Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 429 Two Months Later, the Situation on All Sides (4000)

Next comes the true mastery of [characteristics].

Zhang Yuanzhu raised his free hand, and light shone from his fingertips, revealing a pale yellow wooden block the size of a palm in his hand.

This is Yellow Spring Wood, a spiritual wood obtained from the Azure Heaven Dharma Lineage of Immortal Soldier Valley. [Characteristic]: Corrosion.

'Level 1 [Characteristic], that's quite suitable.'

Zhang Yuanzhu murmured to himself, "I have mastered all the mortal-level [traits], and I can already try the first-level traits."

Unlike ordinary-level traits, which are barely useful, many first-level traits are helpful to him.

In the blink of an eye, the spirit wood in his palm vanished.

Deep within the soul, the Seven Treasures Tree swayed gently, its branches and leaves fluttering, and a pale yellow wooden block floated above the green leaves, covered by tri-colored divine light.

A unique and intricate Daoist aura flowed along the tree trunk, spreading to all parts of the body.

Zhang Yuanzhu silently comprehended this Daoist essence, continuously seeking to understand it.

Only after nightfall did they replace the Yellow Spring Wood and begin practicing their cultivation techniques.

From then on, the young man perfected his divine form—the Black Tortoise—during the day and spent two hours at night comprehending its [characteristics], after which he practiced his cultivation techniques and improved his cultivation level.

He became completely immersed in spiritual practice.

Of course, cultivators would occasionally find their trail and engage in battle after battle.

Two months have passed in the blink of an eye.

During this period, turmoil has been brewing in the southern part of the Shichuan Plain, with endless battles and fighting.

Blood flowed and crimson, and corpses littered the land. Cultivators at all levels, including Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Condensation, perished, making it an extremely tragic scene.

In addition, the news that kept coming from Yushen Plain made the whole area feel oppressive.

Boom~
Two figures clashed in the sky, like two great suns colliding wildly. With each collision, the surrounding space shattered, revealing deep darkness.

Only when the surrounding area of ​​hundreds of miles turned into empty space did the two figures dissipate their radiance and reveal their true forms.

A young man with a thunder pearl on his head and a long, white ruler in his hand, gazed straight ahead with a pair of double pupils, as indifferent as the sky and as ruthless as a god.

Opposite him stood an old man wearing a sun and moon Taoist crown, his crimson Taoist robe stained with blood, his body hunched over, and cracks appearing on his exposed skin.

"I won!"

Zhang Yuanzhu spoke calmly as he put the measuring ruler back at his waist.

Step forward and approach the old man.

"Zhang Yuanzhu, with your talent, do you not have a shred of compassion?"

“Foundation Establishment cultivators are killed, Qi Condensation cultivators are killed, and even Qi Refining cultivators are killed. Does this mean that all Qingyangzhai cultivators, as well as righteous beings, must be exterminated?”

The old man struggled to lift his head, his sun and moon crown swaying and sliding diagonally across his head, his eyes filled with sorrow and grief.

Since 1,900 years ago, when the righteous sects drove away the demonic sects, unorthodox sects, and rogue cultivators, the southern part of the Shichuan Plain has never experienced such a conquest.

It was too tragic, too insane, even for a True Person who had reached the fourth step of the Qi Condensation Realm, it was unacceptable.

However, the Taoist tradition is currently unable to support this land.

From proactively probing and ambushing, to now being hunted down and killed by the person right in front of them.

Zhang Yuanzhu's expression remained unchanged as he reached out and grabbed at the old man.

"You've been talking too much nonsense!"

His five fingers were white, as if they contained all things in heaven and earth, encompassing hundreds of miles of void, ready to crush his enemy to death.

Powerful and domineering!
The old Taoist priest looked at the palm that had been pressed down, and the sadness in his eyes dissipated, replaced by determination and murderous intent.

With a flick of his head, the Sun and Moon Taoist Crown slipped off, and a blue talisman flew out from his hair, radiating an astonishing aura.

The void, vegetation, dust, and spiritual energy all froze at this moment, with only the talismans emitting a faint blue light and flowing with inexplicable power.

"Chen Shichen of Hongyang Daoist Temple, today you shall vanquish the demon!"

The old man's expression was ferocious as he looked ahead. What met his eyes was not the expected horror, but a pair of calm, unwavering double pupils.

As the hand pressed down, a blood-red light flashed, and a blood-red battle flag appeared.

With his arm pressed down, the battle flag fell like a knife, curling up the talismans and covering his hunched figure.

Everything happened in an instant, and the frozen world resumed its flow.

Holding the Blood Demon Banner, Zhang Yuanzhu gazed at the talismans emanating a faint blue light within the banner and softly uttered a few words:
"Golden Elixir Talisman?"

As the words fell, the flags fluttered, and streaks of blood-red light poured down, extinguishing the azure light and silencing the talisman.

With a flick of his wrist, he put away the Blood Demon Banner and strode outside.

A warrior like him, who has fought thousands and thousands of battles, would never be careless in the slightest while his enemy is not completely dead.

Tower~
Stepping out of the void, my feet touched the earth, sweeping across the blood and mangled limbs scattered everywhere.

Then, looking up at the sky and at the flying boat floating above, a gentle smile appeared on the young man's face.

With a powerful leap, I reached the bow of the boat.

"The enemy is dealt with, it's time for us to go!"

"it is good!"

The law states, "The law is in effect." (A light tap on the forehead.)

As for the fall of Ning Sha Zhenren, they were already numb to it and were not surprised.

After that, Fayan piloted the flying boat and sped south.

Time passed, and mountains, rivers, and vegetation continued to pass by. The two women consciously walked away from the young man and began their own cultivation.

After all, they had benefited greatly from these two months, and through their efforts in guiding and converting others, the Buddhist teachings had become increasingly profound.

Chi Ying gripped the ship's railing with both hands, his eyes deep and thoughtful as he reflected on the gains of the past two months.

First of all
Zhang Yuanzhu raised his palm, and wisps of black mist rose from it, hissing, but without any fluctuations of magic power, blood energy, or spiritual consciousness.

【Characteristics】Corrosion. After two months, he was able to control it without relying on the Seven Treasures Tree.

He has taken a good step forward in understanding supernatural powers.

Mastering the first-level [characteristics] will make things much easier.

Secondly, there is the divine form – Xuanwu.

The young man has a complete plan and can begin his practice. It will not take too much time to perfect it.

Finally, there is the blood corpse sacrifice.

Along the way, the battles were not intense, and there were no particularly strong opponents, at most only peak True Persons of the Condensation Realm.

However, that master only made one move before leaving the southern part of the Passing River Plain.

"The situation at Qingyangzhai is more dangerous than I imagined."

Zhang Yuanzhu stroked the ship's railing with his palm, a smile playing on his lips.

However, because the pursuit was not intense enough, the amplification of the blood corpse he refined was naturally not strong.

Lost in thought, he lowered his hand, placed it on the long ruler, and turned around.

Fayan walked from the stern of the boat, his monk's robes fluttering, his body radiating wisps of Buddhist light, and his eyes filled with compassion.

She stopped in front of the young man, clasped her hands together, and whispered:

"Brother Dao, the Qingyangzhai's probing attacks are decreasing day by day. Should we temporarily put aside the killing?"

Zhang Yuanzhu leaned against the boat railing, lightly tapping the long ruler with his five fingers.

Dangdang~
The sound of metal clashing echoed around the two men, cleansing their minds and revealing their true selves.

"Fellow Daoist, please feel free to speak."

He spoke languidly, his voice soft:

“I am not bloodthirsty. They forced me to this point step by step, and I had no choice but to kill and deter them.”

"However, now that the goal has been achieved, we can put it aside for the time being and address the remaining matters."

The clanging of metal faded away, and five fingers gripped the measuring ruler tightly.

"Once we have enough power, we will kill all those involved in the scheme."

"Thank you for your understanding, fellow Daoist!"

Fayan bowed deeply.

Then, he approached the young man and looked at his handsome and resolute face: "Brother Dao, a hundred thousand miles ahead lies the most prosperous immortal city in the southern part of the Passing River Plain. Shall we go there?"

Zhang Yuanzhu remained silent and did not respond immediately.

After a moment, he slowly spoke:
"We need specific information about the situation on the Shichuan Plain before we can make a judgment."

"Moreover, I happen to need to find a clue, which may take a little longer."

The young man spoke frankly and made no secret of it.

Fayan nodded, a gentle smile on her face, her clasped hands falling to the ground, her red lips parting slightly:
"It's alright, my senior sister and I always have plenty of time."

After a few words, the two finalized their itinerary.

The flying boat soared through the air, speeding forward.

Time passes minute by minute.

An hour!
Two hours!!
Three hours!!!

Until the next morning.

As the sun rises in the east, its brilliant light shines down upon the mountains and rivers, illuminating the city walls that stretch for thousands of miles, resembling a black dragon lying on the ground.

It was a majestic and ancient city, with a city gate made of redwood, beneath which living beings lined up and slowly moved forward.

The flying boat appeared from the ends of the earth and arrived in front of the city in the blink of an eye.

Without pausing for a moment, they bypassed all living beings and entered the city.

Sensing the mountain-like, heavy aura, the cultivators all fell silent.

"Senior, the restrictions within Fengshui City are now in effect."

A middle-aged man in armor stood on the street, gazing respectfully at the sky.

The next instant, a gaze fell upon him.

Boom~
His mind was in turmoil, and he collapsed to his knees.

"Qingyangzhai?"

A calm, even indifferent voice rang out.

Zhang Yuanzhu looked down but ultimately did not make a move.

With a light stomp of the foot, the flying boat landed, and I stepped out.

Fayan and Fading followed closely behind, leaving the flying boat together and standing on the street.

Zhang Yuanzhu was surrounded by a light mist, concealing his figure.

"What other rules are there? Tell me them all."

"No, no."

The middle-aged man in armor spoke in a trembling voice.

This is an instinctive reaction when encountering a stronger opponent, and there's no way to change it.

Zhang Yuanzhu glanced at the middle-aged man, stepped onto the street, and surveyed his surroundings.

The two women walked alongside him, observing their surroundings.

As the three people left one by one, the quiet street returned to its bustling state.

"Who is this powerful figure? He is so domineering that he made a Foundation Establishment cultivator kneel on the ground."

"Could it be someone who's come to hunt down that person?"

"Alas! Undercurrents are surging; I wonder when things will calm down."

Amidst the commotion, the armored middle-aged man slowly stood up, his face pale and his eyes filled with fear.

He had felt this kind of aura, this kind of intense heat, from afar at Yirenshan Mountain.

Inside Yuanshui City, in front of Jingu Pavilion, a middle-aged man stood among the crowd, a fleeting glimpse of him.

After the secret realm opened, he came here because he did not meet the requirements, and became a city commander.

'I must inform the city lord of this message immediately.'

He walked away quickly and disappeared.

In the city, Zhang Yuanzhu, carrying a long ruler, strolled leisurely forward, like a noble young master enjoying a spring outing, carefree and at ease.

Sensing the middle-aged man quickly leaving, a smile played on her lips, a smile of unbridled delight.

He was eagerly awaiting the rightful response: an all-out attack or a retreat.

after all
The situation at Qingyangzhai has deteriorated to the extreme.

Zhang Yuanzhu listened to the discussions among the cultivators, collecting information one by one.

"With the green walls breached, Wuliang Palace marched straight in, and war broke out on Yushen Plain."

"It is rumored that a Golden Core True Monarch of our righteous path has perished in the war."

"Fellow Taoist, be careful!"

"Alas! The three peaks of the Puppet Sect have all set out to inspect the passes, which seems to indicate that a Demonic True Lord has personally arrived."

Ignore the noise and get the useful information.

The more he learned, the more relaxed Zhang Yuanzhu became.

For a long time, Qingyangzhai couldn't care less about him, having truly confirmed his own safety.

Of course, he wouldn't let his guard down, which is why he put his feet on the line this time.

As time passed, the three walked slowly down the street, sensing the hustle and bustle of the world and the myriad aspects of human life.

An hour passed and the surroundings remained peaceful.

Zhang Yuanzhu, Fayan, and Fading's forms slowly dissipated and disappeared from the sight of living beings.

They reappeared, now standing before a luxurious penthouse.

The three stood at the bottom of the steps, while cultivators entered one by one, some making noise, some buying and selling, some playing around, but no one paid any attention to the three, as if they didn't exist.

Zhang Yuanzhu looked up at the two characters "Seeking Truth" on the plaque above the door, his eyes calm, and stepped forward.

Legal terms and legal provisions followed closely behind.

They passed by the figures and entered a room deep inside the attic, where they came to an old man dressed in fine clothes.

"Shopkeeper, would you be willing to make a deal?"

Upon hearing this, the old man's expression turned solemn. He stood up and looked around. Before he knew it, a young man dressed in a red robe and carrying a long ruler appeared in front of him.

In that instant, the elderly man in fine clothes underwent a dramatic change in expression, and his body trembled:

"Senior Zhang."

It wasn't that he was cowardly or weak-willed, but rather that the actions of the person before him in recent times had caused great concern to everyone in the Qiuzhen Chamber of Commerce.

Zhang Yuanzhu's deep, dark eyes stared directly at the old man, seemingly seeing through his heart. He lightly tapped the long ruler with his five fingers.

“I am not a madman who only knows how to kill. You are overthinking it, shopkeeper.”

He paused, gripped the long ruler tightly in his hand, and uttered each word slowly and deliberately:
"However, I am now very curious, what kind of loss did Qingyangzhai suffer that caused you to be in such a state merely by having contact with me?"

The elderly man in fine clothes composed himself, lowered his eyes, and sighed:
"Honorable guest, please understand that the Qiuzhen Chamber of Commerce does have special channels and has learned about Qingyangzhai's losses in recent times."

The old man, his body hunched over, picked up a cup of tea from the wooden table, took a few sips, and then spoke:
"When the Chuanyuan Secret Realm ended, the sky collapsed and exploded, and some Golden Core True Monarchs perished, while others were severely injured."

"Of the four academies of the Daoist lineage, Qingyang and Hongyang academies, which are close to the mountain gate, suffered extremely heavy losses, with countless disciples and elders perishing; Xuanyang and Yiyang academies fared slightly better, but still suffered numerous casualties."

Zhang Yuanzhu listened quietly, showing neither joy nor disappointment, only a profound calm.

The shopkeeper looked up, glanced at the young man, then immediately looked away and continued speaking:
"Such a commotion could not be concealed. The experts of Wuliang Palace came out in full force to besiege and kill Qingyangzhai Zhenjun at Qingqiang, and have already poured into Yushen Plain."

"Qingyangzhai also sent its remaining forces to provide support, however..."

The old man drank the tea in his cup in one gulp and sighed:

"Failed in the Qi Condensation stage, failed in the Foundation Establishment stage, and failed in the Qi Refining stage. Retreating again and again, powerless to resist."

"The righteous sects have not been conquered for nearly two thousand years. How can they fight against the unorthodox sects that come from remote and desolate places?"

Snapped!
The teacup was placed on the wooden table, and the shopkeeper looked at the three of them, his expression becoming respectful.
"I've gone off on a tangent. May I ask what you've come here to trade, senior?"

"Anything that the Chamber of Commerce knows about or owns, is permissible!"

(End of this chapter)