Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 1031 Fellow Daoist Xingheng, Fellow Daoist Yunji, you've arrived early.

The grayish-white light of destruction slowly dissipated, revealing a shocking scene.

Where the high platform once stood, only a huge, bottomless, charred pit remained, with the rocks at the edges exhibiting a glassy state, as if they had melted and then cooled rapidly.

The spatial rift, like a black spider web, lingered above the pit, unable to close, and emitted a chilling hissing sound.

The Crimson Sun Venerable stood at the edge of the pit, his dark gold armor charred and damaged in many places, his red hair disheveled, and his face so gloomy it could drip water.

His golden flame palm, though weakening some of the explosive power at the last moment, failed to completely stop it.

He stared intently at the center of the pit.

There, a figure knelt on the ground.

It was Zhang Yuan!

Zhang Yuan's black robes had long since turned to ashes, revealing the cracked Myriad Beasts Divine Armor.

The patterns on the Vermilion Bird feathers on the divine armor were dim, the patterns on the White Tiger's claws were cracked, and the patterns on the Black Tortoise's shell were covered with scorch marks.

His face was as pale as paper, and pale golden divine blood kept spilling from the corners of his mouth. His aura was extremely weak and chaotic.

At this moment, the chaotic aura around him fluctuated violently, sometimes expanding like a star vortex, and sometimes collapsing like a black hole.

Clearly, Zhang Yuan's internal energy had been severely impacted and disturbed, leaving it in an extremely unstable state.

That contaminated Star Origin Crystal had a clear objective: to detonate the dangerous Chaos Furnace within his body!

"Cough cough..." Zhang Yuan coughed violently, spitting out several mouthfuls of pale golden blood. He barely managed to lift his head, looking at Venerable Crimson Sun with a complex expression, his voice hoarse: "Thank you... thank you for your help, Venerable..."

Looking at Zhang Yuan's miserable state and sensing the chaotic energy within him that was raging and on the verge of completely collapsing out of control, Venerable Chiyang felt a surge of anger mixed with an indescribable emotion.

He saved Zhang Yuan, but Zhang Yuan's condition at that moment was hardly better than death.

"Trash!" Venerable Crimson Sun suddenly roared at the void, his voice shaking the surrounding area, filled with boundless rage. "You cowardly rat! How dare you use such despicable means! If I find out who instigated this, I will surely extract their soul and refine their spirit, imprisoning them forever in the Burning Sun Purgatory!"

His roar was like thunder, echoing throughout the entire Chentie Ridge, and clearly reaching the distant Jielei Pass, as well as Qinglin and Xuanwu's ears.

"Seal off the entire territory! Activate 'Panshan Lockdown'!" Ying Wuji's roar followed, filled with iron will and killing intent. "Senior Vermilion Bird, I request that you and Senior Black Tortoise guard the core! Senior White Tiger, follow me to purge both inside and outside! Wang Meng! Lei Zhen! Investigate all suspicious persons! Activate the highest alert!"

"From this moment forward, the Blood Millstone is allowed to enter but not leave! Cut off all non-essential communication with the Boundary Gate and the outside world!"

"Order!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

The seventy-two immovable rock pillars surrounding Bloodmill City and Iron Ridge Fortress burst forth with unprecedented light!

The thick, earthen-yellow light curtain was no longer semi-circular, but rather resembled a giant inverted bowl, completely sealing off the entire Chentieling Basin!

The illusory mountain images flowing on the light screen are so realistic that they exude an indestructible and majestic aura that isolates the inside from the outside!

This is "Mountain Lockdown," the Blood Mill's strongest defensive and sealing state!

Jielu Pass.

Inside the Zhenyue Hall.

With a soft "snap," a tiny crack appeared in the jade teacup in Venerable Qinglin's hand.

For the first time, her beautiful face lost its composure, her eyes filled with astonishment and deep calculation.

Assassination?

Succeeded?

Or did it fail?

Is Zhang Yuan alive or dead?

Why is Chi Yang so enraged?

This sudden change completely disrupted her previous plan to observe and wait.

Venerable Xuanwu remained silent as an abyss, his face, shrouded in the shadow of his helmet, showing no emotion whatsoever.

Only in the depths of his dark pupils did an extremely subtle vortex seem to swirl for a moment before returning to deathly silence.

His fingers, hanging limply beneath his heavy armor, trembled almost imperceptibly once more.

The entire eastern frontier of the prehistoric world was shaken by the assassination attempt at Shen Tieling!

The news spread like wildfire, reaching all corners of the world.

From the depths of the Demon Realm, several suppressed yet joyful hisses seemed to echo.

Inside the Heavenly Palace, undercurrents surged even more fiercely.

……

Blood millstone.

The light curtain that Panshan locked shut off the inside and outside, and also blocked most of the prying eyes.

Deep within the main fortress of Chentieling, in a quiet room shrouded by layers of restrictions, the True Flame of Burning Dao silently burned on the four walls, forming a powerful isolation barrier.

Zhang Yuan sat cross-legged on the futon, his face still pale.

But his breathing seemed more stable than when he was at the explosion site.

The violent chaotic fluctuations within his body were forcibly suppressed.

However, a deep weariness was evident in his brows.

He changed into a clean black cloth robe, shedding the sharpness of his divine armor, which made him appear somewhat weak.

Opposite him sat the Crimson Sun Venerable, whose face remained gloomy and whose body radiated the lingering heat of his battle.

He left the Fenyang Guards outside, and now only the two of them were in the quiet room.

After a long silence, Zhang Yuan slowly spoke: "Venerable Crimson Sun, there is something I do not understand. Why... did you save me?"

The Crimson Sun Venerable raised a red eyebrow, his burning gaze piercing Zhang Yuan like a tangible object, making no attempt to conceal his disgust and scrutiny: "Hmph! Save you? I'd rather slap you to death, you heretical, arrogant brat!"

"Your path of chaos is domineering and dangerous, disregarding the rules of Heaven, and is by no means the right path! Sooner or later it will bring disaster to the primordial world!"

The words of Venerable Chiyang echoed in the silent chamber like molten lava, carrying undisguised contempt and murderous intent.

He stared at Zhang Yuan, who was sitting cross-legged and listless, as if he were looking at a runaway flame that could burn everything at any moment.

“But you can’t just let Zhang Yuan die in front of you.” Zhang Yuan raised his head, a strange smile appearing on his pale face.

There was no fear or resentment in that smile; instead, it carried a knowing insight, and even... a barely perceptible hint of mockery.

The Crimson Sun Venerable's pupils contracted slightly, and the scorching aura around his body suddenly froze.

These words were like a cold needle, precisely piercing through his rage and touching the undeniable truth deep within his heart.

He simply couldn't stand by and watch Zhang Yuan be murdered in front of him in such a despicable way.

This is not only about the face of the Heavenly Palace, but also about a kind of stubbornness about the "rules" themselves that he himself has not yet fully clarified.

Zhang Yuan could be judged and suppressed by the Heavenly Palace for "going astray", but he must not die from a sneak attack by the demonic forces, especially not while he was overseeing the battle in Chiyang!

"Hmph! Arrogant brat!" Venerable Crimson Sun snorted coldly, trying to cover up his momentary wavering with anger. "How dare you interfere in my actions?"

"Your life is only temporarily residing in your body!"

"When your chaotic demonic body goes out of control, or if you commit any more acts against the will of Heaven, I will be the first to strike and completely refine you!"

Zhang Yuan seemed completely unconcerned by this blatant threat. He slowly stood up, his body still unsteady from his injuries, but his spine was ramrod straight.

In those deep eyes, though the Chaos Stars and the Xuanhuang Divine Fire appeared dim, they rekindled with an undeniable and unwavering light.

He bowed slightly, his movements displaying the proper courtesy befitting a person of high status, yet his tone remained calm and direct.

“I will never forget the life-saving grace of Venerable Chiyang. In order to repay this kindness, and also to let the Venerable see for himself whether the path I have taken is truly as ‘heretical’ and ‘inevitable as the Venerable said,’ may I ask the Venerable to come with me to a place?”

The Crimson Sun Venerable frowned, his crimson beard and hair moving without wind: "Where are you? What trick are you trying to pull now? I don't have time to play these tricks on you!"

"A place that concerns the truth of the ancient times, a place that may bury irrefutable evidence of the Celestial Race's betrayal, and also hides a glimmer of hope for the future of the primordial world." Zhang Yuan's voice was not loud, but every word was like a hammer, striking the heart of Venerable Chiyang, "Xuntian Continent."

The flames in Venerable Chiyang's eyes suddenly flickered.

Xuntianzhou!

This long-lost name carries too many legends and mysteries.

The Heavenly Palace kept this a closely guarded secret, with only scattered records found in the highest-level texts.

How did Zhang Yuan find out?

How dare he bring it up on his own initiative?

"You know about Xuntian Continent?"

The voice of Venerable Chiyang carried a hint of barely perceptible solemnity.

"I know a little bit." Zhang Yuan didn't answer directly, but simply spread his palms out.

A faint blue light appeared in the palm of his hand.

It was the phantom image of that ancient leather scroll from the Azure Dragon Ao Gen of Cangwu.

The weathered atmosphere and dragon-shaped patterns on it are unmistakable.

"Senior Ao Gen entrusted me with this task on his deathbed, guiding me in the right direction. I, Zhang, wish to find the lost continent and reconnect with the ancient star array, so that the primordial world may find a true way out and a way to survive."

"This is Zhang's way, and this is Zhang's ambition."

"If Your Excellency does not trust me, you might as well go and see for yourself whether what I am doing is the source of chaos or the opportunity to break the deadlock?"

The Crimson Sun Venerable stared intently at the illusory scroll, feeling the pure innate Yi Wood Qi and the mighty dragon power within it, his heart filled with turbulent waves.

Azure Dragon of Cangwu!

Those are the guardians of the ancient Xuntian Continent!

Zhang Yuan had such an extraordinary encounter.

What is the "ironclad proof of the betrayal of Heaven and Man" that he mentioned?

Could there be an unknown darkness behind the vague records circulating within the Heavenly Palace about the collapse of the Sky-Patrol Continent?

A powerful temptation and intense vigilance intertwined in Chi Yang's heart.

He was strong-willed and hated evil, but he was not entirely unreasonable.

Zhang Yuan's slaying of the Bone-Eating Demon Lord was a genuine achievement, and now he has revealed the significant clue of the Sky-Patrolling Continent and proactively invited him to witness it.

Is this a trap?

Or should we be open and honest?

"Very well!" Venerable Chiyang flicked his sleeve, and a scorching wave of energy swept through the secret chamber. "I'll go with you and see for myself! I'll see what abilities you, a junior, have, and what kind of thoughts you're hiding!"

"If you dare to deceive me or do anything improper, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Venerable One." Zhang Yuan bowed again, the strange smile on his lips deepening slightly.

He said no more, formed a hand seal, and although the chaotic energy within his body was disordered, a stable power originating from the foundation of the dual-realm Heavenly Dao was forcibly mobilized.

His left eye was filled with the chaotic swirling of stars, while his right eye flickered with the flickering of the divine fire. He let out a low shout.

"Chaos serves as the bridge, the void guides the way—open!"

"Buzz!"

The space inside the sealed room began to fluctuate violently, not tearing apart, but rather rippled and folded like water.

An extremely unstable void passage, woven from chaotic energy and divine light, slowly took shape before Zhang Yuan.

The passage was filled with dazzling light, yet also turbulent currents. Clearly, it was extremely difficult for him to forcefully open a long-distance void passage in his current severely injured state, and tiny spatial cracks were constantly appearing and disappearing at the edge of the passage.

Looking at the obviously unstable passage, Venerable Chiyang frowned even more deeply and sneered, "Hmph, overestimating yourself! With your half-dead state, you think you can traverse the void? Don't get torn to shreds by the turbulence halfway there!"

Despite this, he took a step forward, his Burning Sun Armor shining brightly, and a vast and powerful pure Yang energy surged out, not to attack, but to envelop the fragile passage that Zhang Yuan had opened like a furnace.

The scorching yet stable force instantly calmed most of the turbulence, reinforced the channel walls, and made it relatively stable.

"Go!" Venerable Chiyang stepped into the passage first, his figure swallowed by the chaotic light intertwined with gold and red.

Zhang Yuan took a deep breath, suppressed his surging blood and qi, and followed closely behind.

The journey through the passage was short, yet it felt like traversing an endless star field.

When Zhang Yuan and Venerable Chiyang stepped out of the passage and onto solid ground, they found themselves in a strange void.

This place is not absolute darkness, but rather filled with thin, ever-changing chaotic nebulae.

In the distance, massive, shattered landmasses, like the remains of ancient behemoths, floated and collided slowly in the void, silently recounting the devastation of antiquity.

In more distant places, occasionally a ghostly green phosphorescent flame would flash by, bringing a momentary eerie light before plunging into an even deeper silence.

The spatial turbulence, like an invisible giant python, silently swam and tore at everything around us, emanating a terrifying aura of destruction.

This place is one of the core areas of the Sky-Piercing Continent fragment drifting, where chaos and death are the eternal themes.

Not far in front of the two, between two relatively stable, platform-like fragments of floating land, two figures stood silently, as if they had merged into this ancient and desolate void.

On the left is a person wearing a star-patterned Taoist robe. The sleeves of the robe move without wind, and it seems as if a real galaxy is slowly flowing, rising and falling on them.

His face was calm, and his eyes were deep, as if they contained the mysteries of the universe. He was none other than Venerable Xingheng.

Venerable Xingheng's aura was harmonious and natural, subtly echoing the stars in the heavens, vast and ethereal.

On the right is a man dressed in an elegant mountain-patterned robe, standing with his hands behind his back. He is not tall, but he gives people a sense of solidity and immutability.

He stood there, like a divine mountain that had suppressed all ages, his aura deep and powerful; he was none other than Venerable Yunji.

When Zhang Yuan and Chi Yang appeared from the passage, Xing Heng and Yun Ji turned their gazes to them simultaneously.

Xingheng's eyes flickered slightly, glancing over Zhang Yuan's pale face and the still chaotic aura within him, then sweeping over the undisguised anger and probing of the Crimson Sun Venerable, a knowing smile appearing on his lips.

Yunji remained as steady as a mountain, nodding slightly and lingering his gaze on Zhang Yuan for a moment, seemingly assessing the severity of his injuries. He then looked at Chiyang with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Xingheng, Fellow Daoist Yunji." Venerable Chiyang spoke first, his voice still loud and clear, but facing these two colleagues who were also disciples of Heavenly Venerables and whose cultivation was unfathomable, he restrained his fierceness somewhat. "You two have arrived early." (End of this chapter)