Chapter 178: Xuantian Continent Milestone Task +1.

Chapter 178: Xuantian Continent Milestone Task +1.

The moment he saw Chen Qiu step onto the platform, the black dragon's body stiffened in mid-air. Without a moment's hesitation, it shot madly towards the platform below, for it had witnessed the battle between Chen Qiu and Kong Ming and knew it stood no chance against Chen Qiu, even when he was at his peak.

Especially not when he was heavily injured.

But it was too late. The platform's barrier had already risen, and for the duration of an incense stick, no one could leave.

"No, no!"

Cowering in the corner, the shrunken black dragon trembled with fear and regret as it watched Chen Qiu approach. "Don't kill me, don't kill me, I concede!"

His father had instructed him not to seek rankings but to simply enter and exit the secret realm.

But he had never set foot on the Xuantian Continent before, and now that he had the chance to play in the secret realm, he was reluctant to leave. He didn't want to return to the Dragon Island and continue caring for those old, fat mother dragons.

It was torture.

On the island, the only ones who could talk to him were his father and a few others. He was the weakest in terms of both seniority and strength, but here, it was different. So many people talked to him and praised him, giving him a sense of joy that made him forget his homeland.

However, when he saw Chen Qiu step onto the platform and approach him, all he could think of was regret. He saw his own death, his fate to be skinned and have his tendons pulled.

"No, no!!!"

Half an incense stick later, Chen Qiu squatted on the ground, gently stroking the black dragon, which had shrunk to just a few inches. "Your Dragon Clan owes me a huge favor. If I hadn't come to your aid, you might already be dead."

He glanced at the crowd of Nascent Soul cultivators below, all seething but unable to speak.

"This is a life-saving favor."

He emphasized the words 'life-saving' and 'favor'.

The Nascent Soul cultivators' plan to flatter him to death was crude and unconcealed, but it had still fooled the black dragon. Clearly, the dragon was young and had little contact with humans, which was why it had been so easily deceived.

"Mhm, mhm."

The black dragon, curled up in the corner, nodded with a mixture of fear and relief. After Chen Qiu explained the situation, it finally understood that Chen Qiu was there to save it, not kill it.

This was indeed a life-saving favor.

Without Chen Qiu, the black dragon, in its current heavily injured state, might have died at the hands of the fifth Nascent Soul cultivator.

A life-saving favor.

The black dragon hesitated for a moment before reluctantly saying, "According to the Dragon Clan's ancient records, if you cannot repay a great favor immediately, you should give your reverse scale to the benefactor. In the future, the benefactor can hold the reverse scale and ask the Dragon Clan for any request, and the Dragon Clan will do its best to fulfill it."

The next moment—

The black dragon bit its lip, and a white reverse scale, distinct from the other scales, fell from its neck, flying to Chen Qiu without a trace of blood: "Benefactor, this is for you."

"This is too much."

Chen Qiu nodded with satisfaction, smiling as he put the reverse scale into his pocket: "But where can I find the Dragon Clan?"

As his words fell, the Nascent Soul cultivators surrounding the platform perked up, afraid to miss any crucial information.

This time, the black dragon didn't make a mistake. It shook its head solemnly: "I can't say. The Dragon Clan has withdrawn from the world, but rest assured, I have hidden many treasures on the island. When I return, I will bring them all out and find you to exchange for this reverse scale."

"Good."

Soon!

The platform's barrier dissipated, and the black dragon quickly flew out, instantly transforming into a white light and leaving the secret realm without a moment's delay.

Chen Qiu then stood up and scanned his surroundings without a word, heading straight for his Number One Platform.

This time, he had truly reaped a bountiful harvest.

A Tenth Stage Primordial Soul, a Millennium Stupa, and a favor from the Dragon Clan.

When he realized that these people intended to kill the black dragon, he decided to save the Dragon Clan. Firstly, he had heard that the Dragon Clan was wealthy, and he wanted to see if he could gain some favor and receive some treasures.

Secondly—

The Dragon Clan had been in seclusion for so long, and now, with chaos approaching, they had suddenly reappeared. It was clear that the Dragon Clan would be involved in the upcoming turmoil.

He had given the Dragon Clan a favor.

Regardless of whether the Dragon Clan would become his ally, at the very least, when the great war broke out, the Dragon Clan wouldn't be his enemy.

Although killing the dragon would bring greater benefits, there were too many people watching. If he killed the black dragon on the platform, he would become the Dragon Clan's mortal enemy. He had already made too many enemies; he couldn't afford to make the whole world his enemy. It was better to make some allies to ensure a more comfortable life.

Moreover, this black dragon had spared the Scholar on the island, despite having overwhelming cultivation. It had only used its tail to push the Scholar away and hadn't killed him. On the platform, it had defeated but not killed him.

It was a good dragon.

It would be a shame to kill such a good dragon just because it possessed a treasure.

Soon—

Three hours passed, and the competition finally came to an end!

Chen Qiu, who had been meditating on the platform, suddenly transformed into a white light and left the secret realm. As soon as he appeared in Qicheng, he heard a distant, ancient voice.

-

"Heavenly Edict": The Evil Province's curtain falls, and chaos is nigh.

The Heavenly Way Ranking's 'Golden Core Power Ranking', 'Soul Core Power Ranking', and 'Soul Body Power Ranking' secret realms have officially concluded.

Golden Core Power Ranking Champion: Zhang Shaoping, Inner Disciple of the Black Tortoise Sect in Zhongzhou.

Soul Core Power Ranking Champion: Chen Qiu, Sect Master of the Mock Heaven Sect in Quzhou.

Soul Body Power Ranking Champion: Master Pu Hui, Buddhist Leader in Zhongzhou.

In the land of Xuantian, within the city of Jicheng, three Celestial Path Champions each received a strand of Celestial Fortune.

The second and third-ranked cultivators on the three major rankings were each granted a strand of Earthly Pride's Fortune.

From the fourth to the tenth rank, each cultivator was bestowed with a strand of Human Pride's Fortune.

At this moment in Jicheng, as the sky brightened, Chen Xiu stood in the alley, gazing upon the newly added three Heavenly Dao Rankings. At the top of the Nascent Soul Power Ranking Realm, his name, Chen Xiu, was prominently displayed.

At that very moment—

He witnessed two strands of Celestial Fortune swirling around his Nascent Soul, and additionally, two strands of Supreme Celestial Fortune were also spinning on their own.

With the effect of the green entry "Court Summoned," the rewards doubled once more.

He originally possessed two strands of Supreme Celestial Fortune, and during his advancement to the Twelfth Stage Nascent Soul, he was granted another strand of Celestial Fortune. After the doubling effect, the three strands combined into one, and he now had two strands of Supreme Celestial Fortune.

Thus, he currently held two strands of Supreme Celestial Fortune and two strands of Celestial Fortune.

The Celestial Fortune was indeed a valuable asset.

---

Treasure Name: A Strand of Celestial Fortune

Source: Synthesized from three strands of Earthly Pride's Fortune, obtained through remarkable achievements, and bestowed by the Heavenly Edict.

Usage Effects:

1. Consuming one strand of Celestial Fortune can temporarily enhance one's luck within the duration of a cup of tea.

2. ...

4. Essential material for refining a Ten-Stage Inner Core Body.

5. Can be used as a material when creating a Soul Body Domain.

6. ...

7. Three strands of Celestial Fortune can be synthesized into one strand of Supreme Celestial Fortune.

---

"Hmm," Chen Xiu pondered thoughtfully. The Celestial Fortune could be utilized as a material when creating a Soul Body Domain.

Soul Body Domain—a unique ability of the Divine Transformation Stage.

Within the domain, I am invincible.

Similar to the Evil Energy Field displayed by the Ghost Evil Sect's Sect Master, but his was only half-formed and rather pathetic.

Moreover, he suddenly became curious.

Three strands of Celestial Fortune would automatically combine into one strand of Supreme Celestial Fortune.

What would happen if three strands of Supreme Celestial Fortune were combined?

He then turned his gaze towards the information displayed on the Millennium Stupa panel.

"An essential material for creating the Soul Body Domain, 'Buddha Kingdom in Palm'."

Foundation Establishment ranks are divided into Heavenly Foundation Establishment and others.

Golden Core ranks are categorized into twelve grades.

Nascent Soul ranks are also classified into twelve grades.

Based on this information, it can be inferred that Soul Body Domains might not be categorized by grades but rather named, such as the 'Buddha Kingdom in Palm' domain, which is clearly tailored for Buddhist disciples. This suggests that there might also be domains customized for cultivators of other paths, like the 'Infinite Spirit Energy' domain.

Chen Xiu shook his head and decided not to dwell on it further.

Currently, he was only at the Fifth Level Yuan Ying, and he had expected the Nascent Soul Power Ranking Realm to reward him with some Primordial Soul Dao Cultivation Pills. Instead, he received two strands of Celestial Fortune, which wasn't necessarily bad, but he couldn't find an immediate use for them at the moment.

Furthermore, he still had three unused strands of Heavenly Fortune.

After the reward for eliminating the Evil Province, he obtained two strands of Heavenly Fortune, one of which he used to repair the Heavenly Clue Umbrella. Later, upon attaining the Twelfth Stage Nascent Soul, he received two more strands of Heavenly Fortune, and he planned to use one strand to upgrade two spells to the Heavenly Dao level.

One of the spells he tentatively decided on was the "Golden Aura Defense," which would enhance his survival abilities.

The other spell was still undecided.

He was contemplating whether to upgrade "Snowfall Technique" or to seek a more powerful offensive spell, preferably an ice-based one, as he possessed a yellow entry, "Frost on Wound," that increased the power of ice-type spells.

When selecting a new spell, he would certainly consider its synergy with his existing entries, as a single spell would be of little use to him without any complementary effects.

The remaining strand of Heavenly Fortune would be kept in reserve for future use.

Additionally, he still had two unused strands of Racial Fortune.

Chen Xiu mentally reviewed his recent acquisitions:

- Supreme Celestial Fortune x2

- Celestial Fortune x2

- Heavenly Fortune x3

- Racial Fortune x2

"Not bad," he thought.

Just as he was about to stand up, a distant and ethereal voice, like the ancient sound of the heavens, reached his ears once more.

Heavenly Edict: The Heavenly Dao senses that in the northwestern region of Quzhou on the Xuantian Continent, a human cultivator named Chen Xiu has achieved an astonishing feat, topping the Heavenly Dao Rankings five times!

As a reward for completing one of the Xuantian Continent's milestone tasks, a statue has been erected in the Heavenly Palace.

Additionally, a Middle-grade Heavenly Wheel is bestowed upon him.

"This is even better; all good news," Chen Xiu thought, his eyes sparkling with joy. The Middle-grade Heavenly Wheel was a valuable treasure, and with the doubling effect of the green edict entry, he now had two of them, each containing numerous desirable rewards.

In total, he had obtained 41 Primordial Soul Dao Cultivation Pills.

One pill was drawn by his Nascent Soul.

The remaining forty pills were obtained from the Middle-grade Heavenly Wheels.

However, he hadn't forgotten an important matter.

The Heavenly Dao was about to capture his image.

Currently standing in the alley without any prior preparation, and not in a particularly glorious moment, he struggled to come up with an impressive pose. He could only stand as straight as possible, leaning on the Heavenly Clue Umbrella, and tried to manage his facial expression.

It wasn't about vanity.

But since these three statues were an important part of his cultivation journey, and many people might see them in the future, he didn't want to appear too disheveled, as it might tarnish his image.

After completing all this, he looked up towards the heavens above and, with a thought, disappeared from his original spot.

He was going to visit the Heavenly Palace to see his new statue and then return to his small world to bathe and burn incense before opening the two Middle-grade Heavenly Wheels.

May the Buddha bless him and grant him good fortune.

On second thought, after almost killing a Buddhist disciple, the Buddha probably wouldn't bless him.

However, at that very moment on the Xuantian Continent, chaos reigned.

For instance—

Beyond Quzhou, in the depths of the sea, lies Dragon Island!

"What?!"

On the island, the middle-aged man, the Dragon Clan's leader, stared at the missing reverse scale on the Black Dragon's back in disbelief, "You gave your reverse scale to someone else?"

The reverse scale of the Dragon Clan would only fall off in two situations.

One is after death, and the other is through voluntary shedding.

The reverse scale is the most robust piece of armor on a dragon's body, and it would not fall off unless the dragon died in battle. Moreover, the surrounding scales would be intact, leaving only one possibility—the Black Dragon voluntarily shed its reverse scale and gifted it to someone.

"Why did you return so late? I specifically instructed you to enter the Secret Realm and then immediately retreat."

"The Dragon Clan wants to seclude itself, and we don't need this ranking!"

"I..."

The Black Dragon shrank back in fear and whispered, "I owe a life debt to a benefactor. According to the Dragon Clan's ancient records, if a dragon cannot repay a favor immediately, it must leave its reverse scale as a pledge. Later, the dragon must retrieve the reverse scale with a treasure, or wait for the person to find the Dragon Clan with the scale and make any request."

"I followed the instructions. This is what happened."

After a long while, the middle-aged man remained silent and expressionless after hearing the Black Dragon's full account.

The Black Dragon, being inexperienced, had fallen into a trap. If not for Chen Qiu's intervention, there was a high probability that he would have died on the platform.

This was indeed a favor.

Moreover, this favor was much greater than Chen Qiu had imagined. He had saved not just the Black Dragon but also the entire Dragon Clan's legacy and lifeline!

The Black Dragon was the only male young dragon in the clan. If he died, the Dragon Clan would face extinction.

According to the ancient records, giving away the reverse scale was indeed appropriate.

But that was during the Dragon Clan's heyday. Back then, things were different. Now, without the reverse scale, the Dragon Clan's fighting power would be greatly diminished, and it would be extremely challenging to overcome the Thunder Tribulation.

The Dragon Clan primarily relied on the reverse scale to withstand the Thunder Tribulation.

Consequently, a reverse scale that had endured the Thunder Tribulation was also the best material for crafting Lightning Treasures.

After a while, the middle-aged man sighed and turned his head to gaze into the distance, his eyes fixed on Quzhou. He could vaguely sense that the Black Dragon's reverse scale was there. Quzhou was the weakest of the Nine Provinces and was also coastal.

Of course, it wasn't always coastal. After the Evil Province was destroyed, it became coastal.

It was still far from Zhongzhou.

If he moved fast enough and remained hidden, there shouldn't be any issues.

He was hesitant to set foot on the Xuantian Continent.

Despite most of the top powers in Zhongzhou having secluded themselves, he strongly suspected that if they learned of his arrival, they would spare no effort to rush out of their small worlds and surround him.

Even his Peak Divine Transformation cultivation might not be able to stop them.

Moreover, some of these top powers in Zhongzhou had existences stronger than the Divine Transformation stage.

It was a bit risky. But after hesitating for a long time, he made a decision.

He had to help the Black Dragon retrieve the reverse scale.

The Black Dragon was the Dragon Clan's only hope and their future leader. If the Dragon Clan leader didn't have a reverse scale, it would be a laughingstock. Well, even if not everyone knew, it was still unacceptable!

After a moment of thought, he reached into his pocket and took out a handful of pills after a while. If it was a Nascent Soul cultivator, he would probably need a Nascent Soul Heavenly Dao Cultivation Pill, right? He hesitated. After all, Chen Qiu had only recently broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and was already at the Fifth Level. He didn't seem to lack Nascent Soul Heavenly Dao Cultivation Pills, and these pills obviously couldn't impress Chen Qiu.

"No, no," the middle-aged man shook his head and popped seven or eight Nascent Soul Heavenly Dao Cultivation Pills into his mouth, chewing them like candy. "Nascent Soul Heavenly Dao Cultivation Pills... Your benefactor definitely doesn't need these. What treasure should I offer him?"

The Black Dragon shook his head and hesitated, "The benefactor doesn't need Nascent Soul Heavenly Dao Cultivation Pills. After all, his cultivation speed far surpasses ordinary people. Father, you're not planning to take it back by force, are you?"

"Absolutely not."

The middle-aged man shook his head, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. "Although the Dragon Clan is in decline, its dignity must be respected. The Dragon Clan has never broken its promises."

"Tens of thousands of years ago, the Dragon Clan leader knew that going there meant death, yet he still led the clan into battle."

"All because of a promise?"

"Even if the Dragon Clan faces extinction today, we must maintain our honor. Just like those ninety-eight elder mother dragons on the island who voluntarily sealed their consciousness to extend their lifespans and preserve the Dragon Clan's bloodline."

"Since you've given away that reverse scale, we must follow the Dragon Clan's rules. We must retrieve it, and the benefactor must willingly agree to the exchange."

"The problem is—"

"What does the benefactor like?"

The man and the dragon exchanged glances, both seeing bewilderment in each other's eyes.

". . ."

On Dragon Island, the rugged rocks by the shore were constantly pounded by the surging waves, creating a mist in the air. The sun slowly rose at this moment.

The middle-aged man sat on a rock, his brows furrowed as he stared at the Heavenly Dao Rankings, deep in thought.

Chen Qiu, Heaven's Pride, had single-handedly sunk the Evil Province into the sea. He had killed four Divine Transformation cultivators while only at the Peak Golden Core stage.

Now, he was at the Fifth Level of the Nascent Soul stage.

Wait a minute—

The middle-aged man suddenly realized something.

Was Chen Qiu about to reach the Divine Transformation stage? Did he need materials to create a Divine Transformation Domain?

"Hey!"

The middle-aged man stood up and smiled, turning to look at the Black Dragon, who was still busy on Dragon Island, "I'm going to Quzhou. You haven't taken your true form yet, so don't wander around. Understand?"

"I understand."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end