261: Chapter 261 The Sands of Time and the Giant Wood Market

Deep in the Falling Leaf Mountains, the dark cave was silent.

Zhou Wannian had casually set up several sophisticated concealment Formations at the cave entrance. Let alone ordinary True Immortal Yao Beasts, even a Taiyi Realm Cultivator passing by would find it extremely difficult to discover the hidden world behind this moss-covered cliff wall, unless they deliberately searched inch by inch with their Divine Sense.

Zhou Wannian sat cross-legged on a flat bluestone. No fire was lit in the cave; the only light source was the dark red jade box floating in front of him.

He lightly tapped the edge of the jade box with his slender finger. The lid slid open silently, and a strange ripple instantly filled the small stone room. It was a sensation that could not be accurately described in words, as if even the fine dust floating in the air slowed its dancing trajectory at this moment.

At the bottom of the jade box, that handful of time crystal sand emitted a soft and mysterious white light.

Zhou Wannian's expression was calm, but two faint golden lights flickered deep in his eyes. He was in no hurry to consume the crystal sand; instead, he very slowly formed a hand seal in front of him.

The Great Five Elements Illusory World Art's cultivation route began to circulate steadily within his body.

Hum.

An extremely faint buzzing sound rang out behind Zhou Wannian. A true word treasure wheel, completely golden and emitting an endless ancient aura, slowly emerged. On the treasure wheel, eighty-one time dao patternss flickered like living things, emitting circles of visible golden ripples.

"Disperse," Zhou Wannian said softly, parting his thin lips.

Guided by him, the handful of time crystal sand immediately transformed into a cloud of brilliant stardust, drifting out of the jade box and enveloping Zhou Wannian in a hazy white starlight.

Every grain of crystal sand would emit an extremely faint cracking sound the moment it touched his protective immortal light, then transform into a wisp of the purest Time Law Origin, drilling into his Meridians through his pores without any resistance.

Zhou Wannian's breathing became extremely long. He didn't even deliberately guide these Law powers, instead allowing the true word treasure wheel to absorb them on its own. This state of cultivation, relaxed to the extreme, actually coincided with the most natural Dao truths of heaven and earth.

As the time crystal sand continued to merge, the rotation speed of the true word treasure wheel began to slow down, but the golden light it emitted became deeper and more profound.

The eighty-second Dao pattern.

The eighty-third Dao pattern.

...

Time in the cave seemed to lose meaning. Spring went and autumn came; the ancient trees outside the cave went through three Reincarnations of flourishing and withering.

Three years was nothing more than the time it took for a True Immortal Realm Cultivator to take a nap.

When the last grain of time crystal sand completely merged into Zhou Wannian's body, the true word treasure wheel behind him suddenly erupted with a blindingly bright golden light, which then retracted entirely into the treasure wheel in an instant.

One hundred and eight Dao patterns.

Zhou Wannian slowly opened his eyes, and a phantom of a golden river of time flashed through his deep pupils. He raised his right hand and made a casual swipe in the Void Realm.

There was no ripple of immortal spiritual power, nor any spatial slicing from the void-splitting ruler. Yet, a visible distorted crease appeared in the Void Realm in front of him. That was purely relying on his control over the Time Law to forcibly cause a displacement in the flow of time in this small area.

"The third layer of the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art has finally reached Major Achievement."

Zhou Wannian lowered his hand, his tone lacking the wild joy after a Breakthrough, showing only a natural calmness. Now, even without relying on his powerful Physical Body at the Taiyi Middle Stage, he could easily escape from a Taiyi Jade Immortal based solely on this Major Achievement Time Law.

Crunch, crunch.

A crisp chewing sound interrupted Zhou Wannian's thoughts.

He lowered his head slightly and looked at his lapel. A walnut-sized beetle, its shell covered in complex patterns of interwoven dark gold and silver, was lying on his knee. Its two sharp front mandibles were holding a piece of high-grade Gengjin Ore seized from the Shura Realm, chewing it with great relish like a radish.

After three years of slumber and digestion, Golden Boy had finally woken up. Its aura became increasingly restrained, but the pressure of a prehistoric Vicious Beast it faintly emitted was several times stronger than before.

"Boss, this broken stone has no taste." Golden Boy swallowed the last bite of the Ore, its two antennae shaking with dissatisfaction as it spoke via telepathy, "I smell the fragrance of many flowers and plants outside. Although they aren't as chewy as Ore, a change of flavor wouldn't be bad."

Zhou Wannian reached out and lightly flicked Golden Boy's hard shell.

"What's the rush?" Zhou Wannian stood up and casually brushed off his green robe. "This is the Yimu Immortal Domain, where Heaven And Earth Treasures are most abundant. Once I've handled the matters at hand, you'll naturally get your share of benefits."

Hearing this, Golden Boy squeaked twice in excitement, turned into a streak of golden light, and skillfully burrowed back into Zhou Wannian's sleeve.

Zhou Wannian raised his hand and waved, removing the concealment Formation at the cave entrance.

The long-absent sunlight pierced through the dense canopy, dappling the cliff wall. Zhou Wannian stepped out of the cave and took a deep breath of the fresh air filled with wood-attribute Spiritual Qi.

Although he had gained much on this trip, he was a newcomer and practically blind regarding the Yimu Immortal Domain. Although the Star Domain sea chart he obtained from Gongshu Tian was vast, it lacked specific details of the interior of this Immortal Realm. He now most needed a detailed distribution map of local powers and a large amount of high-grade wood-attribute spiritual liquid to nourish the precious jianmu remnant branch in his storage bracelet.

Zhou Wannian did not directly take flight; instead, his Divine Sense spread out quietly like ripples on water.

A moment later, he turned his gaze to the west. About fifty thousand miles away, there were extremely dense and complex spiritual power fluctuations, clearly a large-scale gathering place for Cultivators.

With a thought, Zhou Wannian's aura quickly retracted, eventually stabilizing at the level of a Middle True Immortal. He completely hid that sharp murderous aura, making himself look like an ordinary wandering Loose Cultivator who followed his whims.

He did not summon a flying Magic Treasure, but simply set off, walking seemingly slowly through the forest. However, with every step he took, the space beneath his feet would slightly contract, using the Divine Ability of shrinking distance to inches without leaving a trace. In just half an hour, he had crossed the fifty-thousand-mile distance.

The view ahead suddenly opened up.

What met his eyes was not a city built of brick and stone common in other Immortal Realms, but a giant withered tree of mind-boggling proportions.

This withered wood was hundreds of miles in diameter, lying across two peaks that pierced the clouds. Countless large and small Immortal Caves and pavilions had been carved into the surface of the withered wood. Thick green vines intertwined between the withered wood to form wide suspended streets, where countless Cultivators in various outfits shuttled back and forth, and Cultivators riding giant leaves or bird-shaped Magic Treasures occasionally landed or took off.

Giant Wood Market.

Zhou Wannian walked to the entrance of the market. There was no strict guard inspection here, only two green wooden pillars carved with complex patterns forming a natural gateway. Most Cultivators in the Yimu Immortal Domain cultivated wood-attribute techniques and had relatively mild temperaments, so the atmosphere of the market was much more relaxed than the blood-scented places in the Shura Realm.

Zhou Wannian walked slowly into the market along a wide vine main street. The street was lined with various stalls emitting medicinal fragrances, and the sounds of hawking were endless.

He did not stop at these low-level stalls, his gaze scanning the tall wooden pavilions on both sides of the street. Finally, his eyes rested on a three-story pavilion named "Evergreen Pavilion."

This pavilion was built entirely of sandalwood that emitted a faint fragrance, and the plaque flickered with spiritual light, clearly protected by an extraordinary Restriction. Most of the Cultivators entering and leaving this pavilion had steady auras and impressive cultivation bases.

Zhou Wannian entered the Evergreen Pavilion as usual.

The space inside the pavilion was huge and elegantly decorated. On the surrounding walls hung various Spiritual Plant diagrams, and the air was filled with a soul-soothing incense that made one feel refreshed.

A green-robed maid with Void Refining Stage cultivation saw a guest arriving and immediately stepped forward with a graceful posture and a polite, appropriate smile.

"Welcome to Evergreen Pavilion, Senior." The maid bowed slightly and asked in a soft voice, "May I ask if Senior wishes to sell spiritual materials or purchase Magic Treasures and Medicinal Pills?"

"I want to buy the most detailed topographical map of the Yimu Immortal Domain." Zhou Wannian's tone was flat, without any unnecessary pleasantries. "Also, I'd like to see if you have any top-grade wood-attribute spiritual liquid aged over a million years."

Hearing the words "million years," a flash of surprise crossed the maid's eyes. Spiritual liquid of this level was an extremely scarce strategic resource even in the Yimu Immortal Domain; ordinary True Immortals couldn't afford to use it, let alone buy it.

Her attitude became even more respectful.

"The items Senior seeks are all treasures and are not displayed in the first-floor counters." The maid stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation. "Please move to the elegant seats on the second floor, Senior. I will go and invite the shopkeeper to personally appraise the treasures for you."

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly and walked up the wooden stairs.

The environment on the second floor was even more serene, with only a few independent compartments separated by screens. Zhou Wannian sat in a compartment by the window, from which he could overlook most of the bustling scene of the Giant Wood Market through the half-open window lattice.

Not long after, a middle-aged man wearing a silk robe and sporting a long beard walked quickly into the compartment. This man had a Late Stage True Immortal cultivation base, and his eyes revealed the shrewdness unique to a businessman, yet he did not seem overly slick.

"I am the shopkeeper of Evergreen Pavilion, surnamed Lin." The middle-aged man cupped his hands to Zhou Wannian and said with a smile, "I heard that Fellow Daoist needs top-grade wood-attribute spiritual liquid and a detailed map?"

"Correct." Zhou Wannian picked up the spiritual tea the maid had just brewed, took a light sip, and fixed his gaze on Shopkeeper Lin.

Shopkeeper Lin didn't waste words and directly took out a green Jade Slip from his sleeve, placing it gently on the table.

"What is recorded in this Jade Slip is the general map of the Yimu Immortal Domain that our Evergreen Pavilion Merchant Association has spent tens of thousands of years collecting. It includes the spheres of influence of major Sects and the detailed coordinates of many dangerous places." Shopkeeper Lin introduced, "As for wood-attribute spiritual liquid over a million years old, our shop currently only has one small bottle of 'source of ten thousand woods,' which was refined by extracting the vitality of an entire ten-thousand-year spiritual mine."

Having said that, he took out a mutton-fat jade bottle with a golden seal. Just by placing it on the table, several illusory green lotuses faintly appeared in the Void Realm around the bottle, showing how rich the vitality was.

Zhou Wannian put down his teacup and didn't reach for the spiritual liquid, instead looking at Shopkeeper Lin.

"Name your price." Zhou Wannian's tone remained calm.

Shopkeeper Lin held up two fingers.

"The map is a bonus. This bottle of source of ten thousand woods, priced at two hundred top-grade immortal yuan stones." Shopkeeper Lin smiled as he quoted a sky-high price that would bankrupt an ordinary True Immortal.

Zhou Wannian's expression didn't change. He didn't bargain; in a transaction of this level, wasting breath to fight over a few dozen immortal yuan stones was meaningless.

With a flick of his wrist, a fist-sized Ore, dark red and covered with eerie patterns, appeared on the table.

With the appearance of this Ore, the air in the compartment instantly became heavy, and a faint violent aura of blood-shimmer and Space Law mixed together spread out.

"This is..." Shopkeeper Lin's expression changed instantly. He jumped to his feet and stared fixedly at the Ore on the table, his breathing becoming rapid.

"Shura Blood Crystal?" Shopkeeper Lin gasped, a deep sense of awe appearing in his eyes as he looked at Zhou Wannian.

Shura Blood Crystals could only be formed in the deepest parts of the blood sea at the core of the Shura Realm. The Yimu Immortal Domain and the Shura Realm were separated by more than billions of miles, and the barrier between the Gray Realm and the True Immortal Realm was strictly enforced. This item was practically a priceless treasure in the Yimu Immortal Domain, possessing a fatal attraction for those old monsters who cultivated special techniques or urgently needed to break through Bottlenecks.

"Shopkeeper Lin has a good eye." Zhou Wannian leaned back in his chair, his slender fingers rhythmically tapping on the table. "This Shura Blood Crystal should be enough to exchange for the two items on your table."

"Enough, absolutely enough!" Shopkeeper Lin nodded repeatedly, his smile becoming incredibly sincere. "Fellow Daoist is generous. Evergreen Pavilion accepts this deal."

He carefully put away the Shura Blood Crystal, then pushed the Jade Slip and the mutton-fat jade bottle in front of Zhou Wannian.

Zhou Wannian waved his hand to put the items into his storage bracelet and prepared to leave.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait." Shopkeeper Lin suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of probing.

Zhou Wannian stopped and glanced sideways.

"Is there something else?"

Shopkeeper Lin hesitated for a moment and lowered his voice, "Seeing Fellow Daoist's decisive actions and extraordinary generosity, you probably aren't a native Cultivator of our Yimu Immortal Domain, right? To be honest, the Yimu Immortal Domain hasn't been peaceful lately. The Heavenly Court in the central Star Domain seems to be making a big move, sending many high-grade Immortal Envoys who are searching everywhere for someone."

Hearing the words "Heavenly Court," Zhou Wannian's eyes didn't flicker, and even his heartbeat didn't change in the slightest.

"Oh?" Zhou Wannian replied casually, his tone carrying an appropriate coldness and indifference. "That has nothing to do with a wandering cloud like me."

Seeing that Zhou Wannian was not interested, Shopkeeper Lin said no more and simply cupped his hands respectfully.

"Safe travels, Fellow Daoist. If you have such rare items in the future, feel free to come to our Evergreen Pavilion."

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly and walked out of the compartment.

As he walked through the noisy vine streets of the Giant Wood Market, a faint cold light flashed in his deep eyes.

"The Heavenly Court's movements are quite fast."

Zhou Wannian looked up at the azure sky. He knew that the news of Gongshu Tian's fall had likely been discovered by the high-level members of the Heavenly Court. Although this was the remote Yimu Immortal Domain, the Heavenly Court's reach would eventually spread here.

However, he didn't care.

With the jianmu remnant branch and the source of ten thousand woods in hand, his current priority was to find an absolutely safe place to reawaken the vitality of this Divine Wood of Heaven and Earth, thereby completing the most crucial wood-attribute Origin in the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art.

Zhou Wannian walked steadily through the crowd of noisy Cultivators and soon disappeared at the end of the Giant Wood Market.