This humble Taoist priest, Qianhe, begins his quest for immortality by slaying demons and monsters.

Chapter 280 Soaring to the Mysterious Immortal Realm, the Stone Monkey of Flower Fruit Mountain

With the death of the Great King of Inspiration, Zhong Bai and Yang Chan did not stay in Tongtian River.

The Tongtian River was already flowing quite fast, and in just a few incense sticks' time, all the bloodstains disappeared without a trace, as if the incident had never happened.

Huashan Snow Reflects Palace.

After leaving Tongtian River, Zhong Bai and Yang Chan temporarily returned to their own territory. Although Yang Chan was not afraid, Zhong Bai still suggested that they come back.

As for why...

Of course, we should properly digest the terrifying gains from killing the Inspiration King!
Inside the palace, Zhong Bai remained calm.

The gleaming demon-slaying points on the demon-slaying panel in front of him were simply too tempting.

[Defeat the mid-stage Xuanxian realm fish demon to obtain 300 million Demon Extermination Points]

[Defeat all kinds of minions and monsters to obtain 10 Demon Extermination Points]

Current Demon Extermination Points: 310

If it were just Zhong Bai alone, there would be absolutely no way he could kill the Great King of Inspiration. But with Yang Chan's help, Zhong Bai's speed in acquiring demon-slaying points was simply incredible!

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Bai began to process this tremendous gain.

[Consuming 1 Demon Extermination Points to upgrade the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique to the early stage of the second level]

[Consuming 3 Demon Extermination Points to upgrade the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique to the mid-stage of the second level]

[Consumed 6 Demon Extermination Points to upgrade the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique to the late stage of the second level]

…………，，，，

[Consuming 10 Demon Extermination Points to upgrade the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique to the third level]

[Consuming 30 Demon Extermination Points to upgrade the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique to the mid-stage of the third level]

[Consumed 100 million to upgrade the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique to the early stage of the fourth level!]

[Of course, 309 million Demon Exorcism Points were consumed, leaving 1 Demon Exorcism Points remaining, making further upgrades impossible.]

boom!
As Zhong Bai's aura rapidly increased, even though Yang Chan had already used the Lotus Lantern to conceal the strange phenomena in the heavens and earth, she couldn't help but be shocked.

Yang Chan said she had never seen such a rapidly rising aura in her entire life...

Zhong Bai's aura grew increasingly terrifying, advancing rapidly from the threshold of the Earth Immortal realm to the mid-stage Earth Immortal, late-stage Earth Immortal, peak Earth Immortal, early-stage Celestial Immortal... peak Celestial Immortal!
Yang Chan was already utterly shocked, but she still suppressed her curiosity and tried her best to use the Lotus Lantern to cover up the strange phenomenon for Zhong Bai.

Time slipped away, bit by bit...

After Zhong Bai's aura reached the peak of the Celestial Immortal realm, it became increasingly profound. Yang Chan originally thought that reaching this level was already astonishing, but she never expected that in the blink of an eye, with a crack, the bottleneck of the Profound Immortal realm within Zhong Bai's body was broken!

An endless aura swept in, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth began to surge in from all directions.

The water keeps flowing down!

Yang Chan was stunned. Zhong Bai had just risen from the peak of the Human Immortal realm to the Profound Immortal realm.
Yang Chan felt that there was something wrong with her perception, but Zhong Bai in front of her was a genuine Xuanxian realm cultivator, without the slightest hint of pretense.

That composure and the overflowing energy emanating from it are something that even a Celestial Immortal could not possess!
"This is absolutely terrifying!"
However, the magical power within his body has not been fully replenished; it will require some time to refine the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish it.

Although that's what they say, Yang Chan knows that it's only a matter of time. Judging from Zhong Bai's current speed of refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, he will be able to completely become a Xuanxian in about a month!

At Mount Hua, Zhong Bai was busy refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

And the South China Sea...

In the sacred space of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Guanyin, whose eyes were originally slightly closed, suddenly opened her eyes.

His once peaceful face now showed signs of ferocity and anger.

"Damn it, which Maoshan Taoist priest is it again? It was bad enough that he killed Bai Suzhen last time, but this time he even killed the goldfish in my lotus pond, ruining the Buddhist plan. He is truly despicable!"

Guanyin's eyes were dark as she was about to plot against Zhong Bai when suddenly a magnificent Buddhist light shone down on the world before her.

"Amitabha!
"Venerable Guanyin, the stone monkey on Flower Fruit Mountain in Aolai Kingdom is about to be born. Go and take care of it!"

Upon hearing these words from the imposing figure, Guanyin chose to obey.

"Disciple obeys the decree!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Guanyin had no choice but to let Zhong Bai go for the time being and focus her attention on Huaguo Mountain, which was the key to the great prosperity of Buddhism and could not afford any mistakes.

......................................................

In the beginning of time, when chaos was first created, heaven and earth were established.

In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, there is a famous mountain in the territory of Aolai Kingdom in the Eastern Continent of Divine Victory.

It is called Flower and Fruit Mountain.

This mountain can be called the ancestral vein of the ten continents and the source of the three islands. Its scenery is a masterpiece of nature and rarely seen in the world.

The mountains rise thousands of feet high, piercing the clouds. Their majestic peaks seem like the spine of the earth, bearing the vicissitudes and weight of time.

The mountain is covered with lush trees, evergreen all year round, and various exotic flowers and plants compete for beauty, exuding a charming fragrance.

Some flowers are as vibrant as flames, while others are as pure as snowflakes. A gentle breeze blows, and the branches sway, like a group of graceful fairies dancing.

There are countless rare birds and animals, and colorful birds sing merrily on the branches, their clear and melodious songs echoing through the mountains and forests.

Fierce beasts roam through the mountains and forests, displaying their agile figures and powerful strength.

The mountainside is shrouded in mist, like a white ribbon wrapped around it, adding a touch of mystery to Huaguo Mountain.

At the summit of Flower Fruit Mountain stood a strange, magical stone.

This celestial stone has existed since the beginning of chaos, as if it were a spirit nurtured by heaven and earth.

It is 36 feet and 5 inches tall, which corresponds exactly to the 365 degrees of the celestial sphere.

Its circumference is 24 feet, perfectly matching the twenty-four solar terms.

The stone body has nine orifices and eight holes, which subtly correspond to the mysteries of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

This celestial stone absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, bathed in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and underwent the baptism of thousands of years, gradually giving birth to a magical power within it.

Over the long course of time, it has been like a silent sage, quietly listening to the sounds of heaven and earth and feeling the mysteries of the universe.

One day, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth suddenly became exceptionally rich.

At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight fell on the summit of Flower and Fruit Mountain, the surface of the fairy stone began to shimmer with a faint light.

The light was initially like a spark, not dazzling, but it exuded a mysterious aura.

As time went by, the light grew brighter and brighter, like a lamp about to be lit.

Around noon, dark clouds suddenly filled the sky.

The once azure sky was instantly shrouded in a thick layer of dark clouds, and darkness spread rapidly like a tide.

A fierce wind swept in, causing the trees in the mountains and forests to bend and fall.

The sound of the wind was like the roar of an angry beast, sending chills down one's spine.

Immediately afterwards, thunder rumbled.

The thunder was deafening, as if the heavens were in fury, each clap of thunder like a heavy hammer striking people's hearts.

Lightning streaked across the sky, like silver dragons weaving through the darkness, illuminating the entire Flower Fruit Mountain.

At this moment, the spiritual energy around the immortal stone surged wildly.

The spiritual energy transformed into beams of colorful light, swirling around the immortal stone to form a massive vortex. The vortex spun faster and faster, emitting a sharp whistling sound, as if the forces of heaven and earth were colliding and merging.

Suddenly, a thick bolt of lightning struck straight at the immortal stone.

This lightning contained the most powerful and yang energy in the world, and instantly resonated strongly with the spiritual energy inside the immortal stone.

The immortal stone trembled violently under the bombardment of lightning, its surface patterns shimmering with strange light, as if telling the story of its thousand-year wait.

"Boom!" A deafening roar echoed through the sky.

The immortal stone finally couldn't withstand this powerful force and exploded with a bang.

Countless pebbles flew in all directions like meteors, some falling into the forest and smashing the trees, causing branches and leaves to fly everywhere; others fell into the valley, making a series of dull sounds.

The instant the immortal stone shattered, a dazzling golden light shot into the sky.

The golden light, like a sharp sword, pierced through layers of dark clouds and reached straight to the heavens.

The peaceful and serene scene in the heavenly court was shattered by this sudden burst of light.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor sat on his throne, discussing matters of the Heavenly Court with the immortals.

Suddenly, a blinding golden light entered his eyes, followed by a deafening roar.

The Jade Emperor was slightly startled, his brows furrowed, and a hint of worry appeared in his eyes.

"Who on earth is causing trouble? How can there be such a commotion!"

The Jade Emperor said in a deep voice.

Venus, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, do not worry. This old minister will send the Eye of a Thousand Miles and the Ear of the Wind to investigate."

The Jade Emperor nodded and said, "Go quickly and return quickly to find out the truth."

Although he knew it was all an act, the Jade Emperor was still very dedicated. It was the Buddhist sect that was a little anxious and used heavenly lightning to prematurely bring the stone monkey into the world, which damaged their foundation.

The Thousand-Mile Eye and the Wind-Following Ear accepted the order and set off, using their supernatural powers to look in the direction of Flower Fruit Mountain.

At the summit of Flower Fruit Mountain, golden light shone brightly, and from where the immortal stone shattered, a stone monkey leaped out.

The all-seeing and all-hearing creatures reported what they had seen and heard to the Jade Emperor.

After hearing this, the Jade Emperor discussed countermeasures with the immortals.

The black-faced deity believed that this stone monkey was born of heaven and earth and possessed powerful spiritual energy, which might become a great threat in the future, so it should be eliminated as soon as possible.

The deities who played the good cop believed that since the stone monkey was a creation of heaven and earth, they should observe it first to see if it would harm the order of the heavenly court.

Meanwhile, in the underworld, Yama, the King of Hell, was reviewing the life and death cycles of ghosts before the Book of Life and Death.

Suddenly, a strong tremor came, and the entire underworld shook.

The pages in the Book of Life and Death rustled loudly, and Yama, the King of Hell, was greatly alarmed and quickly stood up.

"What's going on? Could it be that the foundation of the underworld has been compromised?"

Yama, the King of Hell, pondered to himself.

"Where are the Black and White Impermanence?" King Yama shouted.

The Black and White Impermanence appeared swiftly, knelt down, and said, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

King Yama said, "Go quickly to Flower Fruit Mountain and investigate to see what has happened."

The Black and White Impermanence obeyed the order and left, transforming into two black shadows as they sped off towards Flower Fruit Mountain.

On Mount Ling, the Buddha sat on a lotus throne, preaching the Dharma to the Bodhisattvas and Arhats.

Suddenly, a strange light flashed, and Buddha slightly opened his eyes, revealing a wisdom that seemed to see through everything.

"Disciples, a great event will occur in the Three Realms today."

A stone monkey was born on Flower and Fruit Mountain in the Eastern Continent of Divine Victory. This monkey was born of Heaven and Earth and is destined for greatness.

The Buddha spoke slowly.

Upon hearing this, all the Bodhisattvas and Arhats showed expressions of understanding.

They knew that the Journey to the West had begun!

Now, the stone monkey sprang out after the immortal stone exploded.

He was small in stature, yet exuded a lively and agile air.

Its entire body was covered in golden fur, which shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.

His eyes were bright and piercing, like two bright stars, revealing a cleverness and intelligence.

After landing, the stone monkey stood on all fours and let out a loud roar towards the sky.

The roar was full of life and vitality, as if it were announcing its birth to the world.

It hopped and skipped around on the ground, curiously observing everything around it.

It saw the trees and flowers in the mountains and forests, the birds and clouds in the sky, and the waterfalls and streams in the distance.

It was filled with curiosity about everything, as if it had entered a completely new world.

The birth of the stone monkey was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Its every move attracts the birds and beasts around it.

The animals that were originally timid hid in the woods, curiously watching the newborn stone monkey.

Some of the bolder animals slowly approached the stone monkey, wanting to get close to it.

The stone monkey explored Flower Fruit Mountain, learning how to climb trees, how to pick fruit, and how to get along with other animals.

Its wisdom and courage quickly made it stand out among the animals of Flower Fruit Mountain.

It became the leader of the monkeys, leading them to live freely on Flower Fruit Mountain.

However, the stone monkey was unaware that its birth had already caused a tremor in the Three Realms.

In Heaven, the Jade Emperor kept a close eye on its movements; in the Underworld, the Black and White Impermanence, dispatched by Yama, were on their way; and on Mount Sumeru, the Buddha was quietly watching all of this unfold.

And on Mount Hua.

Compared to the earth-shaking event of the birth of the stone monkey, Zhong Bai's breakthrough to the Xuanxian realm was negligible.

Yang Chan stayed by Zhong Bai's side until Zhong Bai's magical power reached its limit and the strange phenomena in the world ceased, at which point Yang Chan removed the Lotus Lantern.

Sweat beaded on her forehead. A whole month was still too much for Yang Chan, a Golden Immortal. There was no way around it; the Lotus Lantern was, after all, an innate spiritual treasure. Such a terrifying spiritual treasure was something that even a Great Luo Golden Immortal might not be able to possess.

In other words, the disciples of the three religions are relatively wealthy and can possess some innate spiritual treasures.

Take Yang Chan's second brother, Yang Jian, for example. Even though he is a war god in the Heavenly Court, he still doesn't have a single innate spiritual treasure. His most powerful weapon, the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Sword, is only a top-grade acquired spiritual treasure.

After wiping the sweat from her forehead, Yang Chan's slightly flushed face turned even redder as she gazed at Zhong Bai's fiery aura.

"This guy's Eight-Nine Arcane Arts are really far behind my second brother's..."

As Yang Chan was thinking this, Zhong Bai opened his long-dormant eyes.

The first thing that caught Zhong Bai's eye was Yang Chan's ethereal beauty, and seeing her tired expression, he couldn't help but feel moved.

Yang Chan was able to resist the temptation of rapidly improving her cultivation level and even helped her conceal the unusual phenomena. Who wouldn't be moved?

(End of this chapter)