Chapter 2130 - The Legendary Ancestral Land
Chapter 2130: The Legendary Ancestral Land
No matter how chaotic the outside world was, it was quiet in the valley deep in Royal Mountain. Everyone was immersed in self-cultivation. After all, in the world of cultivation, strength was the key to survival.
Swoosh!
Zhang Ruochen suddenly opened his eyes. Pure white flames rose from his body.
After refining the King Grade Sacred Pill and top-class Pyro divine object, Zhang Ruochen finally upgraded his Divine Purification Flame, advancing it to Emperor-level flame from Envoy-level flame.
The Emperor-level flame was fundamentally different from the Envoy-level flame. Its power was incomparable. It could even refine a regal weapon.
The millions of Precepts of Divinity in Yanshen’s Leg had all been refined. The divine energy was terrifying.
Apart from that, Zhang Ruochen had also refined all five top-tier Five-element Divine Objects into his body. He had practiced Five-element Chaotic Body to the extreme. Other than the weakest organs and brain, his body had almost completely become immortal.
He just needed a little more time to forge an immortal saint body and breakthrough to the Neverwither Supreme Sainthood.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen could not do that now. The higher achievement he was within his Saint Kinghood, the stronger he would be when he stepped in Supreme Sainthood. Zhang Ruochen followed his goal to maximize his cultivation attainment for every aspect, including his cultivation of Precepts and forging of immortal saint body within his Saint Kinghood.
“The transformation of Divine Purification Flame is indeed not easy to acheive. Even with the help of King Grade Sacred Pill and the top-tier Pyro divine object, it still took me 28 years. Fortunately, I gained enough Godstones on True Dragon Island. Otherwise, I might have to give up halfway,” Zhang Ruochen sighed.
According to his initial plan, he had thought that it would only take him about 10 years to upgrade the level of Divine Purification Flame to Emperor level. Never had he expected that it would take him nearly three times the time originally envisioned.
After retracting Divine Purification Flame into his body, Zhang Ruochen couldn’t help but whisper, “Unfortunately, I still haven’t succeeded in forming the Realm-frame of Truth. I’m still a little lacking. Without the secret techniques from Fane of Truth, it’s really difficult to achieve it.”
Over the years, the number of Precepts of Truth in Zhang Ruochen’s body had increased to 680,000. He still needed 200,000 more Precepts of Truth to enable tenfold amplification of attack power. However, if he failed to form the Realm-frame of Truth, tenfold amplification was not possible even if the number of his Precepts of Truth met the requirement.
The total number of Precepts one could practice in the Saint King realm was one million. The further one went, the harder the cultivation was.
And because of that, even if Zhang Ruochen was holding 0.0039 percent of Canon of Truth, his speed of cultivating Precepts of truth was far slower than before.
With the aid from all kinds of rare items and the effect of the key of the World Gate, Zhang Ruochen’s Precepts had increased by 15 million, totaling 60 million.
Among them, the total of the Precepts of Dimension and Time had reached 610,000 and 570,000 respectively; the Precepts of Swordsmanship had increased to 880,000; as for the Precepts of the Palm and Fist, they had increased to 790,000 and 770,000 respectively.
With Zhang Ruochen’s current strength, he should be able to defeat Supreme Saint Jinhui without resorting to the power of Time and Space.
Zhang Ruochen glanced over everybody and nodded in amazement.
As a result of 28-year cultivation and the ample resources he supplied, there was a great improvement in their cultivation base, especially Mastadon-Devouring Rabbit and Demon Ape. Both had reached the Path’s Anterior realm. With their current strength, they could be regarded as elites in any macroworlds.
In this period, Blackie had also finished setting up the array. It turned the valley into an ideal place for self-cultivation. At the same time, it could ensure the safety of the key to the world gate.
Zhang Ruochen did not interrupt their training session. He put away Sundial and left the valley alone.
He only had seven Godstones left. Instead of using them, he would keep them for now, thinking that they could serve other purposes.
A streak of blue holy light flew out of Zhang Ruochen’s sleeve. It then transformed into a hundred-mile-long blue dragon, emitting a vast dragon aura.
It was the Azure Dragon that Zhou Yu had caught from Hidden Barrens after spending tremendous efforts. This dragon was a descendant of ancient species with a powerful bloodline. It was no less than the Heaven-devourer Dragon; its cultivation and strength far surpassed that of the Heaven-devourer Dragon.
However, unlike Zhang Ruochen, Zhou Yu hadn’t been able to tame the Azure Dragon successfully.
There were two reasons why the Azure Dragon had submitted.
First, Zhang Ruochen was powerful enough to suppress the Azure Dragon’s urge to resist.
Second, the Dragonform Grass was a great temptation to the Azure Dragon.
After refining a Dragonform Grass, the Azure Dragon’s divine dragon bloodline was fully activated, and it was about to attain a True Dragon’s physique.
‘True Dragon’ referred to the divine dragon that had yet attained Godhood. Since the Middle Ages, Ao Xinyan was the only one in Kunlun who had cultivated a True Dragon’s pure physique, which was why she was favored by the unspeakable figure at Yin Yang Sea.
Although the Azure Dragon had yet attained True Dragon’s physique state, its strength improved significantly. If it fought Zhou Yu again, it might not lose.
Tap, tap
Footsteps sounded. A skinny old man appeared out of nowhere, his drooling eyes staring at the Azure Dragon.
“What a fat dragon. It must taste good.”
As he spoke, the old man licked his lips, saliva almost drooling out.
Hearing this, the Azure Dragon was enraged. It flew down from the sky, landed in front of the old man, and let out a terrifying dragon breath.
Although the old man looked half-dead, he was extremely agile. He retreated instantly and distanced himself from the Azure Dragon. At the same time, he looked at Zhang Ruochen and shouted, “Watch your dragon, Zhang Ruochen. It’s so scary.”
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly. He looked at the old man with an unfriendly gaze. He wanted to beat him up, but he restrained himself in the end.
It was the third time he had met this old man at Royal Mountain. The first time was when Royal Mountain was awakening. This old man had come out of the ground and claimed to be a grave robber. The second time, he had attempted to drug the group of saintesses. Even Fairy of a Hundred Flowers was almost drugged.
Unfortunately, the old man was too elusive. Zhang Ruochen had tried all methods, but he couldn’t do anything to him.
Even now, Zhang Ruochen still could not see through the old man’s cultivation base. He knew nothing about the old man’s background and cultivation level.
“Hey old geezer, why are you still staying at Royal Mountain?” Zhang Ruochen asked with hostility.
The old man chuckled and said, “Didn’t I tell you last time I am the guardian of Zhang clan? The ancestral land of Zhang clan is here. So of course, I have to stay here.”
“Since you refuse to tell me the truth, you left me no choice.”Zhang Ruochen’s eyes suddenly became fierce.
As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen had already activated the Precepts of Dimension and released the Spatial Domain. It completely imposed a lockdown on space within hundreds of miles.
His current cultivation base was different from before. He could even fight against a Supreme Saint who was in the late Neverwither realm.
RAAAWRRR!
The Azure Dragon charged at the old man.
A huge and sharp dragon claw reached out like lightning. It condensed into a whirlpool of wind and cloud blocking all the old man’s escape routes.
“Wow, Zhang Ruochen, what are you trying to do?” the old man screamed and dodged swiftly.
What surprised Zhang Ruochen was that the old man could still move freely even though he had completely locked down the space within hundreds of miles. It seemed that the lockdown did not have any effect on him.
While he was surprised, Zhang Ruochen mobilized many Precepts of Dimension and cast a Dimensional Storm rushing toward the old man.
The Dimensional Storm affected a wide area and immediately approached, making it impossible for the old man to dodge.
Yet, the old man did not perform any Saint Techniques. Instead, he withstood the storm with his body of flesh and blood.
BANG!
The Dimensional Storm calmed down after being torn apart by the old man.
When Zhang Ruochen saw this, his eyelids twitching. With his current cultivation attainment in Path of Dimension, even a Neverwither Supreme Saint could not withstand the Dimensional Storm he cast. Yet, the old man was able to break it so easily.
‘How is this possible?’
Previously, he had suspected that the old man was a top-tier Nine-step Saint King. Now, it seemed that he had seriously underestimated him.
No wonder the old man had said that he could not leave Royal Mountain for fear of being discovered. His cultivation base would not allow him to stay in Kunlun.
Zhang Ruochen stopped and asked solemnly, “You are not a Saint King at all, and you are not a person of the present time. Tell me, who are you?”
He had already figured out that the old man could be a Re-Awakener. When they first met, he should have just risen from underground.
The old man was not an ordinary Re-Awakener. He was very powerful, with the level of a Supreme Saint, at least.
It was unbelievable that the once unremarkable Royal Mountain had become an awakening place, where even a Re-Awakener had emerged.
“Like you, I am a member of Zhang clan. Let’s talk it out. Why do we have to fight? My old arms and legs can’t take it,” said the old man with a smile as he massaged his waist.
The Azure Dragon also witnessed the old man’s strength. It could not help but retreat to Zhang Ruochen’s side and watch him warily.
Rumble–
During the stalemate of both parties, a huge commotion suddenly was heard from the depths of Royal Mountain.
Zhang Ruochen immediately turned and looked in the direction. His eyes couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise. “The folded dimension is open further, and Royal Mountain has become even wider.”
In the blink of an eye, the old man had disappeared into thin air. No one knew where he had gone.
Zhang Ruochen tried to track him with Spatial Domain, but to no avail.
After thinking for a while, Zhang Ruochen put the Azure Dragon into his sleeve. He then performed Great Dimensional Shift, traveling to the depths of Royal Mountain.
With his current strength, he had the ability to explore this folded dimension. Even if there was any danger, he was confident that he could protect himself.
The Saint Qi of heavens and earth in the depths of Royal Mountain was even more potent to the extent that it was almost indispersible. Mixed with some Divine Qi of heavens and earth, it made the scenery looked spectacularly sacred.
As soon as he entered the depths of Royal Mountain, something had attracted him.
On a rocky wall, there was a huge green dragon of thousands of feet long. It was breathing Saint Qi of heavens and earth.
“This is a Dragonvine.” Zhang Ruochen’s eyes lit up.
The green dragon was not a real dragon but a sacred herb.
If it were an ordinary sacred herb, even if it were 100,000 years old, it would not have attracted Zhang Ruochen’s attention. But this Dragonvine was different. It was a Yuanhui Tribulation sacred herb.
As if sensing the aura of the Dragonvine, the Azure Dragon immediately stuck its head out of Zhang Ruochen’s sleeve, staring at it with an intent gaze
“Master, I want it,” the Azure Dragon said excitedly.
Zhang Ruochen knew that a Dragonvine was the most useful to dragons. It could improve a dragon clan member in all aspects.
However, a Dragonvine was an extremely aggressive Yuanhui Tribulation sacred herb. Ordinary cultivators couldn’t do anything to it.
Zhang Ruochen had already sensed that the aura of this Dragonvine. It was compelling and ferocious. It was definitely not an easy character to deal with.
ROAR!
At this moment, the Dragonvine suddenly let out an earth-shattering dragon roar. It revealed its fangs and struck out its claws as it pounced toward Zhang Ruochen.
Swoosh!
The Azure Dragon immediately flew out of Zhang Ruochen’s sleeve. As its body expanded along with the wind, it collided with the incoming Dragonvine.
At the same time, Zhang Ruochen moved forward, continued walking toward the depths of the folded dimension. He did not have the slightest worry whether the Azure Dragon could defeat that Dragonvine.
Many sacred herbs were growing everywhere. Most of them were very old. They were all of the top grade, which would be useful even for Saint Kings.
Zhang Ruochen even found three 100,000-year-old sacred herbs. Each of them was extremely rare and valuable that even a Nine-step Saint King would yearn for them.
However, Zhang Ruochen did not collect them. After all, Royal Mountain was sealed away, so he did not have to worry that they would be taken away.
Zhang Ruochen had handed Seven-dragon Cauldron over to Blackie. With these high-quality sacred herbs, Blackie should be able to make many high-grade pills.
After passing through a few Saint Mountains, Zhang Ruochen stopped.
In front of him, a special area appeared. A brilliant nona-colored divine light enveloped it. It looked spectacularly sacred, like a holy land.
Somehow, when Zhang Ruochen approached it, his heart became very calm. He did not know the reason but he felt a sense of tranquility.
Through the nona-colored divine light, Zhang Ruochen saw many hills. They were densely scattered in the area that he couldn’t see the end. He didn’t know how many were there.
Each hill was unique, with huge gravestones before them. Ancient Supreme-Saint Precepts clouded the gravestones, so he could not see their true shapes. They also gave off an extremely intimidating aura of Supreme Saints.
“Are these the graves of Supreme Saints?”
Zhang Ruochen was shocked.
In Shengming Royal’s gravesite of Zhang clan, nine graves were belonging to Supreme-Saint level ancestors that looked similar to these low hills.
As Zhang Ruochen speculated, he couldn’t calm down anymore. There were thousands of graves within his sight. The actual number must be far higher.
‘Does this mean at least thousands of Supreme Saints were buried here?
‘Or could it be that all the Supreme Saints in Kunlun had died at some time and got buried here? But it was impossible.’
The aura of a Supreme Saint was intimidating. Even after death, it remained strong and would not disappear even after a long time.
Zhang Ruochen walked forward with puzzlement in his mind. However, as soon as he got close to that nona-colored divine light, circles of dimensional ripples appeared under his feet. Waves of terrifying Saint aura rushed over as if wanting to tear him into pieces.
Just as Zhang Ruochen wanted to fight back, he noticed something strange happened to his own blood, and the Saint aura rushing over just now dissipated with no reason.
Immediately, Zhang Ruochen felt that the intimidating pressure was greatly reduced. He was more comfortable now.
“What’s going on? Why did the aura of Supreme Saints recede like a tide? Just now, my bloodline seemed to have an unprecedented throb,” Zhang Ruochen vaguely figured something out.
He took another step further into the depths. After a great effort, he finally arrived at the foot of a hill.
In front of this hill was a stone tablet. There were some complicated characters engraved on it. They did not belong to the current era.
“What an ancient aura. The characters on it should be from the Middle Ages. They contain rhymes of Supreme-Saint Path.
“However, there is an invisible force clouding the surface of the characters. Even with my Saint Eyes, I can only see a general outline. It’s a bit blurry and hardly visible.”
Looking at the stone tablet in front of him, Zhang Ruochen could not calm down.
Immediately, he released a strong spiritual power, focusing on the characters engraved on the stone tablet. He began to decipher them.
What surprised Zhang Ruochen was that the characters were even more obscure than he had expected. Even with the current level of his spiritual power, it was extremely difficult for him to decipher them.
After fully utilizing his spiritual power, Zhang Ruochen finally managed to decipher the characters on the stone tablet.
“The grave of NorthBright Saint Lord, Zhang Lin.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed. “It really is the grave of a Supreme Saint. This…”
Here lay thousands of graves of Supreme Saints. It was an unbelievable, shocking scene.
“NorthBright Saint Lord, Zhang Lin. Why does this name sound so familiar?” Zhang Ruochen looked surprised.
Zhang Ruochen moved to a nearby grave. He mobilized his spiritual power to envelope the gravestone in front of him.
“The grave of Shadow Emperor, Zhang Tianshu ”
Zhang Ruochen was deep in thought. He murmured, “Zhang Lin, Zhang Tianshu, …”
“Zhang Lin, Zhang Tianshu. Aren’t these the names of the two Supreme-Saint ancestors in the Middle Ages recorded in my family tree?” Zhang Ruochen suddenly recalled the names.
Zhang clan of Central Region had an extremely glorious history, with Supreme-Saint level elites born in every generation. Even now, there were dozens of statues of Supreme-Saint level ancestors enshrined in the imperial ancestral halls.
With a flip of his hand, Zhang Ruochen took out an object. It was a record of Zhang clan’s long-standing family tree.
It was incomplete, with only half of it.
He did not take long to find the names Zhang Lin and Zhang Tianshu on the family tree. Both had left an indelible mark in the history of Zhang clan.
“Is this really the legendary ancestral land of the Zhang clan?” Zhang Ruochen was shocked and could not remain calm.
He had read an ancient record that mentioned an ancestral land of Zhang clan. However, according to the record, the land was destroyed during the late Middle Ages and could not be found by the descendants.
‘Does this imply that Zhang clan of Yunwu Commandery really belongs to the same lineage as Zhang clan of Shengming in Central Region?”
‘However, there were so many Supreme Saints’ graves here. Could it be that all the deceased resting in peace here were the ancestors of Zhang clan?’