Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 479 Refining Corpses to Prove the Dao and Seek Gold? (4000)

Zhang Yuanzhu stood in front of the wooden pillar, describing the strange stone.

He obtained the Azure Sky Stone and the Listening Tide Stone together. The latter had already been given the Dharma Word and the Dharma Law, while the former was something he had specially kept for the woman.

Pinkie Pie gripped the bracelet tightly in her hand, her red lips parted slightly:
"Thank you so much, senior brother!"

She rubbed the bracelet between her fingers, feeling the coolness from her fingertips and the power it contained:
"The energy in the bracelet is extremely compatible with my cultivation method. In this way, I can reach the peak of Qi Refining and start Foundation Establishment sooner."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanzhu frowned slightly and carefully examined the woman to understand her magical power and blood energy:
"Twelfth level of Qi Refining is already quite good. Don't be too impatient."

After a pause, the young man, his face serious, continued:
"When it comes to building a foundation, one should lay a solid foundation and only seek a breakthrough when one has reached a point where there is no further progress."

Pinkie Pie's red lips curved into a smile, and she nodded, sensing the concern in the young man's words.

"I'll listen to my senior brother."

She walked gracefully forward to Crimson Shadow's side, and together they gazed at the open portal and the deep yellow pool beyond, their eyes hazy with reminiscence.

"Senior brother, do you remember the first time we met?"

Before the young man could reply, he began to speak on his own:
"On the beach of the Beast Taming Secret Realm, the dragon beasts were ferocious. My junior brother and I were almost killed on the spot, but my senior brother intervened and saved me."

"Subsequently, many disciples of various lineages gathered on Yanluo Mountain to jointly fight the evil dragon, and I saw my senior brother for the second time."

"To slay an opponent who dared to speak disrespectfully, none could rival me; this surpasses my understanding of cultivators."

She turned slightly to the side, gazing at that familiar face, and uttered each word carefully:
"How could a Qi Refining cultivator possess such spirit, such domineering and fierce nature, that it is truly captivating?"

The woman reached out her slender hand to smooth the wrinkles in the young man's sleeve, her eyes shimmering with longing and admiration as the mist faded.
"Outside the Beast Taming Secret Realm, you confronted many senior masters for the sake of an internal traitor; after the failed conquest of the Yan Kingdom, you carried me back for hundreds of thousands of miles."

Ye Zhenchuan was surrounded and killed, and the entire sect remained silent. Only you disregarded the dangers of the Demon Realm and left to collect a corpse whose existence was uncertain.

"Too many hardships, too many twists and turns, only my senior brother himself knows how much suffering he has endured."

Pinkie Pie withdrew her hand and whispered:
"But I know it must be very tiring and tough!"

Zhang Yuanzhu listened quietly to the woman's words and fell silent.

Cultivation is inherently a struggle against fate, so how can it be easy or pleasant, and how can one stop moving forward?

The woman looked up, staring directly into the double pupils:
"Therefore, Senior Brother owes no living being anything, nor does he need to suffer the slightest grievance for anyone or anything."

Zhang Yuanzhu's lips curled into a smile, and he raised his hand, placing it on the woman's shoulder:

"Why think so much? No living being can make me back down even a little."

Pinkie Pie remained silent, her eyelids half-closed, her arms resting naturally on her waist.

"The Foundation Establishment stage has stopped 99% of cultivators in the world. If I fail, I don't need to care about the Azure Heaven Dharma Lineage."

Zhang Yuanzhu patted the woman's shoulder and affirmed:

You will succeed!

As the words fell, both of them fell silent, standing side by side, gazing at the pool.

A gentle breeze blows, the doors sway, red robes flutter, and skirts billow.

Leaves fell outside the door, and ripples spread across the pond.

Time passed by, minute by minute, until the sun set and night fell.

A voice broke the silence.

"I must go now. See you another day."

"Take care, brother!"

Two soft whispers rang out, and the crimson shadow slowly dissipated.

Only Biqi stood in the pavilion, gazing in the direction the young man had left, and at the jade box that had appeared on the ground.

After leaving the Biluo lineage, Zhang Yuanzhu returned directly to the Zhuoyang lineage.

At his speed, it didn't take long before he arrived at the main vein of the Scorching Sun.

At the summit of the main mountain, as the young man appeared, the mountain lord, who had been waiting there for a long time, immediately went to greet him.

"Yuanzhu, you're back."

"The wish of our ancestors to advance from the Dharma lineage to the Dao lineage has finally been fulfilled in our generation."

"Such a great achievement is all thanks to you."

Even after half a day had passed, Chen Zijing still found it difficult to calm the turbulent emotions in his heart.

At this moment, he couldn't help but feel grateful once again for Jin Zhan, who had taken him as a disciple more than twenty years ago.

Zhang Yuan placed his hand on the long, white ruler and shook his head:

"It's not all thanks to me alone. Without the protection of the Daoist lineage, I wouldn't have grown so quickly."

Then, the young man raised his free hand and pointed to the ancient sacred mountain in the distance that stretched to the sky:
“The sacred mountain is rich in spiritual energy and its laws are manifest. The mountain lord can preside over many disciples to reside within it.”

“Good, that’s exactly what I was planning. The vast majority of the buildings in the main ridge will be moved to Shenyue.”

The mountain lord smiled broadly and nodded.

Then, the two stood on the mountaintop and talked for a long time, discussing the development of the Daoist tradition and the arrangements for the Ming Dynasty.

During this time, Chen Zijing tried to make him the master of Zhuoyang Mountain more than once, but he declined each time.

Firstly, becoming the master of the Zhuoyang lineage will inevitably bring many miscellaneous matters.

Secondly, he still has many things to do and will not stay in Immortal Soldier Valley for too long.

In the end, Chen Zijing had no choice but to leave and begin arranging the relocation of the Taoist lineage.

Zhang Yuanzhu stood with a ruler in his hand, gazing at the magnificent mountains and rivers in the distance.

Strands of moonlight fell down, draping it in a layer of silver gauze.

After an unknown amount of time, the young man turned around and walked towards his own cave dwelling.

Ta-ta-ta~
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the night.

He quickly walked along the mountain path, crossed the crimson bamboo forest, and entered the cave.

He took out a meditation cushion, sat cross-legged, and began to reflect on what he had gained that day.

The Changhong One Qi Sword has been reforged, with the True Lord personally involved; he shouldn't be too disappointed.

He roughly understood the steps to break through to the Golden Core stage, but whether they were correct still needed verification.

Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes flickered, and various thoughts flashed through his mind.

Then, he stretched out his palm and waved it gently.

bang~
A coffin shrouded in blood mist appeared, emanating a terrifying aura that filled the cave with oppression.

The next moment, the coffin lid trembled, flew out horizontally, and stuck into the ground at an angle.

A figure dressed in a wide black robe emerged from the coffin and stood before the young man.

bang~
The figure knelt on one knee, respectful and devout:
"Greetings to the Taoist Master!"

Zhang Yuanzhu lowered his gaze, observing the corpse refining process with great interest.

Beneath the black robe, his body was covered in azure dragon scales, his dragon horns were twisted and menacing, and his dragon eyes were majestic yet violent.

Aside from its human-like shape, the refined corpse resembled a real dragon standing with a human body.

Moreover, after being tempered in the Black Wind Forbidden Land, his corpse energy, will, and even laws have made great progress, and he is now fully capable of breaking through to the Golden Core realm.

However, once you start, it's either failure or death; there's no turning back.

Zhang Yuanzhu rested his arms flat on his knees, his voice indifferent:

"You have reached the Gathering Qi Realm and there is no way to advance further. The next step is to break through to the Golden Core Realm."

He tilted his head slightly and uttered each word clearly:
"If you have any last words or wishes, please speak freely."

This breakthrough has a 99% chance of failing, with only a pitiful glimmer of hope.

But whether he succeeds or fails, he will gain what he wants to know.

The corpse trembled slightly. Having cultivated to this level, it had already acquired normal intelligence. "Dao Ancestor, it was you who helped me cultivate until now, allowing me to develop intelligence from a state of confusion. If it can make the Dao Lord's path smoother, I will do anything for it. I only ask..."

The corpse raised its head, revealing a pair of dragon eyes, and growled:

"May the Dao Lord give me a name and erect a tombstone, so that I may not perish without a name!"

Zhang Yuanzhu remained expressionless, flicking his sleeves.

A powerful force was generated, lifting the corpse up and then making it sit cross-legged in front of him.

Two figures sat facing each other, one calm and indifferent, the other filled with anticipation.

The cave was silent for a long time before a low, guttural sound could be heard.

"Zhang Shiyi, after seven days of meditation to calm his mind, stood atop the Scorching Sun Main Vein, under the watchful eyes of countless living beings."

"Breaked through!"

Since they want to be remembered by the world, let's grant their wish.

Regardless of success or failure, the other party will always be remembered by future generations in the long years since the establishment of Immortal Soldier Valley.

Upon hearing this, the corpse-refining cultivator's stiff face broke into a genuine smile, and he murmured:
“I share the same surname as the Dao Lord, which is an honor for Shi Yi. I will certainly not fail in my mission.”

He then tried to kneel down again, but was suppressed in place by a powerful force and could not move an inch.

"Sit quietly for seven days and do not think about any trivial matters."

"Yes, Dao Master!"

As the words fell, the cave became noticeably quiet once more.

At this moment, both Zhang Yuanzhu and the corpse refiner began to adjust their minds and put themselves in the best possible condition.

Time passed by, and the noise and changes in the outside world had no effect on this place in the slightest.

In the blink of an eye, seven days have passed.

Inside the cave, a figure in crimson slowly rose, followed by a figure draped in a wide black robe who also stood up.

The man and the corpse walked silently out of the cave.

Crunch!

The stone door was pushed open, and a ray of morning light shone down, bathing the two figures in a golden glow.

Zhang Yuanzhu gazed at the fiery red bamboo grove in front of the door, looked up at the sun, and strode forward without a moment's hesitation.

Zhang Shiyi followed closely behind, not looking at the sun in the sky, but always gazing at that slender figure with admiration and respect.

As a corpse refiner, living in a daze until now, how fortunate and blessed that he has gained intelligence and is attempting to break through to the Golden Core stage.

And all of this is given by what exists right before our eyes.

It revered it as if it were a god!

In the blink of an eye, the man and the corpse arrived at the summit of the main mountain.

At this moment, the majestic mountain was completely deserted; all the cultivators of the Scorching Sun Dharma Lineage had moved to the Divine Mountain.

Zhang Yuanzhu's double pupils are deep and unfathomable, probing the mountains and surveying the heavens and earth.

After a moment, he turned his attention back to the corpse refining:
"The next step will be troublesome."

"It's something that should be done, so why call it troublesome?"

The corpse-refining creature laughed loudly and sat cross-legged atop the mountain.

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded, slowly sat down, and focused his attention on the corpse refining.

At this moment, Zhang Shiyi no longer hesitated. He raised his dragon claws, which were covered with azure scales, and formed a series of hand seals.

Hoo hoo hoo~ Waaaaah~
The roars of dragons and howls of ghosts echoed throughout every corner of the mountains.

Strands of lightning, accompanied by deep yellow corpse energy, rose into the sky and spread out, startling the cultivators of the Scorching Sun Dao Clan, who looked blankly toward the main branch.

Before any action was taken, the peaceful voice had already reached the hearts of every living being within thousands of miles.

"Do not approach, or you will be an enemy."

In an instant, all the cultivators stopped in their tracks, not daring to go forward to investigate.

The aura emanating from the refining corpse grew increasingly powerful, with the corpse energy mixed with lightning rising continuously and transforming into a pillar of heaven.

About an hour later, the ever-rising energy, seemingly without limit, finally stopped changing.

The next instant, the corpse opened its mouth.

Breathe
Boom~
Space trembled, the pillar of heaven collapsed, and it scattered with a roar, turning into streams of air that were swallowed up in one gulp.

Immediately, the hand seals in the Corpse Refining Palm changed rapidly, and the dragon's eyes were filled with determination.

Shattered Spirit Platform!
Click~click~
Cracks appeared on the deep yellow spiritual platform, spreading wildly and heading towards destruction.

At the same time, numerous wounds appeared on the corpse's body, and azure corpse blood flowed from the wounds, scattering onto the ground.

This time, the magic power, evil energy, and physical body are all self-destructing. If a wisp of Dao principle cannot be condensed and a Dharma fruit formed in a short period of time, the corpse will perish directly.

Zhang Yuanzhu's expression was solemn as he focused all his efforts on investigating every change in the corpse-refining process.

Snap! Sizzle!
The sounds of shattering and tearing echoed continuously. The nine-layered spiritual platform within the corpse-refining dantian was riddled with cracks, like ceramic, and in the next instant...
bang~
His mind shattered, the corpse coughed up blood, and his chest was torn open, exposing his internal organs.

Zhang Shiyi, however, disregarded the extreme pain coursing through his body and instead focused his attention on his dantian, striving to comprehend the laws within the fragments of his spiritual platform, hoping to grasp a wisp of the Dao.

As time passed, the injuries all over his body worsened, and the damage to his dantian gradually expanded.

The aura of the refining corpse was also rapidly weakening.

It's going to fail!
Zhang Yuanzhu remained indifferent, silent, and simply observed.

I don't know how much time has passed, whether it was a moment or eternity.

The corpse's face showed excitement, and it roared to the sky.

"Roar!"

With a dragon's roar, the cracked body stopped collapsing, and the energy around it transformed, becoming mysterious and extraordinary.

A trace of indescribable energy emerged from the corpse-refining body, gathering the scattered laws in the dantian and transforming into an illusory Dharma fruit.

The fruit was pale yellow and ethereal, yet the moment it appeared, it burst forth from the forehead and hovered three inches above the head.

Dang~
A soft hum, like the sound of the Dao descending from the heavens, was profound and mysterious, spreading rapidly in a way that living beings could not describe.

Thousands of miles!

Ten thousand miles!
Ten thousand miles!!!
Invisible ripples, moving at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, swept across the entire Immortal Soldier Valley and continued to spread outwards.

A hoarse voice slowly rose, spreading throughout the heavens and earth, flowing into the ears of billions of living beings.

"Zhang Shiyi of the Zhuoyang Dao lineage of Immortal Soldier Valley is flawless in law, body, and spirit. Today he seeks gold, and may Heaven, Earth, and the gods bear witness."

Zhang Yuanzhu stood up and looked at the blurry figure of the refined corpse. It seemed that the other party was integrated with the Great Dao and was as high as the sky.

At the same time, in the Blood Sea Dao Meridian, the Crimson Sea True Monarch, shrouded in blood, suddenly stood up, his face full of astonishment.

When did the Immortal Soldier Valley's Zhuoyang Dao lineage acquire such a powerful expert? However, this is the moment of the other party's enlightenment, and I would never speak recklessly.

He took a step forward, wanting to investigate, but ultimately stopped himself.

He thought of the young man with the power of a Golden Core cultivator, sighed, stopped walking, and instead headed towards the gate of Immortal Soldier Valley.

Regardless, they are ultimately cultivators of a sect and must avoid being disturbed by True Lords from the outside world.

Similar to the Blood Sea Daoist lineage, the Refining Weapon True Monarch also hesitated for a moment before arriving at the mountain gate, keeping watch on all sides.

The main vein of the scorching sun, with halos of various colors blooming from the mountain peak, spreads rapidly.

Drops of glistening rain fell from the sky, carrying a strange and profound charm.

Golden lotus flowers emerged from the earth and spread towards the ends of the mountains and rivers.

Dewdrops fall from the sky, golden lotuses spring up from the earth, and the entire land trembles in unison.

(End of this chapter)