172: The old monster's ride and farewell gift

The fiftieth floor of Tianxing City, Qingyun Sect's secret chamber.

The fragrant tea mist curled upwards, yet it couldn't mask the suffocatingly eerie atmosphere in the air.

The sloppy old man, who called himself 'Xiang Zhili,' was sprawled ungracefully on a grand armchair, clutching a handful of spirit melon seeds he'd pulled from who knows where, cracking them loudly. The shells were casually spat all over the floor, with a few even landing on Zhou Wannian's (Han Li's) spotless green robe.

If it were anyone else, even a Late Stage Nascent Soul great Cultivator, their grave grass would probably be three feet high by now.

But Zhou Wannian didn't move.

Not only did he not move, he even respectfully refilled the old man's teacup.

Because just now, the Heavenly Secret Dao Disk within him almost smoked from overloaded deduction. The conclusion it gave was just one word, yet it flashed with dazzling blood-red light:

“Cannot be stared at directly.”

This meant that the old man, who seemed to have no Spiritual Qi fluctuations whatsoever, possessed strength that far exceeded the conventional understanding of this realm (Human Realm).

Soul Transformation Stage.

A genuine old monster standing at the Peak of the Human Realm, capable of attracting Heavenly Tribulation with just a slight leak of his aura.

“Little Han, don't be nervous.”

Xiang Zhili smiled as he took the teacup and took a sip. “I'm just an old fortune-teller. I see you have extraordinary bones, and on this journey to the Great Jin, if you don't have an elder to look after you, what if you get bullied by those Devil Heads over there?”

“Senior is joking.”

Zhou Wannian muttered to himself: I think you're the biggest Devil Head.

Yet, he maintained a respectful demeanor: “It is my honor to travel with Senior Xiang. However, this cross-sea teleportation Formation has been in disrepair for many years. Although Junior has Top-Grade Spirit Stones, this voidstone...”

“Here, take it.”

Xiang Zhili casually tossed over the priceless Top-Grade voidstone, as if it were a roadside pebble.

“This thing is rare in the Chaotic Star Sea, but in the Great Jin, it's just a paving stone. Fix it and get going quickly. This old man hasn't tasted the spiritual seafood from the Great Jin's 'Five Dragon Sea' for hundreds of years, I really miss it.”

Zhou Wannian took the voidstone, his heart settling.

With this, plus his Formation attainments, repairing the teleportation Formation was only a matter of time.

“Junior will go prepare now. In three days, we will rendezvous in the Outer Sea.”

“Go, go.”

Xiang Zhili waved his hand, and his figure suddenly blurred.

The next moment, he had vanished from the chair.

Only a light, ethereal voice echoed in the secret chamber:

“Oh, right, that little girl of yours named Purple Spirit has good Aptitude; she's a promising seedling for cultivating demonic arts. Bring her along, she might be useful later.”

Zhou Wannian's pupils constricted slightly.

This old monster even saw through Purple Spirit's background?

...Three days passed in a flash.

During these three days, Zhou Wannian completed his final handover.

Qingyun Sect's main hall.

“Sect Leader, are you really leaving?”

Ling Yunxiao stroked the heavenly demon bone arm, his eyes filled with reluctance. He was now the renowned 'Bone Devil' Ling Yunxiao, a Core Formation Late Stage Cultivator, holding great power within the Qingyun Sect.

“The Chaotic Star Sea is too small.”

Zhou Wannian stood by the window, looking down at the city being rebuilt.

“The resources here can no longer support my further advancement. After Nascent Soul, every step is an insurmountable chasm.”

“Moreover, I destroyed the Reverse Star Alliance and blew up Extreme Yin Island, making too much of a stir. If I don't leave, I'll become a target of everyone, and might even be noticed by certain existences above (Spirit Realm spies).”

Zhou Wannian turned around and handed a cyan Storage Ring to Ling Yunxiao.

“Inside are three Nascent Soul-level Puppets I left behind, as well as a simplified Formation diagram of the Great Geng Sword Formation.”

“As long as you don't actively provoke The Twin Saints, no one in the Chaotic Star Sea can touch the Qingyun Sect.”

“Remember our motto.”

Ling Yunxiao straightened his back and recited loudly: “Make a fortune discreetly, recycle trash, be fair to all, and cut the weeds and dig up the roots!”

“...The first three sentences are enough.”

Zhou Wannian's mouth twitched.

“I'm leaving.”

...Outside Tianxing City, in the Outer Sea, on an unnamed desolate island.

Underground cave.

A massive teleportation Formation, ten zhang in diameter and covered with ancient runes, had been cleared.

As the Top-Grade voidstone was refined by Zhou Wannian and embedded into the Formation eye, the originally dormant Formation patterns began to light up with silver radiance, bit by bit.

“Buzz—”

A profound and vast spatial fluctuation slowly rippled out.

“It's fixed.”

Zhou Wannian wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Sir.”

Purple Spirit was already dressed and ready, carrying a small bundle, standing gracefully at the side. Today, she had changed into a neat purple outfit, looking heroic and spirited.

“Are you ready?” Zhou Wannian asked.

“As long as I'm with Sir, anywhere is fine.” A gleam shone in Purple Spirit's eyes.

“Cough cough, these young people nowadays, so cheesy.”

A teasing cough sounded.

Xiang Zhili, the sloppy old man, had somehow already squatted at the edge of the teleportation Formation, holding a half-eaten roasted chicken.

“Senior.” Zhou Wannian bowed.

“Alright, stop dawdling. This Formation makes too much noise; it wouldn't be good if those two old turtles (The Twin Saints) were attracted.” Xiang Zhili spat out a chicken bone.

“Yes.”

Zhou Wannian led Purple Spirit into the Formation.

Just as he was about to place the Top-Grade Spirit Stones to activate the Formation.

“Swish!”

A moon-white escape light, like a shooting star, flew from the horizon and instantly landed at the cave entrance.

Ling Yuling.

She had run in a hurry, her hair slightly disheveled, her chest gently rising and falling.

“Mr. Han!”

Ling Yuling looked at Zhou Wannian, who was already standing in the Formation, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes.” Zhou Wannian nodded. “All good things must come to an end.”

Ling Yuling bit her lip, then suddenly stepped forward, reaching through the Formation light barrier, and handed over a Jade Slip radiating starlight.

“My father asked me to give this to you.”

“The Star Palace Grand Elder Token.”

“No matter where Sir is, as long as the Chaotic Star Sea is under the Star Palace's dominion, this token can mobilize all of the Star Palace's forces.”

“And...”

Ling Yuling took out a sachet embroidered with delicate orchids from her bosom.

“This is... from me to Sir.”

“There's nothing valuable inside, just a bottle of 'Star Spirit Wine' I brewed myself, and a 'Star Guiding Talisman'... if Sir ever wants to return, it can directly pinpoint Heavenly Star Mountain.”

Zhou Wannian accepted the Jade Slip and the sachet.

He looked at this 'Young Master Wen,' who had once disguised herself as a man, and felt a touch of emotion in his heart.

“Thank you.”

Zhou Wannian put away the items and said earnestly.

“Palace Master Ling, take care.”

“If there's a chance in the future...”

“I'll come back to check on the business.”

Ling Yuling burst into laughter through her tears: “Then Sir must remember, I'm still holding onto the Qingyun Sect's rent for you.”

“Alright.”

Zhou Wannian no longer hesitated, embedding five Top-Grade Spirit Stones into the grooves.

“Activate!”

Rumble————————————

Dazzling silver light instantly engulfed the entire cave.

A terrifying sense of spatial tearing assailed them.

Xiang Zhili yawned in the light, casually deploying a shield that appeared as thin as a cicada's wing but was actually indestructible, protecting Zhou Wannian and Purple Spirit within it.

“Hold on tight, the spatial node on the Great Jin side is a bit bumpy.”

“Go!”

Swish!

The light dispersed.

The cave was empty.

Only Ling Yuling remained, gazing blankly at the now silent teleportation Formation, lingering for a long time... Meanwhile.

In the boundless Void Realm.

Zhou Wannian felt like a small boat, tossed into a raging vortex of stars.

Surrounding them were colorful spatial turbulences; a slight misstep would mean being torn to shreds.

“This is long-distance teleportation...”

Zhou Wannian tightly gripped Purple Spirit's hand, his reverse star nascent soul supporting a purple-gold light barrier.

Beside him, Xiang Zhili, however, was acting as if he was strolling through his own backyard, even pointing and gesturing out the 'window' (spatial crack).

“Oh dear, that's a 'Spatial Storm,' that's a 'Void Gazer Fish'... Tsk tsk, the spatial barrier of this Chaotic Star Sea is indeed weak.”

Suddenly.

Xiang Zhili turned his head, his cloudy old eyes suddenly becoming incredibly deep, staring at Zhou Wannian.

“Little Han.”

“Before we reach the Great Jin, this old man will give you a warning.”

“The cultivation world of the Great Jin is very deep.”

“There are not only the Ten Great Orthodox Sects and Ten Great Demonic Sects, but also the more mysterious 'Imperial Clan' and 'Yao Race'.”

“Your method of running rampant in the Chaotic Star Sea needs to be reined in over there.”

“Especially that Nascent Soul within you...”

Xiang Zhili pointed at Zhou Wannian's Dantian.

“Carrying the meaning of 'reverse star,' and fused with Magnetic Force.”

“If those old monsters (other Soul Transformation Stage Cultivators) in the Great Jin see it, they might capture you for dissection and research.”

“Therefore...”

Xiang Zhili tossed a dusty Jade Slip to Zhou Wannian.

“This is a Breath Concealment Art I created myself—the 'Mortal Art'.”

“Practice it, and as long as you don't make a move, no one below the Soul Transformation Stage will be able to see through your depth.”

“Consider it... the fare for this journey.”

Zhou Wannian took the Jade Slip, overjoyed.

A Breath Concealment Art from a Soul Transformation old monster! This was a truly divine skill!

“Thank you for your guidance, Senior!”

“Hehe, no need to thank me. I just find you pleasing to the eye, and I don't want you to be killed as soon as you land. That wouldn't make my hitchhike very comfortable.”

Before his words finished.

A dazzling white light appeared ahead.

“We're here!”

“Prepare for landing!”

Boom!

Accompanied by a violent tremor.

The three rushed out of the spatial tunnel.

A wave of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, several times denser and purer than that of the Chaotic Star Sea, washed over them.

Below.

Lay a vast, boundless green land, crisscrossed by mountains and rivers, with hidden immortal paradises.

The Great Jin.

The center of Human Realm cultivation.

Old Devil Zhou, has arrived.