Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 473 Returning to Ancient Cliff Mountain, an Old Friend Has Fallen (4000)

The sky and earth were dark, a black wind howled, and the mountains shook.

Only after Zhang Yuanzhu had moved away from the area where the Daoist's illusory figure was located did he take out a slightly larger, jet-black treasure fruit from his bosom.

A surge of consciousness welled up within him, fueled by an instinctive desire.

The young man's face was calm, and his eyes showed no emotion whatsoever.

He gently grasped the fruit with his five fingers, feeling the divine power contained within it, as well as the warmth emanating from his fingertips.

Patterns and runes bloomed from the fingertips and seeped into the fruit.

Once he was sure there was no danger, he raised his free hand and ran his fingers across the precious fruit.

stab~
The peel was torn open, revealing the jet-black flesh.

Then, he placed the precious fruit between his eyebrows.

In an instant, streams of pure spiritual power surged into his mind.

Huhuhu~
A gentle breeze suddenly arose in my mind, unlike the violent black winds of the past, but rather like a warm spring breeze, caressing every tiny corner of my mind.

The sixteen-story glazed pagoda was bathed in a gentle breeze, its glazed light shimmering and converging towards the top.

A phantom image appeared in an instant, then leaped into reality, transforming into the seventeenth-level glazed pagoda.

The whole process was simple and easy, and everything seemed to fall into place naturally.

The breakthrough in spiritual awareness did not end the process.

The gentle breeze continued to blow, and spiritual awareness continued to grow, its flowing radiance becoming ever more dazzling.

Time passed by, second by second, and no one knew how much time had gone by.

hum~
The seventeen-story pagoda trembled slightly, and wisps of breeze gathered, all of which transformed into spiritual consciousness.

Inside the pagoda, a small golden figure sat cross-legged, his hands forming ancient hand seals, focusing all his energy on cultivating his spiritual awareness.

Wow~Wow~
The shimmering light of the crystal surged upwards like water, converging towards the top of the pagoda.

A phantom tower reappeared, trembling slightly, appearing even more real under the glow.

A cup of tea has passed!

A stick of incense has burned out!
An hour has passed!
After a day and a night, the phantom leaped out and became real.

At this moment, the eighteen-story glazed pagoda stood in the center of his mind, carrying an unparalleled aura that suppressed all directions.

bang~
The precious fruit placed between his brows withered and turned into dust, falling to the ground.

He lowered his hand and casually placed it on the measuring ruler, sensing the changes in spiritual consciousness and comprehending its mysteries.

The spiritual technique "Pagoda Suppressing God Technique" is itself quite extraordinary; it was a technique he obtained from the Peach Blossom Village Gathering.

It can stabilize the mind and strengthen the soul.

If an enemy wants to harm his spiritual consciousness, they must destroy the Glazed Pagoda.

This is also one of the reasons why he can fight against Golden Core cultivators across borders, as those True Monarchs cannot directly annihilate their souls.

Most importantly, this spiritual method, according to records, has no limits.

In other words, one can continue to cultivate and constantly increase the number of layers in the pagoda.

The "Pagoda Suppressing God Technique" may be the most mysterious and profound skill he possesses.

Various thoughts surged in Zhang Yuanzhu's mind, only to be suppressed one by one.

He began to focus all his energy on sensing spiritual awareness and experiencing every subtle change.

In a short period of time, he broke through two barriers, and his spiritual awareness increased dramatically. Even he needed several days to adapt.

However, the youth's pace remained unchanged before and after consuming the precious fruit, always moving forward.

The Corpse Refiner also followed closely, striving to hone his corpse energy and solidify his foundation.

The man and the corpse continued westward, crossing continuous mountains and braving the dark winds that blotted out the sun, gradually approaching the ancient cliff mountain.

Time flies, and forty days and nights have passed in the blink of an eye.

In the eastern part of the ancient cliff, a majestic mountain stands, and a black wind sweeps through the mountains.

A tall, slender figure stepped out.

Tower~
"Out!"

His red robe was torn, his cheeks were scratched, and his chest was oozing specks of purplish-gold blood.

Zhang Yuanzhu was in an indescribable state of embarrassment at this moment.

The deeper they went into the perilous place, the more rampant the black wind became, to the point that even the eighteen-story pagoda could not withstand it.

He directly used his magic weapon and drew upon a large amount of divine tree essence to escape the perilous situation.

As for the corpse refining, it was also stopped halfway through.

Crimson Shadow stood on the earth, his double pupils probing the vast wilderness, his spiritual sense surging out like a tide, sweeping across every corner of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains.

Open your mouth and inhale.

Boom~
The mountains and rivers and the sky trembled for seven thousand miles, and boundless spiritual energy surged in to replenish the depleted magic power and blood.

After an incense stick's time, his magical power was restored, and he stopped absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy.

“A lack of spiritual energy, and the essence of heaven and earth.”

Zhang Yuanzhu's arms hung naturally at his sides, a hint of emotion in his expression.

The spiritual energy within Ancient Cliff Mountain is far inferior to that of the Flowing River Plain, less than one-tenth of it.

but
This is my hometown!

The young man smiled, his eyes filled with kindness.

In the blink of an eye, a stream of light drifted out from his sleeve and landed in front of him.

She was a woman with an exceptionally beautiful face, dressed in a black dress.

Her long, black hair cascaded down to her waist, her black dress fluttered in the wind, and her beautiful eyes gazed at the young man before her.

Xie Beiling briefly sensed her surroundings and smiled faintly.

"Senior brother, have we returned to Ancient Cliff Mountain?"

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded and slowly began to speak:
"We have crossed the perilous path and are now safe. I will take you to the sect."

"Senior brother, I want to travel around Guyashan."

The woman shook her head and refused.

Her expression was serious, and her red lips parted slightly:

"Senior brother, after several years of separation, you've returned to your homeland. There must still be many things to accomplish. I also wish to explore the unorthodox scenery. Until..."

A gentle breeze blows, leaves flutter down, the witch smiles softly, and speaks slowly and deliberately:

"Once all the miscellaneous tasks are completed, it won't be too late for us to head to the Demon Realm."

"After all, time is between you and me, not the Puppet Sect."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanzhu remained silent, his five fingers lightly gripping the long ruler.

"You are free to wander around Ancient Cliff Mountain."

The young man knew that the woman was worried that if she immediately headed south, she would be unable to resist the demonic forces.

He needs time to grow and become stronger, and that time will not be too long.

Xie Beiling pursed her red lips, her slender hand reaching out to touch the tear in her red robe:

"Senior brother, you have cultivated all the way to this point, conquering countless lands and rivers, fighting bloody battles across tens of millions of miles. You have done more than enough. No one throughout history has ever done so."

"You can rest for a while and catch your breath."

Zhang Yuanzhu raised his head, looking at Tianyu with a peaceful expression.

A moment later, he took a step forward, past her beautiful figure, and walked away.

His figure gradually disappeared at the edge of the earth, leaving only a barely perceptible whisper drifting down.

"I still have a long way to go, like an arrow released from a bow, never looking back, never stopping."

The voice was calm, yet contained an indescribable firmness.

The witch stood frozen in place, gazing in the direction where the crimson shadow had vanished. Her heart was filled with complex emotions; a thousand words wanted to be uttered, yet not a single syllable could be found.

This is my senior brother, this is Zhang Yuanzhu, the only Qingcang Zhenren in history.

"If it were you, you would surely stand at the end of the road!"

the other side.

Zhang Yuanzhu walked alone between heaven and earth, heading towards a place rich in spiritual energy.

He needs to find the creatures, determine his position, and then make arrangements.

As for Xie Beiling's safety, he is, after all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator and possesses the methods he left behind, enough to roam freely in Ancient Cliff Mountain.

He moved with incredible speed, traversing thousands of miles of land in just a few steps, with villages, towns, and creatures gradually coming into view.

The clamor of ordinary conversations also reached my ears. "Since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, there has been plenty of food and clothing, and laws have been promulgated and implemented throughout the land."

"Emperor Ming reigns for ten thousand years, overthrowing the Yuan dynasty and ushering in a new era; his achievements are unparalleled."

"A single law governs the world, bringing great benefit to all people."

Exclamations of praise and prayers echoed in my ears.

In his vision, countless lines of faith stretched across the sky, flowing toward unknown directions.

Zhang Yuanzhu stood on the treetop, his eyes gentle and his face smiling.

"Well done, fellow Daoists!"

Without a doubt, this is the Ming Dynasty, and the place where all people's faith gathers is naturally the capital of the Ming Dynasty—Nanjing.

Strands of blue light emanated from his body.

In the next instant, a rainbow streaked across the sky, hurtling forward.

In just a few hours, a magnificent city stretching for thousands of miles came into view.

The pitch-black city wall resembled a real dragon, and cultivators clad in crimson armor stood atop it.

This is an extremely large city, beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Rays of light rose from the city, constantly changing, and streaks of rainbow light crisscrossed the sky.

The sun in the sky cast endless golden light, permeating every corner of the city.

This is Nanjing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty!
It is also a city of cultivators!

Zhang Yuanzhu stopped and stood deep in the sky, observing his own city, his smile widening.

With one step, they entered the city and arrived at the palace.

The ground was paved with black stones, and pillars made of crimson spirit wood stood in all directions, supporting the palace.

Above the ninety-nine steps stands a golden throne engraved with the sun, moon, stars, plants, mountains, and rivers.

With an air of majesty and solemnity!
He gently grasped the gleaming white ruler in his hand and looked up.

The next moment, he took a step and climbed the steps.

Ta-ta-ta~
Footsteps echoed in the hall, like the beating of war drums, intense and stirring.

He ascended the ninety-nine steps and stood before the throne.

He reached out and touched the golden armrest, feeling the coldness from his fingertips.

Roar roar~
Joyful dragon roars echoed from the throne.

A golden dragon shadow appeared and disappeared.

Zhang Yuanzhu grinned, turned around, and sat down on it.

roar~
A dragon's roar resounded throughout the palace, and a golden dragon appeared, coiling around the crimson shadow, joyful and excited.

The young man stretched out his hand and gently stroked the dragon scales:
"Nine layers of foundation are acceptable."

The dragon energy he refined before leaving has been nurtured by incense and faith for many years, and its cultivation to this level is already quite remarkable.

At the same time, a tall woman wearing a blue cloak and a light blue shirt stood up and looked at the Ming Palace with surprise in her eyes.

What kind of demons and monsters dare to come to Jinling and even enter the Ming Emperor's Palace?

Without hesitation, the woman transformed into lightning, traversing the palace and entering the halls.

crunch~
The door was wide open. As I stepped in and out, before I could even look up, a voice reached my ears.

"Senior Sister Feng Ling, it's been a long time. How are you?"

boom!
The woman trembled slightly and looked up in disbelief.

It was a very familiar crimson figure, with a handsome face, deep double pupils, reflecting the sun, moon, mountains and rivers.

Simply sitting atop it is like being an indescribable divine mountain, towering to the heavens and filling the space, occupying everything.

On either side of the throne, a yellow dog and a golden dragon lay prone.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you're back!"

"I am back!"

Zhang Yuanzhu relaxed his body, leaned back on the throne, and lightly tapped his palm. A stream of light descended, transforming into a cyan wooden chair.

"It's been almost ten years since we last met. Senior Sister has reached the sixth level of Foundation Establishment. Congratulations!"

The woman remained silent, sensing the natural aura emanating from the young man, a hint of bitterness appearing on her face.

She sat on the wooden chair and shook her head:
"Compared to you, my slight improvement is insignificant."

He paused, his expression serious, and asked:

"With such aura, Brother Zhang, you must have cultivated to the peak of Foundation Establishment."

Zhang Yuanzhu placed his palm on the armrest, his knuckles slightly bent, and gently tapped it, producing a sound like metal clashing.

"Second step of the Qi Condensation Realm!"

He did not conceal his cultivation level, nor was there any living being in this world worth concealing or hiding from him.

Feng Ling remained silent, her mind reeling.

She had already overestimated Fellow Daoist Zhang as much as possible.

Completing the Foundation Establishment stage in just over a decade was already the limit of what she could imagine.

Now they're telling her that once you reach the second stage of Condensing Qi, isn't it true that the higher you go in your cultivation, the harder it is to advance? How come there's no sign of that in Fellow Daoist Zhang?

After a long while, Feng Lingcai recovered his senses, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and exclaimed in admiration:
"Fellow Daoist, you are truly an immortal descended to the mortal realm!"

The voice carried an unspoken ease; with this person before him, all worries were gone.

Zhang Yuanzhu smiled, but he was not pleased with himself.

He is who he is, and he should be who he is; there is nothing surprising about it.

"Senior Sister Feng, thank you for your hard work in managing the affairs of the Ming Dynasty over the years."

"It's not too troublesome. The three major lineages of Cang Lei, Han Hai, and Zhuo Yang take turns presiding over the affairs of the Ming Kingdom, which does not take up too much energy."

Feng Ling waved her hand.

Zhang Yuanzhu smiled, his five fingers spread out, and he gently gripped the armrest.

"In any case, without the combined efforts of the three families, there would be no such prosperity."

After a pause, the young man tilted his head slightly, his eyes half-closed:
"Senior sister, tell me about the changes in the Ming Dynasty."

He has been gone for too long and needs to know what has happened in the Ming Dynasty over the years.

Feng Ling placed her hands flat on her lap, her red lips slightly parted:

"Indeed, many significant events have occurred over the years."

Her eyes held memories, and her voice was ethereal as she recounted the changes of the past few years.

"After the destruction of the Xuanqing Temple in Yan State, Wuliang Palace rebuilt a temple called Guguang."

"From then on, the Yan Kingdom provoked the Qian Kingdom every day, constantly encroaching on it. The Divine Arresting Gate and other forces could not restrain it, and finally they sought help from the Ming Kingdom."

"The Lord of Zhuoyang Mountain fought against the Lonely Light Immortal with a forbidden weapon, which stopped the Yan Kingdom's provocation. Since then, the Qian Kingdom has been grateful for our efforts and has brought the whole country to surrender."

"From then on, the two kingdoms of Qian and Ming, along with the chaotic lands, all became the territory of the Great Ming."

Zhang Yuanzhu listened carefully. In just a few words, there was so much fighting, scheming and plotting that only the mountain lord and others probably knew.

After all, not to mention their rival, Wuliang Palace, even Xianbing Valley itself probably wouldn't want to see such a scene.

The Qian Kingdom, the Land of Chaos, and the Ming Kingdom have merged into one, and within the territory of the sect, there is only one subordinate force.

This is something that any lineage should be instinctively wary of.

At this moment, Feng Ling continued speaking:
"After the merger of Qianming, something seemed to have happened at Wuliang Palace, and Guguang Temple stopped harassing the Ming border."

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded, understanding dawning on him.

During that period, Wuliang Palace should have focused its main efforts on the Shichuan Plain and was unable to suppress the forces within Guyashan.

Lost in thought, she stretched out her hand, flicked her fingertips, and a jade box floated out of her storage bag, landing in Feng Ling's arms.

“I returned from the outer realms with some spiritual items, which I have given to my senior sister.”

"Okay, then I'm welcome."

Feng Ling chuckled and accepted the jade box from her bosom.

Then, she looked up at the throne, a hint of hesitation appearing on her pretty face, as if she was hesitating about something.

Zhang Yuanzhu propped his cheek up with his arm and whispered:
"Senior Sister Feng, please speak frankly."

The woman remained silent.

After a moment, he spoke in a low voice:
"Zhou Zhi failed to establish her foundation and perished!"

(Zhou Zhi, the eldest daughter of the Zhou family in Jiangshui City, is the only child in Dao Peak who secretly pledged allegiance to the protagonist. She joined the Vast Ocean Dharma Lineage and accompanied the protagonist for a period of time in the Beast Taming Secret Realm.)
(End of this chapter)