166: Chapter 166 Green Wood Body, Fallen Phoenix Valley

Chu Sheng came down from Danxia Peak; his waist was still a bit sore, but he was in a good mood.

The Old Grandfather had woken up. Although his memory was a bit muddled, the old man was still the same old man.

Chu Sheng touched the ring, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. Next step, it was time to go to Jin Xiao City.

He took a step forward, and his figure vanished from the mountain path of Danxia Peak.

Jin Xiao City was many times larger than Qingshi Town. The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and the cries of street vendors rose and fell one after another.

Chu Sheng walked among the crowd, and no one noticed him.

With his cultivation at the Sea Opening stage, he was like an invisible man in this city; he was only visible to those he chose to be seen by.

The Liu family residence was on the back street. It wasn't large, but it was kept clean.

When Chu Sheng flew inside, Liu Qingyan was watering flowers in the courtyard.

She was wearing a pale green long dress, her hair casually tied behind her head, with a few stray strands hanging by her ears.

Liu Qingyan was someone he had saved after the fourth simulation ended.

At that time, she was being forced into marriage by Chen Baxian. He had stepped in to repel Chen Baxian and tear up the marriage contract.

Liu Qingyan was moved to tears of gratitude, and the two naturally ended up together.

Her cultivation wasn't high, around the second or third grade of Qi Induction. She could barely hold her ground in the Liu family, but she was far from being able to lead them.

Hearing a movement, Liu Qingyan looked up and saw Chu Sheng. The watering can in her hand almost fell to the ground.

She froze for a moment before plunging into his embrace.

Chu Sheng held her and patted her back.

Liu Qingyan said muffledly, "So you finally remembered to come back."

"If you're coming back, can't you use the front door?" Liu Qingyan gave him a light punch.

The two went into the house. Liu Qingyan poured him tea and asked about everything.

Chu Sheng dealt with her questions one by one while calculating things regarding the traits.

Liu Qingyan was different from Xiao Huan and the others. She was originally a legitimate daughter of the Liu family, and her foundation was much better than Xiao Huan's.

Xiao Huan went from Qi Induction First Grade to the seventh grade, Li Zhiyi reached the eighth grade, and Lin Wanqing reached the ninth grade. What about Liu Qingyan?

If he could give her a suitable trait, it wasn't impossible for her to directly Breakthrough to the Essence Gathering Realm.

He opened the simulator's mall and flipped to the trait exchange section.

"Exchanged ones should work too, right?"

Purple traits varied in price; cheap ones were a few hundred, expensive ones over a thousand. He flipped through and his gaze landed on one trait.

[Azure Wood Physique (Purple): A Wood-attribute affinity Physique. Spiritual energy recovery speed is greatly increased, sensitivity to plant-based spiritual items is enhanced. Suitable for Alchemy, cultivation, and healing-type Cultivation Techniques.]

The price was 200 points, which wasn't too expensive.

7522. After spending 200, he had 7322 left.

He clicked exchange. A purple light emerged from the void and landed in his palm, looking like a glowing seed.

Liu Qingyan stared at the seed, her eyes widening: "What is this?"

Chu Sheng said, "A gift, but it requires a specific ceremony."

After saying that, he set a Restriction on the room.

Liu Qingyan's whole body jolted, but she didn't resist, only complaining playfully, "It's broad daylight..."

...

The Azure Wood Physique merged into her body like tree roots taking hold in soil.

Her Dantian began to vibrate, spiritual energy surged, and her Bottleneck shattered.

Qi Induction third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade.

It rushed all the way up, past Ninth Grade of Qi Induction, through the threshold of the Essence Gathering Realm, and stopped steadily at the Early Stage of True Condensation Realm.

Liu Qingyan stood there stunned, as if someone had cast a freezing spell on her.

She looked down at her hands as a dense aura of vegetation spread out.

The old locust tree in the courtyard, which was half-withered, actually sprouted new buds.

"Essence... Essence Gathering?"

Liu Qingyan's voice was trembling.

Before, she was only at the second or third grade of Qi Induction and didn't even have a say in the Liu family.

Now, overnight, she had become the new generation's leader of the Liu family.

Chu Sheng looked at her dumbfounded expression and smiled: "From now on, you'll be the one to carry the banner of the Liu family."

Liu Qingyan leaned into Chu Sheng's embrace and didn't speak.

It was quite a while before Liu Qingyan looked up.

Confidence. She finally had confidence.

Previously, she was a marginal figure in the Liu family whom anyone could step on.

Now she was an Essence Gathering Realm Cultivator, one of the few to be found in the entire Jin Xiao City.

Who would dare bully her now?

Chu Sheng patted her head and said he still had something to take care of.

Liu Qingyan asked what it was, and Chu Sheng said he was going to exterminate a clan.

Liu Qingyan was stunned for a moment.

Chu Sheng walked out of the Liu residence and stood on the street of Jin Xiao City, looking up toward the direction of the Chen family.

The Chen family mansion was in the eastern district, occupying an entire street with high gates and large courtyards, looking exceptionally grand.

Chen Baxian lived right inside. Chu Sheng extended a finger and gave it a flick.

A black silk thread shot from his fingertip, as thin as a hair and as fast as light.

The thread crossed the street, passed over high walls, through layers upon layers of buildings, and landed precisely in the main hall of the Chen mansion.

Chen Baxian was discussing matters with several aides when he suddenly felt a chill in his chest.

He looked down to find an extra hole in his chest, the size of a thumb with clean edges.

Over a hundred members of the Chen family perished overnight.

The next morning, the aides found the entire mansion empty; not even a mouse was left.

When the news reached the City Lord's Manor, Murong Xiao's face turned pale.

He went to investigate the Chen family personally but found nothing.

No signs of a struggle, no residual spiritual energy, not even a hint of Killing Intent.

He had lived for one or two hundred years and had never seen such methods.

Murong Xiao wrote a letter overnight and sent someone to deliver it to Fengxian Prefecture.

When Xia Nihuang received the letter, she was reviewing official documents.

She finished reading the letter and remained silent for a long time.

Murong Xiao opened the reply, which contained only a few lines: "Do not investigate. Do not provoke. Forget this matter."

After Murong Xiao finished reading, his back was drenched in cold sweat.

Chu Sheng was no longer in Jin Xiao City by this point.

He stood on a hill outside the city, looking toward the southeast, recalling information from the simulation.

The Fengxian Secret Realm would probably not open for another year or two.

He couldn't wait that long.

In the simulation, he had already obtained the phoenix ring and the ring's Old Grandfather. With these two items in hand, he held the key to entering the core of the Secret Realm.

But he didn't plan to wait for the Secret Realm to open.

He remembered there was another place in Fengxian Prefecture.

Luo Feng Valley.

During the fifth simulation, he had treated it as background scenery and hadn't gone there at all.

It was only when reviewing later that he remembered Luo Feng Valley was one of the only two Spirit Sea forces in Fengxian Prefecture; the valley should contain a vast amount of intelligence regarding the Fengxian Secret Realm.

Chu Sheng's figure flashed, and he vanished from the spot.

Luo Feng Valley was two thousand miles southeast of Jin Xiao City, surrounded by mountains and shrouded in mist.

Chu Sheng landed at the valley entrance and saw a faint light screen blocking his way.

He reached out and touched it; the light screen bounced back without breaking.

This formation wasn't simple; it was set up by a Cultivator at least at the Sea Opening level. Forcing his way through wasn't impossible, but it would cause too much of a stir.

He frowned, and just as he was pondering how to get in, the phoenix ring on his finger suddenly flashed.

The light screen parted like water, making a path for him.

The scenery in the valley was unexpectedly tranquil.

Chu Sheng had only taken a few steps when an aura rose from deep within the valley—Late Stage of Spirit Spring, pressing down heavily.

An aged voice came from behind the bamboo forest: "Who is it?"

Chu Sheng stopped his pace and easily brushed aside the pressure.

An old woman walked out from the bamboo forest, her hair completely silver, her face thin, leaning on a walking stick.

She stared at Chu Sheng, her gaze landing on the phoenix ring on his finger, and her pupils suddenly constricted.

"Who are you?" Her voice was trembling. "This ring... where did it come from?"

Chu Sheng looked at her and smiled.

"This Junior," he cupped his hands, "greets the Valley Master."

Although he addressed himself as Junior, he didn't show the slightest bit of respect.

The old woman's expression was grim, as if facing a great enemy.