297: Chapter 297 Qinghe Immortal City and Turning to Ashes

The crimson flying boat of the Qinghe Cui Clan glided steadily over the boundless Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. The Space Law of this Great Desolate True Realm was exceptionally dense; the sound of the flying boat piercing the air was like a sharp blade cutting through hardened Primordial Profound Ice, carrying a dull and heavy sense of tearing.

Inside the flying boat, in the Heaven-grade main cabin.

The decor here exuded an ancient and elegant charm. The floor was paved with warm jade that emitted a faint warmth, and several moonstones embedded in the surrounding cabin walls radiated a soft light. The air was filled with a sandalwood fragrance that could calm the mind and steady the will, completely isolating the noisy whistling of the gale outside.

Zhou Wannian sat upright in the center of the main cabin on a wide chaise carved from a single piece of ten-thousand-year-old agarwood. His Green Robe was as neat as new, and he leaned against the back of the chair in a relaxed posture, his eyes slightly closed, his breathing steady and long.

He was quietly comprehending the Laws of heaven and earth in this Great Desolate True Realm.

The structural framework of the Laws in this world was more complete and heavy than any interface he had experienced before. If that so-called Origin Dao Realm were compared to this Great Desolate True Realm, it was simply like a crude toy molded from mud. Every wisp of Spiritual Qi here contained a majestic weight sufficient to crush mountains, and the space barrier was reinforced to an outrageous degree. An ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal would find even flying through the air incredibly difficult here.

However, such heavy heavenly pressure was, to Zhou Wannian, like nourishment from a long-awaited rain after a drought.

The Great Five Elements Illusory World Art operated silently within his body like a flawless universal millstone. One hundred and eight groups of time dao patterns emitted a gentle golden divine light, easily crushing and refining the heavy Spiritual Qi that flooded into his body. In the center of his Qi Sea, that seedling of the chaos jianmu was greedily stretching its emerald leaves; with every sway, it would shower down vast amounts of Light of Creation, tempering Zhou Wannian's Physical Body and the Foundation of his inner universe to become increasingly unfathomable.

Zhou Wannian slowly opened his eyes, a flash of understanding passing through his deep pupils.

Zhou Wannian whispered to himself in a steady tone, "Only deep waters can raise a true Dragon. The heritage of this Great Desolate True Realm is indeed worthy of the titles of those Daluo True Monarchs and Dao Venerates. Unfortunately, no matter how solid these Laws are, before the pure Origin of the inner universe, they ultimately cannot escape the fences of the Five Elements and space-time."

He casually raised his right hand and lightly tapped the void in front of him.

There was no ripple of immortal spiritual power, nor did it trigger any grand heavenly phenomena. But at the spot in space where his fingertip landed, a tiny black hole eerily collapsed. Within the black hole, the flow of time and space was completely disrupted, and then, with a slight movement of Zhou Wannian's thought, it instantly returned to its original state.

His testing complete, Zhou Wannian withdrew his right hand, his expression remaining as relaxed and indifferent as ever.

A faint sound of footsteps came from outside the cabin door.

Cui Mingyue walked in, carrying a purple clay tray that exuded an ancient Aura, her expression respectful and somewhat constrained. On the tray was a set of exquisite white jade tea set, with wisps of pale green tea fragrance wafting from the spout.

This direct descendant prodigy of the Qinghe Cui Clan, after experiencing that life-and-death ordeal, felt a reverence for this Green Robe Senior that had reached her very marrow. She personally took charge of Zhou Wannian's meals and daily life, fearing the slightest negligence that might displease this supreme powerhouse who could obliterate a Beast King with a flick of his finger.

Cui Mingyue walked to Zhou Wannian's side and performed a slight curtsy.

Cui Mingyue said softly, "Senior, this is the 'Cloud Mist Spirit Tip' specialty of our Qinghe Cui Clan. This tea grows on the Spiritual Vein with the densest Spiritual Qi in the Cangwu Ancient Domain and is harvested only once every hundred years; it is quite beneficial for stabilizing the Divine Soul. Please sample it, Senior."

She skillfully poured a cup of hot tea for Zhou Wannian. In the white jade teacup, the pale green tea water was like a piece of flawless emerald, emitting an inviting fragrance.

Zhou Wannian picked up the teacup, gently blew away the foam on the surface, and took a shallow sip.

As the tea entered his throat, it turned into a warm current that spread through his Meridians. Although it was but a drop in the ocean for his inner universe, the rich, sweet aftertaste was quite pleasant to him.

Zhou Wannian set down the teacup and commented casually, "The tea is good, and the heat was mastered just right. Your Qinghe Cui Clan certainly knows how to enjoy life."

Hearing this, Cui Mingyue's originally tense nerves relaxed slightly, and a flattered smile appeared on her face.

Cui Mingyue replied submissively, "Senior overpraises us. To be worthy of Senior's Dharma Eye is the fortune of this spirit tea. If Senior likes it, this Junior will pack up all the Cloud Mist Spirit Tip stored in the clan and present it to you."

Zhou Wannian nodded noncommittally, his gaze passing through the one-way transparent crystal window on the cabin wall to look at the vast mountains retreating rapidly outside.

Zhou Wannian asked with a flat expression, "This flying boat has been sailing for two days. How much further is the journey to that Qinghe Immortal City?"

Cui Mingyue hurriedly answered respectfully.

Cui Mingyue reported in detail, "Reporting to Senior. We have already flown out of the core region of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. Once we cross that canyon named 'Cloud-Breaking Abyss' ahead, we will officially enter the territory of Qinghe Immortal City. At our current speed, we will reach the immortal city's docking port in three hours at most."

Zhou Wannian asked no more, simply closing his eyes and leaning back against the chair to continue resting.

Seeing this, Cui Mingyue did not dare to disturb him and sensibly withdrew from the main cabin, standing quietly in attendance outside the door.

Three hours of time is but a fleeting moment in the long life of a Cultivator.

When the flying boat's speed began to decrease slowly and a faint clamor filtered into the cabin through the Formation, Zhou Wannian finally opened his eyes again.

He stood up, straightened his Green Robe, and walked out of the Heaven-grade main cabin with steady steps, arriving on the broad white jade deck of the flying boat.

Seeing Zhou Wannian come out, Cui Yuanshan immediately led a group of Cui Family disciples to meet him, respectfully offering their greetings one after another.

Zhou Wannian waved his hand, dispensing with their formalities, and cast his gaze toward the shocking, massive immortal city ahead.

Appearing at the end of his vision was an ancient giant city so magnificent it was beyond words. Qinghe Immortal City was not built on a plain; rather, it was nestled against mountains and rivers, forcefully carved out of a continuous range of primordial mountains.

The city walls were ten thousand zhang high, cast entirely from a kind of 'Dark Underworld Star Iron' that emitted a faint black luster. The surface of the walls was covered with ancient marks of blades and axes, telling of the countless tides of Vicious Beasts and baptisms of war this immortal city had experienced through endless ages.

In the sky above the city, hundreds of floating islands of various sizes hovered. These islands were lined with palaces and lush with Immortal Plants; from time to time, Cultivators riding strange flying birds shuttled between the islands, trailing brilliant ribbons of Law.

The prosperity and heritage of Qinghe Immortal City, set against the heavy Laws of the Great Desolate True Realm, displayed a suffocatingly grand atmosphere. Even the Myriad Worlds Heavenly City was inferior to this Qinghe Immortal City by more than a notch in terms of pure defensive pressure and ancient Aura.

Cui Yuanshan stood by Zhou Wannian's side, pointing at the immortal city ahead that crouched like a primordial beast, with a hint of pride in his voice.

Cui Yuanshan introduced respectfully, "Senior, ahead is Qinghe Immortal City. This city is one of the hundred major cities on the edge of the Cangwu Ancient Domain, where tens of millions of Cultivators gather to trade year-round. Our Qinghe Cui Clan's estate is located on 'Purple Cloud Peak,' where the Spiritual Qi is densest in the inner city."

Zhou Wannian looked at the majestic immortal city, his deep eyes showing not a single ripple.

Zhou Wannian said in a steady tone, "The storefront is built quite sturdily. I hope the things in the city can live up to this display."

Under Cui Yuanshan's control, the flying boat slowly descended toward the massive public docking port on the outskirts of the immortal city.

The port was bustling with people, and countless flying boats and warships of various designs, emitting powerful pressure, were taking off and landing. Squads of city guards in dark silver heavy armor held long halberds, patrolling around the port to maintain order.

However.

Just as the Qinghe Cui Clan's crimson flying boat was about to enter its designated docking berth.

A sudden change occurred.

A massive warship, entirely pitch-black and at least five times the size of the Cui Family's boat, suddenly charged out arrogantly from the clouds on the side. A hideous white skull was carved on the bow of this warship, and the hull emitted a nauseating Aura of blood and gloom.

The black warship did not slow down at all, carrying a peerlessly violent impact as it cut directly across the front of the Cui Family's boat, forcefully blocking the flying boat's path into the port.

Boom!

Although the two behemoths did not collide directly, the terrifying astral wind kicked up by the black warship still slammed heavily against the defensive light barrier of the Cui Family's flying boat.

The flying boat shook violently, and those Cui Family disciples with weaker cultivation on the deck fell to the ground one after another, letting out cries of terror.

Cui Yuanshan's expression changed drastically; he quickly steadied himself and injected magic power into the flying boat's hub, forcefully stabilizing the vessel. He looked up and glared at the blocking black warship, his eyes almost spitting fire.

Cui Yuanshan roared through gritted teeth, "Dark Underworld Wang Family! What do you want? This is Qinghe Immortal City; how dare you openly intercept my Cui Family's merchant ship at the port!"

From the huge black warship, a figure emitting a sky-toppling Devilish Qi slowly descended.

It was an elderly man wearing a black robe with gold trim, his face sinister. The old man's eyes were deep-set, and a ghostly green light like that of a poisonous snake flickered within them. His entire body radiated the terrifying pressure of a Daluo True Monarch at the Middle Stage Peak; this pressure was like a materialized glacier, ruthlessly suppressing the Cui Family's flying boat and causing the entire vessel's keel to groan under the strain.

This person was none other than the head of the Dark Underworld Wang Family, the rival who had long-standing grievances with the Cui Family in Qinghe Immortal City: Wang Chongshan.

Wang Chongshan looked down from above at the ashen-faced Cui Yuanshan on the deck, his lips curling into a cold smile full of mockery and cruelty.

Wang Chongshan said in a cold tone, "Cui the Third, don't use the rules of Qinghe Immortal City to pressure me. Rules have always been set by the strong. I heard you were attacked by a swarm of Green-Scaled Wind Beasts in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and suffered heavy losses, with even your escorting experts dead. It seems the rumors were not false."

He paused, the greed in his eyes exposed without concealment.

Wang Chongshan continued to laugh arrogantly, "Obediently hand over that batch of 'Purple Cloud Refined Copper' in your hold intended for the Xuantian Sword Sect, and I shall show great mercy today and leave you with whole corpses. Otherwise, I will turn this broken ship of yours, along with you wastes, into dust outside this port."

This blatant declaration of robbery plunged all the Cui Family disciples on the deck into deep despair.

The overall strength of the Dark Underworld Wang Family was already stronger than that of the Qinghe Cui Clan. Now, the opponent's Family Head was personally leading the team—a great power of the Daluo True Monarch Middle Stage—along with that top-tier warship equipped with countless killing Formations. On the Cui Family's side, the strongest, Cui Yuanshan, was only at the Taiyi Realm Late Stage Peak, and had no capital to contend at all.

Cui Yuanshan's eyes were blood-red, and the veins on his hands holding the longsword bulged. He knew that once the Purple Cloud Refined Copper was lost, the Family would surely be doomed.

Cui Yuanshan roared with his hair standing on end in anger, "Wang Chongshan, don't even think about it. My Cui Family disciples would rather die in battle than hand over the tribute. If you dare to act, the Xuantian Sword Sect will never let your Wang Family off."

Wang Chongshan laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, letting out a burst of piercing wild laughter toward the sky.

Wang Chongshan mocked with disdain, "Xuantian Sword Sect? By the time they find out the truth, your Cui Family will have long been removed from Qinghe Immortal City. Since you refuse the easy way and insist on the hard way, then this seat will fulfill your wish. Elders, hear my command: form the 'Xuanming Soul-Shattering Formation' and blast this flying boat into smithereens for me."

With his command.

On the black warship, dozens of Wang Family Elders with Taiyi Realm cultivation simultaneously activated their hand seals. A pitch-black Evil Qi cloud ten thousand zhang in radius instantly condensed above the warship. Within the cloud, countless black wind blades like malevolent ghosts roared frantically, carrying a terrifying Divine Might that could tear apart the Divine Soul, pouring down fiercely toward the Cui Family flying boat below.

Facing such a lethal attack that was enough to completely wipe them out, the Cui Family members looked ashen; some even closed their eyes, waiting for death to descend.

However.

At this desperate and critical moment.

A steady, soothing voice, without any anger or pressure, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears like a clear spring hitting a stone, leisurely rang out on the deck.

Zhou Wannian spoke in a flat tone, "I just praised the facade of this Immortal City for being well-built, and you bunch of things who don't know whether to live or die jump out to bark wildly at this main gate; it's truly a bit of a disappointment."

Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone.

That Green Robe young man who had been standing at the edge of the deck, treated by them as a life-saving straw but also making them feel uneasy because he showed no Aura, finally made a move.

Zhou Wannian did not sacrifice any earth-shattering defensive Magic Treasure, nor did he burst out with the heaven-and-earth-crushing Aura of a Daluo True Monarch.

He just stood there casually, with even his hands still behind his back.

He slightly raised his chin, his eyes deep as an ancient well, calmly looking at the ten-thousand-zhang Evil Qi cloud pouring down from high above, and at Wang Chongshan standing imperiously on the warship.

Facing this thunderous destruction attack that was enough to level a mountain range.

Zhou Wannian's expression was composed, his tone revealing an absolute relaxation from his very bones.

Zhou Wannian flatly spat out two words: "Disperse."

Buzz.

As those two words, which carried no immortal spiritual power fluctuations, fell.

Great Five Elements Illusory World Art, Space Great Perfection Law, Time Deprivation Law.

Two supreme inner universe rules perfectly fused together at this moment, turning into an invisible transparent ripple that rippled out from before Zhou Wannian, gently brushing against the sky full of attacks.

There was no deafening sound of Law collision.

No brilliant explosion of energy.

An unbelievable scene truly played out outside the port of Qinghe Immortal City, under the gaze of thousands of Cultivators.

That ball of majestic Xuanming Soul-Shattering Evil Qi, which gathered the full-strength blow of dozens of Taiyi Cultivators, at the moment it touched that transparent ripple, was like melting snow encountering the scorching sun, or more like an illusory phantom being completely punctured.

Starting from the foremost black wind blades, that violent Evil Qi decomposed and faded at a speed that defied common sense. Without lasting even half a breath of time, this sky-full of killing intent disintegrated in mid-air, turning into a cool breeze that brushed over the deck of the Cui Family flying boat, without even blowing up a single wood chip.

"This... how is this possible."

Standing at the bow of the black warship, Wang Chongshan's face, which was originally filled with cruelty and arrogance, was now completely frozen. His snake-like eyes widened uncontrollably, and a deep-seated horror and disbelief emerged in the depths of his eyes.

He was a top expert of the Daluo True Monarch Middle Stage; how sharp was his vision. He clearly felt that the power that had just neutralized their combined blow was not some protective immortal light at all, but a supreme power that directly erased the existence of the Law itself.

That kind of power had completely exceeded his lifelong understanding of the cultivation system.

A shudder originating from the depths of his Divine Soul made Wang Chongshan's legs tremble involuntarily. He finally realized that the Green Robe young man standing on the deck of the Cui Family flying boat, who seemed to have no cultivation, was absolutely a supreme taboo hidden in the mortal world.

Escape.

This was the only thought left in Wang Chongshan's mind at this moment. Before an absolute dimensional reduction strike, any dignity and greed became the most ridiculous joke.

Wang Chongshan roared with a distorted face, "Retreat quickly! Activate the warship's strongest shield and tear through space to retreat immediately! Fast!"

He unhesitatingly burned the Daluo Origin within his body, attempting to forcibly tear open the solid space barrier of the Great Desolate True Realm to flee for his life.

The black warship emitted an overloaded roar, and layers of heavy defensive light screens lit up around the hull.

However.

Looking at Wang Chongshan, who was preparing to flee like a stray dog.

A faint trace of mockery flashed in Zhou Wannian's calm eyes.

Zhou Wannian said in a steady tone, "Since you've come, why be in such a hurry to leave. I hate it most when others block my path; since you've laid your ship across here, then stay here forever."

He still did not form any seals, nor did he perform any flashy Divine Ability.

He just slowly drew out his right hand from behind his back, his fingers slightly spread, and flatly pressed down toward the massive black warship high in the sky.

Boom.

An invisible yet terrifying weight, enough to crush eternity, descended without warning onto the top of that black warship.

Great Five Elements Illusory World Art, Space Collapse, Five Elements Disintegration.

Crack. Crack.

That high-cost top-tier warship, enough to withstand the full-force blow of a Daluo True Monarch, was as fragile as if it were made of paper before this invisible pressure. The heavy defensive light screens had no power to resist at all, instantly shattering into countless light spots like glass.

Immediately after.

Starting from the top of the warship, the hard Dark Underworld Star Iron keel broke inch by inch amidst tooth-aching twisting sounds. The entire massive hull was forcibly crushed and compressed in mid-air by that supreme disintegration power.

"Ah—No! Senior, have mercy! My Dark Underworld Wang Family is willing to submit!"

Wang Chongshan let out the most shrill and desperate wail of his life. He frantically urged his Magic Treasures, wanting to resist that falling invisible giant hand, but before that absolutely crushing disintegration Law, his Daluo True Monarch Middle Stage cultivation was like a mantis trying to stop a wheel—pathetic and ridiculous.

His voice lasted for only half a breath before it was completely cut off.

In a ten-thousandth of an instant.

Under the ghost-like horrified gazes of the tens of thousands of spectating Cultivators.

That black warship as massive as a mountain, along with the dozens of Taiyi Elders on board, and that imperious Dark Underworld Wang Family Head, Wang Chongshan.

In mid-air, they were forcibly crushed into a tiny singularity that was hard for the naked eye to detect.

Then.

Poof.

An extremely faint muffled sound.

That singularity collapsed and scattered in the void.

No flesh and blood flew, no wreckage fell.

A generation's Daluo True Monarch, a top-tier warship, just like that—cleanly and without a hint of fire or smoke—turned into a ball of extremely fine gray powder.

A mountain breeze blew from outside the port.

That ball of powder scattered and drifted between heaven and earth, completely erasing all traces of its former existence.

Instant kill.

A true absolute instant kill. No logic, no cultivation gap; as long as Zhou Wannian acted, the ending would always be this kind of calm that crushed everything.

Outside the huge port of Qinghe Immortal City.

Dead silence.

Absolute dead silence.

Whether it was Cui Yuanshan and others who had escaped death on the Cui Family flying boat, or the Cultivators of various forces in the port preparing to watch the excitement, or the city guards holding long halberds, at this moment they all seemed to have turned into soulless stone carvings, standing stiffly in place, their breathing completely halted.

Their eyes were wide and round, and their brains had fallen into a blank space incapable of thought.

What did they see?

The Family Head of the Dark Underworld Wang Family, a Daluo True Monarch who had awed Qinghe Immortal City for many years, had been turned to ashes along with his warship by someone casually pressing a palm from a distance.

This kind of method, this kind of relaxed ease as if crushing an ant, had completely shattered their understanding of the power system of the cultivation world.

It took a full half-tea's time before Cui Yuanshan suddenly shuddered, waking up from that Soul-deep stupor.

His legs went weak, and he directly knelt down on the deck in a full prostration. His clothes were already soaked with cold sweat, and his body was shaking violently and uncontrollably.

Cui Yuanshan's voice trembled, shouting with endless fanaticism and awe, "Senior's Divine Might is peerless and matchless in the world. This Junior, on behalf of the entire Qinghe Cui Clan, bows in thanks for Senior's life-saving grace."

Behind him, Cui Mingyue and other Cui Family disciples also knelt down in a row, everyone's eyes filled with reverence as if for a deity.

Zhou Wannian slowly withdrew his right hand, placing it back behind him.

He looked at the navigation route ahead, which had become empty and unobstructed; his expression was still as flat and relaxed as before.

Zhou Wannian said in an easy-going tone, "The garbage has been cleared, and the road is now spacious. Get up, enter the city quickly. Do not delay my itinerary because of your daze anymore."

Cui Yuanshan woke up as if from a dream, scrambled up from the ground, and rushed to the flying boat's control center, pushing the speed to the limit.

The crimson Cui Family flying boat let out a cheerful roar and, under the gazes of tens of thousands of Cultivators in the port who looked at them as if they were gods, sailed unobstructed into the grand mooring berth of Qinghe Immortal City.

And at the moment the flying boat entered the Immortal City, the terrifying news of a Green Robe supreme expert wiping out the Dark Underworld Wang Family Head with a single palm swept through the entire massive Qinghe Immortal City like a gale.

A storm capable of changing the landscape of the Cangwu Ancient Domain was quietly brewing in this ancient Immortal City, following Zhou Wannian's leisurely footsteps.