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

Chapter 242 Humans, Demons, Gods, and Ghosts, Boiling Twilight

Chen Xuan was stunned. His mouth was covered by a hand that felt like jade. The icy touch brought him to his senses.

"Stealing chickens and dogs?" Chen Xuan turned his head in surprise and looked at the face of the divine stone embryo.

The power of the lingering remnant of destiny is undeniable; it can even briefly rival a True Monarch. But how could the Divine Stone Embryo have stolen the mirror of this lingering remnant of destiny without anyone noticing?
The divine stone embryo remained silent, its face blurred, its gender and expression unreadable.

However, the simple outline of its face already exudes extraordinary charm. If it is male, it will surely be elegant and ethereal, handsome and flawless. If it is female, it will definitely be an unparalleled beauty that can topple kingdoms.

Chen Xuan felt a bit uncomfortable on his back.

“This divine stone embryo is extraordinary. It is probably a ‘first-generation’ deity, whose name was recorded in the ancient ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’.” With a snap, Lu Zhuan forcibly bent the leg joints of the divine stone embryo, causing its legs to wrap around Chen Xuan’s waist and hold it firmly in place.

"If it truly came to life, could we subdue it?" Chen Xuan couldn't help but ask. Born a deity, perfectly idealized, it possesses the clearest will, its divine nature is cold and indifferent, and it cannot be bound by human emotions.

In the mortal realm, the initial stage of physical cultivation, through refining a perfect divine or precious body, is a way of getting closer to the ancient gods.

Ascending to godhood means becoming a "post-natal deity".

Furthermore, those with superior physical attributes are said to have "ancient features," but these "ancient features" are merely divine-like.

"If you can't tame it, then slaughter it and make it into a divine soup. The flesh of the first generation of gods is an elixir of immortality." Lu Zhuan told Chen Xuan that even in the worst-case scenario, there would be a divine corpse to guarantee survival, and eating it could increase one's lifespan.

In the cultivation world, many high-level cultivators who have retreated from the mortal world will have their original physical bodies consume spiritual substances such as the blood and flesh of gods before reincarnating and starting anew, so that they will not decay for ten thousand years.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan seemed to ponder for a moment. Then, he took out the Heavenly Fate Bronze Mirror from his bosom, examined it closely in the sunlight, and asked, "Senior Lu, may I take this?"

Possessing a treasure whose level of cultivation is far too different from one's own is a sin.

Chen Xuan did not shy away from Lu Zhuan and openly displayed this Destiny Weapon... Everyone knew that he possessed the Destiny Weapon Human Emperor Banner, and at this moment, a mere incomplete Destiny Mirror was not worth deliberately concealing.

Moreover, the divine stone fetus was chanting mysterious scriptures in his ear and had stolen the mirror of the remnant of destiny, offering unsolicited favors, which made him feel deeply uneasy.

"Hiss! The Celestial Mirror of Destiny!" Lu Zhuan gasped, his face filled with shock. He couldn't understand why Chen Xuan suddenly possessed this item. His gaze instantly fell on the Divine Stone Embryo.

"Only you can use the mirror. The karma is too great; even a True Lord might not be able to handle it," Lu Zhuan said in a deep voice.

"Senior Lu, what should we do next?" Seeing that Lu Zhuan didn't care about the mirror, Chen Xuan sent it into the treasure, keeping the unexpected gain for himself.

At this moment, in the sky above the dome, the battle between the True Lords was chaotic and raging. The six figures were fighting back and forth, and no one knew where they had gone. Only the aftershocks of the battle surged and rippled from all directions, creating a scene like the end of the world.

Only a sun, tinged with blood, remained clearly visible, but at this moment, this sun in the Heart-Cleansing Heaven was slowly sinking at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This seems to foreshadow the countdown to the slumber or destruction of Xinzaitian.

“Xinzhaitian is ancient and mysterious. After Xiaoheizi became a True Lord, he secretly searched for more than 800 years with the help of the Little Underworld before he was able to ‘fish’ for Xinzhaitian once.”

Lu Zhuan made a casting motion, then sighed and said:

"Little Blackie is our backbone, but he's not here now, so I'm helpless... Let's find a courtyard to hide in and wait for Little Blackie to come to us."

"Lord Black and White True Lord... can it win?" Chen Xuan asked cautiously. With Xinzhai Heaven about to disappear, Lord Blackie would definitely need to thoroughly resolve the conflict with the demon race.

However, the demon race is not benevolent, and the dragons of the Little Dragon Palace are even more violent. For example, Ao Longjun, who was replaced by the remnant of destiny, does whatever he wants and treats living beings as worthless.

True Monarch Xiao Heizi originally intended to fight True Monarch Ao Longjun and True Monarch Baicao, but his plan was exposed. How could they give up so easily? If not handled properly, a war of lineages could break out in the present world, affecting hundreds of millions of living beings and reliving the old events of Tai Xuan.

The Little Celestial, inherited by a group of mad Taoist priests, is equally not to be trifled with.

This alchemy faction doesn't cause trouble, but it's not afraid of trouble either... Little Azure Heaven has several Sun True Lords, and its foundation is terrifyingly strong.

"The Taoist priests of Xiaoqingtian are eccentric and don't easily get involved in worldly affairs, while Lingyang Zhenjun is no match for Xiao Heizi and will simply accept his bad luck."

Lu Zhuan rested his chin on his hand and said to Chen Xuan, "As long as you and the two realm lords don't actively wander in front of him, there shouldn't be any major problems... unless he suddenly goes crazy."

Chen Xuan nodded upon hearing this. The two realms' immortal pills had malfunctioned and would likely become defective products. That was why True Lord Lingyang had come to Yaoguang Prefecture to take a look.

In fact, Xiao Qingtian's plan for the two realm lords will only be revealed after they become True Lords; the end is far off.

Based on Xiao Qingtian's style of doing things, Lingyang Zhenjun should not interfere in the mortal world after accepting the changes.

"But the demon race is a bit of a problem..."

Lu Zhuan looked melancholy and sighed, "Little Blackie is in trouble this time. He will have to stand in front of the Southern Region's human race and directly face the pressure from the demon race."

"Is it because of the younger generation?" Chen Xuan asked. The Black and White True Monarch is a chosen one, and once he appears, he will inevitably attract the attention of countless forces.

The immortals have disappeared, but those who consume the True Lord's Elixir can become immortals.

The five powerful figures of Yaoguang Prefecture, in their struggle for the seemingly hopeless path to immortality for Shangyang Immortal, directly caused the deaths of four of them, demonstrating just how difficult it is to become an immortal.

Therefore, the ready-made path to immortality offered by the Black and White True Lords will inevitably become the center of a storm throughout the world... Those old True Lords with little lifespan left will definitely gather around, drawn by the scent.

"It's not entirely your fault, but the little black thing has become so big that it has to be born."

Lu Zhuan shook his head and told Chen Xuan that several ancient Daoist temples had contributed to the fact that the Yin-Yang Couple were able to ascend to the position of True Lord as chosen ones.

Since Tai Xuan's fall, the human race in the Southern Region has gradually declined and is having a hard time. It is necessary for the Black and White True Monarch to step forward and resist some of the pressure.

"In the eastern half of the Southern Region, there are several ancient Taoist temples of the human race that uphold ancient methods and are conservative."

"The Earth Virtue Green Bag must be reopened, but the Great Mystery Mud Bodhisattva is crossing the river, and he himself is in danger."

"The Water Virtue Heaven-Connecting Daoist Temple, this Daoist has reincarnated several times, but has never become a useful person."

Lu Zhuan spread his hands and smiled bitterly, saying, "We old-fashioned stubborn people are either dead or crippled, so we can only rely on the young Xiao Heizi to stand up."

Chen Xuan pondered upon hearing this. In fact, the Lesser Underworld had many problems. The lineage of Houtu, one of the Four Ancient Emperors, had long since degenerated into a ghost cave even more terrifying than the Southern Wilderness. The Black and White True Lords who had been in charge of it throughout the ages were all ghosts and demons.

Only this generation of Yin-Yang Couples has "usurped" the throne as a human.

Not long after, Chen Xuan, carrying the Divine Stone Embryo, and Lu Zhuan began searching for a courtyard in the Heart-Cleansing Heaven nearby.

Along the way, crimson creatures filled the air, and all sorts of inexplicable cries rose and fell. Sometimes someone would howl in agony, sometimes someone would weep in sorrow, and soon someone would chuckle strangely.

Moreover, in the swirling mist, shadowy figures occasionally appeared, trying to approach them, but the divine stone embryo emitted a hazy, sacred radiance, carrying a gentle divinity, like a light veil, as if it were protecting Chen Xuan and the other person.

"Strange... Just how many things have been revived in Xinzhai Heaven? A battle between True Monarchs has alerted them all!" Lu Zhuan felt a chill run down his spine. With the Black and White True Monarchs absent, he was filled with panic.

The ancient Xinzhai had committed too many killings, and he would not kill nameless people with his sword. After the remnant of destiny and the divine stone embryo, who were at the level of True Lord in life, more evil thoughts caused by karma have been revived one after another.

The stench of blood was overwhelming. A towering mountain ahead trembled and began to spin, revealing a gigantic, deathly white human head with a grotesque grin on its face.

Accompanied by the humid heat and stench, a huge, scarlet, blood-dripping tongue swept down, like a river of blood falling, trying to lick them up.

With a hum, the divine stone embryo vibrated and emitted gentle ripples of divine light. Its tongue ignited, and amidst a shrill roar, the mountains rolled, and the human-faced monster quickly receded.

Chen Xuan's expression changed slightly. He had not been in Xinzhaitian for long, but the huge impact he had caused was much greater than that of Lu Zhuan and others who had been waiting for half a year. Countless demons and monsters appeared at an alarming rate.

"rumble……"

At that very moment, the Heart-Cleansing Heaven erupted with its last rays of light. A blood-red setting sun shone in the sky, its radiance so poignant that it even overshadowed the scene of the True Lords' great battle.

The scarlet sunlight pierced through the mist and fell on the earth, making Lu Zhuan's face appear as if it were stained with a layer of blood.

Chen Xuan looked around; he could see further than Lu Zhuan, and even Zhenjun.

On the earth, countless shadows appeared, some enormous, like towering mountains in the night, exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression and a vast, wondrous phenomenon. Others were as small as mustard seeds, having taken a completely opposite path of cultivation.

dong dong!

As Chen Xuan and Lu Zhuan were traveling, a nearby mountain moved, passing beneath their feet. The towering footprints left behind cracks in the earth, which even extended to Chen Xuan's feet.

At this moment, within the crimson fog, ghosts and gods revived, demons danced wildly, accompanied by various roars, creating an atmosphere of utter terror. "The ancient era in which the Master of Xinzhai Heaven lived was probably like this, with ghosts and gods running rampant, a scene of utter apocalypse," Lu Zhuan whispered, a chill running down his spine.

These resurrected beings were all at least advanced Qi cultivators in the Tao Hongchen realm during their lifetimes. In fact, the aura emanating from some of them was not much weaker than that of the remnants of destiny—a True Monarch!
Along the way, countless evil spirits and malevolent thoughts emerged, with Lu Zhuan able to vaguely see hundreds of them. Chen Xuan, on the other hand, could see dozens of times more, numbering in the tens of thousands.

On the land further away, bizarre and grotesque figures swarmed, a sight countless times more terrifying than the underworld.

"The infamous reputation of Xinzhai in ancient times is not an exaggeration. Behind its fame lies endless corpses and withered bones." Even Chen Xuan, who was prone to killing, was somewhat shaken at this moment.

Because the sheer number of these malevolent thoughts and evil spirits is simply outrageous!

For example, in the remote Yaoguang Prefecture where Chen Xuan lived, along with the Southern Wilderness and dozens of ancient kingdoms, how many cultivators of the Mortal Realm existed simultaneously in one era? Even in the most brilliant golden age, the number never exceeded three digits.

Kill kill kill!

The thought arose in Chen Xuan's mind. At this moment, he seemed to see the ancient Xinzhai era that dominated the heavens, making people turn pale.

The world trembled in fear. A peerless killing god known as Xinzhai, wherever he went, turned the heavens and the lands blood red, and terrified the human world for ten thousand years!

"It seems the Ancient Heart Sect has wiped out dozens of generations of Tao Hongchen over thousands of years." Lu Zhuan was horrified. Was this the carnage created by the Ancient Heart Sect? It was terrifying beyond compare. Even the dragons, known for their ferocity, seemed as pure and kind as good dragons in the face of the Heart Sect's slaughter.

Although Lu Zhuan was a reincarnated True Lord and the Dao Master of the Tongtian Daoist Temple, he only had a slight understanding of Xinzhai because the Tongtian Daoist Temple did not refine immortal pills.

However, he knew that in many ancient books, few of Xinzhai's records indicate that he ultimately achieved great success; most of them were immediately erased once discovered.

"It's better for this kind of thing not to become an immortal." Lu Zhuan muttered to himself, stealing a glance at Chen Xuan, thinking, "Won't this little guy casually kill my precious disciple and the entire Tongtian Daoist Temple if he doesn't like me in the future?"

Legend has it that anyone who has witnessed Xinzhai's destiny will inevitably die at the hands of the other, without exception.

Along the way, Chen Xuan and Lu Zhuan did not speak, silently and quickly searching for courtyards, palaces, and roads. After traveling over a thousand miles, they stepped onto a small bluestone path.

After determining their location by observing the large sun in the sky, the two returned towards the entrance of Xinzhaitian.

Previously, urged by the lingering will of destiny, Chen Xuan had traveled about two thousand miles into the depths of Xinzhai Heaven. Now that he has turned back, he should be the first to arrive at the fourth courtyard... if the location has not changed strangely.

“The feng shui orientation has changed drastically, and the road is wrong.” Chen Xuan felt heavy-hearted. He had mastered the Qingnang Secret Manual, and at this moment, he keenly sensed that the earth veins deep within the earth had undergone subtle changes, and some of them had broken.

Not only have demons and monsters revived, but the sun in the sky and the earth beneath our feet have also undergone tremendous changes.

"Never mind that, let's keep charging forward," Lu Zhuan said, then activated his communication talisman and shouted, "Little Blackie, come to my rescue!"

The crimson fog on the bluestone path was much thinner, so its suppression of power was not as severe.

However, the group of True Lords seemed to have entered the thick fog, and the Black and White True Lords did not give a response.

"The old tortoise, the mountain lord, and other great demons once followed the Mountain Demoness to Shangyang Cave Heaven. Did they also face such a high-level area? Survival is more difficult than seizing opportunities," Chen Xuan thought to himself.

Chen Xuan and Lu Zhuan traveled at breakneck speed, encountering numerous palace ruins along the way, among which were ghostly figures.

Ahead, on the roadside, amidst the ruins of a collapsed temple, rubble lay scattered everywhere, and pale golden bones protruded from the ground. A novice monk with ears reaching past his shoulders, his body round and plump, sat cross-legged on a skull, smiling at Chen Xuan and his companion.

"Amitabha..." The senior monk twirled his prayer beads and began chanting sutras. The horrifying sound that made people's heads spin resounded. He tried to save Chen Xuan and the other person, and a great battle broke out instantly. The two people smashed the senior monk who was blocking their way, pushed the collapsed temple again, crushed the rotting corpses, and left triumphantly.

The novice monk's remains, having exhausted their power, turned into a wisp of black smoke and vanished after their defeat.

"Overestimating themselves." Lu Zhuan said disdainfully. What kind of chickens and dogs dare to try and take them seriously? At the very least, one should be a True Lord or a Great Completion Divine Traveler in life!
Chen Xuan was terrified. Just now, Lu Zhuan's soul was almost destroyed by the big-eared novice. If he hadn't reacted quickly and immediately summoned the Human Emperor Banner and used the Divine Stone Embryo to smash the big-eared novice, Lu Zhuan would have almost lost his soul in the Heart Fasting Heaven.

However, during the battle, Lu Zhuan's dragon pet put its claws into its mouth and fiddled with them for a while, its divine light shining brightly, as if it wanted to break the seal on something extremely terrifying... Could it be Lu Zhuan's True Lord Temple?

The two continued on their journey, and the next moment, a stone bridge appeared in the distance. The two were terrified. Was this the legendary Bridge of Helplessness?

The waters of the River of Oblivion, which Chen Xuan once drank from, flowed on the bridge. A woman in black held an oil-paper umbrella. In the misty rain, a dark crescent moon rose from behind her head. The moonlight shone down, and the Yin Qi within Chen Xuan's body trembled.

Chen Xuan had seen the woman hundreds of miles away at the edge of his field of vision, but he was unable to react.
Because, in an instant, the "Bridge of Helplessness" appeared from the horizon.

The real king is sorry!

The woman in black glanced at the divine stone embryo on Chen Xuan's body, her eyes filled with a hint of regret, and muttered to herself, "First come, first served? Never mind, you have a better chance, I'll let you have it."

The River of Oblivion ripples gently, while the Bridge of Helplessness carries the woman away into the distance.

"An ancient Lesser Underworld True Lord! No wonder Little Blackie was able to find Xinzhai Heaven!" Lu Zhuan was shocked. The ancient Xinzhai Heaven even killed the transcendent Lesser Underworld True Lord!
Chen Xuan twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "With a tattered book in the underworld, going around offering condolences, how could Xinzhai not get annoyed..."

They hurried forward, and at that moment, the bluestone path beneath their feet seemed endless!

Suddenly, Chen Xuan and Lu Zhuan stopped once again.

A slender figure with tattered silver armor, long legs, and a silver spear in hand, stood in the middle of the road, exuding extraordinary charm, like a celestial lotus swaying and shining on the desolate earth.

Their hearts pounded. The demons and monsters of Xinzhaitian were easy to deal with; the powerful would give face to the divine stone fetus, and they could handle the weaker ones on their own. But now, a naturally born deity of the True Monarch level from the outside world had appeared!

The Divine Stone Embryo was no match for the True Lord... Even the remnant of destiny that had been revived earlier could not accomplish such a thing.

"Carrying divine stone embryos, do you think you can escape?!" A black Kun fish let out a sharp laugh, transforming into a palm-sized boy in blue robes.

at the same time.

The silver-armored goddess's pale golden eyes darted around, her cold, emotionless gaze landing on Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan and Lu Zhuan exchanged a glance. They had a premonition about this matter. It was more reasonable for the innate deity to find the divine stone embryo before the Black and White True Lord.

Without any hesitation, Chen Xuan gently placed the divine stone embryo that was tightly clutching his clothes on the ground, his movements swift and decisive.

Immediately afterwards, the two turned and left.

Because, beside the snow-white jade feet of the female deity with her silver armor stained with blood, was a bloody and mangled... ferocious dragon head.

Ao Longjun's head was dull and lifeless, devoid of any luster.

Ao Longjun once spoke disrespectfully to a female deity.

The female deity, with only an incomplete divine soul, managed to kill the fully-fledged Ao Longjun? And took his dragon head as a trophy.

This is unbelievable. Among the twelve Qi of the mountains and seas, the Purple Qi of Thunder is among the top three in terms of destructive power. With the blessing of the dragon bloodline, Ao Longjun's combat power is definitely in the upper-middle range among the True Lords.

But the female deity still defied her, severing her physical body and head; her strength was simply incomprehensible.

Moreover, this was Ao Longjun in his complete state within the Xinzhai Heaven. Once he perished, there would be no chance of him being resurrected.

What can be done when a born deity is this terrifying? You must know that the remnant of destiny only replaced a trace of Ao Longjun's power, yet it could kill the destiny cauldron with a flick of its finger!

Chen Xuan and Lu Zhuan could not escape. A slender, luminous white hand reached out and aimed at them. Then, they were powerless to resist and were frozen in mid-air.

"Master, punish the thieves severely!" the black Kun fish shouted excitedly, and said arrogantly to Chen Xuan, "In the world of Qi cultivation, you need a powerful backer. Little brother, my backer is the strongest in the world!"

"Little Blackie, where are you?!" Lu Zhuan shouted to the sky, but the Black and White True Lord, who had once forced back the female deity, did not appear.

Lu Zhuan immediately turned around and shouted to the silver-armored deity, "Guardian! We are the Mountain Spirit Goddess's people, don't harm our own people!"

Chen Xuan was taken aback when he heard this. Was Lu Zhuan just using someone else's name to make a big deal out of nothing?
Lu Zhuan pointed at Chen Xuan and shouted, "He is the Daoist partner raised by the Mountain Spirit Goddess. They are born into the same family as the gods. He is the son-in-law of the gods!"

Chen Xuan's vision went black. Lu Zhuan, that old guy in the skin of a child, was saying all sorts of nonsense in order to buy time and survive!

"Mountain Spirit Goddess..." Upon hearing this, the black Kun fish was struck dumb, and its face turned deathly pale.

"Brother-in-law?" The silver-armored woman frowned, her rosy lips slightly parted.

"Huh?" Chen Xuan was dumbfounded. What was going on? The next moment, he flew backwards towards the silver-armored female deity.

(End of this chapter)