

[Entering the familiar library, the place you've spent the most time in the past two years, you've read through everything except for one shelf.]

[As your cultivation level increases, coupled with the accumulation of these 600,000+ Daoist scriptures, you will only need to scan them with your divine sense to grasp their essence and understand them clearly.]

As you step into the library, you see a plump figure pacing back and forth among the bookshelves.

The man's eyes lit up the moment he saw you enter, and he rushed forward to greet you.

"Junior Brother Zhou! We've been waiting for you!" Yang Chen's round face was beaming with smiles as he grabbed your sleeve. "If you hadn't come, I would have gone to Little Green Peak to wait for you."

You greeted him with a smile, "Senior Brother Yang, how have you been?"

"Junior Brother Zhou, come with me."

[No noise or casual conversation is allowed inside the library; naturally, there are also quiet rooms provided for convenience.]

You enter the quiet room.

Yang Chen smiled slightly. "I've come to tell Junior Brother Zhou some good news."

You joked, "Oh, could it be that Senior Brother Yang has found a Daoist partner and is about to throw a grand banquet?"

"A Daoist partner?" Yang Chen's face instantly fell, and he said impatiently, "What's the point of a Daoist partner? Talking to them is pointless; it's like talking to a brick wall, or casting pearls before swine."

"How can anyone compare to my junior brother in the slightest? He speaks so kindly, is so knowledgeable, and so understanding."

You were both amused and exasperated by his words, and quickly said, "Senior brother, let's get down to business."

He then recounted in detail the story of the "Heavenly Emperor's Treasury" that he had heard from Shen Zimo.

You couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "I never imagined that a celestial treasure trove truly existed in this world?"

You and Yang Chen discussed this matter before.

The Heavenly Emperor's Treasury is the most crucial watershed among the ancient relics unearthed.

[You share the same view as Yang Chen: the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury is the location of a treasure trove belonging to a great cultivator from ancient times or even earlier.]

The Heavenly Emperor's Treasury is recorded as "Dao Ye" in the Fangcun Mountain tradition; it was created at the time of the creation of this world, along with this very heaven and earth.

[Scattered records in ancient texts indicate that those earth-shattering battles were all fought over this "Taoist cause."]

[Whoever obtains it will wield power over a realm and have direct access to the Immortal Realm.]

However, the mortal legends tell a different story—it is said that in ancient times, the true form of the Heavenly Emperor descended to the mortal realm, only to be killed by a coalition of mortal cultivators, thus severing the destiny of this realm and closing the path to ascension.

The Heavenly Emperor's Treasury is where the Heavenly Emperor's true form resides.

Regardless of the circumstances, this Heavenly Emperor's Treasury is very likely the key to connecting to ancient secrets and resuming the path to ascension.

[Legend has it that the most precious item in this treasure trove is a copy of the "Heavenly Emperor's Inner Scripture," the Heavenly Emperor's cultivation method, a book of profound wisdom and power capable of changing the world.]

Even someone with your strong Daoist resolve couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

It seems we have no choice but to enter this Heavenly Emperor's Treasury!

Yang Chen seemed to have anticipated your reaction.

"Senior Brother Zhou, if there were a library within the Heavenly Treasury, and if we could take a look, perhaps the very beginning of heaven and earth would be right before our eyes."

You nodded slowly, but then you realized that if Yang Chen knew this, then surely the Nine Righteous Sects, even the Demonic Sect, and the powerful figures of the Four Continents would know as well.

Yang Chen looked at you and said, "Junior Brother Zhou, the Heavenly Treasure Vault is already controlled by four forces: the Heretical Path, the Demonic Sect, the Righteous Path, and the Dragon Clan. Even the three Supreme Grandmasters, who have long been elusive, will be present. You cannot force your way in."

"There's only one way to get in: by using the name of Fangcun Mountain, we can enter openly and legitimately."

Having said that, you seem to understand Yang Chen's meaning.

The somewhat overweight young man looked intently at you. "Senior Brother Zhou, I've always believed you would be a dragon among men."

【"ah-"】

Upon hearing this, and seeing Yang Chen's excited expression, you might even suspect that this senior brother had been possessed by his grandfather, exclaiming, "My grandson has the potential to achieve the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao!"

Yang Chen said seriously, "From the first time I met Junior Brother Zhou, I knew he was no ordinary person."

"Senior Brother Yang, stop testing me. I don't have any spirit pills, but you can take them."

Yang Chen smiled. "I've delivered the message. Senior Brother Zhou, if you're going to the Heavenly Treasure Vault with Fangcun Mountain, you must at least make a name for yourself at the Eighteen Veins Star-Picking Gathering." He added meaningfully, "Or perhaps, make a name for yourself."

Yang Chen took his leave.

[You don't really think Yang Chen can see through your cultivation level. With your current realm, as long as you don't make a move, even a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to discern your true strength.]

But upon further reflection, he couldn't help but shake his head and smile wryly—his "refined and elegant," "standing out from the crowd" aura was indeed as undeniable as a beacon in the dark.

Yang Chen has a really sharp eye.

As for the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury, even without Yang Chen's reminder, you would have gone there anyway. How could you possibly miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that involves the very origin of heaven and earth and concerns the path to ascension?

[You continue reading the jade slips in the library, your gaze deepening. It seems that continuing your low-key cultivation will likely be impossible.]

Three days later, you will resume your normal cultivation practice.

[The difference is that on this day, your cultivation, which had been stagnant for a year, finally broke through.]

[In Lü Qingyu's eyes, this is a cause for celebration; you've finally reached the "late stage of body sculpting."]

[Three years in the mountains, in the later stages of body sculpting, which is actually considered slow.]

Upon hearing this, the old man rolled his eyes, saying, "A pig's nose with a scallion stuck in it."

He thought to himself, "The sun has risen in the west... This isn't like Jing's style."

Four more days!

According to information gathered by Lü Qingyu from other peaks, the Fairy of Yaotai and Sword Master Yaoxia are reportedly leaving soon.

It seems that Nie Qingzhu's previous arrangement for you to receive Fairy Yaotai and her entourage is going to fall through.

Your calm expression was entirely expected.

The people of Xiaoqing Peak, however, were quite indignant. The Fairy of Yaotai and Sword Master Yaoxia had practically traversed all eighteen peaks of Fangcun Mountain, yet they had "missed" Xiaoqing Peak.

The deeper meaning behind this deliberate oversight is self-evident.

It's not that these two individuals are like this; it's more likely that people from Fangcun Mountain are "causing trouble."

[It's an open secret among the various factions of Xiaoqing Peak that they are largely ignored within Fangcun Mountain. Even their disciples often face disdain when traveling outside.]

[Ever since the nine people from the Dragon Court realm were suppressed in the back mountain of Little Green Peak last time, they have become somewhat "blatant."]

Three more days have passed in the blink of an eye.

The books in the library were being read methodically. Estimating the progress, it would take about two more months to read through the entire first floor.

You can't help but look up at the stairs leading to the second floor. There, the sect's ancestral scriptures are stored. While the quantity is far less than that of the first floor, it still represents the very foundation of Fangcun Mountain.

Three more days passed.

~

Qi Yunfeng!
Like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, it pierces the sky in solitary isolation.

The summit is shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, and on the cliffs that are occasionally revealed, dozens of thick, cold iron chains hang, swaying and clanging in the wind.

This is a rule that has existed since the establishment of Qiyun Peak: all disciples of the sect who reach the summit must not fly through the air, but must climb the thousand-foot cliff with their own bodies using steel cables.

On those iron locks, polished smooth by the passage of time, one can still faintly see the mottled marks left by disciples of past generations.

The disciples of this peak are mostly sword cultivators, and also specialize in body tempering.

Therefore, when the eighteen sects of Fangcun Mountain held a martial arts competition, the disciples of Qiyun Peak often outshone all the others.

At that moment, several figures were leaping and bounding on the chains, the sound of swords piercing the clouds and splitting rocks, startling birds all over the mountain.

"The scenery of Qiyun Peak is truly unique. From here, you can overlook the entire Fangcun Mountain, yet it stands out with its own unique charm."

"Yaoxia Sword Master, this is a false compliment. The eighteen branches of Fangcun Mountain are all connected by the same energy, and there is no distinction between them."

The speaker was Qi Yunfeng, a young man with an ordinary appearance but who gave off a calm and composed air.

He is Ji Heng, the senior disciple of Qi Yunfeng.

Upon hearing this, Longquan Sword Master Yao Xia smiled slightly, but said nothing more.

There were seven or eight people accompanying him, all of whom were young talents from Fencun Mountain.

After spending time with him, the people of Fencun Mountain also learned that this somewhat scholarly swordsman spoke in a "reserved" manner.

Beside Yao Xia was a woman whose white veil fluttered in the wind, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear as autumn water, yet she was also fresh and refined, making her hard to ignore.

But at this moment, those bright eyes were unusually unfocused; this person was naturally Zhuang Xiuyin.

To be so highly praised by the Nine Righteous Sects and called the Fairy of the Jade Terrace, she must naturally be a person who treats others with kindness and grace, making people feel as if they are bathed in a spring breeze.

At this moment, however, I am lost in thought.

Yao Xia then spoke up, "Fairy Zhuang, shall we look for that person again?"

The seven or eight people from Fangcun Mountain behind him looked somewhat helpless after hearing this.

Among them, the chief disciple of Longya Peak, a dark-skinned man who looked somewhat like a farmer, spoke up.

“Fairy Zhuang, there is indeed no one named Jing Haoren within Dragon Tooth Peak.”

Ji Heng, the senior disciple of Qi Yunfeng, said, "Qi Yunfeng does not have the person the fairy mentioned. We have inquired with all people with the surname Jing, but there is no such person."

"Excuse my bluntness, but could it be that the person deliberately gave a false name, or perhaps he was never from Fangcun Mountain to begin with?"

"I wonder, who is this fairy?"

Zhuang Xiuyin was also puzzled. He had thought that with the talent of that fellow Daoist Jing, he couldn't possibly be an unknown person during his time at Fangcun Mountain.

Unexpectedly, after a whole month of secretly inquiring, she still couldn't find a suitable candidate.

With her departure from Fangcun Mountain imminent, she revealed the news, asking the chief disciples of each branch of Fangcun Mountain to help her search.

The result was the same: although there were people with the same name, none of them matched.

However, the pure magical power that this person used clearly originated from Fangcun Mountain.

Furthermore, the drought demon incident was also closely related to an elder from Fangcun Mountain who was at the Dragon Court realm.

Zhuang Xiuyin did not reveal the whole story, only mentioning his name and age, and did not even utter the words "Qinghe County".

"I am grateful to you all for your help these past few days. This fellow Daoist Jing saved my life."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this.

The dignified Fairy of Yaotai, the contemporary Holy Maiden of West Kunlun, was actually saved by a cultivator from Fangcun Mountain? The chief disciples of each lineage looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhuang Xiuyin was inevitably disappointed. If this fellow Daoist Jing had helped him on the trip to the "Heavenly Emperor's Treasury," he would have had a better chance of success.

After all, this fellow Daoist not only possesses exceptional cultivation but is also quick-witted in handling affairs. What's even more remarkable is his gentlemanly conduct.

Among the people accompanying him from each peak, Yuan Shujian, the senior disciple of Longshou Peak, frowned slightly.

Back then, within Qinghe County, I was responsible for selecting disciples with spiritual roots and talents to go to Fangcun Mountain.

Because of an elder's request, the Zhou family was deliberately neglected.

And so the Zhou family's rumored "four-year-old innate talent" missed out on Dragon Head Peak.

Yuan Shujian didn't think there was anything wrong with what he did, all for the sake of Longshou Peak.

The value of an elder at the Dragon Court realm is naturally far greater than that of a so-called prodigy of a prefecture.

however!
For some reason, the name "Zhou Jing" has often come to mind over the years.

Yuan Shujian had paid attention to this person before. Although his cultivation level was mediocre at Xiaoqing Peak, he seemed to be highly regarded by Nie Qingzhu.

Today, this fairy from Yaotai mentioned this "fellow Daoist Jing," though only his name was mentioned.

However, a name suddenly appeared in the mind of this chief disciple of Dragon Head Peak.

Xiao Qingfeng · Zhou Jing.

(End of this chapter)