Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 123: A Tiger in His Heart, Daozi Makes His Move (Bonus Chapter 718 for Monthly Tickets)

"It seems that my father's secrets are far more than what I know."

Zhao Wuji frowned slightly, his thoughts churning.

Seeing this, Nan Zhixia gently placed her soft hand on the back of his hand: "My father once mentioned that Uncle Zhao said that the Zhao family's ancestors seemed to have some connection, but they declined later."

If you want to understand the origins of medicine and martial arts, perhaps... you should return to your ancestral home sometime?

"The ancestral home?" Zhao Wuji was taken aback, and some fragments of his memory vaguely surfaced from the depths of his mind.

These are the scattered memories of the previous life, seemingly revealing an old house that has been abandoned for many years.

When the original owner was young, he went back once with his father Zhao Tianlang, but he was still young at the time and only remembered that weeds grew among the blue bricks and gray tiles and that there was an ancient well in the courtyard that was deep and cold.

Zhao Tianlang stood in front of the ancestral hall in silence for a long time, but in the end he said nothing and left in a hurry with his predecessor.

Looking back now, that place may hold some secrets of the Zhao family.

"It seems that when I have free time in the future, I can go to the ancestral home to take a look. I can also use the Dream Marriage Technique to bring out some things that I can't remember from the depths of my memory."

He thought to himself.

Seeing him deep in thought, Nan Zhixia gently took his hand and said, "No rush. When the fighting stops outside, I can go with you."

Zhao Wuji snapped out of his daze, met her gentle gaze, and felt a warmth in his heart: "Okay."

Although he did not say it aloud, he already had a plan in mind.

If the "path of medicine and martial arts" is indeed related to the legendary martial arts immortals.

It is not only of great benefit to medical skills, but may also be an undiscovered path of inheritance, perhaps containing many resources.

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Nan Zhixia.

The two locked eyes, smiled at each other, and their eyes were filled with tacit understanding and relief.

All the pretense and probing have vanished in this moment, leaving only the ease that comes with honesty.

"You were a better actor than me back in the capital,"

Zhao Wuji squeezed her fingertips and teased, "A dignified saintess infiltrating the capital as a lady of a prominent family, you almost fooled me, and Nantai is still completely unaware."

"Each each other."

Nan Zhixia's eyes flickered, and she tried to pull her hand away from his grasp, but it wouldn't budge.

He couldn't help but scoff: "Who would have thought that Young Master Zhao had already received guidance from a master, and even the art of mind manipulation couldn't touch him?"

She paused, her eyes flickering, "Now that we've come to this out... what are your plans for the future?"

Zhao Wuji pondered for a moment and said, "The internal strife within the Linlang Cave Heaven is quite significant. The Peak Master has been very kind to me, and I still need to help her navigate it."

Helping her is helping myself, but it's you who's doing this.

He looked at her and asked, "After returning to the Supreme Grotto-Heaven, will you be able to establish yourself there?"

"Don't worry," Nan Zhixia said with a confident smile. "Now that I don't need to worry about you anymore, I will focus all my efforts on vying for the position of Saintess. Once I have real power, resources and freedom will be within my grasp."

Whether I lead the Supreme Sect or step down to the position of elder, it will be better than being constrained by others as I am now.

"However," a hint of worry flashed in her eyes, "Junior Sister Fang will surely report back that you have taken the medicine."

"My mother will probably use me to get you to reveal the secrets of the Linglang Cave, or something even more dangerous."

She suddenly smiled and said, "But there are advantages too—the cave will regard you as one of its own and will secretly help you rise to prominence in the Linglang Cave."

"Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Zhao Wuji smiled calmly, "Linlang Cave Heaven was never a benevolent place to begin with. Since the Supreme Cave Heaven has ulterior motives, why don't we turn the tables and take advantage of their situation?"

"you"

Nan Zhixia's heart skipped a beat, and a strange light appeared in her beautiful eyes. "Could it be that you had planned this all along? Do you also want to break free from the shackles of the Linglang Cave Heaven?"

Zhao Wuji's lips curled slightly, a deep glint flashing in his eyes: "Who wouldn't want to be the one holding the chessboard? The Supreme Mother wants me as her son, so why can't I turn the tables on her?"

Nan Zhixia's heart trembled slightly, captivated by his composed demeanor, and the worry between her brows faded somewhat.

Seeing her like this, Zhao Wuji knew that his fiancée was suffering greatly from the shackles of the Supreme Grotto-heaven, and a thought flashed through his mind.

If given the opportunity, and if Xia is aware of the need, I will definitely help her completely break free from the shackles of the Supreme Grotto-Heaven.
However, he has not yet resolved his own troubles regarding the acquisition of Yang marrow, and there is still danger involved.

Furthermore, Wushang Cave Heaven would never let go of Nan Zhixia; it doesn't have the right to demand her back.

Both of them are still weak and not stable or mature enough.

"If you encounter difficulties, you don't have to bear them alone."

He finally suppressed his distracting thoughts and smiled, "You can contact me anytime."

Nan Zhixia seemed to sense Zhao Wuji's unspoken meaning and said softly, "Neither of us are reckless people, and there is plenty of time in the future."

She reached out her delicate hand and intertwined her fingers with his, her beautiful eyes filled with expectation and encouragement, "Let's talk about other things after everything settles down."

The two tacitly agreed not to mention taking things "further."

The path to immortality is long, and it is already a blessing that we can entrust our hearts to each other right now.

The rest will have to wait for the opportune moment.

A night breeze swept by, and Nan Zhixia glanced at Xiao Yue, who had already retreated to the inner room to make room for the two of them, then stood up and straightened her sleeves: "I should go back now."

Zhao Wuji suddenly grabbed her wrist, a half-smile on his face: "Before parting, you should at least leave me with something to remember you by, right?"

"you……"

Nan Zhixia glanced back with a charming smile, her ear tips turning red, but she didn't break free.

Zhao Wuji pulled Nan Zhixia back into his arms and gave her a light kiss on the lips, making her heart pound.

"Enough, enough! Come on, there's plenty of time."

She hurriedly took a half step back, glaring at him with feigned composure, but the tears in her eyes betrayed her shyness.

As she turned, her wide sleeves fluttered, and she left behind a "Take care" before her figure gradually disappeared into the night.

Zhao Wuji watched her leave, his fingertips tracing the lingering warmth on his lips. His smile hadn't faded, but a cold glint, like a star, had already appeared in his eyes, and his long-dormant ambition was gradually awakening.

The warmth and fragrance still linger in my arms, but my heart already harbors a fierce tiger.

He stood with his hands behind his back in front of the cave entrance, gazing at the lonely moon in the sky.

In this degenerate age where resources are monopolized by celestial realms, countless cultivators have become mere puppets.

If you truly wish to roam freely between heaven and earth, there is only one way: to control your own celestial realm!
"If the Peak Master is unwilling, I will forge my own path, but it will take a long time and involve more variables and is not clear enough."

Zhao Wuji shook his head and sighed as he recalled Hua Qingshuang's aloof and cold figure.

This iceberg is really hard to conquer!

He turned and went inside. Xiaoyue was tidying her clothes inside. Seeing him come in, she quickly took a half step back, her eyes darting away as she said, "Young Master and Miss Nan... Xiaoyue didn't mean to spoil the mood, it's just... it's just..."

"Little girl, when did you learn to act like this?"

Zhao Wuji chuckled, flicked her smooth forehead with his finger, and stroked her tense shoulders with his palm: "Go brew a pot of calming tea. Tonight I want to study my family's medical and martial arts techniques."

Xiao Yue felt as if she had been granted a pardon, but she still couldn't help but steal glances at the undried rouge on his lips. She stammered a "Yes" and ran towards the tea stove.

As night falls, the quiet room is filled with wisps of smoke.

Zhao Wuji sat cross-legged on the jade couch, a faint silver light emanating from his fingertips.

Under his guidance, Xiaoyue gradually entered a deeper level of cultivation, her breathing becoming long and even.

"The Art of Marrying Dreams, Begin."

A silver line swirled between his brows as he slipped into Xiaoyue's dream, temporarily sealing away her memories of the Supreme Grotto and Zhixia from today. These schemes were far too dangerous; if the little girl were to inadvertently let slip any information, it could bring about her death, doing more harm than good.

After doing all this, he unfolded the ancient scroll of the "Suspended Pot Golden Needle Kung Fu".

The silver patterns and obscure illustrations of the wedding dream resonate with each other, stirring up a long-forgotten memory in the sea of ​​consciousness and forming a connecting thread.

But in the dream, deep within the ancient well of the ancestral home, a faint light seemed to ripple.

"This is.?"

Yinzhu's proficiency in medical techniques suddenly jumped, improving by another point.

For the next two days, the weather was calm.

But the gossip about Zhao Wuji had already spread throughout the entire Linglang Cave.

The anecdote of the two holy maidens from the Supreme Grotto Heaven visiting Senior Brother Zhao, a master of both alchemy and swordsmanship, at night became a topic of conversation among the disciples.

On the third day, as the morning bell rang, the grand gathering of the two great grottoes finally began.

After a series of elaborate welcoming ceremonies, the traditional "Four Arts Discussion" took place, where alchemy, weapon crafting, talisman making, and swordsmanship were exchanged. On the surface, the atmosphere was harmonious, but underneath, there was a fierce battle brewing.

However, upon hearing that there was no real benefit to discussing and exchanging ideas, Zhao Wuji immediately lost interest.

He kept the peak master's instructions in mind, and each day he would only observe briefly from the sidelines, exchange glances with Nan Zhixia for a moment, and then quietly leave to return to his cave to cultivate in seclusion.

This low-key approach greatly disappointed his fellow disciples who were expecting the "Double Excellence in Alchemy and Sword" to showcase their skills.

However, the powerful fellow disciples from Crimson Flame Peak, Mysterious Mystery Peak, Lonely Cloud Peak, and other halls took advantage of the occasion to shine brightly at this grand event.

Even the disciples of the Supreme Grotto-Heaven couldn't help but whisper among themselves:
"Could it be that Brother Zhao from Cold Moon Peak, who is renowned for both alchemy and swordsmanship, is just all talk?"

The rumors and gossip passed by like the wind, and Zhao Wuji remained calm throughout.

He exchanged a knowing glance with Nan Zhixia amidst the bustling crowd, then discreetly slipped away and headed to the Hall of Merit.

"Three hundred merits. That's really expensive..."

Inside the Hall of Merit, Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth and obtained a pair of mother-child communication jade talismans.

This device is convenient for transmitting messages over medium and long distances, enabling communication even across thousands of miles, making it virtually invincible within the Xuan Kingdom.

I plan to give one to Zhixia so that the two of them can keep in touch in the future.

On his return journey, he detoured to the True Transmission Hall and acquired a brand-new Dharma robe.

He turned around and stepped into the library again, exchanging three hundred merits for two classic books: "True Explanation of Talismans and Incantations" and "Miao Jiang Gu Techniques".

With a flash of light on the true transmission waist token, the merits accumulated in the past have shrunk by more than half, leaving only 560 major merits and 500 minor merits.

Just as they were about to leave the library, they were stopped again by the old man Hu, who was fond of drinking, who kept asking them about the fine wine.

Zhao Wuji could only reply perfunctorily, "Next time I go out of the mountain, I will definitely fetch it for you, senior, without hesitation."

He originally did not want to get involved in the art of talismans too early, but after his pill-manipulation technique reached the level of "proficiency", he unlocked the ability to "cast spells using pills", and he changed his mind.

If one can understand this technique more deeply, it will not only enhance the power of alchemy, but may also lead to the development of other medical techniques such as "Talisman Water Technique".

"The elixir bestowed by the Supreme Mother."

A glint flashed in his eyes, "It should be a variant of 'borrowing an elixir to cast a spell'?"

If used properly, this technique can be used to secretly cultivate power and also to turn into a hidden weapon to defeat the enemy.

If he were to sell it on the market, he could reap a considerable amount of source crystal resources, which would alleviate his impoverished and destitute situation.

Thinking of this, Zhao Wuji stroked the newly acquired book, a smile playing on his lips, as if he could already see thousands of talismans flowing in the alchemical fire.

"What we sell are all sparkling source crystals."

The next day.

An improved "Bigu Pill" lay quietly in Zhao Wuji's palm.

The cinnabar patterns, seemingly ordinary, actually conceal the mark of a mysterious spiritual technique.

If anyone takes it, their soul will be captivated by the spell cast within the elixir, turning them into a puppet in someone's hands.

"They cleverly used the technique of 'borrowing the core to cast a spell' to create an effect similar to a soul-capturing spell."

A smile appeared in Zhao Wuji's eyes, and with a flick of his hand, another golden sword pellet appeared.

This was casually made from the "magical rations" in the storage bag, and the sharp sword patterns on the surface were talismans formed by swordsmanship.

Once activated, the sword energy transforms into a rainbow, and the thunderous sound reverberates, its power no less than that of a flying sword.

In this Dharma-ending Age where flying swords and magical artifacts are extremely scarce, they are already considered rare killing weapons.

"Now that the level of magic is high, it's difficult and very slow to improve proficiency."

Zhao Wuji focused his mind, glanced at the progress of the spell within the Yin-Yang Pearl, and shook his head inwardly.

Once the skill of manipulating balls is mastered to a high level, it becomes difficult to improve using ordinary methods when only the first or second level is used.

Only by employing advanced techniques such as "borrowing elixir to cast spells" can one achieve even the smallest progress.

The same applies to swordsmanship; one must practice techniques that involve unleashing sword energy and thunderous sounds in order to make progress.

However, this can be considered striving for excellence, as it is indeed difficult to achieve new breakthroughs if one remains stagnant.

Zhao Wuji put away both pills, got up and walked out of the cultivation room. He suddenly noticed that the communication jade talisman at his waist was slightly glowing, which surprised him.

"Zhixia misses me so soon?"

He focused intently on reading the message within the jade talisman, and Nan Zhixia's rapid spiritual fluctuations came through:
"Wuji, Junior Sister Fang has already informed the Supreme Daoist about your experience with the pills."

Tomorrow, at the end of the grand event, he may challenge you to a duel.

This scheme appears grand on the surface, but it's actually insidious. It will definitely try to probe your background; you must not fall for it.

"Supreme Dao Child, you actually intend to challenge me?"

Zhao Wuji's lips twitched slightly; this guy really had no shame.

Aren't you afraid of losing face?

On the surface, he is just a little baby at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

This Daoist has already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining.

They actually planned to challenge him, just to test his condition after taking the pill; that's truly shameless.

"It's not like it's a challenge anymore, so I have to accept it."

Zhao Wuji muttered, a sly glint in his eyes, "Besides, since Zhixia has reminded me, I'll strike first and make sure this guy loses more than he gains."

The image of Ji Mobai's arrogant figure had already appeared in his mind.

Ji Mobai, as the Purple Robe Secret Disciple of Lonely Cloud Peak, always referred to himself as the Senior Brother.

Although there are several disciples from Xuanji Peak and Zhenchuan Hall who are stronger than him.

However, the disciples were already old and might have broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining. They had long set their sights on the position of elder and disdained to participate in the struggles between disciples.

Therefore, there is currently no disciple in the Linglang Cave Heaven who is stronger than Ji Mobai on the surface.

"The secret teachings are a good match for Daozi."

Zhao Wuji chuckled, sent a telepathic message to Zhixia saying "It's alright," and then put down the jade talisman. "This Daoist is new here and doesn't know the rules. If he wants to challenge me, he should defeat my defeated opponent Ji Mobai first."

Having said that, he made a hand seal and rose up, transforming into a streak of light and heading straight for Lonely Cloud Peak.

As the mountain wind howled and his clothes fluttered, he had already figured out how to "persuade" his arrogant senior brother Ji to take the initiative.
(End of this chapter)