From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 200 Hundred Birds
The golden pheasant was covered in blood, as if it had survived a fierce battle and finally escaped. It held a blue talisman in its hands, which glowed.

Chen Xuan stared at the cyan rune stone, a strange thought rising in his mind.

“It’s really too much of a coincidence.” Hua Liuli pondered, feeling deeply, “Those alchemy forces hope that the chosen ones can become strong quickly, but they don’t want the chosen ones to become too strong, so strong that they can escape control.”

Chen Xuan remained silent upon hearing this.

Hua Liuli stared intently at Chen Xuan and continued, "You have been suppressing your cultivation for too long, experiencing three heavenly tribulations over a period of more than six months... At that time, the power of heaven and earth from the three paths to immortality—metal, wood, and water—will come to congratulate you, and you will soar to the heavens."

This is an extraordinary achievement, surpassing a large portion of the chosen ones, and even comparable to the legendary immortal seeds... When Chen Xuan reached the cauldron, he made his final leap, receiving feedback from the power of heaven and earth, reaching an unimaginable level.

Hua Liuli's group of subordinates, who were all secretly observing Chen Xuan, were all shocked: "These past few days, it has been this person who has been advancing to the next level of cultivation..."

They sensed a powerful force emanating from Chen Xuan's lifeless and withered body; the Daoist principles of metal, wood, water, and fire were accumulating and settling in the silence.

Like an ancient dragon lurking in endless darkness, its massive body curled up in the deep corners of time, temporarily concealing its sharpness. Or like magma surging deep underground, tightly suppressed by layers of rock in the earth's crust, yet it never stops surging, nurturing a day of earth-shattering explosion in the darkness.

Chen Xuan frowned and said, "It's only been a little over six months."

"It's been long enough..."

Hua Liuli sighed, "Moreover, if my prediction is correct, you will cultivate the fourth Heavenly Fate Scripture in a few days... You will continue down this path, won't you?"

"I do have this thought."

Chen Xuan nodded frankly. After mastering the five elements (metal, wood, water, and fire), he would also try to fuse the power of earth... if he could do it.

There are very few people in this world who have such good conditions as him.

But clearly, several unexpected events occurred all at once, catching everyone off guard.

Chen Xuan's lifeline has been seized. Once he enters the fray, his cultivation process will be interrupted. If he encounters a major battle, he may be forced to break through his cultivation realm in the heat of battle and temporarily boost his combat power.

This means that... a lot of potential will be lost.

“Xiao Qingtian Nanmian’s motives are unclear, but the Golden Crow God is probably somewhat wary of you and wants to force you to give up your greatest potential and hastily advance to the cauldron,” Hua Liuli said.

"It's petty," Chen Xuan said with a shake of his head and a smile.

“Your potential is too great.” Hua Liuli sighed: “It is said that when Nan Mian advanced to the Cauldron Realm, he only lasted for nine months. He is a Dao Child of Immortal Seed listed in the [Immortal Register]. If nothing unexpected happens, Nan Mian will have a place among the True Monarchs in the world for the next ten thousand years.”

Those destined for heaven grow up based on destiny, but in reality, the vast majority of them have innate talent and aptitude far inferior to those born into immortal families.

People like Hua Liuli, the "Master of Two Realms," possess exceptional physical attributes, making them extremely rare.

More often, there are those like [Extreme God], [Yellow Millet Dream], and [Emperor Yanming], who can barely be considered ordinary geniuses in their respective cities and regions.

But the potential that Chen Xuan is showing at this moment far exceeds his own natural talent and aptitude, and even faintly surpasses the "prodigy of a state and a country" who are "born with the potential of a king"!

"You have a destiny, and your talent is too high. Ordinary [Tao Hongchen] probably wouldn't have the confidence to handle you."

Hua Liuli's eyes flickered as she stared blankly at the cyan talisman, lost in thought. Then, she gritted her teeth and said in a deep voice:

"Go into my minor world, the Blessed Land of Two Realms, and continue your seclusion to avoid the limelight for now!"

This is Hua Liuli's means of daring to face any danger. She always has a way out... Once Hua Liuli loses her ambition and retreats to a blessed land, she can live a lazy life. Few people in the world can do anything about her.

"Chen Xuan, since I dared to bring you into Guyao Mountain, I will ensure your cultivation is worry-free..."

As Hua Liuli spoke, she turned her head and found Chen Xuan staring at her with a scrutinizing gaze, his dark eyes revealing no emotion.

"Senior, what do you think practitioners of Qi ultimately seek after all this practice?"

Chen Xuan looked at Hua Liuli with pity in his eyes and said slowly, "Senior, without the cyan talisman, your efforts in Guyao Mountain will always be in vain... Summon your subordinates, make arrangements for the aftermath, and prepare to use the cyan talisman."

What Hua Liuli sought so desperately was ultimately a mirage, a predetermined fate; the path she chose would not yield miracles.

Where is Chen Xuan?
He only knew that he didn't want to leave any regrets.

Having come to this world of immortals and ghosts, I eventually met some lovely people and monsters, and had some touching experiences.

The mountain lord's tracks have appeared, and many great demons of the southern wilderness are dying...

Some disgusting entities blatantly delivered this message to Chen Xuan, practically begging him with a sarcastic question: "That's how it is. Are you coming or not?"

“You…” Hua Liuli was slightly taken aback, her eyes shining as she stared at Chen Xuan, who refused the suggestion to seek refuge in the Blessed Land of Two Realms.

This cyan talisman stone clearly has a huge problem, but he knew that the lives of the mountain lord and other ghosts were in danger, so he immediately knew there was a tiger in the mountain, yet he still went towards the tiger's den.
Hua Liuli had witnessed Chen Xuan parting ways with those Daoist spirits and the little ghosts and monsters who had ascended to immortality on Tiger Mountain. Bai Zi Xiao Hu, Shan Yu Hu Da, Di Shan Xiao Xiang... countless pairs of concerned, expectant, and hopeful eyes were watching. Their fathers were dying one after another in Gu Yao Mountain, and some of them might already be dead.

They didn't ask Chen Xuan to do anything. Even after discovering that Chen Xuan had connections with the two realm lords, they still advised him to leave the Southern Wilderness and stay away from danger. These little things are so innocent and adorable.

Chen Xuan entered Guyao Mountain. "Senior, a person who cannot give up anything can do nothing."

Chen Xuan spoke in a broad and open tone, and with a wave of his sleeve, the Mountain and River Scroll treasure slowly unfolded in front of him. He pulled out the Human Emperor Banner, which was shrouded in profound energy, and the banner fluttered, with the Twenty-Eight Constellations pattern emitting a hazy light.

"Okay... what are you going to do?" Hua Liuli stared blankly at Chen Xuan. Was he preparing to engage in a magical duel?
Although she needed some time to arrange her affairs, it was enough for her to complete all the trivial matters before the arrival of the Golden Crow God's subordinates thousands of miles away, and even further away, the Little Azure Heaven Southern Crown.

"I'm eager to see just how far the Golden Crow God can go, given how difficult it is for outsiders to enter Guyao Mountain. I want to witness its power!"

Chen Xuan laughed, his divine soul body shrouded in white mist, leaving his body. Immortal Qi flowed, faintly outlining a human figure in the air. The Human Emperor Banner, like fluttering black flames, rolled up his physical body. He flew away and disappeared.

"Human Emperor Banner, Divine Soul Body!" The powerful beings of the cauldrons stared in shock at the man's figure that vanished in an instant in the sky.

How could such a person be Lady Liuli's subordinate? He is clearly a rising chosen one, a companion of Hua Liuli, not a follower!
"Your Highness, the Holy Son, wielding the Emperor's Banner, has nurtured a divine soul and body. Truly, you possess the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, a hero of our time!" The colorful-winged pheasant laughed, hands on its hips, haughty and arrogant, glancing sideways at the group of foreign cauldrons who had once intended to cook it.

It was covered in blood, its feathers were sparse, and it was surrounded by humans, but at this moment, it seemed to have straightened up!
The powerful cultivators exchanged bewildered glances. One of them sneered, "Your Holy Son has gone to kill the descendants of the Golden Crow God. Your Golden Crow Holy Son from the south is over there!"

Intelligence reports from the entrance to Guyao Mountain indicate that a three-legged golden crow is leading a hundred birds into the mountain with great force.

The golden pheasant looked as if it had lost its parents, and said in a muffled voice, "My Chicken Mountain is not located too far south. Strictly speaking, I am a great monster in the central part of the Southern Wilderness... Whoever is stronger is the true Holy Son of the Southern Wilderness."

Hua Liuli stared at the sky where Chen Xuan's soul body had disappeared, then turned around and ordered, "Continue interrogating the wild chicken. Also, tell all the fellow Daoists who went out to return immediately. Those who cannot return should lie in wait... We don't have much time left."

The cyan rune stone had a mysterious origin, and she had always been wary of it, unwilling to use it.

But as Chen Xuan said, she had gained nothing in the past six months, and it was time for her to face reality.

The wind howled, and the dark clouds stretched like water.

Chen Xuanru rode the gentle breeze, traversing the heavens and earth at incredible speed. His divine soul and body had grown to this point, and his speed was no less than that of an ordinary cauldron-level expert. Traveling ten thousand miles a day was no problem for him.

"call!"

However, Chen Xuan did not go too far from the Two Realms Camp. After traveling more than a thousand miles, he stopped.

This wasted most of his time; precious time slipped away, not used for cultivating the true scripture...

With each passing second, the collapse of the inner world within the body becomes more severe... Moreover, the Huangliang Daozang figure, which was the first to be in the ascension state, is in poor condition, its life force like a candle flickering in the wind, about to be extinguished at any moment.

My mood was bad because of this.

A little angry.

"Buzz!"

Chen Xuan remained silent, broke off a small piece of the Jade Ointment from the Mountain Ghost Token, and put it into his inner world. Instantly, a dazzling golden beam of light fell into the shattered world.

The withered, golden-blue ancient tree was reborn, sprouting green leaves. The giant of the Yellow Millet Daoist Canon opened its eyes, stretched out its hands in confusion, and its terrible injuries were instantly healed in the brilliant golden light of the Jade Ointment, as if it had been given a new life.

“Master…” Huang Liang Daozang looked up blankly, his honest and resolute face gazing at the sky, his emotions inexplicably low, and murmured, “It’s too precious… I… I can hold on for a while longer…”

The Jade Ointment is the number one sacred treasure of mountains and seas in the world. Even the Heavenly Mandate Daoist Canon recognized its preciousness and even had the strange thought that it was unworthy of consuming it.

"..." Chen Xuan did not respond, gazing at the distant sky. He had already used more than one-fifth of the Jade Ointment Token given to him by the Mountain Spirit Goddess.

He had never used the Emperor's Banner since he seized it, but now he has used it again.

Someone should compensate for these losses... Chen Xuan thought to himself.

Time flowed by like water, and Hua Liuli's thoughts were constantly transmitted through the communication talisman, informing the Golden Crow God's subordinates of their movements. At the same time, she urged Chen Xuan to return as soon as possible, as arrangements had been made and the cyan talisman stone could be used.

"I'll be back soon," Chen Xuan replied.

"Howl!"

At the edge of the sky, the cries of birds rang out. At the same time, various strange phenomena appeared, like a wave of brilliant divine light converging and spreading in, as dozens of divine bird figures that blotted out the sky approached.

"..." Chen Xuan's soul body completely merged into the sky.

Countless enormous demons and monsters, their figures covering the sky, crowded the distant heavens.

Chen Xuan saw that flying at the forefront was a three-legged golden crow with a body as if cast in gold. Its wingspan was over a thousand meters wide, and its momentum was astonishing. Golden flames flowed down from its wings, like a golden waterfall, burning the land along its path.

He also saw some divine birds he had encountered before, such as the Golden-Winged Roc and the Azure Luan Bird... These two top-tier cauldron mountain masters were on the edge, their expressions sinister.

Chen Xuan silently went to meet him.

(End of this chapter)