Chapter 555: Chapter 380: The Five-Yuan Gourd of Heaven and Earth, North-South Pincer Attack (Part 2)
Apart from that, perhaps there is only the seemingly endless Qi of the Five Elements left.
Zhong Heng hasn’t forgotten that the Five Elements True Immortal also set up an inheritance.
This Qi of the Five Elements might be of significant use at that time.
Zhong Heng slowly digested the information transmitted by the Qiankun Five Elements Gourd. Although it isn’t an array-type artifact, its Immortal Artifact level still excited Zhong Heng.
The recognition ceremony of the Immortal Artifact did not seem to end so quickly.
Or perhaps the Artifact Spirit was delaying the process, aiming to transmit the power of the Qiankun Five Elements Gourd back to Zhong Heng.
Zhong Heng could feel that his shallow Five Elements Body was being enhanced.
The strength of his True Essence was increasing, and his Divine Sense and physical body were also improving along with the True Essence.
Zhong Heng could even feel that his cultivation at the Late-Stage Golden Core was nearing its end.
This kind of power was no less than consuming a rare Great Pill.
Feeling his aptitude, physique, and cultivation being gradually elevated, Zhong Heng lost track of time.
Until the laughter of the Artifact Spirit reached his ears.
"How do you feel, Zhong the Kid?"
"Feeling... very good!"
According to the Artifact Spirit, Zhong Heng could call him Elder Hu.
Elder Hu was not like the dull Artificial Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Rainbow, but a genuinely nurtured Immortal Artifact Spirit.
With vast knowledge, he could even assist in cultivation.
Of course, Zhong Heng had many secrets, so he wouldn’t treat him like a personal old grandfather.
However, perhaps Elder Hu could serve as the Array Core of a large array... An Immortal Artifact could fully function as the Array Core to stabilize the entire array. With it as the Array Core, Zhong Heng even felt confident that he could set up a new Tier Seven Array!
Having invested so much into studying arrays, it was surprising Zhong Heng’s mind had such thoughts.
Zhong Heng exhaled deeply.
Only then did he realize that the Qiankun Five Elements Gourd had shrunk, leaving him exposed in the endless Star River.
The shattered Path of the Star River extending from the Jiuzhou Cultivation Realm was still awe-inspiring on Zhong Heng’s second viewing.
The power of the Qiankun Five Elements Gourd enveloped Zhong Heng, allowing him to survive in this void.
"The shattered Path of the Star River..."
Zhong Heng glanced in a certain direction.
The River Map in the depths of his mind began to pulse again.
Zhong Heng tried to determine the scope.
Every light point in this shattered Star River was a Secret Realm, and the Secret Realm distribution here corresponded to the entrances of the Secret Realms in the Jiuzhou.
As Zhong Heng looked around, he could vaguely perceive that the Secret Realm causing the River Map Illusion to tremble was still within the Central State region.
Specifics, however, remained unknown to Zhong Heng.
He only knew that the Secret Realm World wasn’t small.
Zhong Heng suppressed the River Map’s constant throbbing.
Because Elder Hu was already urging him.
It was still best to return to Jiuzhou as soon as possible at this time.
The return procedure set by the Qiankun Five Elements Gourd activated.
Zhong Heng transformed into a Flowing Light and descended.
"Elder Hu, there is a peculiar world on the way back to the Central State. Please help us uncover its mysteries."
"Oh?"
Zhong Heng briefly recounted the malevolent fluctuation he sensed on his last return to Jiuzhou.
Elder Hu, however, fell silent.
Soon, Zhong Heng sensed that fluctuation again.
The protective Artifact, talisman, and array that Zhong Heng had prepared early for the mind turned out to be useless.
That malevolence targeted the mind directly.
The heavy protection of the Righteous Dao surrounding Zhong Heng whispered of danger, but a gentle power shielded his mind.
It was the Qi of the Five Elements from the Qiankun Five Elements Gourd.
"Remember the approximate location of that malevolent fluctuation."
"Okay."
Reopening his eyes, Zhong Heng found himself back in the Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm.
He let out a long breath.
Yet in the sky above, Flowing Lights shimmered, suggesting several powerhouses were engaged in battle.
Zhong Heng’s eyes cooled slightly.
Who would dare to trespass into the Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm?
But those few Flowing Lights soon retreated elsewhere after a brief clash.
They didn’t seem to be Alliance powerhouses.
Zhong Heng transformed into a Flowing Light and flew towards the Divine Strategy Valley.
"Report to the Alliance Leader: they are powerhouses from the Guangyun Celestial Sect and the Four Directions Cultivation Realm clashing."
"How long have I been away?"
Zhong Heng picked up several Record Jades, which documented the events in the Alliance during his absence.
"Thirteen years and nine months."
Zhong Heng paused briefly in his actions of reviewing the Record Jades, then continued flipping through them.
Thirteen years is a notably long time for mortals.
Yet not overly long for a Golden Core Master.
But it’s not short, either.
"So that’s why my cultivation has advanced so much; it’s been this long already..."
Zhong Heng mused inwardly.
During this time, Lin Wui, Qiu Yi, and others had arrived.
They seemed to have found their pillar of strength, appearing rather excited.
Especially Lin Wui, and Zhong Heng could sense a slight maturity in her, perhaps brought by insight gained over these thirteen years of managing the Celestial Rainbow Alliance.
"Welcome back, Alliance Leader."
Zhong Heng waved a hand, having finished reading the information within the Record Jade.
"A new Nascent Soul Ancestor, is it..."
Zhong Heng rubbed his temples.
A Nascent Soul Ancestor had emerged from the Southern Four Directions Cultivation Realm, whose title was unknown, but surname Zhu, Elder Zhu.
It was said this Elder Zhu wasn’t a newly ascended cultivator.
But rather a legendary cultivator from seven thousand years ago in the Four Directions Secret Realm World.
In the limiting environment of the Four Directions Secret Realm World, without relying on any pills or spiritual objects, pushing past the world’s oppression to break through to the Nascent Soul.
After breaking through, however, Elder Zhu felt the limitations of Heaven and Earth.
He procured Ten Thousand Years Profound Ice to forge a non-melting ice coffin and sealed himself.
He passed down nine Supreme Dao Lineages, so any future ruler of the Secret Realm World must honor Elder Zhu as their ancestor.
Moreover, Elder Zhu commanded the Four Directions Secret Realm World to exhaust every effort to find the ’Upper Realm.’
Due to Elder Zhu’s directives, this generation of the Four Directions Secret Realm World dared to launch bold counterattacks on the Shallow Moon Cultivation Realm.
Elder Zhu’s presence is also why the Four Directions Cultivation Realm dared to covet northern Qiuxu Cultivation Realm territories.
If no one broke through to Nascent Soul after Guangyun Ancestor of the Qiuxu Cultivation Realm passed away, Elder Zhu might have justifiably established a new large-scale Cultivation Realm and, relying on his vast underlings’ offerings, sought the path beyond Nascent Soul towards Divinity Transformation.
Yet now, the Qiuxu Cultivation Realm had a new master.
Yunmiao.
Elder Zhu, having just awakened, was unwilling to engage in a life-and-death confrontation with a ’Upper Realm’ powerhouse.
Instead, he slowly devoured territories northwards.
Following Elder Zhu’s plans, perhaps the Four Directions Cultivation Realm could merge into the Qiuxu Cultivation Realm, though the Qiuxu Cultivation Realm would need to be renamed as a result.
Becoming a massive Cultivation Realm with two Nascent Soul Ancestors holding the fort.
Except, inconveniently, the Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm was caught in between them both.
The Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm is formidable; even sending a Fake Nascent Soul cannot conquer it, likely requiring Elder Zhu’s personal intervention.
However, the identity of the Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm is exceedingly sensitive. At its core, the Celestial Rainbow Alliance is the Divine Strategy Valley, and it’s well known that Yunmiao Ancestor originated from the Divine Strategy Pavilion.
The Alliance Leader of the Celestial Rainbow Alliance is essentially akin to Yunmiao Ancestor’s junior disciple, leaving Elder Zhu hesitant to act.
Merely deploying forces to annex a large portion of territory near the Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm.
Skirting past the Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm, continuing to nibble at the southern territories, which the Qiuxu Cultivation Realm did not care for.
The Celestial Rainbow Cultivation Realm found itself sandwiched between a large-scale Cultivation Realm and a pseudo-large-scale Cultivation Realm.
Seeing Lin Wui’s emotional expression of crying and laughing, it’s apparent that the Celestial Rainbow Alliance faces even greater pressure in reality.
So Zhong Heng patted Lin Wui’s shoulder, saying, "Very well, Lin Wui, you did very well."
"The upcoming days will continue to need you."
Lin Wui’s expression froze.
"How goes the search for Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects?"
"Since Yunmiao Ancestor formed the Nascent Soul, the Alliance hasn’t stopped searching for Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects."
"So far, they have found one, but its potency isn’t particularly high, slightly lower than what was offered to Yunmiao Ancestor back then."
"There is no trace of the Nascent Soul Pill."
Zhong Heng raised an eyebrow.
In his ear, Elder Hu’s voice sounded.
"Nascent Soul Formation? I might have something here that could help you..."
