256: Return and fulfill the promise

"Xue Hai! Since you have advanced to True Immortal, it is no longer appropriate for you to personally intervene in the disputes of the Middle Thousand Realm Domain. This time, Dao Yi Realm broke the rules first, so you don't need to mind. However... we are still under the dominion of the Immortal-Demon Realm, so our actions should not be too extreme!" Xue Qin gazed at Xiao Zhuo, her clear, cold voice echoing in the Void Realm.

The Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm, twin worlds, with the front being Immortal and the back being Demon, are in fact part of a single, complete Great Thousand World.

The Immortal and Demonic paths have always been at odds, like fire and water.

Xiao Zhuo already knew that the surrounding territory, spanning nearly ten thousand light-years, was all under the authority of the Immortal-Demon Realm.

He naturally understood the unwritten rules.

Hearing this, Xiao Zhuo nodded slightly: "Palace Master is wise. Now that this Disciple has made a Breakthrough, I ask the Palace Master to guide my path forward."

A rare, faint smile appeared on Xue Qin's cold face: "You little rascal, you're quite astute!"

She sighed softly, her tone carrying a hint of complexity, "This Palace originally thought I would step into True Immortal earlier than you Saints, but I didn't expect you to seize the opportunity first."

She paused, then continued: "You may return to Mingchang Hall on your own. My Blood Demon Realm has already assimilated three portions of boundary realm Origin, which even a True Immortal body can bear. First, stabilize your Realm within it; once your Cultivation is solidified, Old Ancestor will arrange your future."

Xiao Zhuo understood, cupping his fists and solemnly saying: "Thank you, Palace Master, for your guidance."

"This is a Star Compass, containing the boundary realm star map explored by my Blood Demon Realm." Xue Qin casually tossed out a palm-sized, paint black disc.

Xiao Zhuo took it, and with a sweep of his Divine Sense, the vast star map and its usage became clear in his mind.

Xue Qin said no more, lightly tapping her toe in the Void Realm, her figure transformed into a blood-red stream of light, heading directly towards the Dao Yi Realm.

In this battle, the Cultivators of Dao Yi Realm were almost annihilated, and their leader, True Man Tian Xing, escaped with severe injuries, protected by his remaining followers, retreating back into the Dao Yi Realm.

Next, it naturally required her, the Palace Master, to personally oversee the situation and secure the spoils of war.

Gazing in the direction where Xue Qin disappeared, Xiao Zhuo exhaled softly.

With a casual slash of the black blade in his hand, he easily tore open a deep, dark crack.

He stepped into it, his figure instantly swallowed by the spatial turbulence.

Within the boundary realm sea, Space Law is as vast as the ocean.

Now that his Universe Extreme Divine Body had advanced to True Immortal, his Middle Thousand Perfection Space Law also ascended, comprehending one-tenth of the true meaning of Great Thousand Law.

Traveling through the boundary realm sea, tearing space to construct passages, was already a trivial matter.

Immortal Realm Cultivators are different from Middle Thousand and Small Thousand levels; once they step into True Immortal, they can directly comprehend Great Thousand Law.

Above Golden Immortal, one even touches the Origin of the Dao, truly deserving the title of a deity.

With his Cultivation at the Early Stage of True Immortal and the guidance of the Star Compass, Xiao Zhuo's speed was far beyond what it was when he was a Quasi-Immortal.

In just two days, he had traversed the vast boundary realm sea and returned to the Blood Demon Realm.

He first went to the Blood God Hall's underground palace to pay his respects to Old Ancestor Blood Heaven.

However, Blood Heaven was fully engaged in refining the Origin of Minghu Realm, and only a majestic Divine Thought was transmitted from behind the secret chamber, instructing him to stabilize his Cultivation as soon as possible, and said nothing more.

Xiao Zhuo's current status was comparable to Xue Qin's, granting him the privilege of an audience with the Old Ancestor at any time.

Since the Old Ancestor had given his command, he naturally had no objections.

Returning to Mingchang Hall, Dark Thirteen, Yuan Tian, and White Phoenix, who were stationed there, immediately came to pay their respects.

Xiao Zhuo casually bestowed a large amount of spoils of war obtained from Minghu Realm and Dao Yi Realm—mountains of spiritual materials, Medicinal Pills, and Magic Treasures—then he entered his Cultivation chamber to go into seclusion alone.

These Middle Thousand level Cultivation resources held little significance for him.

With his panel of Attribute Points, the speed of his Cultivation advancement far surpassed reliance on external objects.

Dark Thirteen had already reached the threshold of Mahayana, and Yuan Tian and White Phoenix, under his unreserved infusion of resources, were forcibly pushed to the Late Tribulation Crossing Stage.

For matters within the Hall, Xiao Zhuo trusted these three confidants more, especially the adaptable White Phoenix, who had long since sidelined the original steward, Zhang Zhao.

Despite Zhang Zhao's myriad resentments, he could only sigh in resignation when faced with White Phoenix, who controlled the distribution of resources and enjoyed the Saint's deep trust.

Inside the Cultivation chamber, Xiao Zhuo calmed his mind and began to sort through the vast insights into the Immortal Dao he had gained upon breaking through to True Immortal, independently deducing the subsequent Heaven-Grade chapters of his various Divine Abilities.

He wasn't trying to completely replace the System's deductions, but rather to explore first, and then refine them after the panel had deduced the exclusive Cultivation Technique for the Dao Principle of Freedom, thereby saving valuable deduction time.

On the seventeenth day of Xiao Zhuo's seclusion, Blood Heaven finally succeeded in refining the Origin of Minghu Realm!

In an instant, the entire Blood Demon Realm trembled violently, myriad Laws manifested and resonated, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi concentration surged dramatically.

In some top-tier blessed lands and grotto-heavens, even wisps of Immortal Qi began to gather, subtly showing signs of condensing into nascent Immortal Veins.

On the same day, Blood Heaven had people deliver a large number of precious classics from the Immortal-Demon Realm, covering various fields such as Immortal Arts, Demonic Techniques, Formations, and Alchemy, for Xiao Zhuo to study and learn from.

Xiao Zhuo was delighted.

Blood Heaven's intention was clear: knowing that he had condensed a Dao Principle, he didn't want him to be confined to the paths of predecessors, but rather to broaden his horizons, draw on the strengths of many, and create his own Cultivation Technique!

Xiao Zhuo genuinely felt this intention of nurturing and promoting him.

Besides Xuan Lun, Blood Heaven was the second person to help him in such a way.

Thinking of Xuan Lun, he couldn't help but recall his promise to Void Soul of the Sacred Soul Sect: to find a Legacy for the Sacred Soul Scripture, continue its Dao lineage, and inform future generations of the Sect's past.

This matter was now as easy as turning his hand for him.

With his current status in the Blood Palace, even if he openly admitted to having received the Legacy of the Sacred Soul Sect, Blood Heaven would likely just smile and let him handle it as he pleased.

But a promise made must be kept.

He immediately ordered Yuan Tian to go to the outside world and find a young boy with exceptional Soul Dao talent and a clean background, whom he intended to take as his Personal Disciple.

The candidate must not be sought within the Blood Palace.

Yuan Tian accepted the order and departed.

Xiao Zhuo, meanwhile, composed his mind and once again immersed himself in the vast ocean of knowledge.

Although Yuan Tian was a Late Tribulation Crossing Stage demon king, with a rugged, iron-tower-like appearance, he was actually meticulous and highly skilled at assessing situations.

Upon receiving Xiao Zhuo's command, he tucked away the True Explanation of Soul Refining Jade Slip used to test Soul Dao Aptitude, left the Blood Palace directly, and headed straight for his old home, Beilu Prefecture.

Of course, he wasn't going back to the Boundless Green Sea, but rather intended to poach from the Soul Refining Sect.

Throughout the entire Blood Demon Realm, if one were to speak of a place where Soul Dao Geniuses gathered, it would undoubtedly be the sphere of influence of the Soul Refining Sect in Beilu Prefecture.

Countless youths with Soul Dao talent, if they couldn't ascend directly into the Blood Palace, would naturally choose the Soul Refining Sect, which had a relatively lower threshold and a profound Legacy.

Three days later, in Qinglan City, Beilu Prefecture.

This large city, adjacent to the Soul Refining Sect, was one of its important strongholds for recruiting Disciples.

In the city's largest Drunken Immortal Tower, at a window-side elegant seat, Yuan Tian's massive, over two-meter tall figure, after transforming, made the exquisite tables and chairs appear particularly tiny.

In front of him, the table was a mess of empty plates.

At this moment, he was devouring the last golden-crisp, Spiritual Qi-infused Red Feather Spirit Pheasant, eating with greasy lips, bright oil stains clinging to his thick, bushy beard.

"Hiccup—" A satisfied, thunderous burp echoed, causing neighboring diners to glance over, but then, deterred by the faint, unsettling aura emanating from him, they hastily averted their gazes.

"Tsk, this craftsmanship is superb!" Yuan Tian smacked his lips, licking his fingers with lingering satisfaction.

He had been in Qinglan City for three days, scouting for someone, not only for the mission but also because an irresistible aroma had stirred his gluttony upon entering the city.

Following the scent, he found this Drunken Immortal Tower, and it did not disappoint him.

The skill of the spiritual chef here far surpassed that of the monkey descendants in his Green Sea who only knew how to roast meat, and was even a cut above the spiritual chefs in the Blood Palace.

Just as he was contemplating whether to order another one, a somewhat nervous figure approached the table.

The newcomer was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, wearing faded brocade clothes, with a slender build.

He carried a tray, his voice clear and bright, with a hint of cautious flattery: "This... Senior, this is our shop's newly developed 'Nine Fragrance Dew Broth'. The head chef said... said that seeing Senior is a connoisseur, he specially asked me to bring it for you to sample, no Spirit Stone required."

He gently placed the tray down; inside was a bowl of clear, translucent soup, emitting a unique, complex, subtle fragrance, with Spiritual Qi contained within, clearly made with extraordinary ingredients.

Yuan Tian's bell-like eyes immediately lit up, his nostrils flared, and his spirits lifted significantly.

He gave the youth a quick once-over: a delicate face, clean eyes, but with an unresolved melancholy clouding his brow.

Even more peculiar, in this city with decent Spiritual Qi, the youth's aura was pitifully weak, not even having crossed the threshold of the Mortal Transformation Realm, which was truly rare.

"Oh? Free?" Yuan Tian grinned, revealing his white teeth, and without ceremony, picked up the bowl and took a big gulp.

The warm, delicious soup slid down his throat, instantly transforming into a warm current that dispersed through his limbs and bones. A peculiar, refreshing herbal Qi even penetrated his Divine Soul, invigorating his spirit and dispelling some of the fatigue from days of travel.

"Good! What a good taste!" Yuan Tian praised, a glint in his eyes, "Did this soup add tender shoots of Soul Calming Grass for refreshment? And the caps of Hundred Flavor Mushrooms for added freshness? The heat control is excellent! The Spiritual Qi is locked in, the aroma is brought out, and it's neither overpowering nor dry! Your head chef is a remarkable person!"

Upon hearing Yuan Tian instantly identify several core auxiliary ingredients, the youth's eyes immediately brightened, and the melancholy on his brow dissipated considerably, revealing a sincere smile: "Senior has an amazing palate! Exactly! The head chef is my third granduncle; he said the hardest part of this 'Nine Fragrance Dew Broth' is balancing the characteristics of these spiritual ingredients, so they complement each other without overshadowing one another. For Senior to hit the mark with one word, you are truly an expert!"

"Hehe, Old Yuan, I've traveled far and wide, what delicious food haven't I tasted? But your third granduncle truly has some skill." Yuan Tian was in a good mood, looking at the agreeable and knowledgeable youth before him, he casually asked: "Boy, what's your name? Working odd jobs in this tavern? From your appearance, you don't seem like you can handle heavy labor."

The youth's smile dimmed slightly, and he said in a low voice: "Replying to Senior, my name is Cao Xiaochuan. I'm not doing odd jobs... This 'Drunken Immortal Tower' was originally my Cao family's business. I... I have dull Aptitude, no hope of Cultivating, so I enjoy dabbling in things on the stove. I help out here with my third granduncle and learn some skills."