Chapter 173: "In One Day, I'll Witness All the Flowers of Chang'an!"

Chapter 173: "In One Day, I'll Witness All the Flowers of Chang'an!"

"Forget it," the middle-aged man shook his head, withdrawing his gaze from the distant horizon and turning to admonish the Black Dragon, "In this Primordial Soul Power Mystic Realm, you must prioritize safety. Rankings don't matter. During this turbulent era, the Dragon Clan won't be participating in the war, so those things won't be of much use."

"The most important thing is for you to stay alive!"

"Do you understand?"

"It's about to begin. Stop for a moment and recover your strength."

He then heaved a sigh once more.

The Dragon Clan had everything, except for the use of enchantment scrolls. This was a punishment from the ancient battle of Heavenly Dao versions that took place during the founding of the Xuantian Continent. At least, that's what was said.

After all, too much time had passed, and many records in the Dragon Clan's ancient books were fragmented.

The Dragon Clan was a race that loved lust, collecting, and deep slumber.

Often, the Dragon Clan spent most of their long lifespans asleep. Once they naturally reached adulthood, they attained the initial Divine Transformation Stage cultivation. In this world, upon reaching adulthood, they became unrivaled rulers.

Only after reaching adulthood did they continue their cultivation.

Furthermore, they could break through to the Divine Transformation Stage after adulthood, but natural maturity required 500 years of effort.

Generally, the Dragon Clan's lifespan, for those with normal bloodlines, was around three to four thousand years.

He might be the most diligent Dragon Clan leader in history, as he had spent less than three years in deep slumber for the sake of the clan's prosperity. He was truly anxious and couldn't sleep due to his burning heart.

At this moment—

In various corners of the Xuantian Continent, all cultivators had begun preparing for the upcoming large-scale Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm.

Some aimed directly for the top spot.

Some hoped to squeeze into the top hundred.

Some just wanted to enter and concede, not wanting to die inside.

Everyone had different thoughts, but one thing was certain: the leader chosen through this Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm would be genuinely invincible among peers!

"What a pity," said the scholar in Quzhou's southernmost region, gazing at the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm panel before him with a hint of regret. "If I had a few more months, I wouldn't be confident about the Golden Core Power Ranking's top spot, but I'm sure I could have made it into the top hundred."

"My current cultivation is only at the fifth level of the Golden Core. Even with my skills, I can't compete with those at the peak of the Golden Core, the Heaven's Pride. The gap between our realms is too vast. If it were an ordinary Golden Core peak, I might have a chance, but against the Heaven's Pride, it's truly hopeless."

"The same goes for you, Fei Long. Your enchantment scroll isn't very suitable for combat."

"Be extra careful inside, and don't die in there."

He was too far away from Chen Qiu, and the communication ring couldn't reach him.

His cultivation had been at the third level of the Golden Core, but now it had reached the fifth level. This rapid growth was enough to shock the self-proclaimed Golden Core Heaven's Pride of Quzhou. There was no choice; Chen Qiu had been consuming Golden Core Celestial Cultivation Pills like they were sugar beans.

Chen Qiu's main source of Golden Core Celestial Cultivation Pills was the "Heaven's Pride Ranking" in Daxia Country. At the time, this ranking stipulated that those below a certain age and above the Foundation Establishment stage could be listed.

So, even though Chen Qiu had already entered the Nascent Soul stage, this ranking still provided ten Golden Core Celestial Cultivation Pills daily.

This was of great help to him.

Chen Qiu no longer needed them, and he had given half to Fei Long, with the rest going to other Golden Core disciples of the Mock Heaven Sect.

"Hmm," Fei Long nodded with a grim expression, standing silently in place.

He had finally broken through to the Golden Core stage, hoping for a three-choice enchantment scroll to change his fate. However, the enchantment scroll he received after breaking through was indeed extraordinary, but it showed no signs of altering his destiny.

---

Enchantment Scroll Name: Ignore Barriers

Enchantment Scroll Level: Blue

Effect: Can ignore barriers and impregnate females of different races.

---

This was the three-choice enchantment scroll he received after breaking through to the Golden Core stage. It was completely useless and had thoroughly ruined him!

Due to the "Hundred Hits Hundred Bulls-Eyes" enchantment scroll, he couldn't seek female human cultivators for dual cultivation, as he would impregnate them. He had no choice but to find female demons, not because he was perverted, but because he had no other option.

He didn't want to become the weakest member of the Mock Heaven Sect.

But now, this enchantment scroll had ruined even his chances with female demons. He couldn't even handle female demons, which meant his "Heavenly Fate Dual Cultivation" enchantment scroll was also useless. The path of dual cultivation was out of the question, with no hope at all.

He didn't want to choose this enchantment scroll.

But the problem was—

The other two enchantment scrolls were gray, the type that guaranteed death within a year!

Just like when choosing Foundation Establishment enchantment scrolls!

He was truly out of luck!

After a long while, Fei Long sighed again, accepting this reality with a face full of sorrow. He began to consider resigning from his position as the Great Elder upon returning and finding Chen Qiu. He felt ashamed and decided to stay in the rear mountain of the Mock Heaven Sect as a mascot.

Living with the bears, exploring the mountains, and playing in the water would be quite lively.

There was nothing wrong with that.

"Here are five Nascent Soul Dao Cultivation Pills. Take them."

In Zhongzhou, within the Ten Thousand Beasts Gate.

An old man with a wrinkled face extended his bony right hand, trembling as he took out a storage bag from his embrace and stuffed it into the young girl's bosom. His body shook as he rasped.

"Don't let others know. The Cultivation World is dangerous, especially with the turbulent era approaching."

"This is your first time descending the mountain. Remember this."

"The Nascent Soul Dao Cultivation Pills are heavenly gifts. Not only are they more effective than pills refined by pill cultivators, but they also have no impurities or side effects. They won't destabilize your foundation, and their value is extremely high."

"Before you descend the mountain, you should also venture into the Primordial Soul Power Ranking's mystic realm. I don't expect you to achieve anything, just survive."

This girl wore a white skirt.

Standing at the foot of the moonlit peak, the woman felt as if she had risen above the mire, untouched and pure. Her bare feet stood on the rugged rocks, and her long hair, gently swaying in the night breeze, stirred the hearts of the surrounding disciples.

A silver thread wrapped around her wrist, adding a touch of elegance.

She wore no veil.

Her face was openly revealed, exuding a slightly mature woman's charm, with a curvaceous figure that radiated femininity. Her slightly closed legs hinted that she was still a maiden.

Usually, only women who had lost their maidenhood would exude such mature charm.

But this woman, who retained her maidenhood, exuded the allure of a mature woman, making her a rare and precious find, a natural-born charm maiden.

Every move she made, without any use of illusion magic, left the surrounding disciples breathless.

"I understand."

The woman stood barefoot on the rugged rock, her hands clasped behind her back. She tiptoed and gazed at the peak with longing and anticipation in her eyes. "I will be very careful, and with these two big guys around, no one can match me."

She turned her head to look at the two beasts quietly crouching beside her.

Two giant wolves.

They were extremely rare and precious wolf demons known as "Night Moon Wolf Demons," a type of wolf demon. Under the moonlight, their combat power was stronger than usual, and they could use the moonlight to conceal themselves for ambush attacks. They were capable of both direct combat and hidden assassination.

Thirty thousand years ago.

Night Moon Wolf Demons were not as rare, but gradually, for unknown reasons, they became nearly extinct. These two Night Moon Wolf Demons were personally sought out by the sect's elders from the southernmost part of the Nine Provinces, in the place known as the "Vanishing Forest," after several years of searching.

As her Soulbound Spirit Beasts.

One male and one female, they fought in perfect harmony, their strength incredibly fierce.

Although she was only at the First Level Spirit Infancy, these two Night Moon Wolf Demons were already at the Sixth Level Spirit Infancy and could use joint spells to fight against a Seventh Level Spirit Infancy! A First Level Spirit Infancy fighting a Seventh Level Spirit Infancy was an unparalleled achievement, truly a "Heaven's Pride" among "Heaven's Pride." Unfortunately, she didn't have the best timing. If the Spirit Infancy Power Ranking had appeared a few years later, she might have reached the Sixth or Seventh Level Spirit Infancy, capable of fighting against a Peak Spirit Infancy! The top spot might well have been hers!

Because these two Night Moon Wolf Demons were a male and female pair, and both were nearly extinct, the sect took great care of them, hoping they would give birth to more young Night Moon Wolf Demons to be contracted as Souldbound Spirit Beasts by other disciples, thereby enhancing the "Ten Thousand Beasts Gate's" foundation and strength.

These two Night Moon Wolf Demons had many good qualities.

The only downside was their bloodline, which wasn't the best.

They were pure Night Moon Wolf Demons but not the best bloodline among them. The best bloodline, it was said, belonged to the "Wolf King" lineage. Night Moon Wolf Demons with this bloodline not only cultivated at an extremely fast rate but also possessed natural dominance over other Night Moon Wolf Demons.

No other Night Moon Wolf Demon could muster the courage to fight against a "Wolf King" lineage Night Moon Wolf Demon, even if the latter was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. The rest would lie prostrate on the ground in submission.

This was the deepest imprint in the bones of Night Moon Wolf Demons!

"The path of cultivation requires confidence, but not overconfidence. You must find the right balance."

The old man, with a wrinkled face, looked at the small fox in the young woman's arms, his expression complicated. "As for the spirit beast in your arms, the Ten Thousand Beasts Gate has studied it for a long time and doesn't know what kind of spirit beast it is or its origin. The sect has concluded that it is a mixed breed, a useless spirit beast. However, I think it is not ordinary."

"Is that so?"

The woman lifted the small fox, playing with its tail, and tilted her head in confusion. "I don't see anything special about it. It's just very afraid of death and very timid."

"Being afraid of death is a good thing."

The old man coughed violently, his face turning ashen with a few wisps of black qi, and he walked shakily up the peak, looking up at the moon. He knew his days were numbered. If he hadn't achieved immortality and eternal life, everyone would go through this stage.

Returning to the heavens.

The old man's expression was dazed, and he suddenly felt some regret. If he had known a hundred years ago, he might have taken a risk. Perhaps that risk would have succeeded, and he wouldn't have been stuck at this bottleneck.

Life is always about making choices.

No matter which choice you make.

In the future, your subconscious will always romanticize the path you didn't take. If you had made a different choice back then, would things be better now?

Unfortunately, life has no do-overs.

Like the broken moon above, his life had once been glorious. He had been a "Heaven's Pride" in Zhongzhou, known as the "Beast Emperor," whose ruthless methods made many pale at the mention of his name. But with age, those days were now just memories.

After a long sigh, the old man's eyes began to glaze over, and he murmured softly.

"Thirty thousand years ago, there was a race called the Barbarian Tribe."

"A branch of the human race, but not quite the Barbarian Tribe. It is said that they separated from the human race in ancient times. This race had a distinctive trait: they were extremely afraid of death in their youth, to the point of being terrified of it."

"Once a Barbarian reached adulthood, their cultivation would reach the peak of the Golden Core stage."

"All members of the Barbarian Tribe were born with the pink entry 'Skyward Giant,' the origin of which is unknown, but it is known that all members of the Barbarian Tribe have it. It is said that the Barbarian Tribe has a racial inheritance site where there are many ancient Barbarians who left behind a wealth of knowledge about body cultivation."

"That's right."

"Even a barbarian born with a mental disability, as long as they can grow and develop, will become a formidable expert who can suppress an entire region. This is innate talent, and also racial talent."

"But during the great war tens of thousands of years ago, the barbarians gradually declined, and for thousands of years, not a single barbarian has been seen. This is because once a barbarian grows, they can become a dominant force in their area."

"All barbarians, during their infancy, are extremely afraid of death and avoid battles. This is not cowardice but a deeply rooted bloodline influence on their thinking, protecting them. As long as they survive and reach adulthood, they can soar to great heights."

"This includes the Dragon Clan and even some extremely powerful spirit beasts with exceptional bloodlines."

"For these spirit beasts with exceptional bloodlines, during their infancy, they are extremely afraid of death to an unbelievable extent. During their infancy, they don't need to do anything; as long as they grow, they become invincible in their domain."

"And this little fox in your arms is one of them."

"That's why I suspect that this little fox's bloodline might be extraordinary."

"Really?"

A glimmer of light flashed in the woman's eyes as she held the little fox in front of her, rubbed it, and blinked, saying, "Little fox, your bloodline is so strong. How can the sect say that this spirit beast is useless?"

"The sect couldn't find any related information about this spirit beast," the elder shook his head. "But I feel that the sect might have reached a dead end. That Chen Qiu from Quzhou, the unparalleled Heaven's Pride of Quzhou, didn't have any Heavenly Edict ringing when he reached the Tenth Stage Golden Core. This is enough to prove that there is another continent or world beyond Xuantian Continent."

"This fox most likely came from another world and accidentally escaped here."

"Chen Qiu."

Hearing the name Chen Qiu, the woman's snow-white cheeks flushed slightly, and she whispered, "Master, do you think Chen Qiu has three-tenths of the talent you had in your youth?"

Recently, the name Chen Qiu from Quzhou had been quite popular in Zhongzhou.

As the first-ever Twelfth Rank Heavenly Dao Yuan Ying in history, everyone wanted to witness this phenomenon.

As a woman, she naturally admired heroes, and Chen Qiu perfectly fit her ideal of a dream lover—superb strength, exceptional talent, a straightforward personality, and most importantly, a sense of freedom that the sect's Heaven's Pride would never possess. Although there were many Heaven's Pride in Zhongzhou, even those top-tier sect's comprehensively cultivated Heaven's Pride, aside from lacking the Twelfth Rank Yuan Ying, were not much weaker than Chen Qiu.

However, how should she put it? She always felt that those Heaven's Pride thought too much, were overly cautious, and were bound by their sects, lacking a sense of freedom.

Yes, a sense of freedom.

The most attractive quality of Chen Qiu was this intense sense of freedom! It was a temperament that the sect's Heaven's Pride would never possess. Most of the resources of the sect's Heaven's Pride came from the sect's foundation, so they lacked the confidence to act without hesitation. As for the loose cultivators, they were used to bowing down, making it even harder for them to attain freedom.

Only Chen Qiu.

Like a gentle night breeze, he went wherever he wanted. If someone blocked his path, the gentle night breeze would transform into a raging storm, destroying all obstacles in its path!

When the Demon Race's Huashen Powerhouse launched a sneak attack, severely injuring him, even the Zhongzhou's unparalleled Heaven's Pride would have fled first. Then, they would have returned to their sect to seek help from their elders. After all, facing the attack of a Huashen Powerhouse with a Peak Golden Core cultivation, what else could they do?

But Chen Qiu—

Despite his severe injuries, he single-handedly faced a group of Demon Race members and three Huashen Powerhouses. With his strength alone, he summoned the heavenly thunder punishment, turning the entire Demon Race, including the three Huashen Powerhouses, into dust!

She didn't know how great a price Chen Qiu had paid.

But she knew that Chen Qiu's price must have been significant. Besides the apparent 9.8 billion virtue points, there must have been other costs, as virtue points couldn't be directly converted into attacks.

Chen Qiu could have avoided paying such a price by escaping at that time and dealing with the matter later, thus preserving his resources.

But Chen Qiu didn't.

That sense of freedom, disregarding consequences and costs, was like a potent poison, deeply attracting this "Ten Thousand Beasts Gate" true disciple who had rarely left the sect.

"Ah..."

The elder, with a face full of wrinkles and leaning on a cane, sighed softly upon seeing the longing and dazed expression on his personal disciple's face. He had a feeling that this disciple might not return to the sect after this trip down the mountain.

He was once one of the top Heaven's Pride in Zhongzhou.

He naturally understood how attractive a top-notch Heaven's Pride was to secular women.

Especially Chen Qiu's behavior, which was almost crazy, disregarding the consequences and trampling on the rules. For a woman who had never left the sect, this was like a deadly poison. Women were naturally drawn to strong men, especially those like Chen Qiu.

If Chen Qiu had lost that day, he would have been seen as arrogant, immature, lacking in patience, and unlikely to achieve greatness.

But...

Chen Qiu won that day, and he won decisively. After that, the place known as the Demon State ceased to exist.

That was a different story, a story of extreme freedom.

"Master, you still haven't answered me. You were once the strongest Heaven's Pride in Zhongzhou. Do you think Chen Qiu has three-tenths of the talent you had in your youth?"

"..."

The elder's lips twitched slightly, but after a moment, he maintained a calm expression and said, "Not just three-tenths, at least seven-tenths."

The older generation should maintain their composure.

He couldn't lose face in front of his personal disciple, and he hadn't expected that he held such a high position in his disciple's heart.

Although he believed that he was quite a famous Heaven's Pride in Zhongzhou during his youth, compared to Chen Qiu, he was nothing. He didn't have a Twelfth Rank Yuan Ying, let alone a Twelfth Rank; he didn't even have a Ninth Rank.

The higher the Yuan Ying rank, the more challenging the tribulation.

Sometimes, having a high Yuan Ying rank wasn't always a good thing. Even the tribulation for breaking through to the Divine Transformation Stage was difficult. He found an excuse for himself in his heart.

South of Quzhou.

"Oh, that's right." The scholar turned his head towards Fat Dragon, his curiosity piqued. "Speaking of which, why are you always so afraid of death? It's as if your fear has reached an extreme."

Fat Dragon shook his head and remained silent, a hint of desolation in his voice. "I don't want to talk about it. I'm not in the mood right now."

"After this, you'll be the Great Elder. Once it's over, I'll go to Quzhou Chen Qiu and resign from the position of Great Elder. I won't be able to fight alongside you anymore. I'll just stay in the Mock Heaven Sect and retire."

"Actually, you never fought alongside us either."

". . ."

Fat Dragon looked up at the scholar, his expressionless face showing a hint of emotion. "I have fought a few times, you know."

"Really?"

"You forgot? In Wentiang City, when the City Lord wanted to kill us, Chen Qiu self-destructed his entry, severely injuring the City Lord. Then I picked up a knife and stabbed it into his waist. And in Feizhou, when a Golden Core cultivator came to cause trouble at your Foundation Establishment cave abode, Chen Qiu severely injured him, and I charged up with a knife too. Also, the first time we entered the secret realm together, I was the one who severely injured the demons that Chen Qiu killed."

Fat Dragon's voice carried a hint of resentment. "I've fought many times, okay? It's just that you guys never seem to remember my contributions!"

"Oh..." The scholar felt a bit embarrassed and stammered, "I'm sorry, I don't know why, but my most vivid memory of you is your visits to the brothel."

"I didn't go that often!"

"But it left a deep impression."

"Fine." Fat Dragon sighed heavily, his entire demeanor seeming somewhat dejected as he shook his head. "Never mind, let's not talk about the past. I just hope that when your cultivation improves, you'll still come to the rear mountain to chat with me. I'll grill some meat for you."

"Don't be like that. Chen Qiu might not agree to your resignation as the Great Elder, even though you're not of much use now."

"I'll resign even if he doesn't approve. My entry is destined to have no future on the dual cultivation path. I can't continue to stay in this Great Elder position with no face. I, Fat Dragon, may be afraid of death, but I still have some pride."

The scholar patted Fat Dragon's shoulder, sighing sympathetically. After a moment, he offered some comfort, "It'll be alright, Fat Dragon."

"By the way, why did you name yourself Fat Dragon?"

"Didn't I tell you? When I was born, a five-clawed fat dragon appeared in the sky, circling nine times before entering my body. It was a sign that one day I would soar like a dragon, hence the name Fat Dragon."

"I'm being serious, stop joking around."

"Then tell me why your younger brother occasionally spoke at first but now remains completely silent. Is he cultivating a mute technique?"

". . ."

"That's unnecessary."

In Jing Prefecture, located in the Lower Nine Provinces, within the Black Tortoise Sect—

A young disciple in a white robe turned to his senior brother with a perplexed expression. "Senior Brother, you've finally broken through to the First Level Spirit Infancy. But now, you want to use your own cultivation to drop your realm back to the Peak of Golden Core?"

"Yes." The senior brother from the Black Tortoise Sect took a deep breath, his face turning solemn. "With my cultivation, entering the Soul Core Power Ranking is like signing my death warrant. I can't beat anyone there."

"But if you enter the Golden Core Power Ranking and secure a spot in the top hundred, or even the top ten, it's very likely."

"Didn't you read the content of the Heavenly Edict? It says that this competition not only offers rewards but also grants special effects in the upcoming World Turmoil version of the Heavenly Dao."

"The Turbulent Era is approaching. Even if I rebuild my cultivation to the First Level Spirit Infancy, it won't waste too many resources or time."

"When faced with a dilemma, decisive action is best."

"I'm only a Second Level Spirit Infancy, but breaking through at this age already makes me a Heaven's Pride in all of Jing Prefecture. However, Quzhou borders our prefecture, and you know about Quzhou Chen Qiu. With such a formidable figure, if I don't take this chance, how can I have future opportunities?"

"At worst, it's just a waste of resources and time."

"But what if we win—"

"Then perhaps I can reach the Divine Transformation Stage and become a powerhouse who dominates a region!"

After a long silence, the young disciple raised his thumb in admiration. "Senior Brother, you're so bold!"

At that moment, in the Great Xia Kingdom—

A youth sat at his desk, writing fervently. After a while, he leaned back, satisfied, and looked at the few lines of poetry on the paper.

"The past is sordid, but today's thoughts are boundless."

"Spring Wind's Triumph, Swift Hooves, Seeing All Flowers of Chang'an in One Day."

"Seeing all flowers of Chang'an in one day," the youth murmured, his expression dreamy as he read the lines several times. He couldn't help but smile with satisfaction, already imagining the events to come.

This was his third day in this world.

He had already planned his future path.

The poetry appreciation conference was about to start. All he needed to do was write down this poem from his previous life, and he was sure to astonish everyone. Then, he would surely be noticed by a noble, and his official career would soar.

He hadn't seen the poetry culture of this world, but he knew this was a world of sword cultivation and magic. In such a world, the culture was bound to be less developed. This poem was just one of countless classics from his previous life! It would undoubtedly dazzle everyone.

And not just this poem.

His mind was filled with countless poems, each one a testament to his profound literary foundation and his greatest asset in this world.

However, he had overheard a conversation on the street.

They were talking about a former State Teacher of Great Xia, a man of both literary and martial prowess, who had left behind many famous poems. But even so, he was sure that the poems of this State Teacher, no matter how good, couldn't compare to the essence distilled from thousands of years of poetry in his previous life.

Nothing to fear.

PS: Two more chapters will be released later. Typos will be corrected after the release.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end