Chapter 287: "Then I wish you an early ascent to the position of Evil Deity."

Chapter 287: "Then I wish you an early ascent to the position of Evil Deity."

"Millstone?"

Fat Dragon raised his eyebrows slightly, "That doesn't sound like a name for a carefree life."

"Hehe."

The Deceptive Buddha gave a dry laugh and then his expression turned strange, "In my eyes, your name, Fat Dragon, isn't much better. And the name Chen Qiu, who names themselves after a 'prison'?"

"Every race has its own culture, and the way names are given is different. The human race values the inheritance of surnames, and then names are based on these surnames. Some traditional families even incorporate a generational name into their children's names."

"But in the eyes of the demons, this is quite strange."

"Demons don't differentiate between fathers and mothers. Everyone is born as an individual. We are named after the object we are born on. I was born on a millstone, so I'm called Millstone."

"Born on an object?" Fat Dragon nodded thoughtfully, "I think I understand how your demon clan passes down its heritage."

". . ."

The Deceptive Buddha remained silent and did not continue the conversation, clearly unwilling to reveal more about their birthing methods. Instead, he looked at Chen Qiu seriously.

"Chen Qiu, today's conversation has been harmonious. The human race is the largest race in the world, but they have never been truly united. They are more fragmented than the demon clan, and almost every powerful human cultivator holds a certain belief."

"That is, to pacify internal conflicts before dealing with external threats."

"Therefore, in the high-rank immortal world, civil wars among the human race are frequent. Whether the demon clan and the human race will be enemies, friends, or neutral in the future is beyond our control. But I hope that we can maintain a good relationship."

"Hmm."

Chen Qiu nodded slightly and said calmly, "First of all, the character 'qiu' in the human culture does not mean 'prison'. It means 'swimming' and implies being good with water, which is a positive word."

"Okay."

The Deceptive Buddha smiled awkwardly, "It's said that those who are good with the knife will eventually die by the knife, and those who are good with water..."

Before he could finish, he noticed the unfriendly gazes of Fat Dragon and the others. He quickly raised his hands and changed his words, "My mistake, I didn't mean anything by it. It just slipped out."

"Then, farewell for now."

The Deceptive Buddha prepared to leave, seeming a bit flustered. He had originally wanted to show off his understanding of human culture, but now it seemed like the timing wasn't right.

"Wait."

Chen Qiu called out, stopping the Deceptive Buddha. The latter frowned and asked, "You said you were once stronger than a Body Integration cultivator. Why did you come to the First Rank Continent? Did you fall from grace, or is there something special about the Peihong Continent?"

"Special?"

The Deceptive Buddha became angry, crossing his arms and cursing, "It's just a lowly, polluted continent. What's so special about it? Even among all the polluted continents, this one is insignificant. Those so-called three Tier-Skipping Entries that everyone is born with are only useful at lower cultivation levels. When one's cultivation reaches a certain level, these three white entries are useless."

"If I hadn't contracted Immortal Cancer, and my cultivation hadn't plummeted, I wouldn't have come to this backwater First Rank Continent to struggle for survival. I'm here to seek a destiny to cure my Immortal Cancer and prepare for my reincarnation. Who would come to this godforsaken place otherwise?"

"I've given up on curing the Immortal Cancer. Now, I'm just waiting for my reincarnation."

"But after reincarnation, I'll have to start cultivating from scratch."

"It'll be difficult, but I believe that even if I start over, I can climb back to the top."

The Deceptive Buddha's round body and crossed arms made him look quite comical, and his anger seemed more like a joke.

". . ."

Chen Qiu's eyes narrowed slightly. The fact that the Deceptive Buddha had a reincarnation method didn't surprise him too much, as he was once stronger than a Body Integration cultivator in the high-rank immortal world, so it wasn't uncommon for him to know a reincarnation method.

What truly stunned Chen Qiu was that the Deceptive Buddha also had Immortal Cancer.

Was the presence of this Immortal Cancer a bit too strong? He felt like everyone in the high-rank immortal world had this disease.

"What?"

The Deceptive Buddha was surprised by Chen Qiu's reaction, "You've heard of this Heavenly Illness? It's a type of illness that only immortals can contract. How do you know about it?"

"Well, it's understandable that a peerless talent like you would have access to more information."

"Since you know about Immortal Cancer, it's simple. This is a completely random illness with no symptoms. It's a simple illness where your cultivation regresses, and the higher the rank of the continent you're on, the faster your cultivation declines."

"As your cultivation declines, your lifespan limit also decreases. I've lived for many years, and I don't even need to wait for my cultivation to reach the bottom. When it drops to half, I'll die. I've calculated that, unless something unexpected happens, I only have three years left to live."

"It's a bit frustrating. I haven't done many good deeds, but I haven't done any evil either. Why am I so unlucky to have this heavenly illness?"

"This heavenly illness is almost incurable."

"You must obtain the Shadow Emperor Fortune to cure it. A single strand of the Shadow Emperor Fortune requires the synthesis of nine strands of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune, which can only be obtained in the Netherworld. The difficulty of obtaining it is equivalent to acquiring the Celestial Talent's Fortune in the mortal world. Hehe."

"Forget it."

The Deceptive Buddha sighed, his voice filled with sorrow and unwillingness, "Over the years, I've used all my means and resources, and I've asked all the clansmen I'm on good terms with. I've only managed to gather six strands of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune."

"It's unlikely that I'll be able to gather the remaining three strands within three years."

"Oh well, it's fate."

"And..."

"Wait a moment—"

The Deceptive Buddha suddenly realized something, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes as he turned to Chen Qiu, "Chen Qiu, you asked me in the Li Family Ancestral Hall about which continents' Netherworlds are currently collapsing. You asked this?"

A shocking possibility emerged in his mind. Why would Chen Qiu, a Body Integration cultivator from a low-rank continent, know about Immortal Cancer, a heavenly illness that only those in the immortal world would know about?

Why would Chen Qiu search for continents where the Netherworld is collapsing?

Why?

All of this points to one possibility—that Chen Qiu is also seeking the Soul of Shadows' Fortune, and there's a high chance that he possesses the means to enter the Netherworld and obtain the Soul of Shadows' Fortune. Entering the Netherworld is like starting anew.

The Netherworld collapse typically lasts for two to three days.

Within two to three days, it's almost impossible to start from scratch and reach a position to obtain the Soul of Shadows' Fortune. If one doesn't return within this time, they'll be forever trapped in the Netherworld, which is no different from suicide.

It's impossible for ordinary people.

But Chen Qiu, perhaps, can achieve it. After all, among all the Celestial Prodigies he knows, Chen Qiu is the strongest!

The Deceptive Buddha's mouth twitched slightly in mid-air, his eyes filled with longing and anticipation as he looked at Chen Qiu. Perhaps this was the straw that kept him alive.

".

Chen Qiu stood motionless, deep in thought for a long time, before waving his hand to signal Fat Dragon, Bai Jia Jiuzhu, and the others to disperse. He then set up a soundproof barrier and prepared to have a private chat with the Deceptive Buddha.

After everyone had left, he frowned and asked, "You were in the Sixth Rank Immortal Realm, and you were probably in the middle to upper tier. Even someone like you couldn't obtain a strand of the Shadow Emperor's Fortune, right?"

"Hehe."

The Deceptive Buddha's mouth twitched, and he gave a bitter smile. "Chen Qiu, please don't overestimate the Sixth Rank Immortal Realm, and don't underestimate the Shadow Emperor's Fortune. If it were that easy to obtain, there wouldn't be so many well-known strong cultivators who ended up dying so miserably in their later years."

"Do you know who the strongest person in the Sixth Rank Immortal Realm is?"

"It's not the Sky Immortal or the Profound Immortal, but those who suffer from Immortal Cancer. Everyone knows that such people are destined to die, so they always go all out. That's why everyone gives way to them. It's common knowledge that those with Immortal Cancer will die unless they possess the Shadow Emperor's Fortune."

"And to obtain the Shadow Emperor's Fortune, you must enter the Netherworld."

"There are two ways. First, find a Celestial Prodigy with the Soul of Shadows' Fortune in the Netherworld and trade for it, but you must also prepare a method to separate the Soul of Shadows' Fortune beforehand."

"Second, enter the Netherworld during its collapse and complete a certain achievement to obtain the Heavenly Dao Edict, thereby acquiring a strand of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune."

"Currently, the only achievement one can complete in the Netherworld with nothing to their name is to possess 'Trillion Virtue Points.' With this, you'll immediately ascend to the Heavenly Dao Edict and obtain a strand of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune."

"These are the only two methods."

".

Chen Qiu raised his eyebrows slightly, gradually realizing that something seemed amiss. He thought his secret was hidden, but it seemed to have become common knowledge: "Trillion Virtue Points is a high number, but it's still possible to find. If we can find someone with Trillion Virtue Points and have them travel back and forth through the Netherworld, we can obtain multiple strands of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune."

"How is that possible?"

The Deceptive Buddha rolled his eyes. "What is the Soul of Shadows' Fortune? It's the foundation of the Netherworld. In a First Rank Continent, there are only ten strands of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune. How could it allow you to obtain so many at once?"

"If all ten strands of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune were gone, the Netherworld would completely collapse within ten thousand years."

"After that, this continent would no longer have a Netherworld. All those who die on this continent will have no chance to go to the Netherworld and will completely dissipate as wandering souls in the heavens and earth."

"The Heavenly Dao controls it."

"Even if you possess Trillion Virtue Points, you can only enter the Netherworld once and obtain one strand of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune. The second time you try to enter, the Heavenly Dao won't allow it, and you'll have to go to another continent."

"Also, not everyone has the strength to travel to lower-tier continents. Those like me, who have Immortal Cancer and can barely survive in lower-tier continents, have a strong foundation. Many can only wait for death on their own continent."

"As you said."

"To meet the requirements, you must possess Trillion Virtue Points, be able to travel freely to lower-tier continents, and have an extensive intelligence network to find the right lower-tier continent. Only then can you obtain the Soul of Shadows' Fortune, and you'll also need to convince the other party to help you."

"Moreover, each First Rank Continent's Soul of Shadows' Fortune can only be obtained five times. After that, no more will be given."

"Think carefully about the difficulty involved."

The Deceptive Buddha was also a bit dazed. He had roamed the heavens and earth in his lifetime, living freely and imagining that one day he would ascend to the Evil Deity's throne. Yet, he had never imagined that he would meet his end in such a way.

".

Chen Qiu's eyelids drooped slightly, and he remained silent. He finally realized where the problem lay—through Badan and the Deceptive Buddha, he understood that the Shadow Emperor's Fortune was extremely rare, even in the High Rank Immortal Realm.

But...

He felt that it shouldn't be this difficult. All he needed to do was travel back and forth through the Netherworld.

The problem lies here. The Heavenly Dao controls this, and it's not something that can be ignored. However, for some reason, he can obtain it multiple times, disregarding the Heavenly Dao's control.

Could this be the meaning of being free from the control of the Heaven Prison after leaving it?

But if he's free from the Heavenly Dao's control, shouldn't he be able to travel freely through the Heavenly Dao Shackles? Yet, he can't, and he can only break through the Heavenly Dao's control under certain circumstances, and even then, it's without his knowledge.

If that's the case, then the problem is significant.

"Hmm."

Chen Qiu took a deep breath, his mind racing with countless thoughts. He had originally planned to collect a large amount of the Shadow Emperor's Fortune as a bargaining chip for his future in the Immortal Realm. But now, it seems that once this news gets out, he'll instantly become a target.

Secondly,

The people in the Yang Realm of Profound Heaven Continent may not know, only aware that he has been buried by the heavens several times. But those in the Netherworld of Profound Heaven Continent are all too clear that he has been traveling back and forth through the Netherworld. Of course, they don't understand what this means.

However, if cultivators from the High Rank Immortal Realm come to inquire in the Netherworld of Profound Heaven Continent, his secret of being free from the Heavenly Dao's control will be exposed.

The chances of this were indeed slim.

For him, the First Rank Continent might only be limited to these hundred or so, but for the High Rank Immortal World, the First Rank Continent was infinite. Which power would be so idle as to come to Profound Heaven Continent to gather information?

Quickly become stronger.

Once he became strong enough, even if his identity was exposed, he would have nothing to fear.

"Can you transmit people?"

Chen Qiu's expression remained calm as he looked at the Deceptive Buddha and asked in a low voice, "Your Deceptive Buddha has the means to transmit items and information. Can it be used to transmit living people?"

"Yes, it can."

The Deceptive Buddha hesitated for a long time. He had originally planned to conceal this information, but in the end, he decided to be honest. He vaguely felt that Chen Qiu seemed to possess a way to obtain the Soul of Shadows' Fortune, and at this moment, he must demonstrate more of his value to secure a trade.

"Let's make a deal."

Chen Qiu waved his hand and called Liu Zide, who was not far away, "Take my group of brothers and transport them back and forth between these First Rank Continents. Stay in each First Rank Continent for about a month."

"Each time, go to a different First Rank Continent."

"As long as you can do this, I'll help you make up for the three strands of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune that you lack."

He needed Liu Zide to help him become famous, in order to increase his cultivation speed for the "Far-reaching Reputation" skill. His current cultivation speed was already very fast, hundreds of times faster, but he felt it could be even faster.

However, he needed to manually operate it from time to time, which hindered his progress. He couldn't afford to come out halfway through every seclusion.

But with the help of the Deceptive Buddha and others, this process could be fully automated, which would bring him tremendous benefits.

"This..."

The Deceptive Buddha suppressed his inner excitement, feigning hesitation and pondering for a long time before speaking in a hoarse voice, "How long will it last? No more than three hundred years at most."

"Then three hundred years."

Chen Qiu's heart skipped a beat. Three hundred years? Was time measured in centuries for these old monsters? He hadn't lived that long in this life yet. Three hundred years was more than enough, even with some to spare.

"Oh, right."

He suddenly remembered something, "Do you Deceptive Buddhas exist in every continent?"

"Oh, not exactly, but the number in existence is not small either. Among the Demon races, there is an exclusive nature, meaning it's best for only one Demon to be in a continent, which is better for development."

"What about the Heaven-reaching Continent?"

"That continent is an exception. It has too much blood and flesh. Many Deceptive Buddhas who have gone astray go there to enhance their cultivation by consuming blood and flesh."

"I understand."

Chen Qiu nodded, "I'll give you one strand first, and then the remaining two strands a year later. You still have three years of life left, right? You should be able to wait, and you're aware of the difficulty in obtaining this, aren't you?"

"But I don't currently have a way to separate the Soul of Shadows' Fortune. Let's keep in touch, and after I come out of the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm in a few days..."

"No need, no need."

The Deceptive Buddha could no longer contain his excitement. His voice trembled as he carefully took out a small sword from his bosom, "I have it here. Let me introduce you to its effects."

"No need for an introduction."

Chen Qiu shook his head. He had already seen the effects of this treasure through the entry. Otherwise, who would know if this ghostly thing only absorbed the Soul of Shadows' Fortune or if it also sucked away other things? He took the small sword and lightly drew it across his index finger.

As the blood flowed out, he could clearly feel the strand of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune in his dantian flowing along his veins to his finger, where it was absorbed by the small sword. The originally dim and dull small sword instantly became as green as jade, looking extraordinary.

He threw the small jade-green sword into the Deceptive Buddha's bosom and said seriously, "Stay for one more night. I'll inform the people below, and then we can start. Are there any other questions?"

"No more, no more!!!"

At this moment, the Deceptive Buddha was filled with excitement, tightly holding the small sword in his embrace. This was his seventh strand of the Soul of Shadows' Fortune. With just two more strands, he would have enough for a full strand.

Chen Qiu had originally intended to befriend Chen Qiu, hoping to benefit from him in his next life after reincarnation.

He hadn't expected this additional benefit.

Night fell.

The bonfire party began as usual, but this time, it was more than just a celebration. There were many important matters to be discussed. Chen Qiu called Liu Zide and the Dao Sect Master to his side and spoke seriously, "Liu Zide, you heard my conversation with the Deceptive Buddha. You may need to go on a long journey."

"The time may be quite long."

"Five years, ten years, or even a hundred years."

"This journey has only one purpose—to become famous. However, I feel that one team is too slow. Can you split into two teams? You lead one team, and the Dao Sect Master can lead the other."

"That would be more efficient."

"Agreed."

Liu Zide's expression turned solemn, "But if we want to pursue speed, two teams are still not enough. I believe we need at least five teams!"

"Five teams?"

Chen Qiu frowned, "Mock Heaven Sect doesn't have that many capable leaders."

To lead a team, one must first have sufficient strength to command respect in the First Rank Continent and also possess a sharp mind. Otherwise, they wouldn't even know how to become famous, and the effort would be in vain.

"I do."

Liu Zide counted on his fingers, "I can lead one team, but I need to be assigned a Mock Heaven Sect disciple to help me. Otherwise, it might be difficult to maintain control. The Dao Sect Master has the necessary strength and experience from working with me for so long. He can definitely lead a team on his own."

"The Mock Heaven Sect's outer sect elder, Qu Gui, can also lead a team on his own. He has the strength and flexibility of mind required."

"The Heavenly Axe Sect Master can also lead a team. During the Dao Sect Master's absence, he has managed the Dao Sect well, and his strength is sufficient. He can definitely lead a team."

"That makes four teams already."

"For the remaining team, I think the Dragon Clan Leader, Ao Tian, can also lead a team. Perhaps the Sect Master hasn't noticed, but Ao Tian has been feeling a bit sullen lately because he feels useless. There are also some dragon cubs who need training. If the Dragon Clan can have their own team, they have the necessary strength and intelligence. Moreover, it will give them a chance to gain experience."

"And these disciples from the Mock Heaven Sect can also be distributed among different teams to enhance overall strength while also providing sufficient manpower for deployment."

"In addition to that—"

"I think Scholar can also lead his own team. The Second Elder enjoys traveling. Last time on Dragon Island, the Second Elder went off on his own to seek opportunities. That would make it six teams in total."

"Six teams should be enough, I think."

"Hmm."

Chen Qiu nodded thoughtfully, finding the suggestion reasonable. He hadn't expected that the Mock Heaven Sect would have so many available members. He immediately instructed Xiong Gao to gather everyone and announce the matter.

".

Chen Qiu looked at the crowd of revelers with an expressionless face. He had originally planned to do some ideological work, after all, this journey might mean leaving for several decades. Without prior preparation, who knew if they would still be loyal to the Mock Heaven Sect or if they would even be willing to go at all.

But to his surprise, everyone was in high spirits. Even Ao Tian's face showed long-lost excitement as he held up his wine cup and pounded his chest, shouting, "Master, rest assured. Our Dragon Clan will definitely be the most effective team!"

"Nonsense!"

Qu Gui stomped his foot on his chair and roared, "My team, Qu Gui's team, will definitely be the best at gaining fame!"

It was evident.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying this mission, eager to venture out and experience the trials and adventures of the cultivation path. Although the Mock Heaven Sect was not lacking in resources and was quite safe, it still lacked the hardships and wonders of the cultivation journey.

Since everyone wanted to go out and explore, there was no need for further ideological work.

Chen Qiu waved his hand.

He instructed Liu Zide and the Dao Sect Master to immediately teach their experiences to the others.

The next morning, all six teams had assembled.

The night before, each of the six captains had already named their teams.

The first team, led by Liu Zide, was called the "Loyalty Team." They walked up to Chen Qiu with solemn expressions and saluted before heading towards the Deceptive Buddha. With a wave of the Deceptive Buddha's sleeve, the entire team vanished from their original spot.

Next in line were—

Qu Gui's team, the "Jie Jie Jie" team.

Ao Tian's team, the "Heavens and Earth" team.

The Dao Sect Master's team, the "Faithful Xiu" team.

The Heavenly Axe Sect Master's team, the "Solo Love" team.

One by one, they bid farewell to Chen Qiu and then approached the Deceptive Buddha, disappearing from their original spots.

".

Chen Qiu looked at the last team to disappear and scanned the surroundings, letting out a soft sigh. The Mock Heaven Sect had always been bustling, and suddenly, it felt a bit empty with only a few scattered individuals left. All the disciples of the Mock Heaven Sect had been dispatched.

Even the disciples' maids had been taken along.

This left the Mock Heaven Sect with only a handful of people, including Fat Dragon, Xiong Gao, his maid, and Xing Dou, the logistics personnel.

To be honest, Chen Qiu felt a bit reluctant to let them go.

Before their departure, he gave each captain a telepathic bracelet. These bracelets could facilitate communication across rank continents and were naturally quite valuable, beyond his means.

Even the Bai Family Patriarch didn't have one; he relied on incense instead of permanent telepathic bracelets.

Chen Qiu had obtained it from the Deceptive Buddha.

The Deceptive Buddha had been quite generous, and it was evident that even a skinny camel was bigger than a horse. The Deceptive Buddha indeed had some hidden strengths.

Unconsciously, Chen Qiu glanced at the Deceptive Buddha, and their eyes met. They both saw the relief in each other's eyes, clearly satisfied with the transaction that had resolved a long-standing issue for both parties.

"Chen Qiu."

The Deceptive Buddha walked up to Chen Qiu's side and took a deep breath before speaking earnestly, "Now it's really time to say goodbye. I'll be waiting for your good news. Rest assured, when the remaining two strands of Soul of Shadows' Fortune arrive, there will be a great reward!"

"You can trust me with your team. I've already informed the other clansmen. If your people encounter danger, they will help within their abilities."

"Hmm."

Chen Qiu smiled at the Deceptive Buddha, "Then I wish you an early ascent to the position of Evil Deity."

"I'll take your blessing and wish you an early ascension to the Immortal Realm as well."

After the Deceptive Buddha left, the Bai Family Patriarch could no longer contain himself. He anxiously approached Chen Qiu and whispered, "That, Master Chen, I was the one who found you first. My daughter—"

"Rest assured."

Chen Qiu patted the Bai Family Patriarch's shoulder and smiled, "I'll prioritize your supply. After all, we've known each other the longest, and our bond is the deepest, right? Your daughter is like my niece; we're family. How could I not care?"

"That's good then."

After receiving Chen Qiu's promise, the Bai Family Patriarch finally relaxed. He had wanted to say these things earlier, but it was difficult with the Deceptive Buddha around. Then, he remembered something else, and his brows furrowed in hesitation, "Master Chen, that Deceptive Buddha just said that 'Immortal Cancer' is a Celestial Illness that only Immortals can contract? What about my daughter...?"

"Hmm."

Chen Qiu nodded and spoke softly, "That's why I wanted you to prepare yourself mentally. The reason I didn't bring this up earlier was that I was worried about your daughter's special situation and the potential danger of it being exposed, which might bring harm to her."

"I believe your daughter might be the reincarnation of an Immortal."

"Or someone maliciously infected her with 'Immortal Cancer,' but this kind of thing seems impossible to control artificially."

"Think carefully about any special traits your daughter might have."

"Special traits..." The Bai Family Patriarch seemed a bit uneasy as he pondered for a while before saying uncertainly, "She was born to a Fairy. Does that count as a special trait?"

"A Fairy?"

Fat Dragon's eyes flashed with curiosity, "Here, does 'Fairy' refer to a descriptive term or a real Fairy?"

"A real Fairy."

The Bai Family Patriarch took a deep breath and continued, no longer hiding the truth, "That was my greatest opportunity. After my first night with the Fairy, I obtained a powerful red entry. This story is quite long..."

PS: Typos will be corrected later.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end