160: The dragon emerges from the shallows, its might shaking the spirit realm!

Clue after clue rapidly connected in Zhao De's mind!

A suspicion that made his scalp tingle and the hair on his body stand on end surged wildly into his heart!

Could it be... could it be... "Boom!"

Zhao De felt his head buzz as it went completely blank!

He abruptly raised his head and stared fixedly at Chen Xu, his cloudy eyes filled with an indescribable horror!

His lips quivered, and his voice trembled.

"City... City Lord... You... your group, could it be... could you be that group of... Lower Realm Cultivators who escaped from the Tianyu Holy Land's mine?"

As soon as this question was asked, the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze in an instant.

Bu Yifan, who was playing with the child nearby, paused slightly in her movements.

The hand Chen Xu used to hold his teacup also stopped in mid-air.

He slowly raised his eyelids, his deep gaze falling upon Zhao De's shock-filled face, and he gave a soft smile.

He did not deny it, nor did he explain.

He simply nodded gently: "That is correct."

"It is us."

A few simple words.

Yet they were like immortal thunder, striking Zhao De's crown with immense force!

He felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his mind left with nothing but a crashing wave of shock!

It was true!

It was actually true!

He had guessed correctly!

The group of people before him was actually that group of peerless, ruthless individuals who dared to provoke the Tianyu Holy Land and fought their way out of the Holy Land's mine!

Heavens!

Zhao De felt like he was about to go numb!

He had thought that even if that group managed to escape by luck, they would surely be like stray dogs now, hiding in the barbaric wilds and struggling to survive.

But he never imagined in his wildest dreams!

Instead of hiding, they had grandly established a majestic city right under the nose of the Tianyu Holy Land, in this very zone of death!

This was simply too Heaven-Defying!

Then these people?

Just how powerful must they be!

No wonder! No wonder this city was so extraordinary!

No wonder the Spiritual Qi here was so dense!

No wonder this young City Lord possessed an Imperial Pressure that even made his heart palpitate!

These people were not some ordinary Lower Realm Cultivators at all!

They were a group of hidden dragons!

A group of fierce dragons crossing the river!

And his Zhao Family, in their desperation, had actually stumbled right into the nest of these fierce dragons!

For a moment, waves of shock crashed through Zhao De's heart; he could no longer tell if this was a blessing or a curse.

He only knew that from this moment on, his Family's fate had completely spiraled out of his control.

Looking at Zhao De's face, which was filled with shock, fear, and even a hint of despair.

Chen Xu smiled gently once more.

He picked up his teacup, gently blew on the steam, took a sip, and said, "Old Zhao, there is no need to be nervous."

"Although the Tianyu Holy Land is powerful, their reach is not that long; they cannot extend into the depths of the Beiming Wilderness."

Zhao De's body jolted, and he suddenly snapped back to his senses.

He took a deep breath, forcing down the turmoil in his heart.

A smile that looked more like a grimace squeezed onto his face.

"The... the City Lord is absolutely right."

He echoed in a dry voice, "The Beiming Wilderness are exceptionally dangerous; even Void Refining experts do not dare to venture deep easily. The Tianyu Holy Land... is indeed beyond its reach here."

Despite saying this, an even greater wave rose in his heart.

Not afraid of the Tianyu Holy Land?

That was easy to say!

But in this world, how many people truly dared to disregard a Holy Land?

This young City Lord before him had not only done so but had also led a group of clansmen to survive the Holy Land's pursuit, and they were even living more comfortably than anyone else!

This level of courage and strength had exceeded the limits of Zhao De's imagination.

"It is good that you understand."

Chen Xu nodded and set down his teacup.

The atmosphere in the hall seemed to relax slightly.

However, just as Zhao De breathed a slight sigh of relief, Chen Xu's tone shifted as he spoke again, this time with an unquestionable authority.

"However..."

"Although my Chen Family can provide you with shelter, I must state the unpleasant terms first."

"You are, after all, not members of my Chen Family. And now, you know our greatest secret."

Chen Xu's voice suddenly turned cold, and an invisible pressure instantly enveloped the entire hall.

Zhao De's heart, which had just settled, leaped back into his throat!

He felt his Divine Soul trembling slightly under this pressure.

"Therefore, to be safe, I must place a Restriction within your Divine Soul and the Divine Souls of all your clansmen!"

A Restriction!

These two words caused Zhao De's expression to change slightly.

As a Cultivator, he naturally understood what a Divine Soul Restriction meant.

It meant that from now on, the lives and deaths of everyone in the Zhao Family.

Would be subject to a single thought from the City Lord before him!

He could let you live, or he could cause your Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering in an instant!

This... this was to turn their Zhao Family completely into slaves!

A strong sense of humiliation and resentment welled up in Zhao De's heart.

His Zhao Family had a Legacy of eight thousand years and was a well-known Artifact Refining Family in Zhenyuan City; when had they ever been treated like this?

But when he raised his head and met Chen Xu's eyes.

All the resentment and anger in his heart were instantly extinguished, as if doused by a bucket of ice water.

Did they even have a choice?

No.

If they disagreed, they would die now.

If they agreed, at least they could survive.

Of the hundred or so lives of the Zhao Family that fled into the wilds, only these dozen or so remained; each was a spark of the Family's future.

He could not let the entire Zhao Family's Legacy be completely severed because of his momentary pride.

Reality was just that cruel.

After a long time, Zhao De finally nodded with difficulty: "This old man... understands."

"Everyone in my Zhao Family... is willing to be at the City Lord's disposal."

"Very good."

Chen Xu was not at all surprised by his reaction; he could even guess what Zhao De was thinking at this moment.

Nothing more than humiliation, resentment, and a compromise for the sake of the whole.

But he didn't care.

The other party had yet to see the Chen Family's true foundation.

Restrictions were only a means, not the end.

Once they entered the Ten Thousand Paths Heaven-reaching Tower and experienced the hundred-fold clearer Laws and the terrifying flow of time.

Once they knew of the Reincarnation Hall's existence and understood what "immortality" meant.

Once they enjoyed the benefits brought by the Earth Vein Spirit Milk and endless Immortal Jade... at that time, forget about driving them away, even if he invited them with a grand carriage, they wouldn't be willing to leave the Chen Family by half a step!

What he, Chen Xu, wanted was not a group of resentful slaves, but a group of true Family members who were loyal to him and the entire Chen Family, willing to shed their blood for the Family!

Thinking of this, Chen Xu wasted no more words.

He flicked his finger.

A streak of purple-gold light instantly shot from his fingertip and entered Zhao De's forehead.

Zhao De only felt his Divine Soul's Sea of Consciousness shake violently.

As if an indelible mark had been branded upon it.

A cold and majestic aura.

Instantly connected with his true spirit.

He could clearly feel that with just a single thought from Chen Xu, this mark would instantly erupt and tear his Divine Soul into fragments.

He did not resist, nor did he dare to.

Having done all this, the majesty on Chen Xu's face instantly vanished.

It was as if the overlord who held the power of life and death just now was merely an illusion.

He leaned back against the chair again and spoke in a casual tone: "Alright, the matter of the Restriction is settled. Now, let's talk business."

"I need your Zhao Family to help me craft something."

Zhao De, who had just experienced having his Divine Soul controlled, felt his heart tighten and hurriedly bowed: "Please give your orders, City Lord. As long as my Zhao Family can do it, we will not hesitate even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!"

"I want a Flying Boat Spirit Treasure."

Chen Xu said slowly.

"A Flying Boat?"

Hearing these words, Zhao De was clearly stunned for a moment.

Immediately, a hint of spirit actually returned to his deathly pale face.

A touch of confidence belonging to an Artifact Refining Grandmaster also appeared in his eyes.

"City Lord, rest assured!"

When he said this, his voice became several degrees louder: "I dare not say anything else, but when it comes to crafting Flying Boats, if my Zhao Family claims to be second, no one in the entire Zhenyuan City would dare to claim to be first!"

"From the most basic transport Flying Boats to war ships capable of crossing the Void Realm, as long as there are enough Materials, my Zhao Family has the ability to craft them! I wonder what Rank of Flying Boat the City Lord requires?"

"Oh?"

Chen Xu smiled, "It seems I've found the right person."

He pondered for a moment and said, "The Flying Boat I need must be fast, have strong defense, and ideally possess certain offensive and stealth capabilities. As for the Rank... the higher, the better."

"In that case, please go back and prepare, Old Zhao."

Chen Xu waved his hand: "As for the specific Materials and standards required, I will have Dao Xuan discuss them with you in detail later."

"Yes! This old man understands! I will certainly not fail the City Lord's trust!"

Zhao De bowed once more; this time, although his posture was still respectful.

His back was a bit straighter than before.

Only by being valuable can one live with dignity.

He understood this better than anyone.

With an extremely complex mood, he slowly withdrew from the hall.

When his figure disappeared at the door, silence returned to the hall.

Bu Yifan, who had remained silent, held the already drowsy Chen Wanjin in her arms and spoke softly, a hint of worry in her beautiful eyes.

"Husband, crafting a Flying Boat... are you preparing to go to Zhenyuan City?"

She was intelligent and had already guessed Chen Xu's plan from the conversation.

"Yes."

Chen Xu nodded, reached out to hold his wife's slightly cool hand, and said softly, "Tianxuan City needs to develop; we cannot remain trapped in this barbaric wild forever. Some resources and intelligence must be obtained from the outside world."

"Moreover, the cross-realm teleportation array is still missing two key Materials; I must go to the Tianbao Pavilion in Zhenyuan City to try my luck."

"But... the Lin Family is there, as well as the eyes and ears of the Tianyu Holy Land. Won't it be too dangerous?"

Bu Yifan said worriedly.

"Don't worry."

Chen Xu took her into his arms and kissed her forehead gently.

"I am no longer the person I once was. A mere Lin Family cannot do anything to me. Besides, I am only going to scout the way and will not easily reveal my identity."

"On this trip, I will take Xiao Hei with me. With him there, even if I encounter a Void Refining Stage powerhouse, I am confident I can escape safely."

Hearing Chen Xu say this, Bu Yifan's hanging heart finally settled a bit.

"Then you... must be careful."

"Yes."

Chen Xu comforted his wife, then with a thought, he sent a transmission:

"Dao Xuan, come in."

Soon, Chen Dao Xuan's figure appeared at the entrance of the main hall.

"Father."

Chen Xu did not waste any words and simply waved his hand.

Buzz!

A pile of Materials, shining with various precious lights and emitting an astonishing aura, appeared out of thin air on the floor of the hall!

Among them, the most eye-catching were eighty-one giant bamboos, each a hundred zhang tall, surrounded by purple light with fine thunder patterns flickering on their surfaces!

It was exactly the Ten-Thousand-Year Purple-Thunder Bamboo that Chen Xu had brought back from the Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land!

Besides that, there was a mountain-like pile of Nine Heavens Star Iron, tai yi refined gold emitting an indestructible sharp aura, and various incredibly rare Ancient Divine Metals!

The moment these Materials appeared, the Spiritual Qi in the entire hall became violent!

"This... this is?!"

Seeing this scene, Chen Dao Xuan's pupils suddenly contracted, and his breath hitched!

As the eldest son of the Chen Family, he was considered well-informed.

But among the Materials before him, there were many he had never even heard of!

However, he could feel that the value of any single piece of material among them was immeasurable!

"Take all these Materials and give them to Zhao De."

Chen Xu's voice rang out: "Tell him I want a Flying Boat comparable to a peak Rank Five Spirit Treasure. Speed, defense, attack, and concealment—none can be missing."

"Let him go all out; if the Materials are not enough, he can come to me at any time."

"Yes! Father!"

Chen Dao Xuan suppressed the shock in his heart. Looking at the pile of brilliantly shining treasures before him, a surge of pride rose within him.

Just how powerful would a Flying Boat forged from such top-tier Materials be?

He didn't dare to imagine it!

When Chen Dao Xuan appeared at the courtyard where the Zhao Family was temporarily staying, Zhao De, who had just caught his breath, immediately came out to greet him.

"My Lord, why have you come personally? If there is anything, you only need to instruct a servant." Zhao De's attitude was extremely humble, his posture respectful to the limit.

Chen Dao Xuan did not say much, only nodding calmly before waving his hand.

Buzz!

Materials flashing with various divine lights and emitting a soul-stirring aura appeared out of thin air on the open ground of the courtyard.

The moment these Materials appeared, the Spiritual Qi of the entire courtyard boiled instantly, becoming incomparably violent!

Streaks of piercing sharpness, waves of heavy pressure, and wisps of violent thunder aura intertwined, forming a terrifying energy storm!

Several Zhao Family disciples who were meditating to heal their wounds in the courtyard groaned in unison, forced out of their cultivation by this aura.

One by one, their faces turned pale as they looked in horror at the "mountain" emitting divine light.

And Zhao De, standing at the very front, was completely frozen.

His cloudy old eyes stared fixedly, his eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets. His mouth was wide open, and a "ho-ho" sound came from his throat, yet he couldn't utter a single word.

Crazy!

It must be crazy!

What was he seeing?

Those eighty-one giant bamboos, a hundred zhang tall, surrounded by purple light and covered in profound thunder patterns! The thunder Dao charm radiating from them made even him, a Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage Late Phase, feel a stinging pain in his Divine Soul!

Ten-Thousand-Year Purple-Thunder Bamboo!

No! This age, this aura—it's definitely more than ten thousand years!

This... this is the Zixiao Divine Thunder Bamboo that is only used when Body Integration Stage powerhouses refine their Lifebound Treasure!

And that mountain of metal, black as ink, yet with surfaces that seemed to have billions of stars flowing and cycling through life and death!

Nine Heavens Star Iron! And every single piece was pure to the extreme!

And that glittering tai yi refined gold, which felt like it would blind one's eyes just by looking at it!

That Drifting Divine Sand, which seemed to contain a distorted space and was as light as nothing!

That simple and unadorned Chaos Primordial Stone, which seemed to be the beginning of all things!

...Any single piece or stalk of the Materials before him, if taken to the Tianbao Pavilion in Zhenyuan City for auction, would be enough to cause Body Integration Stage old monsters to fight frantically for them!

But now, these legendary divine metals and immortal woods were just piled up randomly before him like a heap of trash!

Zhao De only felt his head buzz as his mind went blank.

In his life, he had played with fire and refined artifacts for a lifetime, believing he had seen countless rare Materials.

But compared to the pile of things before him, those so-called "Magic Treasures" he had refined in the past were simply a pile of scrap metal!

"Ahem."

Chen Dao Xuan looked at Zhao De's expression, which looked as if he were about to faint, and gave a light cough to wake him from his daze.

"Elder Zhao, my father asked me to hand these over to you."

Zhao De trembled violently and suddenly snapped back to his senses. He looked at Chen Dao Xuan, his lips quivering and his voice shaking.

"My... My Lord, these... these... are all for... forging the Flying Boat?"

"Correct."

Chen Dao Xuan nodded, his tone indifferent. "My father said he wants a Flying Boat comparable to a peak Rank Five Spirit Treasure. Speed, defense, attack, and concealment—none can be missing. If the Materials are insufficient, you can ask for more at any time."

Boom!

Zhao De felt as if the top of his head was about to be blown off by these words!

Peak Rank Five Spirit Treasure!

Using these divine Materials, which could be called luxurious to the extreme, just to forge a Rank Five Flying Boat?

He looked at the pile of divine objects before him, his eyes filled with fanatical light!

Zhao De could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart. His knees went weak, and he actually knelt directly on the ground, facing Chen Dao Xuan and the direction of the City Lord's Manor, and gave a heavy kowtow!

"Please tell the City Lord, My Lord!"

"I, Zhao De! And my entire Zhao Family! Are willing to make a Heavenly Dao oath! In this life and all future lives, we will serve the City Lord unto death! If we cannot forge a Flying Boat that satisfies the City Lord, my entire Zhao Family is willing to be consumed by heavenly fire, our souls and spirits utterly destroyed!"

His voice was hoarse, yet filled with determination and resolve!

Behind him, the members of the Zhao Family looked at the pile of divine Materials and heard their ancestor's words. Their blood also boiled, and they all knelt down one after another, their eyes filled with fanaticism and excitement.

Chen Dao Xuan watched this scene and nodded with satisfaction... In the blink of an eye, a night passed.

The next day, in the discussion hall of the City Lord's Manor in Tianxuan City.

All the core members of the Chen Family gathered together.

Chen Dao Xuan, Murong Zhuyun, Sect Master Ba Dao, Daoist Yuqing, Sect Master Wan Shou, Liu Ruyan... After this period of bitter cultivation, everyone's cultivation had made significant progress. Within the hall, the auras of the Soul Transformation Stage rose and fell. Everyone was full of energy, their eyes flashing with confidence.

When Chen Xu's figure appeared on the main seat of the hall, everyone's gaze converged on him in unison. The hall instantly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were filled with reverence and fanaticism.

"Everyone, take a seat."

Chen Xu spoke indifferently.

"Yes, Family Head!"

Everyone responded in unison and sat down in order.

Chen Xu's gaze swept over the crowd, very satisfied with the current atmosphere of the Family.

He didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "This trip out was quite fruitful."

With a wave of his hand, various Heaven And Earth Treasures emitting astonishing medicinal fragrances and surging blood-qi power appeared out of thin air in the center of the hall.

Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng, Nine-Leaf Dao Flower, Blazing Fire Vermilion Fruit... any one of them was enough to make outside Cultivators go crazy!

"Hiss!"

A series of sharp intakes of breath sounded in the hall.

"This... is this a Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng King?"

Sect Master Wan Shou looked at the blood-red ginseng shaped like a small person, his eyes going wide.

"And the Nine-Leaf Dao Flower! Heavens! It's rumored that when all nine leaves of this flower bloom, each leaf contains a type of Great Dao Law. It's a supreme divine object for comprehending the Dao!"

Liu Ruyan even covered her red lips with her jade-like hand, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

The moment these precious medicines appeared, the Spiritual Qi in the entire hall became fragrant and rich. Just taking a single breath made one feel as if their magic power had improved slightly.

However, this was not all.

Chen Xu waved his hand again, and the eighty-one Zixiao Divine Thunder Bamboos appeared before everyone with a crash.

A terrifying thunder aura instantly filled the air!

"This is... the divine wood for refining thunder-attribute supreme treasures!"

Sect Master Ba Dao said in shock.

Everyone was completely stunned, their mouths agape, shocked into silence.

They knew the Family Head was strong, but they never expected that he could bring back such a shocking Treasure Trove from a single trip!

With these things, their Chen Family's strength was about to welcome another leap!

Looking at everyone's shocked expressions, Chen Xu smiled slightly and then dropped an even heavier bombshell.

"During this trip, I also gained something."

"I have now reached a Bottleneck and intend to use a divine object I obtained to go into seclusion and charge into the Void Refining Stage!"

Boom! Void Refining Stage!

These words made everyone's breath stop!

The entire hall fell silent instantly.

Everyone was like they had been hit by a body-fixing spell, every single one of them frozen in place.

The Family Head... is going to charge into Void Refining?

That's Void Refining!

In the Spirit Realm, that's considered a regional hegemon, a terrifying existence capable of founding a sect and establishing a Holy Land!

After a brief dead silence, the hall completely erupted!

"The Family Head is mighty!"

"Hahaha! Our Chen Family is also going to have a Void Refining powerhouse!"

"Heaven blesses my Chen Family!"

Everyone was flushed with excitement, their pride and Battle Intent reaching a peak at this moment!

Chen Xu raised his hand, suppressing the cheers of the crowd.

His gaze became deep, and his voice was steady and powerful.

"After I enter seclusion, all affairs of Tianxuan City will be jointly presided over by Dao Xuan and Murong. Ba Dao, you are responsible for city defense. Yuqing, you are responsible for vigilance."

"Most importantly, I want all of you to enter the Heaven-reaching Tower for bitter cultivation before I come out! Improve your strength at all costs!"

"Because after I come out, I will personally go to Zhenyuan City to find the last two Materials needed to construct a great array."

"Once that great array is completed, it will be the day our Chen Family truly becomes a Dragon leaving the shallows and shakes the Spirit Realm with our might!"

Chen Xu's voice echoed in everyone's hearts, making their blood surge with emotion.

"We shall obey the Family Head's command!"

Everyone roared in unison, their voices shaking the surroundings.