164: Testing the magical artifact, thunder pierces the sky!

"My... my heavens..."

Sect Master Ba Dao looked at the Flying Boat, his throat bobbing involuntarily.

His eyes were filled with obsession and longing.

"Fifth-tier... no! This is definitely a Top-Grade Spirit Treasure that surpasses the fifth tier!"

Murong Zhuyun's pretty face was also etched with shock.

This Flying Boat was enough to become the sect-suppressing treasure of any Holy Land!

Meanwhile, in front of the Refining Artifact Pavilion...

The old man, Zhao De, could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart.

He looked at the pinnacle work of his life that he had personally participated in creating, that supreme divine object that would be recorded in the history of Artifact Refining in the Spirit Realm, and two lines of scalding tears slid down his wrinkled face.

"Wuwuwu... it's done... this old man's life... has been worth it!"

He stumbled forward a few steps, stretching out his trembling hands.

As if wanting to stroke the cold hull of the ship from a distance.

That was the ultimate manifestation of his path of Artifact Refining!

It was the supreme glory for his Zhao Family to wash away their shame and be reborn!

Just then, Chen Xu's figure descended from the sky, landing steadily on the deck of the divine ship.

A solid sensation came from under his feet, as if he were stepping on a real starry sky.

He could clearly feel that the Flying Boat beneath his feet seemed to have a life of its own, emitting bursts of happy and intimate humming.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the excited, worshipful, and fanatical faces below.

He spoke loudly, his voice spreading across the surroundings.

"This boat, with Nine Heavens Star Iron as its body and Zixiao Divine Thunder Bamboo as its bones, can pierce through the firmament for ten thousand miles and control the thunder of all laws!"

"Today, I bestow its name—"

"thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle!"

"thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle! What a good name!"

"The Family Head is mighty!"

The mountain-shaking and sea-roaring shouts resounded through the clouds once again!

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

His gaze fell upon Zhao De, who was already tearful, and the clansmen behind him.

"Zhao Family, come forward to receive your rewards!"

Zhao De shuddered, quickly wiped away his tears, and led a dozen clansmen forward, kneeling down in unison.

"This old servant is here!"

Chen Xu waved his hand, and a dozen crystal-clear jade bottles appeared out of thin air in front of everyone, landing steadily in the hands of every Zhao clansman.

"This is diluted Earth Vein Spirit Milk, which can help you wash your marrow and cut your meridians, stabilizing your Foundation."

"Additionally, record ten thousand Family contribution points for every member of the Zhao Family!"

Boom!

As soon as this was said, the whole place was in an uproar!

Earth Vein Spirit Milk!

That was the legendary Heaven-Defying divine object capable of allowing the Family Head's wife to Breakthrough!

And ten thousand contribution points!

That was a huge fortune sufficient for years of bitter cultivation in the Ten Thousand Paths Heaven-reaching Tower, or for exchanging top-tier Cultivation Techniques in the Reincarnation Hall!

Zhao De and the clansmen behind him, holding the jade bottles in their hands, were completely stunned.

They had originally thought that being able to build a divine ship for the Family Head was already a great honor.

They never expected that the Family Head would bestow such a Heaven-Defying reward!

"Family Head... this... this is too valuable! We unworthy servants dare not accept it!"

Zhao De said with a trembling voice.

"This is what you deserve."

Chen Xu's tone was calm: "From today on, your Zhao Family will be the helm of my Chen Family's Refining Artifact Pavilion, responsible for the refining and repair of all the Family's Magic Treasures. You are the true core of my Chen Family!"

Hearing this, the last trace of estrangement in Zhao De's heart completely vanished.

He knew that from this moment on, their Zhao Family could be considered truly integrated into this powerful and mysterious Family!

They were no longer outsiders living under someone else's roof!

"This old servant, Zhao De! Together with the entire Zhao Family! Thanks the Family Head for the grace of rebirth!"

"We are willing to die for the Family Head and the Chen Family for generations, never refusing even death!"

Zhao De knocked his head heavily on the ground, and the clansmen behind him followed suit, one by one with red eyes, their hearts filled with endless gratitude and a sense of belonging.

After dealing with the rewards, Chen Xu's gaze fell back to the thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle under his feet.

A sharp light flashed in his eyes.

"The divine ship is complete, it is time to test its edge!"

He turned his head and called out in the direction of the City Lord's Mansion.

"Xiao Hei!"

"Awooo!"

A black bolt of lightning tore through the sky, instantly appearing at Chen Xu's feet, rubbing affectionately against his trouser leg, a pair of dog eyes curiously examining this majestic ship.

Everyone understood that the Family Head was not just test-driving it.

He was also sounding the prelude to the upcoming expedition!

Chen Xu took Xiao Hei and walked straight into the interior of the thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle.

Inside the cabin, the space was far more spacious than it looked from the outside.

The main control room was located at the bow of the ship, with dozens of jade-like smooth Formation Plates emitting a faint spiritual light, covered with mysterious runes.

Below the main control Formation Plate were rows of neat grooves.

Most of the grooves had already been filled with sparkling Top-Grade Spirit Stones by Zhao De and the others.

And in the most core position, there were ten more deep, special grooves emitting the aura of Immortal Jade, which were currently empty.

That was the power source reserved for Immortal Jade!

Zhao De followed behind and respectfully introduced: "Reporting to the Family Head, this boat is driven by Top-Grade Spirit Stones, and its speed can surpass that of ordinary Late Stage Void Refining Stage experts."

"If filled with Immortal Jade and the core Void-piercing divine array is activated, the instantaneous speed it bursts out with is enough to escape safely from the hands of Body Integration Stage experts!"

Chen Xu nodded with satisfaction.

Being able to escape from a Body Integration Stage expert meant the value of this ship was immeasurable!

He walked to the main console and gently placed his hand on the core activation Formation Plate.

"Everyone, stand firm!"

Chen Xu's voice spread throughout the entire Flying Boat.

The next moment, his Void Refining Stage mana poured into the Formation Plate with a roar!

Hum—!

The entire thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle shook violently, and on the hull, all the star patterns and thunder runes erupted with brilliant light in that instant!

Outside, everyone in Tianxuan City felt their vision blur suddenly!

That thousand-zhang divine ship that was originally suspended in mid-air emitted a breaking-air sound that was so slight it could almost be ignored.

Whoosh!

Then, under the gaze of everyone, it disappeared into thin air.

Only a faint space ripple and a lingering purple-black afterimage were left in place.

Fast!

Fast to the extreme!

So fast that no one's Divine Sense could even capture its trajectory!

"It... it's gone?"

"Where... where did it go?"

On the city wall, Chen Daoxuan and Murong Zhuyun looked at each other.

Both saw deep shock in the other's eyes.

...

The thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle turned into a streak of light invisible to the naked eye, traveling rapidly under the gray sky of the Beiming Wilderness.

Outside the porthole, the originally ferocious and sinister wilderness scenery had now been stretched into blurry lines.

Chen Xu stood with his hands behind his back in front of the main console, feeling the slight vibration coming from under his feet, and the pleasure of controlling everything welled up inside him.

This was not an experience that sword flying could compare to, but a heroic feeling of patrolling one's territory while driving a mobile fortress.

"The speed is acceptable. Driven only by Top-Grade Spirit Stones, it already surpasses the escape speed of ordinary early-stage Void Refining Stage Cultivators."

Chen Xu looked at the jumping runes on the Formation Plate and nodded slightly.

This Flying Boat had several wind and thunder arrays inscribed inside, and with Nine Heavens Star Iron as the carrier, there was almost no loss in spiritual power transmission.

Directly in front, a patch of gray mist lay across the heaven and earth, stretching for hundreds of miles, its depth unknown.

This was a common natural Restriction in the Beiming Wilderness, formed by the intertwining of chaotic geomagnetic forces and violent Spiritual Qi.

If ordinary Cultivators accidentally entered it, at best they would lose their way, and at worst, they would be torn apart by the ubiquitous magnetic field.

Even Soul Transformation Cultivators would often choose to detour when encountering such a natural danger zone.

But Chen Xu had no intention of slowing down at all.

He looked at the rolling gray mist, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and his finger tapped lightly on the main control console.

"Go."

Hum!

The thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle let out a low roar, and on the hull, the originally dormant Zixiao Divine Thunder Bamboo patterns suddenly lit up.

Crackle!

It didn't activate any defensive shield; it was just the thunder power contained within the ship's hull itself that was triggered.

The next moment, the Flying Boat plunged headlong into that gray misty Restriction.

The violent turbulence that was expected did not appear.

Those geomagnetic forces capable of twisting steel, the moment they touched the surface of the Flying Boat, were like encountering a natural enemy.

Purple thunder light roamed over the surface of the hull, like countless spirit snakes protecting their master, letting out domineering roars at the gray mist surging around.

Wherever it passed, the gray mist melted rapidly like snow poured into boiling water.

Those violent Spiritual Qi, before they could even impact the Flying Boat, were forcibly dispersed by the extremely rigid and extremely yang aura of the Zixiao Divine Thunder.

The Flying Boat was like a red-hot blade, cutting through this huge "grease" without any obstruction.

In just a few breaths, the view in front suddenly opened up.

That natural Restriction that had plagued countless explorers had been forcibly chiseled into a channel by the thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle and left behind.

"Zixiao Divine Thunder specifically breaks evil Restrictions; it really lives up to its reputation."

A trace of satisfaction flashed in Chen Xu's eyes.

With this characteristic, in the future in this wilderness, even if he went deep into some ancient ruins, he could save a lot of effort in breaking Formations.

After passing through the Restriction, Chen Xu did not stop.

"The defense is acceptable, next, let's try concealment."

His gaze fell on a cyan rune on the right side of the main control console.

As his finger tapped down...

The vibration of the entire Flying Boat suddenly disappeared.

Not only the vibration, but even the brilliant thunder light and starlight luster on the surface of the hull converged completely in this instant.

The originally dark golden huge hull began to become illusory and transparent.

The "Floating Divine Sand" integrated into it, under the stimulation of the Formation, emitted a strange spatial fluctuation, perfectly resonating the Flying Boat with the surrounding void.

In the blink of an eye, the thousand-zhang-long behemoth actually disappeared into thin air between heaven and earth.

Even the sound of breaking air and airflow disturbance caused by the high-speed movement of the Flying Boat were swallowed by that strange fluctuation, leaving no trace behind.

Chen Xu closed his eyes slightly, and his vast Void Refining Stage Divine Thought spread out with a roar, enveloping the position where the Flying Boat was located.

Scanning inch by inch, probing over and over again.

What surprised him was that even with his current terrifying Divine Sense strength, without deliberately targeting a specific coordinate, it was actually difficult to discover the traces of the Flying Boat.

In his Divine Sense perception, it was just a patch of empty void, no different from the surrounding air.

Only when he compressed his Divine Sense to the extreme and conducted a carpet-style, inch-by-inch search could he faintly sense a trace of an extremely weak spatial ripple.

"Good!" Chen Xu couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"The Piao Yang Divine Sand, when combined with the Zhao Family's concealment Formation, can actually achieve this effect."

"If this were on a battlefield, it would be a peerless, vicious blade hidden in the shadows. Even if it were to ambush a powerhouse at the Late Void Refining Stage, the opponent would likely only realize it once the Flying Boat hit their face."

This was the effect he wanted.

High-profile like a thunderbolt, low-profile like a ghost.

Just as Chen Xu finished testing the concealment function and was about to deactivate the Formation...

The clouds several miles ahead suddenly rolled violently.

Caw! Caw!

A series of shrill, piercing shrieks penetrated the clouds, and immediately after, a large, black, oppressive cloud moved towards him at high speed.

Looking closely, that was no black cloud; it was clearly a flock of fierce birds with wingspans exceeding three zhang!

Iron-Feather Demonic Eagles!

These were a type of gregarious Yao Beast in the Beiming Wilderness that were extremely difficult to deal with. Their feathers were as hard as refined iron, and their claws and teeth were incomparably sharp.

There were over a hundred of these Demonic Eagles in this flock, and the leading few emitted terrifying auras approaching the Void Refining Stage. Their eyes were crimson, clearly indicating they were currently hunting.

Although they could not detect the hidden Flying Boat, the Flying Boat's flight path happened to overlap with their flight trajectory.

Looking at this group of reckless beasts, Chen Xu smiled faintly: "They came at the right time. I've tested the spear and the shield, but I haven't tested if the hull is tough enough yet."

He did not use any spells, nor did he bring out any Magic Treasure.

He didn't even deactivate the concealment Formation.

He simply flicked his finger across the Formation Plate, pushing the power output to a new level, while simultaneously activating the Flying Boat's "Thunderstorm Collision" mode.

"Ram into them."

The next moment, the thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle, hidden in the void, suddenly bared its ferocious fangs!

Although the hull remained in an invisible state, a layer of violent thunder shields instantly condensed at the bow, forming a massive, cone-shaped ramming angle.

Boom!

The speed of the Flying Boat surged once again at this moment, carrying earth-shattering kinetic energy as it smashed straight into the flock of Iron-Feather Demonic Eagles!

The flock of Demonic Eagles hadn't even reacted to what was happening.

They only felt a terrifying, suffocating aura suddenly surge from the empty void in front of them.

Immediately after, came destruction!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of dull, bursting sounds exploded in the clouds.

Those Iron-Feather Demonic Eagles, which usually prided themselves on their bodies—so tough that even Magic Treasures could hardly injure them—were as fragile as paper toys under the collision of the thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle.

Whether it was a Golden Core Stage fledgling or a Soul Transformation Stage eagle king.

The moment they touched that thunderous ramming angle, they didn't even have time to let out a scream before their bodies shattered directly, exploding into clouds of bloody mist!

Blood rained from the sky, and broken feathers flew everywhere.

The Flying Boat was like an invisible primordial beast, ruthlessly crushing through the eagle flock, forcibly plowing a bloody path through the dense swarm of birds!

When the Flying Boat passed through the flock and reappeared, the dark golden hull didn't even have a single trace of blood on it.

All filth was burned away by the protective thunder light the moment it touched the hull.

"Unbearably weak."

Chen Xu commented lightly, his heart completely calm regarding this one-sided slaughter.

The strength of this Flying Boat had completely exceeded the category of a Spirit Treasure.

Let alone this flock of Yao Beasts, even if it crashed directly into a ten-thousand-foot-high mountain, it would likely be the mountain that shattered, not the boat.

"Conventional methods have all been tested."

Chen Xu's gaze finally fell on the center of the main console, on the ten special grooves emitting a faint Immortal Spirit Qi.

That was the true core power source of this Flying Boat.

And it was also his greatest trump card.

"Since I'm out, I must figure out where the limit of this thing really is."

Chen Xu flipped his wrist, and a crystal-clear Low Grade Immortal Jade, inside which a small dragon of spiritual energy seemed to be sealed, appeared in his hand.

Without any hesitation, he pressed this priceless Immortal Jade into one of the grooves.

Click.

A crisp mechanical locking sound rang out.

Immediately after, the entire thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle shook violently!

A majestic energy, completely different from before, instantly erupted from that groove, flowing along the complex Formation patterns to every corner of the hull.

If it had been a running tiger when driven by Top-Grade Spirit Stones, then at this moment, it had become a giant dragon with wings!

Hum—!!!

A tooth-aching, high-frequency vibration sound rang out.

The surrounding space seemed to become viscous at this moment.

Chen Xu felt a heaviness under his feet, and a huge sense of being pushed back hit him. Even with his formidable Void Refining Stage Physical Body, he actually felt a trace of slight pressure at this moment.

The next instant!

Boom!

The scenery outside the window disappeared completely.

Replacing it was a colorful channel of flowing light.

That was a phenomenon caused by the speed being so extreme that light itself was pulled and distorted!

A thousand miles in an instant!

This was no longer simple flight, but a terrifying movement akin to continuous spatial jumping!

Chen Xu watched the numbers on the Formation Plate skyrocketing, and a trace of shock couldn't help but flash in his eyes.

"This speed... I'm afraid that even a Cultivator at the Late Body Integration Stage, if they don't have special escape techniques, would only be able to eat dust behind me!"

Too fast!

This feeling of racing like lightning made one's adrenaline surge.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

Xiao Hei, who had been squatting nearby not daring to make a sound, was also stimulated by this sudden extreme speed.

It jumped around on the deck excitedly, its tail wagging like a windmill.

The black dog seemed to think this was not only a big toy but also a delicious bone.

It stared at a node on the railing that was circulating with rich Zixiao Divine Thunder light, drool dripping from the corner of its mouth. Taking advantage of Chen Xu not paying attention, it opened its big mouth and wanted to go up and take a bite, to taste what this "big bone" tasted like.

Thud!

A crisp sound.

"That is Zixiao Divine Thunder Bamboo, not a meat bone. If you break your teeth, I won't be responsible."

Chen Xu retracted the finger he had flicked against Xiao Hei's forehead and scolded with a laugh.

Xiao Hei rubbed its head aggrievedly, whimpered twice, and then ingratiatingly rubbed against Chen Xu's leg, evidently extremely satisfied with this new mount.

Testing to this point, Chen Xu already had a clear idea.

He took out the Immortal Jade, which had consumed less than one-tenth of its spiritual energy, and the speed of the Flying Boat instantly dropped, becoming steady again.

"Back to the city."

Chen Xu turned the bow of the ship.

This time, he didn't deliberately suppress the speed, and the Flying Boat turned into a streak of light, speeding towards Tianxuan City.

It had taken more than half an hour to come.

On the way back, it only took half a cup of tea's time.

When the majestic outline of Tianxuan City appeared in his line of sight again, the guards on the city wall only felt a blur before their eyes, and the huge Flying Boat was already steadily hovering above the square.

Chen Xu took Xiao Hei and stepped off, his figure slowly descending.

He waved his large sleeve, and the massive thunderbolt void-piercing shuttle quickly shrank, turning into a stream of light and drilling into his sleeve.

Looking at the Chen Family members who had been waiting for a long time below, as well as those pairs of expectant eyes.

Chen Xu didn't talk nonsense and spoke directly, his voice steady and powerful, spreading throughout the city.

"The Divine Boat is complete, and everything is ready."

"Pass down the order, the whole city is on high alert, activate the Formation."

"Three days later, I will set off for Zhenyuan City!"

Three days later, Tianxuan City, City Lord Mansion council hall.

The atmosphere in the hall at this time was solemn, and the air was filled with a sense of impending departure, but more than that, it was a state of alertness and gravity like a bow drawn to its limit.

All core members of the Chen Family, including the Zhao Family Old Ancestor Zhao De, who had just joined recently, were all present.

They stood on both sides, their gazes gathering in unison on the main seat.

There, Chen Xu sat upright, dressed in green, his expression as calm as water, revealing not a ripple of emotion.

But that invisible pressure belonging to a Void Refining Stage great expert made everyone present not dare to be the slightest bit negligent.

"After today, I will temporarily leave Tianxuan City."

Chen Xu spoke slowly: "Going to Zhenyuan City this time, the return date is uncertain. During the time I am away, Tianxuan City must enter the highest level of alert."

"Sect Master Ba Dao."

"I am here!"

Sect Master Ba Dao stepped out, his figure as burly as an iron tower, his voice like a great bell.

"From today on, activate the city lockdown mode. The Nine Dragons Town Heaven Xuanhuang Formation will operate at full power. Except for necessary patrol teams, no one is allowed to leave the city without authorization, nor is any outsider allowed to step half a step into the city."

Chen Xu's gaze was as sharp as a blade: "If anyone tries to force their way in, no matter who they are, kill without mercy."

"Yes! Family Head, rest assured, as long as I have a breath left, not even a fly will be able to fly in!" Sect Master Ba Dao patted his chest and guaranteed, fierce light revealing in his eyes.

Chen Xu nodded slightly and turned his gaze to Taoist Yuqing on the side: "Yuqing, you are responsible for coordinating the city's vigilance. Although there is the Formation protecting it, do not take it lightly. Especially the Zhao Family's Refining Artifact Pavilion, it is of the utmost importance and must not have the slightest mistake."

"This Taoist acknowledges the order." Taoist Yuqing bowed slightly, his expression solemn.

After arranging the defenses, Chen Xu flipped his palm, and two Storage Rings emitting a faint green light appeared out of thin air, floating towards Chen Daoxuan and Murong Zhuyun respectively.

"Inside these are most of the cultivation resources I obtained from going out previously..."

Chen Xu looked at the two of them and said in a deep voice: "Zhuyun, you are the Family's head steward, these resources are to be allocated by you uniformly. Remember, don't save them. Now that the Family has the town clan stele for support, it is the time for the clansmen's cultivation to spurt, and resources must keep up."

Murong Zhuyun took the rings.

"Family Head, rest assured, I will definitely arrange them properly and will not let the Family's development stagnate in the slightest."

After saying that, Murong Zhuyun bowed solemnly.