Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 345 Zhang Yuanzhu: I will lead you all to the highest heavens! (4000)

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, its light casting a silvery glow upon the world.

Zhang Yuanzhu and Xie Beiling sat facing each other, with flames burning in front of them and a golden bell placed in the flames with its mouth facing upwards.

The woman smiled faintly, extending her slender, jade-like hands to distribute various spiritual herbs and spiritual flesh.

"Passing by the border of Fallen Demon Mountain, I killed a formidable demon beast. Fellow Daoist, would you like to have a taste?"

Zhang Yuanzhu gazed at the golden bell suspended in the flames, his eyes gentle, tinged with a hint of reminiscence.

The Candlelight Bell was a magical artifact crafted by the woman when the two were in the Black Horn Secret Realm. He had used it for a period of time and was surprised to find that it was still well-preserved.

As he pondered, he stretched out his hand, and a palm-sized fruit appeared in his palm, emitting a shimmering glow and a rich medicinal fragrance that permeated the surroundings.

"Longevity Fruit!"

Xie Beiling was surprised.

This is a rare and precious medicine that can stabilize vital energy, making it extremely valuable for elderly and frail cultivators.

Before he could think further, Zhang Yuanzhu had already tossed the precious medicine into the golden bell.

"This precious medicine tastes excellent; it should be enough as a seasoning."

The young man laughed, completely oblivious to the preciousness of the medicine.

The woman smiled brightly, lightly touched her forehead, then took out some spirit wine and placed it in front of her, her red lips parting slightly:

"Beautiful scenery and beautiful women naturally call for fine wine."

"What you say is true, fellow Daoist!"

Zhang Yuanzhu laughed heartily, and the annoyance in his heart dissipated considerably. He picked up the wine pot and poured two cups of spiritual wine.

He pushed a cup in front of the woman, picked it up, and drank it all.

Under the bright moon, the two stewed the spiritual meat, slowly drank the spiritual wine, and talked freely about the Great Dao, their insights, and the scriptures.

Like a friend, like a confidant.

However, even the grandest banquet must eventually come to an end.

In the dead of night, Xie Beiling slowly got up, looked up at the moon, her black dress fluttering in the wind, like a fairy under the moon, making everything around her seem dim and colorless.

"I have told you everything I know. I am going back now. I cannot delay my own affairs too much."

"Being in this world is full of shackles, and one can never be free and at will."

Zhang Yuanzhu leaned against the rock wall, gazing at the woman's graceful figure with gentle eyes.

"Follow your heart and I will become the strongest, protecting all those I've lost!"

"I'm looking forward to that day."

The woman chuckled softly, and her figure slowly disappeared.

Only the young man sat cross-legged on the ground, gazing at the mountains and rivers, looking at the leftovers of the grand feast, and muttering to himself:

'I will lead you all to the highest heavens!'

Ten days later, at dawn.

Zhang Yuanzhu sat cross-legged at the foot of the cliff, with a charred wooden stake and a silver spiritual herb floating in front of him.

With a thought, crimson-gold flames rose, and the lightning-struck wood and thundercloud grass liquefied and merged to form a secret medicine for body refining.

The young man gazed at the secret medicine before him, sensing a slight deficiency emanating from the fascia within his body, and his double pupils narrowed slightly.

"Just one last step!"

Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and inhaled.

The secret medicine was swallowed in one gulp, turning into wisps of warm current that flowed throughout the body's major tendons.

Crackling~
A layer of silver lightning appeared on his body.

However, it was quickly forced into his flesh and blood by the overwhelming will, constantly tempering himself.

Within its body, the large tendons twisted and turned, absorbing the silver medicinal liquid with all its might to strengthen itself.

Every minute, every second, the fascia is being perfected, and the last step is being rapidly overcome.

A cup of tea!

One stick of incense!
One hour!!!
Click!

A shattering sound resonated in the young man's heart.

Zhang Yuanzhu felt completely relaxed, and his strength and blood energy continued to rise, propelling his body to a higher level.

It is unknown how much time passed before the added power finally stopped.

The body tempering technique has been successfully completed!

Call ~
The breath exhaled transformed into a ribbon, slicing across the earth.

In an instant, a ravine stretching for miles was left behind.

Zhang Yuanzhu looked at the scene before him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He didn't use any magic or blood energy; he simply exhaled a breath of turbid air by moving his lungs, yet it possessed such power.

The next stage of body refinement requires the sixth level of the Nine Tribulations Thunder Body, which involves tempering the skin.

Find four different lightning-attribute stones, grind them into powder, apply them to the skin, and temper them. When lightning patterns appear on the skin, the process is complete.

Zhang Yuanzhu pondered the tempering methods in the body-refining technique, his brows furrowing slightly.

Lightning-attribute rare stones are exceptionally precious.

He only possessed one type of item, a meteorite he obtained at the border.

However, since the meteorite could accelerate his cultivation, he did not intend to destroy the strange stone unless absolutely necessary.

'It seems we still need to plan carefully.'

Zhang Yuanzhu murmured to himself.

Immediately, he stood up and looked toward the direction of Dadu.

With only four days left since the establishment of the new nation, he prepared to travel to the capital to search it thoroughly and see if he could find anything.

In a flash, his body transformed into lightning, hurtling towards the sky.

Before a cup of tea could be brewed, they were already close to the capital. The city walls were majestic and stretched for thousands of miles, with cultivators patrolling the walls.

Zhang Yuanzhu paused slightly, his smile widening.

However, it has recovered to this state in just ten days, and it is not much different from the former Dadu.

Thunder surged forward, leaping over the city walls and directly entering the Immortal City.

boom!
The overwhelming atmosphere of the mundane world rushes towards you.

The crowd flowed like water, and the cultivators were as numerous as clouds. Armored soldiers in crimson armor maintained order.

The entire immortal city was bustling with activity, showing no trace of the great battle.

Zhang Yuanzhu stood in the sky, looking down at the picturesque scenery.

After a moment, he took another step, stepping forward into the air, heading towards the ruins of the imperial palace.

The ruins were clean, but there was no blood or remains.

"well done."

The young man nodded.

He specifically instructed that the Yuan Dynasty palace should not be significantly altered; a simple cleaning would suffice. The new dynasty's palace should be built on a different site.

Tower! Tower! Tower!
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed through the ruins.

His eyes were like torches, and he activated the secret technique 'Discernment' at full power, searching every inch of the land.

At the same time, the eight-story glazed pagoda in his mind trembled slightly, and an invisible spiritual consciousness swept across all directions.

Proceed slowly forward, exploring continuously.

From day to night, and from night to day.

Two sunsets and moonrises later, he stopped in the northeast corner of the Yuan Emperor's Palace, gazing at the empty space before him.

"Here?"

Zhang Yuanzhu frowned slightly, his double pupils half-closed.

The entire palace ruins have been searched, and this is the only place that fits. If there is anything amiss, the treasure trove must be outside the palace, and there is no other possibility of searching there.

A hand extends, fingers lightly tap, and patterns are generated, disappearing into space.

Gradually, the space in front of him began to distort, creating ripples.

call out!
The young man's figure vanished from the spot.

In the blink of an eye, the world had changed, and Zhang Yuanzhu looked around.

The sky was no more than ten feet high, and as dark as night.

The earth is paved with white jade stones, radiating a soft glow.

Tools were placed on the white jade walls; jade slips, ancient books, and jade scrolls were placed on bookshelves; and boxes of precious medicines and top-grade spirit stones were piled up in the corners.

At the deepest part, there stands a jade platform with three orbs of light floating on it, like three suns.

"The Lie Clan's Treasury?"

Although it was a question, there was a certainty in his words.

Take the first step, and you'll reap the sweet rewards. Snap!

A shattering sound reached their ears, and the previously peaceful space suddenly cracked open with a huge fissure.

Immediately afterwards, countless cracks appeared, and the entire space began to self-destruct, decisively and cleanly.

Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes were deep and unfathomable as he gazed at the runes that appeared and then disappeared above him:
"A secret treasure for detecting bloodlines? How cautious!"

In the next instant, array plates flew out from his bosom, and patterns spread from his feet, forming a large array that stabilized the space.

He took a step forward and stood in front of the jade platform, gazing at the objects floating in the three orbs of light.

The pale white jade book, the black and gold cauldron, and the stone box covered with patterns—each piece exudes an extraordinary aura.

Zhang Yuanzhu raised his arm and grabbed at Yu Shu.

The instant the fingertip touched the ball of light, an invisible barrier was created, blocking the way.

Click!Click!
The fragmentation of space, which should have slowed down, suddenly accelerated.

Cracks appeared, twisted and grew larger, and continued to spread.

"Ah!"

The young man scoffed and suddenly exerted force with his palm.

bang~
The ball of light exploded, and he grabbed the pale jade book and immediately put it away.

At the same time, he raised his free arm and grabbed directly at the black gold cauldron.

bang~
He gripped the cauldron's surface tightly with his five fingers and put it away.

In an instant, only the stone box remained on the jade platform.

The space had already been torn apart, with spatial fragments tearing apart the great array, shattering artifacts and bookshelves, and constantly eroding the treasure vault.

Zhang Yuanzhu remained expressionless, his palm movements never faltering, shattering the ball of light with a single strike and taking the stone box.

Stab it!

A fragment of space grazed his arm, tearing his skin and splattering blood.

Immediately afterwards, countless fragments of space swarmed in.

He transformed into lightning, arriving before the treasure chest containing the spiritual objects in an instant. He grabbed the nearest chest and left the treasure vault.

The moment they left, this space shattered and vanished into nothingness.

boom!
Zhang Yuanzhu appeared on the ground and then retreated rapidly.

In the next instant, a deep blackness appeared out of thin air, spreading outwards and covering an area of ​​several miles.

Then, it vanished, leaving behind a huge crater, representing the power of the aftershocks after space shattered.

The young man stood at the edge of the pit, his arms stained with specks of blood.

"The void is treacherous; it truly is a place only those who have mastered the Condensing Fiend Realm are qualified to traverse."

A blue light shone in his eyes, and streams of life covered the wounds. Flesh and blood writhed, skin reappeared, and all injuries were healed.

At the same time, a series of chaotic footsteps sounded outside the ruins of the Yuan Emperor's Palace, clearly indicating that the commotion had been too great and had alerted people to the abnormality.

Zhang Yuanzhu flicked his fingertips, and a wisp of lightning rose into the sky, illuminating the heavens and the earth.

"It is I. You may all leave."

In an instant, the footsteps stopped, and a cacophony of noise followed.

"It is Young Master, we will go ourselves."

"His Majesty is here, do not disturb him."

"Gone, gone."

After the commotion subsided, the Yuanhuang Palace ruins returned to tranquility.

Zhang Yuanzhu began to examine the spoils of this trip, stretching out his palm and waving it gently.

Three streaks of light flew out from the storage bag, hovering in front of him, exuding an extraordinary aura.

The black and gold cauldron, the pale jade book, and the stone box—these three items must be exceptionally precious to have been placed in the center of the jade platform at the deepest part of the Lie family's residence.

He first turned his gaze to the black and gold cauldron, pulled it in front of him, and examined it closely.

The cauldron is carved with a real dragon, majestic and noble, and one can faintly hear the roar of the dragon.

"A top-quality spiritual weapon, it is no worse than the Emperor Sword, and may even be better."

Zhang Yuanzhu deduced that he would directly take control.

Call ~
The young man shook his head. It didn't have any special features, but he did know the name of the cauldron—the Xuanjia Fulong Cauldron.

With a flick of his wrist, he put the large cauldron away.

Then, he looked at the jade book, grasped it, and carefully read through it, a look of understanding on his face.

The True Record of Azure Flames!
This is a fire-attribute Qi Condensation Realm cultivation technique, with detailed descriptions of everything from Qi Accumulation to Qi Condensation. It should be a legacy technique of the Lie Clan.

Unfortunately, he could not cultivate to the peak of the Qi Condensation stage.

Even so, it is enough to serve as a lineage's inheritance technique.

Zhang Yuanzhu flipped through the jade book, memorized all its contents, and then put it into his storage bag.

Finally, he looked at the stone box and examined its patterns.

The patterns that appear when sealing, suppressing, or concealing are all signs of sealing away valuable items.

A flicker of curiosity crossed the young man's mind, and he lightly flicked his fingertips.

Crunch!

The stone box was opened a crack.

boom!
A ball of blood-red flame surged out from the crevice, and billowing crimson mist spread out rapidly.

Zizzi~
The earth hissed and crackled as it was rapidly eroded.

"Evil spirit!"

Zhang Yuanzhu was taken aback, and quickly reached out with his hand.

boom!
The crimson flames disappeared from the stone box lid.

Immediately, streaks of lightning appeared, moving around like purple snakes, obliterating the scarlet mist.

From beginning to end, Zhang Yuanzhu's gaze remained fixed on the stone box, never looking away.

The evil energy is an essential item for those at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage to break through to the Condensed Evil Realm. It is extremely precious, and I never expected to find it in the treasure vault.

This is probably the biggest gain from the conquest of the Yuan Kingdom, besides the Green Wood Seal.

Moreover, this kind of malevolent energy is clearly of the fire element.

Because of its cultivation method, the Zhuoyang lineage has always been dedicated to investigating and recording all kinds of malevolent energy with fire attributes within its lineage.

Zhang Yuanzhu quickly recalled, and the characteristics of various malevolent auras flashed through his mind.

Finally, it settled into one.

"Its malevolent energy is like fire, as red as blood, poisonous and corrosive, originating from the depths of volcanic lava—Volcanic miasma!"

This type of malevolent energy is relatively common among fire-attribute malevolent energy, but it is still extremely difficult to find.

It should be noted that the Zhuoyang lineage, as a top-tier lineage, possessed no other form of malevolent energy besides the solitary Yin malevolent energy he brought back.

While lost in thought, Zhang Yuanzhu added a few more seals to the stone box.

Then, he carefully placed it in his bosom.

This one item alone is worth the entire adventure.

And the benefits don't stop there!

Zhang Yuanzhu stretched out his palm, and a black, strange stone appeared in his hand.

As soon as the strange stone appeared, streaks of lightning gathered all around, and dark clouds appeared in the sky.

This is a lightning-attribute gem he found in a treasure chest—the Lightning-Attracting Magnetic Mother—which can be used as a gem to temper the skin.

Clench your fists together, and the dark clouds will disperse.

Zhang Yuanzhu looked up at the sky, a carefree smile on his face.

He will go faster and faster, become stronger and stronger, until he surpasses everything.

The palm suddenly exerted force.

Click!Click!
The dark, strange stone shattered instantly, and wisps of powder drifted from the palm of the hand, adhering to the skin.

In an instant, a sharp, tingling, and stinging sensation spread through me.

Zhang Yuanzhu's face didn't change much. He carefully sensed the changes in his skin, as if a film had been applied, and tiny particles of powder were constantly polishing his skin.

This change is extremely slow and will take about three months to complete.

As he experienced the tempering process, Zhang Yuanzhu's brows gradually furrowed.

In this state, if he were to engage in close combat with his opponent, the dust from the strange stones would scatter upon physical contact, which would definitely affect his body refinement.

In this case, the only options are to wear armor and fight the enemy, or to use magic to crush them.

A hint of helplessness appeared on Zhang Yuanzhu's face.

That’s all!
However, the skin tempering process has only lasted for a little over a year, and it will pass quickly.

(End of this chapter)