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

Chapter 401 The Heavenly Road is Full of Beauties
The capital city, once one of the most prosperous cities in the Central Plains, suffered a devastating defeat in the Immortal War, with many perishing in the battle and never regaining its former glory.

But in recent months, the city has been visited by many mysterious and distinguished guests who have been discussing scriptures and holding grand events day and night, which has revitalized the city.

"In recent years, some geniuses have emerged from our ancestral land."

As dusk fell, bright flames blazed in the palace, like a galaxy, rippling and shimmering, showering down fine, shimmering light that drifted into the distance.

A dozen or so men and women of extraordinary bearing sat in the hall, sipping tea, discussing philosophy, and exchanging information.

They all have extraordinary identities, all come from beyond the heavens, belong to different lineages, and arrive in the Five Directions through special paths.

"The ancestral land is where the founder is. This place is just a fragment of mountains and seas where the remnants of various families have taken root and gathered." A young man in black said with a smile to his companion.

“Yes, Fellow Daoist is absolutely right. However, it is also true that geniuses often emerge from our ancestral land. My master said that in this generation, at least a dozen True Monarchs from our ancestral land have the opportunity to become False Immortals, and the five champions of the Mountain and Sea Banquet in the younger generation have an even more remarkable future.” A young man said.

Upon hearing this, everyone present became serious.

"The Heart's Abode in the Southern Wilderness can become the sharpest sword in the hands of a great cultivator."

"When the Emperor of Yu in Zhongzhou heard about the Mountain and Sea Banquet, he was noticed by several 'old immortals,' who vied to offer him gifts to become their disciples..."

"And then there's that Wan Shi Zun, who manifests his Dao alone and can face the Immortal in the Tomb by himself. It's said that apart from Xin Zhai, who can overcome the will of Heaven, no one under the Heavenly Road can stop his path to enlightenment."

"The Dao of the Immortal Sovereign originates from Pure Yang..."

A group of people were discussing animatedly, all with expressions of deep emotion. These promising and exceptional talents, as long as they didn't perish halfway through their journey, all had the opportunity to become figures who could be associated with the Supreme Heaven.

"It is said that some special young prodigies from the ancestral land were selected during the Mountain and Sea Banquet and will become followers of the Heavenly Road Supreme Seeds."

"Since Xinzhai wasn't chosen, many people have been trying to recruit him lately..."

Just then, someone suddenly turned to look outside the hall and exclaimed in surprise, "People from Zhenyuan Dojo!"

A group of people looked over and saw several Taoist priests wearing Zhenyuan crowns and holding whisks drifting across the wide road. They were surrounded by an overwhelming stench of blood, like a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

"Such a heavy aura of malevolence. Have people from Zhenyuan Dojo returned from the Heavenly Road? Why are they entering the capital? Are they looking for trouble with the Ji family?" someone whispered.

“They’re up to no good. This is Zhenyuan Daoist Temple. It’s said that these vicious Daoists have been intercepting the ancestral land’s supreme destiny on that road for a full 300,000 years.” The young man in black couldn’t help but shudder.

Such a strong stench of blood must be from some cultivators who were able to temporarily return from that path when the Supreme Creation manifested in the world.

"Unfortunately, Immortal Lord Yuheng has already perished..."

These young people from beyond the heavens sighed, then suddenly their expressions hardened. At the end of the road, a majestic divine form rose up, as large as a mountain, with a dignified face, clad in divine armor, and awe-inspiring, blocking the group of yellow-robed Taoists.

It was none other than the Ji family's supreme guardian general.

"The Ji family's character is indeed as tough as the rumors say," someone remarked.

"The older the divine beings on the ancestral land get, the more majestic and extraordinary they become." A celestial cultivator stared at the imposing earthly general with a look of longing.

Poor mountains and bitter waters breed evil cultivators; the cultivators of the ancestral land are truly extraordinary.

After a while, someone whispered again.

"I've heard that on that legendary road, even the most gifted immortals can only dream of living to be a hundred years old..."

The cultivators on the ancestral lands lingered for millions of years during the Immortal Palace era.

But on that celestial path where immortals pursued the ancient supreme beings, battles and wars raged for almost the entire Immortal-Demon Era, never ceasing...

……

Southern Wilderness.

Chen Xuan left Tiger Mountain and strolled through the wilderness. Soon after, he arrived at the edge of the Southern Wilderness.

Looking up, three dark clouds stretched across the sky, and water mist condensed into three fishing lines, each with a faint, eerie figure hanging from it, its mutilated body dripping blood—a truly gruesome sight.

"Let me go..." One of the figures in the yellow dress was blown by the wind, and a weak fluctuation like the sound of a sword rang out in Shangguan Xue's dim consciousness.

The two demons and the human hung outside the mountain for a long time, but no one came to their rescue. It must have been because the Mountain Demoness returned too quickly, and they were all abandoned.

This group of people are quite powerful. Even in the Five Directions Land, they are all geniuses who are allowed to cultivate to their limit and ultimately compete for the position of True Monarch.

Chen Xuan suddenly asked, "Something is missing from your memories... What was on that road? What is the situation now?"

He compared the visitor's memories and noticed something unusual. This situation was very similar to that on the Five Directions Earth, where there were no known events related to the gods. Even if one learned of such events, they would quickly forget them.

"Become a sword servant follower of the Sword Master, and he can lead you to the Heavenly Road to seek the Dao and compete for supremacy..." Shangguan Xue emitted a faint fluctuation of consciousness.

It originated from the Crimson Sky Dojo, but this lineage had long since faded in the Five Directions Lands, its path obscured by the defeat at the Sword Inquiry Dojo in ancient times. One of the True Lords at the Sword Inquiry Dojo cultivated the Crimson Sky Sword Dao.

Chen Xuan frowned upon hearing this. The so-called "Red Sky Sword Master" should remember what happened on that Heavenly Road.

This female sword cultivator sneaked over while the Mountain Demon Goddess was away, intending to "persuade" Xinzhai, this unclaimed "goods," to become a weapon in the hands of Chixiao Sword Master.

goods.

These are some of the descriptions used by extraterrestrial beings to describe the geniuses of the ancestral land... The geniuses were selected in advance at the Mountain and Sea Banquet and received money to sell themselves.

Many rewards from beyond the heavens were taken away by the True Lords of the mortal world, thus the True Lords of the mortal world also became "goods".

"The extraterrestrial beings have absolute confidence in the 'connection between heaven and earth'."

Chen Xuan thought to himself that the female cultivator from the Crimson Sky Dojo was eager to recruit him as her sword attendant, and the other two demon cultivators had similar intentions. Lei Zhenqiong of the Thunder Ancestor Dojo, however, had a more complex purpose, harboring malicious intent and filled with malice… During the Mountain and Sea Banquet, Chen Xuan had stolen the Supreme Fortune of the Myriad Worlds Venerable.

"You can keep hanging there!"

Chen Xuan continued to stroll through the mountains and fields, measuring the southern wilderness, and soon stopped.

"Your Majesty!" He used the Qingnang Technique to arrive at a region where the Imperial Daughter's tomb might exist.

He was going to the capital, so he came to say goodbye... The Demon Immortal Huoli has been killed by the Empress, so he no longer needs to stay here.

"Buzz!"

The Mountain Spirit Goddess emerged from the void and descended beside Chen Xuan. Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her skin was as smooth as mutton fat jade.

Chen announced his purpose, and the Empress nodded slightly.

The immortals were more human than the true lords. Chen Xuan looked at the empress's graceful figure and found that she no longer carried any dark aura. Dressed in a green robe, she appeared gentle and tender.

"Before you left the mortal world, I did not teach you the Mountain Spirit Technique." The goddess's eyes gleamed with a blue light as she walked barefoot through the mountains.

Chen Xuan followed the goddess as they strolled through the mountains. He understood what she meant; she was saying that she hadn't guided him to cultivate the Mountain Spirit Technique, and that it was all his own choice.

"Your comprehension is very high, and you can open up new paths. This is one of the necessary qualifications for seeking the Supreme Heaven."

The goddess continued, "In this year, you have learned my magic."

She waited in the Southern Wilderness for a year, but Chen Xuan was very insightful. He could understand the laws and master them. He never came to ask her for guidance. He relied on the Mountain Spirit Law to cultivate to the second stage of the Divine Travel Realm.

"I've only just begun; I haven't reached any advanced levels yet," Chen Xuan replied after a moment's thought.

This method is very special; it can cause the physical body, soul, and consciousness to generate a large amount of immortal energy. It can be said that the stronger one is, the stronger the effect of the Mountain Spirit Technique will be.

For example, the Five Treasures Martial Immortal Body, which can theoretically enhance the physical body indefinitely, is a technique that is very compatible with the Mountain Spirit Technique.

"This method is ominous. The sudden creation of immortal energy, if in large quantities, may bring even greater disasters," the Empress said softly. "I have concerns."

When celestial energy descends to earth, it may transform into all living things, into spiritual stones and precious jade, into precious medicines and divine trees, or into the laws of the Great Dao...

The essence of the world of mountains and seas is a realm of celestial energy.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan frowned and said, "If this method continues to be deduced, it might be possible to recreate the mountains and seas with one's own body. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The goddess turned to look at Chen Xuan with a smile and said, "I hope so... The immortal path I am walking now is the other side of this method, which can devour everything."

"Everything?" Chen Xuan was stunned when he heard this. Great people are always meticulous and don't use certain words carelessly.

The Empress gently touched her delicate, snow-white chin and said, "Immortal Qi and Dao principles can be fully refined, including... Heavenly Mandate and the Fasting of the Heart."

Chen Xuan's pupils contracted; this method was far too brutal and shocking.

"In ancient times, the gods gradually disappeared. As the daughter of an emperor, I should have sought the help of the Supreme Heaven. With the help of the Heavenly Emperor, I created this method, but it was later destroyed and buried in Guyao Mountain." The empress spoke of the past in a calm tone.

The Empress was unusually talkative today.

Chen Xuan's mind was in turmoil. Was it really that difficult to ask the Supreme Heaven for help?
The desire for spiritual fasting in the Shan Hai era could not be fulfilled; the ancient imperial princess and Shangyang failed; the human emperor of the Middle Ages had already decayed; and the supreme deity of destiny in recent times is still struggling...

The Empress gazed into the distance, then turned to Chen Xuan and whispered:
"The time for the Supreme Being to be born is approaching. The era of immortals and demons will end. Lost myths and legends, hidden remnants of the ancient times, are emerging one by one. The great battle at the forefront has already begun..."

The Empress paused for a moment, then continued, "When you are able to rival the Great True Lord in strength, you may attempt to pursue that path."

"Understood." Chen Xuan nodded. Clearly, the Empress knew about the extraterrestrial beings' attempts to "recruit" him and had offered her advice. Not long after...

Chen Xuan left this place and set off for the capital of Zhongzhou to accept Ji Youbing's invitation.

The Empress stood in the southern wilderness, watching Chen Xuan's departing figure, and then gazed at the distant sky once more.

She could already hear from afar the calls of the gods, the remnants of mountains and seas, to the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, and...

The sound of divine footsteps returning.

……

The Southern Wilderness is too far from the Central Plains.

Although the market of the two realm lords has now opened in the dilapidated land of Dali, and those spatial arrays connect to the most convenient Taixu path, even so, Chen Xuan did not arrive in the capital until the next day.

"After the [Xuanhuang Sheji Grand Array] disappeared, so many cultivators from other places were flying through the air in the city."

As Chen Xuan stepped into the capital, he saw many cultivators floating in the sky above the city, acting arrogantly and no longer paying attention to the old rules of the Great Li Dynasty.

He headed towards the Wanguofang area where he had once lived, because he discovered that the Supreme God Ye Kui was still in that area.

"You killed the Demon Immortal of the Doubu? Yes and no! Has your Xinzhai returned?!" In a courtyard, Ye Kui, his eyes bloodshot and exuding a powerful aura, shouted excitedly.

The departure of the Calamity Immortal caused the Qi of the Doubu (Battle Department) to boil. All Doubu cultivators felt this and received great benefits, feeling as if an invisible mountain that had been weighing on their hearts had been lifted.

Chen Xuan gave a brief explanation, then asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist Niu Zi, what are you doing?"

"I've been frantically studying the Thunder Department's True Scripture and spells lately." Ye Kui held up a purple spell manual in his hand, crackling with electricity, and explained, "I have the greatest chance of dealing with the Eternal Venerable. I will defeat him sooner or later!"

"That's ambitious," Chen Xuan praised, unaware of the feud between Ye Kui and Wan Shizun, who harbored great hostility towards the latter.

“Originally, the chances were slim, but with your return to Xinzhai, my world has brightened! The little Wan Shizun is within my grasp!” Ye Kui grabbed Chen Xuan’s arm, his eyes shining.

His innate ability allows him to obtain a certain number of "Extreme Points" by killing dangerous enemies, which can be used to advance techniques, realms, and other things.

However, every time he uses his Heavenly Mandate ability, the hidden dangers are very serious, and it takes a long time to recover before he can use it a second time... His situation is similar to that of the Six Desires Heaven. The more he takes shortcuts in his Heavenly Mandate, the more serious the hidden dangers become.

Chen Xuan clicked his tongue and asked, "Why don't you go to the Southern Wilderness and spar with me?"

"Ugh, it makes me angry just thinking about it. I was just transferred away by your Tai Xuan Immortal Lord that day, and before I even knew where I was, I was captured by some random monkey and tormented for months before being released a few days ago," Ye Kui said, his face full of gloom.

monkey?

Chen Xuan hesitated, but as expected, the monkey was none other than the Calamity Demon Immortal who had traveled across the five directions. Just as he was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard.

Ji Youbing and Ji Huaisheng, the two pillars of the Ji family today, arrived together.

Ji Youbing, dressed in a Qilin robe, strode into the courtyard, holding a swaddled baby boy in his arms. The baby boy's eyes were like lakes, blinking brightly and full of spiritual energy.

"Ji Youbing, congratulations on the new baby! Is this your thirteenth son?" Ye Kui said with a smile, stepping forward and gently tugging at the baby's chubby cheeks. "So cute, tsk tsk tsk~"

"Fellow Daoist Ye, please show some respect!" Ji Youbing was speechless. He immediately took two steps back while holding the baby to stop Ye Kui from being disrespectful.

"What's wrong? Why are you so nervous? You can't touch the emperor's child? Is it your child?" Ye Kui stood there, stunned, his hands hanging in the air, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Of course they are my own flesh and blood, but... sigh!"

Ji Youbing's face showed unspeakable distress. With a pleading look in his eyes, he looked at Chen Xuan beside him and said, "Chen Daozi..."

"Um……"

Chen Xuan blinked, a golden-red light flashing across his eyes. A look of shock immediately appeared on his face. He hesitated, then said, "Uh, this, um, it's a bit confusing. Ah, are you sure you want to say it..."

"understood."

Ji Youbing's face was ashen; her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died.

Silence fell over the scene. Ji Huaisheng knelt down instantly, his face streaked with tears: "Ancestor!"

Ye Kui was stunned by what he saw. Then, he realized what was happening, slapped his forehead, and looked shocked. He gave Ji Youbing a thumbs up and exclaimed, "Ji Youbing, you're really amazing! You can even give birth to an ancestor like the old emperor!"

Ye Kui had always firmly believed that he would become the most awesome person in the world, but at this moment he had to admit that Ji Youbing was a little more awesome than him today.

A year later, the fallen Emperor Ji was reincarnated and became the biological son of Ji Youbing.

This relationship is too complicated.

"Fellow Daoist Ye Kui, please be careful with your words."

Ji Youbing was on the verge of tears. Then, he looked at Chen Xuan again and said, "To be honest, in the past few months, six or seven children have been born in the Ji family. Each one has been accompanied by extraordinary phenomena. I would appreciate it if you could continue to examine them with your Xinzhai (a Taoist practice)..."

"???"

Chen Xuan's eyes widened. The fallen Earth Virtue True Lord had all joined the Ji family? Was this the mysterious reason why Ji Youbing had invited him to the capital?!
The birth of a baby with extraordinary signs indicates that the baby is either a gifted genius, a reincarnation of a powerful being, or possesses special abilities... It is not normal for the Ji family to have given birth to six or seven such children in a row.

Soon, Chen Xuan followed Ji Youbing to the imperial palace to investigate the situation and made a judgment: "Those True Lords who fell from the Ji family have all returned."

"Thank you for coming all this way, fellow Daoist." Ji Youbing thanked him weakly, his mind in turmoil, unsure whether to be happy or sad.

"What a wonderful sign of pregnancy!" Ye Kui exclaimed in astonishment, his eyes wide with amazement.

Inside the imperial palace, the sounds of weeping and wailing filled the air, a cacophony of lamentations mixed with a hint of joy.

"Emperor Ji is truly ruthless."

Just then, a cold voice rang out, and a group of middle-aged men dressed in Qilin robes approached, saying in a chilling tone: "Your lineage's True Lord has been reincarnated. It's pitiful that our [Genyue] direct line's True Lord has fallen, and now we don't know where he is suffering."

"How sarcastic." In the corner, Ye Kui curled his lip and told Chen Xuan that this was a member of the Ji family from beyond the heavens, who had reportedly descended to the mortal realm several months ago.

Chen Xuan was also observing these people and noticed that they all carried a faint, lingering aura of blood, similar to the feeling of Lei Zhenqiong from Lei Zu's dojo.

"It's those people from the Heavenly Road again?" he wondered to himself.

"Eighth Uncle!" Ji Youbing and the others looked at the group of people, their expressions showing some displeasure.

"I'm not blaming you kids." The middle-aged man snorted, then his gaze swept over Chen Xuan, suddenly lighting up. He then asked Ji Youbing, "You invited Xinzhai? Have you agreed on the terms with him?"

Ji Youbing's expression changed, and he immediately shook his head, saying, "Eighth Uncle, that matter has long been over. Why bring it up again now? Let's stop here!"

Xinzhai is a member of the Imperial Princess and Qingnang, yet they still forcibly recruit him. Isn't this a clear sign that they don't respect immortals? No normal person should have such thoughts.

Uncle Ji scolded, "What do you young people know? Even the Human Emperor has brokered this deal, the immortals can't be wrong! Don't you know how the Empress Dowager attacked the Immortal Palace? The Ancestor of Genyue and the Heavenly Maiden just happened to be lacking a suitable weapon!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the Ji family members in the hall changed. These words were too blunt and impolite.

Chen Xuan was stunned on the spot, finding it unbelievable that he was being remembered wherever he went.

"You're going to be forced into another marriage?" Ye Kui chuckled and whispered, "I've been harassed by several extraterrestrial forces these past few days, and some of the rewards from the Mountain and Sea Banquet are too hot to handle."

He looked at Chen Xuan with pity. Although Chen Xuan only received one extraterrestrial reward at the Mountain and Sea Banquet, he was one of the most outstanding young figures in the ancestral land. Therefore, there would definitely be more extraterrestrial forces eyeing him.

“Xin Zhai, I’m a straightforward person, but I don’t mean any harm. People on the Heavenly Road are all impatient.”

At this moment, Uncle Ji walked over, examined Chen Xuan with a satisfied look in his eyes, and said, "Although you can only reach the True Lord level, you are still quite useful. The Ji family is willing to give you the most precious Heavenly Maiden. Think it over carefully... You have quite a few enemies."

Chen Xuan frowned, glanced at him, and said, "You can say these things to the Mountain Spirit Goddess."

"You! You surnamed Chen, how can you be so stubborn? The immortals of our ancestral lands never have a good ending; they will all perish within two or three months. But my ancestor Genyue was an immortal emperor who was on par with the human emperor in ancient times, and he is still immortal on the heavenly path!"

Uncle Ji was furious. If the other party were in the Southern Wilderness, he would not have offended them, but since they had come with such a grand gift, he would definitely not be able to resist trying to win them over: "My family's celestial maiden is extraordinary. The immortals say that she may become a Venerable in the future, and she is a hundred times more outstanding than the celestial prodigies of our ancestral land!"

Most of the immortal prodigies are "test subjects" for high-ranking immortal cultivators to prove their Dao.

But the Heavenly Maiden is the daughter of the immortals, born from the blessings of creation and personally guided by the immortals. She possesses far more than the prodigies born of immortal seeds.

"Is it really that amazing?" Chen Xuan became interested.

"It will be even more powerful than you imagine!" Uncle Ji said with certainty, nodding vigorously.

"boom!"

However, before the words were finished, a golden figure like a cannonball fell from the sky, smashed through the palace dome, crashed heavily to the ground, plowed through the floor tiles, rolled all the way, and finally lay down at Chen Xuan's feet.

Chen Xuan looked down.

"Hiss!" The dusty figure groaned in pain, tilted his head back, and revealed a golden Qilin mask riddled with cracks.

Celestial Maiden.

He looked like he had been badly beaten up by someone.

(End of this chapter)