258: Chapter 257 Spend as you please

"Go home, I want to go home..."

The Daming Dynasty's Heavenly Prison was buried a thousand zhang beneath the earth, cutting off the light of the sun and moon and locking away all Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

This place was a forbidden zone where the Daming Dynasty suppressed serious criminals and imprisoned outsiders. Layer upon layer of Restrictions sealed the four directions, with Dao patterns winding along the walls and binding forces locking away souls. Even if a half-step True Immortal were to fall into it, they would find it difficult to break free in the slightest.

For three years, the foreign Cultivator Venerable Ling Yue had been imprisoned here, with no one to interrogate him, no one to disturb him, and completely cut off from the world.

Day after day of confinement made the anxiety and unease in his heart grow ever more intense. With his future uncertain, his heart had long been filled with depression and trepidation.

Today, the heavy, dust-laden iron door of the Heavenly Prison was finally pushed open slowly.

The harsh sound of grinding mechanisms pierced the dead silence, and a ray of bright sunlight poured in through the crack in the door.

Yuan Chen wore a plain white robe and walked with a calm gait, while Dongfang Mu followed closely behind, his grey robe looking steady and solemn.

Sensing the presence of living people, Venerable Ling Yue slowly raised his eyes, his gaze piercing through the gloom and landing precisely on Yuan Chen. The moment he saw the face of the newcomer, his pupils constricted slightly.

The next second, he completely broke down, clutching the iron chains between them and bawling, "You've finally come, you've finally come! What exactly do you want? Just ask! You've locked me up for three years—I want to go home!"

Yuan Chen rubbed his nose in some embarrassment; he had mostly forgotten about him because he was busy.

Afterwards, standing three feet outside the cell, he swept a calm gaze over Venerable Ling Yue and spoke indifferently, acting as if nothing was the matter: "It's only been three years. For us Cultivators, isn't that just the blink of an eye? You're at least several hundred years old, is it really worth it? Besides, haven't I come to find you now?"

Venerable Ling Yue wiped his tears: "I'm anxious to go home, alright? I need to find the way home. My daughter is only two hundred years old and is still waiting for me to return... Now that I am trapped in prison, my life hanging in your hands as a prisoner, ask whatever you want. But can you please tell me how I can go home?"

"..." Yuan Chen and the other exchanged a look, both speechless.

A faint light flashed in Yuan Chen's eyes. He didn't answer but instead asked a question, cutting straight to the core: "First, tell me about your identity. In the Xuanzhou Realm, what is your status and what faction are you from? What level has your true cultivation Realm reached?"

This was the most basic and critical information.

Venerable Ling Yue took a deep breath, knowing he had no bargaining power and could only honestly listen to Yuan Chen's words.

He reined in all the emotions in his eyes and calmed down slightly: "I come from the first-class Sect of the Xuanzhou Realm, the Qingxuan Dao Sect, and I am the Sect Master's Personal Disciple."

"As for my cultivation, before I fell into Canglan, I was already a Dou Saint powerhouse..."

Dongfang Mu, who was to the side, couldn't help but ask upon hearing this: "Dou Saint? That's equivalent to our Mahayana Stage, then. It seems the Dou Emperors in the records are about the same as our Loose Tribulation Cultivators."

He had scoured ancient books of the Eastern Wasteland and visited countless ancient Sects, but only had a rough understanding of the other side's system.

Venerable Ling Yue glanced at him, looking bewildered: "Uh, I suppose so."

Although he didn't know what the hell a Loose Tribulation was, agreeing at this moment was definitely the right thing to do.

"The Xuanzhou world is perfect, its Laws are complete, and its Dou Qi is vast. There is no Lightning Tribulation, and Cultivators can only Ascend after surpassing the Dou Emperor Realm, right?"

Dongfang Mu stared at Venerable Ling Yue without blinking, waiting for the other's response.

Venerable Ling Yue was somewhat puzzled: "Yes, what about it?"

Dongfang Mu's expression instantly turned ugly.

Yuan Chen glanced at Dongfang Mu, signaling him not to worry, and then continued asking: "How is the overall strength of the Qingxuan Dao Sect in the Xuanzhou Realm? How is the overall power structure of Xuanzhou divided? Tell me in detail."

Venerable Ling Yue nodded slightly, no longer holding back, and slowly recounted the vast layout of the Xuanzhou Great World: "Xuanzhou is vast and boundless... Sects and ten thousand races stand tall, and forces are intertwined. There is no absolute unified Imperial Dynasty hegemon. There are hegemons in each of the nine regions, ruling over their respective territories. There are some stronger Yao Race factions, but they basically don't amount to much."

"The Qingxuan Dao Sect, where I am from, is the hegemon of the Liuyun Region. It has been passed down for millions of years, has a profound Foundation, and has Dou Emperor powerhouses sitting in charge, overlooking the territory. Within the borders of Xuanzhou, it is among the top even among the nine major hegemons."

"And below the nine major hegemons, there are dozens of Holy Lands and hundreds of Imperial Clans, all jointly holding the power of speech in various places."

"How many Dou Emperors does your Qingxuan Dao Sect have?" Dongfang Mu couldn't help but ask again.

"This..." Venerable Ling Yue hesitated for a moment, but finally said honestly: "Tens of thousands, though most are in the early stages of the Dou Emperor Realm."

Anyway, the two worlds were separated, so it didn't matter if he told the other party.

As expected! Dongfang Mu's heart sank.

The other side's Xuanzhou required one to be above the Dou Emperor Realm to Ascend, while the Canglan Cultivation World allowed Ascension at the Mahayana Stage. Thus, under the same base population, the other side's high-level combat power was definitely more than theirs.

And from the questioning just now, he also learned that the other side's Xuanzhou wasn't much different in size from their Canglan...

Now that the boundaries between the two worlds had truly cracked open, the Canglan World was definitely not a match in terms of high-level power.

Even a major power like the Dragon Clan only had a few hundred Loose Tribulation Cultivators, yet here, tens of thousands popped up on the other side.

Once the various major powers of Xuanzhou discovered a plane like Canglan, countless Sects, clans, and Prodigies would crazily flood across the border to plunder resources, and by then...

"Good, good. So the Sects on your side can also summon people from the Upper Realm, right?"

On the contrary, Yuan Chen suddenly became excited.

Dongfang Mu shuddered, then let out a long sigh of relief, forgetting about this guy.

There was no way the Canglan World could be suppressed.

"You mean envoys from the Immortal Realm? Yes, we have them, brother." Venerable Ling Yue nodded.

Yuan Chen was even more satisfied: "That's good."

He continued to ask for details: "The Xuanzhou cultivation system is completely different from our Canglan Immortal Dao. What are the specific differences? Could you introduce them briefly?"

This was the key to preparing for war. Knowing oneself and the enemy would ensure victory in every battle. He had to first figure out the other side's cultivation Foundation and combat power system.

Venerable Ling Yue, having a strong desire to go home, answered patiently and clearly: "My Xuanzhou mainly cultivates Dou Qi and the Physical Body..."

After listening for a while, Yuan Chen understood: "Simply put, under the same Realm, the Physical Body combat power and fighting ability of Dou Qi Cultivators far exceed those of Canglan Immortal Dao Cultivators. We are good at endurance battles and Law-based spells, while you are good at close-quarters suppression, right? This could also be seen from your previous battle with the four guards."

"Thanks!" Yuan Chen stood up: "I'll have someone arrange for you to go out later. You are free."

Venerable Ling Yue was slightly stunned, then immediately bowed and asked anxiously: "I would like to ask, can I still return to Xuanzhou?"

Yuan Chen turned back, revealing a strange smile: "Rest assured, you definitely will! And I think it won't take long."

Venerable Ling Yue was overjoyed; things had taken a turn for the better: "Many thanks, Dragon Emperor."

...

Clouds surged between heaven and earth, and the Spiritual Qi of the entire Imperial City crazily gathered, piled up, and oscillated toward the Heaven Sacrificial Platform.

A mountain of massive amounts of Spirit Stones, Heaven And Earth Treasure, and Origin crystals were piled up. The majestic energy flowed along the complex Dao patterns, forcibly tearing open a stable Mortal-Immortal passage that spanned the endless Void Realm and led directly to the territory of the Zhao Clan Immortal Sect.

Hum— The Void Realm trembled, and divine light exploded.

"I, Zhao Miao, have come down again!"

In the center of the beam of light, a slender and graceful figure in white slowly descended through the air. Her posture was light, her temperament cold and aloof, and her clothes fluttered slightly in the wind, devoid of any worldly aura. It was Zhao Miao, who had come to the Lower Realm again.

Compared to the gloominess of her first time in the Lower Realm, her state of mind was completely different this time when stepping into the Canglan mortal world again. There was a bit more composure in her eyes, and even a trace of imperceptible anticipation.

The ripples in the Void Realm slowly dissipated, the Mortal-Immortal passage closed, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gradually returned to stability.

Zhao Miao landed steadily in the center of the altar, her gaze sweeping across the prosperous, thriving, and Luck-condensed Imperial City world, a trace of admiration quietly flashing in her eyes.

In three years, it had become even more stable and prosperous, the Luck condensed into substance, and the Imperial Dynasty's Foundation was unbreakable.

"Immortal Envoy Zhao, you have come from afar; the journey must have been arduous."

A lazy and indifferent voice suddenly came from beneath the clouds, gentle yet extremely imposing, instantly attracting all of Zhao Miao's attention.

Seeing this, Zhao Miao hurriedly restrained her immortal bearing: "Greetings, Dragon Emperor. After three years, the Dragon Emperor's aura has become even more unfathomable; it is truly astonishing."

Actually, three years ago, she couldn't see through Yuan Chen's depth either.

Yuan Chen raised his hand in a gesture of support: "No need for formalities. It is I who have caused you to toil and labor. The Mortal and Immortal Realms are separated by the endless Void Realm, and every round trip across the border is a laborious journey."

Zhao Miao straightened up: "Hey, why say that? Isn't this what I should be doing?"

Yuan Chen's gaze landed on her, and they chatted casually, the atmosphere relaxed and natural: "What does the Upper Realm say?"

"The entire Sect has completely recognized the cooperation with the Palace Master."

"Not only that..."

Three ancient storage rings, entirely translucent white and wrapped in immortal patterns, appeared out of thin air and floated quietly in mid-air.

"At the beginning of the Sect's agreement to cooperate, they immediately organized a batch of nourishing resources and Heavenly Dao essences suitable for the Canglan plane." Zhao Miao reached out and handed the storage rings to Yuan Chen.

"It is just a pity that there was some loss on the way."

Yuan Chen casually raised his hand to take the three storage rings, his Divine Thought sweeping lightly over them, roughly scanning the stock of resources within.

The resources inside were indeed enough to benefit the entire Imperial Dynasty's Cultivators for tens of thousands of years.

But in the eyes of the current Yuan Chen, these resources were truly a bit meager.

His descendants were growing in batches, and the wealth and resources accumulated by the Imperial Dynasty were piled up like mountains; they were long past needing this little bit of Foundation.

"Is that it? Is that it?"

The next instant, Yuan Chen raised his hand and tossed them, his actions extremely casual.

More than a dozen storage rings, shimmering with flowing light and made of even more top-tier materials, flew out of thin air and hovered densely in front of Zhao Miao. The rings shone with brilliant light and possessed a heavy Foundation. The aura they emitted alone far exceeded the three immortal rings Zhao Miao had brought.

"I said I'd handle it, didn't I? Sigh." Yuan Chen spoke in a lazy tone, indifferent.

Zhao Miao was curious, so she reached out to take a storage ring and probed it with her Divine Thought.

In just an instant, the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably and violently. For the first time, a look of obvious astonishment and speechlessness appeared on her face.

The resources inside were more than just many; they were a massive, monstrous amount!

Endless high-level Spirit Stones, Heaven And Earth Treasure, ancient essences, and plane Origin stones were piled up like mountains. There were even many rare Heavenly Dao wonders and top-tier Legacy treasures bred locally in Canglan.

"Wait, brother, why are you so rich?"

Yuan Chen glanced at her, his tone casual, yet filled with absolute confidence and dominance, as he spoke without hesitation:

"No need to save it, no need to worry about rules. Take it back and use it as you please, spend it however you want. Whether it's for the Sect Old Ancestors' cultivation, Disciple training, or Secret Realm exploration, whenever resources are needed, draw them all from this."

Hearing this, Zhao Miao hurriedly collected herself and swallowed hard: "Forget it, forget it!"

"The Mortal-Immortal cross-border journey is long, and spatial turbulence and plane compression are everywhere. Carrying such a massive amount of resources while traveling back across the border is very likely to be eroded and crushed by the power of the Void Realm. There is a high probability of resource damage, Spiritual Qi loss, and treasure destruction. It would be too much of a pity!"

"Moreover, the Sect has strict regulations. I am just an envoy sent to the Lower Realm to deliver messages and resources. I have no authority to privately carry massive amounts of mortal resources back, nor can I arbitrarily dispose of the Sect's resource inventory. Such an operation is against the rules and would result in huge losses."

She quickly explained the pros and cons, showing her sincerity.

Yuan Chen was noncommittal upon hearing this, only nodding indifferently: "Then forget it."

He turned to look at Dongfang Mu beside him and ordered in a deep voice: "Dongfang Mu, pass on my command."

"This subordinate is here!" Dongfang Mu hurriedly bowed to listen to the order, his expression solemn.

"Immediately dispatch all the Imperial Dynasty's intelligence agents to the four corners of the territory." Yuan Chen looked into the distance, gazing at the vast and boundless heaven and earth, his tone firm and forceful. "Focus on investigating spatial anomalies, Spiritual Qi disturbances, and plane fluctuations in all regions. Whenever you discover Heaven and Earth rifts, spatial shifts, Spiritual Qi abnormalities, or places where the earth's boundaries have changed, send back the news immediately. Record it in detail and mark it precisely. Do not miss any slight abnormality."

"This subordinate obeys!" Dongfang Mu solemnly accepted the order and turned to leave to pass it on.

But at this very moment— Boom!!!

In the high sky, a terrifying roar that shook the world suddenly rang out!

Yuan Chen and the others simultaneously looked toward the location where the Immortal Dao Conference had previously been held.

The originally stable plane barrier was suddenly torn open, revealing a pitch-black spatial rift.

"Hmm?!"

Yuan Chen paused, his eyes narrowing suddenly.

A strange feeling arose in his heart; it was exactly the location where Venerable Ling Yue had fallen before.

Could it be that his Imperial Dynasty just happened to be the weakest point in the Cultivation World's barrier?

Did a crack open right at his doorstep?

Zhao Miao's expression also changed slightly, her brows furrowing instantly. She looked up at the turbulent sky, her immortal power subconsciously circulating around her body: "Has someone else come down to the Lower Realm?"

"It shouldn't be. Don't be anxious."

Yuan Chen raised his hand to calm her.

The next second, two disheveled figures, accompanied by raging Void Realm turbulence and shattered spatial fragments, slammed out from the pitch-black rift like broken stars, carrying a whistling wind as they plummeted heavily toward the ground!

Another visitor from outside the territory!

And this time, there were two of them!

The two quickly climbed up from the ground.

"How could there be a spatial rift?"

"Could it be that our superior also fell into a spatial rift?"

"This rift is a bit big!"

"Stop talking, let's see where we are first!"

On the other side, Venerable Ling Yue, who had just walked out of the prison, looked up and was pleasantly surprised: "Hey, hey, aren't you guys so-and-so and so-and-so? Did you come to pick me up?"

The two turned their heads and were simultaneously overjoyed: "Superior!"

In the distance, Yuan Chen and Dongfang Mu exchanged a look.

They didn't expect Venerable Ling Yue to have a special status. It seemed these two were specifically out looking for Venerable Ling Yue and then accidentally got swept here as well.

Grinning, Yuan Chen waved his hand with a smile:

"Take them all down first!"