I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Chapter 323 Equipping Nascent Soul Cultivator's Skeleton! Increasing the Probability of Nascent Soul Transformation! Heavenly Azure Sacred Beast!

The remains had their hands resting naturally on the armrests, and their heads slightly tilted back, as if looking down or gazing up at the dome of the hall.

Zhou Yuan guessed that this person should be the ancient powerful being who built this blood-red forbidden land and set up this towering pagoda here!

He is the true master of this place!

Zhou Yuan's expression was solemn.

He solemnly bowed to the remains on the throne.

Regardless of their purpose in building this place, the fact that they could set up such a large forbidden area and array suggests that their cultivation level was terrifying back then.

The ceremony is complete.

Zhou Yuan's gaze fell on the waist of the remains.

There, also hanging, was a storage bag. This storage bag had an antique style, was dark purple in color, and was embroidered with patterns of the sun, moon, and stars.

Zhou Yuan once again captured the image remotely.

The divine sense imprint on the storage bag had long since disappeared, and Zhou Yuan was able to easily inspect its contents.

The first thing you see is a pile of high-quality spirit stones of various colors.

There were hundreds of high-grade spirit stones among them!

Secondly, there were jade boxes and bottles arranged in categories, each containing various rare and precious medicinal herbs and mineral essences that had long been extinct in the outside world or whose medicinal age was terrifyingly high.

There are also monster cores and materials.

There are also dozens of ancient treasures, many of which are still well preserved. They are obviously the treasures or spoils of war of this ancient great being.

There are also a large number of jade slips, bone books, and gold books, which record cultivation methods, secret techniques, formations, alchemy, weapon crafting, and many strange and unusual techniques that Zhou Yuan has never heard of before. Many of them point directly to the mysteries of the Nascent Soul stage and even higher realms!

This can be described as a treasure trove of ancient heritage!

No wonder Nangong Wan was able to successfully break through to the Nascent Soul realm in the original novel!

"Now, this opportunity is mine!"

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath, put away the storage bag, and then looked at the skeleton.

Back then, he had already concluded that the equipment slots could equip items on corpses!

He had tried putting the remains of ancient cultivators into his equipment slots before, but ordinary skeletons were not of much help to him, so he never actually used them. Now, however, this remains of the original owner who created the Crimson Forbidden Land will surely be of great use.

"equipment!"

Zhou Yuan touched the skeleton with his palm.

Mind silently.

[Equipment Slot 7: Skeleton of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator]

[Effect: Increases the probability of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, and increases the cultivation speed of Nascent Soul stage cultivators]

"hiss!"

Seeing this, Zhou Yuan was overjoyed.

It can actually increase the probability of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm. I've really struck gold this time!

only.

When Zhou Yuan learned that the skeleton was only at the late Nascent Soul stage back then, he became suspicious again.

After all, to leave behind a place like the Crimson Forbidden Land, one's cultivation level shouldn't be limited to just the Nascent Soul stage.

"never mind!"

Once you examine the information within these jade slips, you'll naturally understand the reason.

"I am deeply grateful for your legacy, senior!"

Zhou Yuan said in a low voice, his tone sincere.

He was not a pedantic person; since the remains were of great use to him, he naturally wanted to take them with him.

Then, without lingering, he turned around, quickly descended the tower along the path he had come from, passed through each floor, and finally emerged from the tower gate.

Looking back at the magnificent and mysterious hundred-zhang-tall tower, now shrouded in the protective aura, Zhou Yuan's eyes gleamed.

The trip to the Crimson Forbidden Land was far more fruitful than expected.

Not only did they obtain the "Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman" and the talismanic teachings of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, but they also acquired the core treasure of this ancient forbidden land master.

The wealth, knowledge, and potential secrets contained within are enough to support his cultivation and exploration for a long time to come.

"Next—it's time to go to the Great Jin Dynasty."

Without further hesitation, Zhou Yuan pierced through the outer ring of mountain barriers, and then prepared to break through the passage connecting the forbidden area to the outside world once again.

He arrived at the edge of the forbidden area, summoned the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword once more, and unleashed a full-force attack on the weak point of the wind-attribute restriction above!

"boom--!"

The restrictions have been torn open once again.

Zhou Yuan's figure flickered, and he had already escaped from the blood-red forbidden area, reappearing in the sky above the wasteland in the north of Yue Kingdom.

Having discerned his direction, Zhou Yuan transformed into a streak of golden-blue light and headed south towards the Tianlan Grassland, quickly disappearing into the Yue Kingdom.

Tianlan Grassland.

This vast, boundless land, rich in water and grass, where cattle and sheep graze amidst the swaying grass, had a more familiar name to the cultivators of the southern region decades ago—Mulan Grassland.

At that time, this was the homeland of the Mulan people. The Mulan Taoists and the Tiannan cultivation world were separated and confronted each other, and there were frequent frictions. There was even a large-scale border war.

However, things are unpredictable, and hegemony on the grasslands is not eternal.

Several decades ago, another powerful tribe in the western grasslands—the "Tuwu"—rose up like wildfire. Led by several great cultivators, they broke out in a "holy war" with the Mulan people that determined the fate of the grasslands.

In that battle, the Mulan people suffered a crushing defeat, with their elite forces suffering heavy losses and losing control of most of the fertile land on the grasslands. They had no choice but to retreat.

The Tuwu people also colluded with several major cultivation sects in the Great Jin Dynasty, attempting to seize control of the southern region.

Therefore, Zhou Yuan negotiated with the three great cultivators of Tiannan and reached an agreement with the defeated Mulan Divine Master. On the condition that the entire Mulan people relocate to two relatively resource-poor border countries in southern Tiannan, which were originally on the edge of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance's sphere of influence, he tacitly allowed them to establish themselves there.

They also secretly provided some assistance, making it the first line of defense against the possible northward advance of the Turks.

In order to survive, the Mulan people had no choice but to accept this "protection" which was both almsgiving and exploitation. From then on, they lived in seclusion in a corner of the grasslands, and their title as the overlords of the grasslands became a thing of the past.

Today, this vast grassland belongs entirely to the Turks and has been renamed "Tianlan Grassland".

The Tuwu people called themselves the "Tianlan Holy Clan" and established an alliance-based ruling system centered on the "Holy Temple".

The shortest land route from Tiannan to the distant human realm center "Da Jin" is to cross this vast Tianlan Grassland.

Otherwise, one would have to detour through the even more dangerous and unpredictable boundless sea, a journey several times longer.

A month later.

Zhou Yuan's figure had already appeared in the sky above the eastern edge of the Tianlan Grassland.

Even with his late-stage Nascent Soul speed, it took him more than a month of full-speed travel to finally reach the edge of the grassland, demonstrating its vastness.

He slowed down, stood in mid-air, and looked westward.

Before my eyes stretched an endless expanse of emerald green!

The lush green grass stretches to the horizon, meeting the azure sky on the distant horizon.

As the wind blows, the grass ripples in waves, like a green ocean, surging with the fragrance of grass and soil.

Occasionally, herds of cattle and sheep can be seen scattered across the grassland like pearls, and even large "rhinoceros beasts" with a single horn on their heads can be seen leisurely strolling around.

In the sky, a prairie eagle with a wingspan of several meters and sharp eyes circled, emitting a clear and melodious cry.

Unlike the towering mountains, numerous sects, and spiritual energy concentrated in the spiritual veins of the southern region, the grasslands have relatively flat terrain and a more even and sparse distribution of spiritual energy.

The resources mainly consist of livestock, some special spiritual herbs, and occasional small spiritual veins and mineral deposits underground.

In terms of overall spiritual energy concentration and abundance of cultivation resources, it is still inferior to Tiannan, and cannot compare with the human center of Dajin.

On the grasslands, tens of thousands of Turkic tribes of varying sizes live.

Small tribes may only have a few hundred thousand people, living in fertile lands with abundant water and grass, making a living by herding and hunting. If there are one or two cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage or even Qi Refining stage in the tribe, it is already considered remarkable, enough to protect the tribe.

Large super tribes, with populations reaching hundreds of millions, occupy the most fertile core areas of the grasslands, have built majestic stone "holy cities," possess complete cultivation traditions, a large number of low-level cultivators, and even "immortal masters" at the Nascent Soul stage!

Such super tribes are often strong contenders for the "temple" elder positions and wield immense influence on the grasslands.

Zhou Yuan's powerful divine sense, like an invisible breeze, quietly swept over the small tribes and migrating caravans passing below.

He wasn't deliberately probing, but the divine sense of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator is incredibly sharp. Even just the scattered conversations he unintentionally "heard" or the emotional fluctuations he sensed were enough for him to capture a lot of information.

"—This sacred ceremony was truly extraordinary! I heard that in the Holy City of Hulan," the Holy Maiden personally communicated with the celestial realm and successfully summoned the avatar of the sacred beast!

"That's right! I have a brother who works at the Holy Temple. He came back and said that the sacred beast's divine power was as vast as the sea. Just a wisp of its aura was enough to make all the immortal masters in our tribe kneel down in worship!"

"Haha, with the Heavenly Azure Beast protecting us, let's see if those damned remnants of the Mulan tribe and the Tiannan people from the north still dare to be arrogant!"

"I've heard this time is different from before. It seems the Holy Beast will remain in the mortal realm permanently to protect our race! This is an incredibly auspicious sign!"

"With the sacred beast forever dwelling here, our Tianlan clan will surely prosper!"

Similar discussions were heard in several tribes that Zhou Yuan's divine sense swept over.

Although the details are vague, the core information is clear: not long ago, the Turks held a grand "sacred ceremony".

In a place called "Hulan Holy City," led by their "Holy Maiden," they successfully communicated with the so-called "upper realm."

A powerful being named "Tianlan Sacred Beast" was summoned.

Moreover, unlike the previous summoned sacred beast avatars which only stayed for a short time, this summoned sacred beast seems to reside permanently in this world, becoming the guardian sacred beast of the Tuwu people!

"The Celestial Beast—Permanent Residency?"

Zhou Yuan raised an eyebrow, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

As a transmigrator who knew the plot of the "original work," he naturally knew the details of this so-called "Heavenly Sacred Beast."

That wasn't some auspicious sacred beast bestowed by the upper realm at all, but rather an avatar of a powerful demon from the spirit realm. This demon seemed to have quite a background in the spirit realm, and in order to avoid disaster, it established some kind of connection with the Tuwu people in the lower realm, allowing them to summon its avatar to the lower realm through a sacrificial ritual.

In the past, summoned clones were often repelled by the power of the interface and limited by the cost of summoning, so they would usually dissipate or return after a short time.

But judging from what these strange people are saying, the "sacred beast" summoned this time seems to have used some special method to stay in the human world for a longer period of time, or even "permanently".

"A powerful demon avatar from the spirit realm, possessing vast knowledge and, most likely, independent consciousness—"

Zhou Yuan's mind raced, and an interested gleam appeared in his eyes. "If I could communicate with it, or even—find a way to bring it" by my side, I might be able to learn a great deal about the Spirit Realm, about cultivation techniques and resources in the Upper Realm, and even the secrets of ascension! This would be far more precious than any cultivation technique inheritance or rare treasure!"

The Spirit Realm is a higher level than the Human Realm, rich in spiritual energy and abundant in resources, with clearer rules of the Great Dao. It is the place of ascension that Nascent Soul cultivators in this realm dream of.

Any accurate information about the spirit world is priceless.

As an avatar of a great demon in the spirit realm, even if it is just an avatar, the knowledge and experience of this Heavenly Azure Beast far surpasses any record in the lower realm!

If one could receive guidance from him, or learn some secrets of the spirit world from him, it would undoubtedly be of great help to his future cultivation path.

"However, since this beast is a sacred beast summoned by the Turks," it must have a close relationship with the Turks, especially the "holy maiden" who presided over the summoning, and be under strict protection and reverence. To approach it, or even abduct it, would be no easy task."

Zhou Yuan quickly calmed down and began to analyze the situation.

"First, we need to find that Holy Maiden. Since the Holy Beast was summoned by her, it will most likely follow her or have a special connection with her." Zhou Yuan's thinking was clear. "The Holy Maiden holds a revered position among the Tuwu people, and her whereabouts must be kept secret. Ordinary grassland cultivators and mortals would have no way of knowing her. To find out her exact location, we must find the grassland's high-ranking officials, those Nascent Soul stage Grand Immortal Masters, or the core elders of the Holy Temple."

"In that case—we'll find a reputable tribe to ask for directions."

A hint of indifference flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes.

With his current strength, he can practically roam freely in the Tianlan Grassland as long as he doesn't encounter a Nascent Soul cultivator.

A late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator is already a top-tier fighter in this world, not to mention he is the "Number One Person in Tiannan," capable of easily defeating the combined forces of the three great cultivators of Tiannan!

There's no need to be as cautious as before when it comes to doing things.

He didn't linger. He determined his direction and flew towards the depths of the grassland, towards an area where the spiritual energy was relatively abundant and the tribes were significantly larger.

At the same time, a powerful divine sense spread out, scanning the area below like a radar, searching for a suitable target.

three days later.

Zhou Yuan's figure appeared in the sky above a vast grassland with extremely lush water and grass, and a river that meandered like a ribbon.

Below, there were no longer just scattered tents and cattle and sheep, but a vast settlement composed of countless white stone houses, tall tents, and majestic stone buildings! The settlement was surrounded by thick stone walls thousands of feet high, with soldiers patrolling the walls.

The city's streets crisscrossed, teeming with people and bustling with commerce, and the presence of numerous cultivators was also evident. In the center of the settlement stood several towering white pagodas, hundreds of feet tall, with a rugged style, huge gemstones inlaid at their tops, and emitting a faint spiritual light, making them particularly eye-catching.

This is the main city of the Junxian tribe, one of the largest tribes in the eastern part of the Tianlan Grassland!

This tribe has a population of over fifty million, controls fertile grasslands covering tens of thousands of miles, and possesses a complete lineage of cultivation techniques. There are several "Immortal Masters" in the Nascent Soul stage within the tribe!

Their chieftain is one of the powerful elders of the temple, and is renowned throughout the grasslands.

Zhou Yuan hovered above the giant city known as "Junxian Holy City," neither concealing his figure nor hiding his aura.

The immense pressure of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator descended slowly like an invisible mountain, enveloping the entire core area of ​​the Holy City!

In an instant, everyone in the Holy City, whether they were mortals trading, low-level cultivators cultivating, or mid-to-high-level cultivators handling affairs, felt a sinking feeling in their hearts, as if an invisible hand was choking them, making it difficult to breathe and causing their magical power to stagnate!

An uncontrollable surge of fear and awe, originating from the depths of life and the soul, rose up! Countless people looked up in terror at the black-robed figure standing in mid-air, seemingly one with heaven and earth.

"boom--!"

"boom--!"

In the heart of the holy city, among the tallest white towers, two of them emitted intense spiritual light almost simultaneously from their tops!

Two Nascent Soul stage auras, filled with shock and anger yet also brimming with horror, shot into the sky!

The next moment, two figures shot out from the tower and hovered a hundred feet in front of Zhou Yuan, as if facing a formidable enemy.

These are two elderly men with aged faces and sharp eyes, dressed in white robes embroidered with golden wolf heads.

One of them had a gaunt face and a goatee.

The other person was slightly overweight and had a bald spot on top of his head.

The spiritual energy emanating from the two individuals had clearly reached the early Nascent Soul stage! They were none other than the two Grand Immortal Masters who were stationed in the Junxian Division.

However, at this moment, these two great immortal masters, who were revered by countless tribes on the grassland and could command a region, faced Zhou Yuan, who was standing in mid-air, with their faces filled with undisguised shock, fear, and even—a trace of fear!

The immeasurable aura emanating from the other party, as deep as an abyss, and the invisible pressure contained in their calm gaze, made them clearly realize that the newcomer's strength far surpassed their own!

It's probably the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, or even the late-stage!

"Who are you? Why are you trespassing into my Holy City and unleashing your oppressive aura?!"

The gaunt old man with a goatee tried to remain calm and questioned him sharply, but the slight tremor in his voice betrayed his inner unease.

Another slightly overweight elderly man stared intently at Zhou Yuan's face, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty, as if he were recalling something.

Suddenly, as if remembering something extremely terrifying, his pupils contracted sharply, his face turned deathly pale, and he exclaimed in a trembling voice, "You—you are Zhou Yuan?! The newly promoted late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from Tiannan, the sect leader of the Ascension Sect—Zhou Yuan?!"

His voice trembled, filled with disbelief.

He had never met Zhou Yuan in person, but as a high-ranking member of the Junxian tribe, he would naturally pay attention to intelligence on important figures of powerful surrounding forces.

At a recent secret meeting of the tribe's high-ranking officials, he had seen a briefing on Zhou Yuan's portrait and some of his deeds, which came through special channels.

The young, serene face in the portrait was almost identical to the person before me!

Add to that the unfathomable, terrifying pressure that far surpasses the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm—who else could it be but the legendary number one person in Tiannan?

Upon hearing this, the gaunt old man trembled, looking at Zhou Yuan with eyes that seemed to have seen a ghost! Zhou Yuan from Tiannan?!

That legendary monster who could easily defeat the three original cultivators of Tiannan single-handedly?! How could he suddenly appear in the Tianlan Grassland? And even come to the Junxian Tribe?

Zhou Yuan was not surprised to be recognized. His fame was so great that it was normal for his portrait to circulate.

He calmly swept his gaze over the two Nascent Soul elders who looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy, nodded slightly, and said in a nonchalant tone, "Indeed, it is I, Zhou."

Admit it!

The two Grand Immortal Masters were shocked, and their last glimmer of hope vanished.

Faced with this infamous and unfathomably powerful number one in Tiannan, they couldn't even muster the slightest courage to fight back.

If the other side were to make a move, even if the two of them joined forces, they probably wouldn't last ten breaths!

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, what brings you here? May I ask what brings you here?"

The slightly overweight old man's tone became extremely respectful, and he dared not question him in the slightest.

In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. Since the other party's strength far surpasses theirs, it is only natural to address them as a senior.

Zhou Yuan was unfazed by their change in attitude and stated his purpose directly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable air: "I was passing through the grasslands on my journey and heard that your noble saintess recently successfully communicated with the upper realm and invited a sacred beast to reside here permanently. Curious, I've come to see you. May I ask where your noble saintess is currently? Could you please introduce me?"

He wants to see the saintess!

And they came for the sacred beast!

Upon hearing this, the two old men's expressions changed again, and they inwardly groaned in despair.

The Holy Maiden and the Holy Beast are the greatest secret and reliance of the Tuwu people. They hold a transcendent status and their whereabouts are kept strictly confidential!

How can an outsider just say he wants to see me?

Not to mention the cultivators from Tiannan!

If they could refuse—would they dare to say it?

If things go wrong, the Holy City of Junxian may be stained with blood today!

The two looked at each other and saw deep helplessness and fear in each other's eyes.

Faced with absolute power, any so-called rules and secrets seem so pale and powerless.

The gaunt old man's Adam's apple bobbed, and he forced himself to speak: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, the Holy Maiden's status is noble, and her whereabouts are our clan's top secret. We have no right to inquire about them, much less dare to reveal them without authorization."

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