Chapter 891: Chapter 371: The Painter’s Fear of Insufficient Firepower
In the valley of the Nine-State.
"The Eternalization Association, painstakingly over countless millennia, was merely sending batches of low-level miners to the Immortal Realm. Few reached significant achievements."
The young man in white put down his brush, placed the frame on the stand, and sighed lightly, "As a mortal, ascending is truly difficult. What’s the point if I ascend only to be a miner?"
He controlled all the surrounding worlds.
For him, these miners held more significance beyond combat.
Because these were the lowest-tier immortals, weakened greatly by the suppression of the ancestral grave upon entering the Nine-State world, coupled with their arrogance and disbelief that mortals could kill immortals, gave him the opportunity for ambushes back then.
He used countless drawn figures from the Chronicles of Time to forcibly encircle and kill an immortal.
Then it was a snowball effect, luring one after another, ambushing and killing them, gradually gaining control over the immortals of surrounding worlds.
But that was prehistoric, making each kill exceedingly difficult.
In today’s era of vast proliferation, figures like Xin Xichen and the Nine-headed Dragon Emperor could single-handedly challenge an immortal suppressed by the ancestral grave.
For a mortal to kill the weakest batch of immortals is not uncommon anymore.
What is a single tribulation to a true immortal?
They’re all miners.
Killing a miner with no potential is nothing to boast about.
Thus, these immortals are of little use to him, heavily suppressed within the Nine-State, unable to aid him within it.
He uses these immortals mainly to gather real-time information about the Immortal Realm, creating a moat around the world to isolate traveling immortals and prevent the Nine-State’s information from leaking out.
If the Nine-State were exposed to certain existences, it would surely attract attention.
"Yet, that guy managed to return."
In the painter’s heart, he contemplated.
Back then, sending that batch to the neighboring world was part of his plan.
The Divine Technique of destiny is incredibly precious.
Killing would be too wasteful.
So he sent them to the neighboring world to develop systems, research cultivation techniques and divine techniques.
Facts proved the results to be astonishing!
The Night Emperor emerged, the Taoist system astounded him, completing the last puzzle before his world ascension.
But no matter how formidable the Night Emperor, even if he becomes immortal, he would never escape his grasp.
His approach was always a step a hundred miles ahead, planning ten steps ahead, having already prepared the future path for the Night Emperor.
When the Night Emperor became immortal, Mu Qianxun, his drawn figure, would lead him to the Immortal Realm, another of his foreshadowings.
Continuing to develop, continuing to grow, bringing more surprises to himself!
Continue to shine and burn for him, planting various foreshadowings and cards in the Immortal Realm, developing his power!
All these years, he hadn’t developed within the Nine-State, rarely appearing in its history, as his focus was entirely on the external world.
He possesses immense ambition.
Therefore, suppressing the Nine-State world, allowing them to perfect foundational systems, enriching the heritage, creating cycles, and developing the Seven-orifice Exquisite Heart system, capable of accommodating seven colored spiritual roots.
Until he becomes immortal, no powerhouse within the Nine-State is allowed to ascend.
So, over tens of millions of years, the pinnacle of human history in the Nine-State has been about Self-Transformation.
Any who tried to ascend were plotted against or suppressed by him.
"The last step is nearly complete... The strongest foundation of the Three Calamities and Seven Tribulations, once immortalized, it’s a Trapped Dragon Ascending to Heaven; those fearsome existences in the Immortal Realm will have to fear me a bit... Yet he chose to return at such a critical moment."
He pondered, with all his wisdom and insights, unable to predict the opponent’s motive for returning.
"What allure does this Nine-State have for an immortal like him?"
"However much immortal fate accumulated here, after he becomes immortal, it’s of no use."
The painter couldn’t fathom.
The Night Emperor returned to flaunt hometown glory, to visit relatives, return to Sword Casting Manor, boast with a group of foolish players on the manor square, bring his wife to show off, and host a bonfire party together.
What he cherished were those unsparked blacksmith gatherings, everyone surrounding the night’s bonfire, enjoying the blissful soil-eating times.
Squatting and eating soil, lying down eating, picking flowers to eat, joyously laughing with the foolish ones, those were the most pure and beautiful memories in his thousands of growth years.
By the way, he’d deal with the Cursed of the Nine-State, Xin Xichen, fulfilling a longstanding aspiration.
"A bit troubling now."
The painter gently sighed.
He didn’t want to kill the Night Emperor; talent is rare.
Years ago, he killed the Divine Beast Leader from which Xian drew a siege, and the Ancient Bronze Emperor, regretting it deeply afterward.
With the descent of immortals from the outside, after receiving external information, he realized how extraordinary and rare the Divine Technique of destiny was!
He wished to study the divine technique left by the deceased opponent, failing to comprehend it.
Thus, he created the mixed-blood descendants of the Ancient Bronze Emperor, Bai Xingling, hoping Bai Xingling would study the Divine Technique of destiny.
Alas.
Hundreds of Bai Xinglings fell, each possessing notable luck as protagonists, continuously receiving numerous serendipities, yet the accomplishments of the golden destiny divine technique remained inadequate.
Now emerged a Night Emperor, capable of creating such a formidable Taoist system, bringing him immense joy.
He cherishes talent, thus guiding meticulously, orchestrating to lead him to the Immortal Realm.
Even wanting to pave the way for him, investing.
When he himself is the inquiry stone in the Immortal Realm, using this Night Emperor’s growth and fame to test the depths of the Immortal Realm’s waters.
He’s never ascended because, after ambushing an immortal, he nearly died, suffering severe firepower insufficiency phobia.
A mortal hiding in the Lower Realm has already tested the Immortal Realm multiple times.
Ascending, wouldn’t it mean awaiting slaughter?
Without over 98% certainty, guaranteeing safety post-ascension, it would be akin to inviting death.
"Night Emperor’s return makes me ponder what to do, refrain from killing people whenever possible."
He softly murmured:
"Drawn figures, ultimately lack a few degrees of spirit, they may excel in combat, but their research aptitude and growth potential fall far short."
...
...
East Sea, the sealed slumbering ground of Xian.
After over a month of seclusion, with external winds and waves, even the Night Emperor has become immortal, preparing to return.
Ning Zheng slowly opened his eyes, "The foundation is steady now, the cycle of seven-colored spiritual roots has fully integrated into the body."
"Though, these days, the three flowers brain flowers of Xian’s pseudo-human are also nearing depletion, I’m about to lose control over Xian."
To continue controlling Xian, Ning Zheng must transport resources from outside, using his Human God Flower spiritual root to proliferate a large number of pseudo-human three flowers, functioning as Xian’s neural cells.
But this expends vast resources, too conspicuous activity easily detected.
He hesitated whether to continue spending resources to control Xian.
After careful thought, "Forget it, it’s unnecessary to control Xian, maybe returning freedom to Xian."
He no longer wanted to compete for Xian.
That immortal fate is grand, but it doesn’t suit Ning Zheng’s taste.
During this period of seclusion, relying on a speck of luck and his astounding research ability, he has already studied Xian’s principles thoroughly.
Feeling that after completing the Three Calamities and Seven Tribulations, he could attempt becoming immortal relying on his own strength.
Even taking a step back.
If he really can’t rely on his own power to become immortal, this "Xian," after being emptied of immortal-hood by someone, isn’t impossible to replenish.
He has already learned the method of supplementing artificial immortal fate from the neighboring world, can replenish Xian’s immortal fate, then become immortal.
He sighed, stood up, saying, "Been in seclusion over a month here, time to leave."
As his voice fell, he vanished, leaving no trace of Ning Zheng in the brain of Xian.
Perhaps Xian wouldn’t see him again.
Let them fight their fights.
Sword Casting Manor, Ning Zheng returned home, gazing at the long-unseen room, exhaling a muddy Qi, "It’s time to surpass the third calamity!"
Yes, the third calamity.
During this over-a-month seclusion, Ning Zheng passed through the second calamity, Soul Calamity, in Xian’s mind a dozen days ago; at that time, his entire soul withered, three souls stank, seven spirits rotted, three flowers shriveled, Dharma Aspect decayed, his entire soul like flickering candlelight about to vanish; luckily, the Tribulation absorbed the Tribulation Qi, barely overcoming it.
Now, over another dozen days have passed, after stabilizing the Realm, the third life calamity can begin.
