CHAPTER 886: CHAPTER 609: MIDDLE GRADE DIVINE SKILL

"Cough, cough, Divine Skills backlash... Luckily those two ran, otherwise I’d have to burn my bloodline."

He drew back the blood he had spat out, then looked out to the distant Ruins Sea, rapidly departing.

Soon after, a figure arrived.

The second clone of Blood Demon Grandmother.

She stared downward.

The great vortex was swallowing all.

Demon Monsters, Meat Forest, heaven and earth...

The Kun Gu Realm was wiped out.

"Someone took away the Heart of the World, utterly destroying the Kun Gu Realm—truly ruthless..."

Blood Demon Grandmother’s Demon Energy soared into the sky.

The will of the Stars, although it would assimilate the world, did not mean destruction, only a change in rules.

"There were aftershocks of a great battle within the Ruins Sea. So Heavenly Gu really did hide something. This kind of Nine-Colored Power—clearly means Lu Chenzhou from Tianxia was here. Yet Heavenly Gu didn’t report to Mother Worryless. Could it be he’s in league with Tianxia? Or is there more to it?"

"堂堂" Middle Stage Eighth Realm, even a True Spirit Descendant, wielding Seventh Rank Dao, considered amongst the top combat powers of the open Great Universe, over half a year failed to take down a mere Seventh Realm junior—too suspicious."

...

Eye of Truth.

The gods analyzed the intelligence sent by Blood Demon.

"Heavenly Gu does indeed have a different agenda."

"I’ve always said, these natives simply cannot be heavily relied upon! We should have killed them all back then. Now that we’re restricted, these natives we set aside as backup are each scheming to escape our control."

"Mid Eighth Realm and can’t take a Seventh Realm? Is that possible? Must have gone easy on him!"

"Even if he’s the Heart Emperor reborn, it wouldn’t be this hard to deal with. Heart Emperor was just a speck back then."

"Not even Divine."

The gods all spoke their minds at once.

But Mother Worryless said: "Traces of Lu Chenzhou’s unique Nine-Colored Power were also found at the scene. Is it possible the Heart Emperor’s reincarnation is Lu Chenzhou?"

The gods fell into contemplation.

Suddenly, enlightenment dawned upon them.

"No wonder this human is so difficult—turns out he’s Heart Emperor reborn. That does explain things."

"Indeed, Heart Emperor might not be Divine, but he did slay some weak gods in the past."

The gods began to make excuses.

Completely different in attitude from before.

At this moment the Witch propped His chin in thought.

He didn’t care whether Lu Chenzhou was Heart Emperor reincarnate. He was only worried that, if Lu Chenzhou could survive an ambush from Heavenly Gu Daoist—such a Middle Stage Eighth Realm expert—then his true strength might already be infinitely close to Eighth Realm itself. As for those idiots of the Divine Alliance, could they really bring any real trouble to Tianxia?

Both were geniuses of their realms—yet his controlled pawn, Fang Bifan, was still complacent over breaking through to Sixth Realm, and even that only happened with the Divine Race’s support.

...

A nameless world.

Endless ocean, a lone island.

Sword light tore open the heavens, and two figures fell like meteors, smashing the island to powder.

Lu Chenzhou stood up.

"Truly worthy of the Cosmic Light Sword."

Such a Space Treasure, in a flash, carried him and Yaochi Immortal across dozens of worlds.

"I’m done in." Yaochi Immortal was utterly bloodless—her Spirit squeezed dry by the Cosmic Light Sword.

"It’s still not safe here. Let’s find another place to rest for a while and recover."

"Where?"

"Mountain and Sea Tower."

...

Mountain and Sea Tower.

Lu Chenzhou traded the two clones of Blood Demon Grandmother, and the Demon Venerable corpse he’d kept hidden, for 40 pieces of High Grade Primordial Stone. Then he sorted out the loot he’d gotten from the Demon Venerable. The useful he kept; the rest he simply sold off in a street stall.

In the end, his net worth reached 121 High Grade Primordial Stones.

He went to the Treasure Pavilion and spent 60 stones to buy 6 drops of Heavenly Immortal Dew, and gave Yaochi Immortal one drop.

"Thank you, I won’t be polite."

Yaochi Immortal snorted softly, took the bottle and gulped down a drop on the spot. The effect of Heavenly Immortal Dew is ten thousand times that of Earth Immortal Dew—one drop’s enough to pull a Seventh Realm back from the brink or heal even heavy injuries of the Eighth Realm.

It even has some effect on a Great Power.

Inside Mountain and Sea Tower, absolute safety reigned.

The duo found a secluded spot.

"Thank you."

Lu Chenzhou looked at Yaochi Immortal.

"You really pissed me off."

Yaochi Immortal muttered.

After a while, she calmed down and said, "You brat, bet you didn’t expect it—this is the real me. I’m not that typical senior sage type like President Wan."

"That was my oversight."

They fell silent for a long time.

Suddenly, Yaochi Immortal sighed:

"Actually, I wasn’t always like this. You know, the Everlasting Youth and Longevity Technique has huge side effects... It gives me double your Lifespan, tremendous Constitution, and Healing power, but every time I have a Breakthrough, my physiological and psychological age both regress, so my temperament grows more childish as well."

"I see."

Yaochi Immortal suddenly remembered something.

"Right, we have to tell the Priest not to go to Kun Gu, or he’ll fall into the enemy’s trap."

Lu Chenzhou hurried to contact the Priest.

Soon after.

The Priest, Eternal Immortal, and Emperor Shitian all arrived from their respective worlds, gathering at Mountain and Sea Tower.

"Congratulations on breaking through to the Eighth."

Lu Chenzhou cupped his hands in thanks.

Though his escape was owed to Yaochi Immortal, the Priest had rushed through billions of miles for him, and he was truly moved.

The Priest sensed Lu Chenzhou’s aura.

"Before I went into seclusion, you hadn’t even reached Grandmaster. When I woke up, you’re almost catching up to me already..."

Emperor Shitian laughed:

"After I broke out of seclusion and heard the Land Army Master of Seventh Realm news, I thought I’d been cloistered for centuries."

To this, Eternal Immortal said,

"You’ll get used to it. Since our Military Leader is already safe, why don’t you all stay at Mountain and Sea Tower for a bit to recuperate, then head off to Mystic Sky together."

Lu Chenzhou nodded.

The Priest said:

"By the way, who ambushed you?"

"A True Spirit Descendant, apparently a Gu Diao-human hybrid, Middle Stage Eighth Realm with a Seventh Rank Dao. The two of us considered safety first and retreated."

Yaochi Immortal replied.

Eternal Immortal nodded:

"That’s the right move. Beyond early Eighth Realm, it usually takes four at Eighth Realm Early Stage to reliably withstand a Middle Stage Eighth. Against such enemies before your own Eighth advancement, avoidance is best. With the Military Leader’s pace, overtaking him is just a matter of time—revenge need not be rushed."

Emperor Shitian added:

"Thank goodness it wasn’t someone like Black Boat Ancestor, that kind of Demon Dao giant, or you’d both be in severe danger."

Black Boat is already nearing Late Stage, wields an Eighth Rank Dao, and his power is in the top five of the Great Universe.

After a brief gathering in Mountain and Sea Tower, everyone parted ways.

Lu Chenzhou and Yaochi Immortal arrived at a towering, majestic giant mountain, thick with Creation Primordial Qi.

Within Mountain and Sea Tower, there were also caves—Divided into High, Middle, and Low Grade. Even the lowest grade cave cost a High Grade Primordial Stone per year, but its Qi density rivaled the Primordial Mountain Cave Heaven Dojo.

Those willing to stay here were either late-stage Seventh Realm, peak experts, or Eighth Realm.

The top-level High Grade cave, there was only one, the former Mountain and Sea Tower Master’s seclusion spot—also open to outsiders, but costing 100 High Grade Primordial Stones a year. Its Qi was a hundredfold that of the Low Grade caves, but for Seventh Realm, not quite cost-effective.

Lu Chenzhou couldn’t absorb that much.

"Fairy, once I’ve deduced my Cultivation Technique to Eighth Rank, we’ll leave for Mystic Sky," he said.

Yaochi Immortal nodded. "Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the job. Having only Dao Level, without matching Cultivation Technique and Divine Skills, won’t help you much."

Lu Chenzhou rented a room for himself and Yaochi Immortal, each for a year. The kindness of Yaochi Immortal’s rescue was like the sun in the sky—he could never repay it.

"Eh? Little sister."

A graceful, mature lady in a blue Great Cloak approached Yaochi Immortal, her steps like lotus petals, with an aura as deep as an abyss and as towering as a mountain—surpassing even Eternal Immortal.

At least Middle Stage Eighth Realm.

Lu Chenzhou’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Yaochi Immortal beamed. "Long time no see—Chenzhou, this is the Phoenix Clan leader I told you about. Just call her Sis Phoenix."

"Greetings, Senior Phoenix."

Lu Chenzhou knew that Yaochi Immortal’s Divine Phoenix Immortal Armor had been a gift from this senior.

Truly wealthy!

Spirit Phoenix Dominator smiled faintly, studying Lu Chenzhou closely, as if seeing through his whole being, making him stiff and bewildered where he stood.

"Promising youth. Lu Chenzhou, your cultivation has not even reached a hundred years yet, has it?" she asked.

"Our Military Leader is only ninety."

Yaochi Immortal teased.

"Hiss—" A breath of shock escaped Spirit Phoenix Dominator’s heart. Ninety years old and already with peak Seventh Realm aura? Doesn’t that mean Eighth Realm is within reach within a century?

Her gaze at Lu Chenzhou was as if she faced an immense terror, her chest rising and falling.

She suddenly laughed: "Some old monsters outside say Martial Arts drains one’s potential, but I say—if you can progress like this, even if you only live three hundred years, to glimpse scenery beyond Nine Realms—isn’t it worth it? I have high hopes for the Land Army Master." She patted Lu Chenzhou’s shoulder, chatted with Yaochi Immortal as if sisters, and gracefully departed.

Yaochi Immortal turned back and said:

"Call me when you finish your seclusion."

"Alright."

Lu Chenzhou returned to his cave.

He reviewed his battle with Heavenly Gu Daoist: "Heart Realm training is vital. With a High Miao mind, one need not fear any illusion attack beneath Great Power."

He looked to the Martial Arts Tree.

"With my current power, Early Stage Eighth Realm should be no problem, and Middle Stage Eighth Realm—most possess a Seventh Rank Dao, but I ought to be able to handle a few exchanges."

Sixth Rank Dao is the qualitative leap.

"I’m about to head to Mystic Sky to battle, but that Daoist might attack again anytime—his illusion attacks are tricky. To be safe, I’ll upgrade Great Dream Dao to Sixth Rank first." With his plan made, Lu Chenzhou wasted no time, taking out his last two Void Steles to continue comprehending Great Dream Dao.

[Great Dream: Fifth Rank (78%) → Fifth Rank (93%)]

[Great Dream: Fifth Rank (93%) → Fifth Rank (99%)]

With the final progress, Lu Chenzhou didn’t waste any more Void Ancient Tablets, but instead spent several months to break through to Sixth Rank in one go. With one thought, countless butterflies filled his cave.

His eyes glittered, and in the void he wielded his pen, using heaven and earth as his scroll, comprehending each and every Great Dream Daoist Text, applying it to the Lantuo Heart Sutra.

In cultivation, days lose their meaning.

During Lu Chenzhou’s closed-door cultivation, Yaochi Immortal was not idle. She exchanged for many Void Steles to comprehend Dao within her cave, but, restless, would often chat and discuss Dao with Spirit Phoenix Dominator when not training.

In a flash, a year went by.

That day, Lu Chenzhou opened his door.

Yaochi Immortal had been waiting outside for a long time.

"What’s the Military Leader’s plan?"

"Let’s go. I’ve developed a Middle Grade Divine Skill. If I meet that Daoist again, I’ll take him on." Lu Chenzhou’s gaze was frosty.

"Middle Grade?" Yaochi Immortal’s eyes flickered. "That means—you created an Eighth Rank Technique yourself?"

Lu Chenzhou nodded.

"..."

Yaochi Immortal had mixed feelings.

Up till now, Da Xia had only four who created Eighth Rank Techniques—all Eighth Realm big shots. Lu Chenzhou was the fifth... Hui Kong, Xuanwu, and herself—Yaochi Immortal—were all overtaken by this brat.