Longevity Chronicles

"How did he enter the door so quickly? How is this possible?"

"Could this dear brother be the son of the Spirit Treasure Sect Master?"

"Oh no, I've heard that cultivating this Divine Spell has numerous risks, one of which is excessive visualization. While it indeed makes it easy to refine the Golden Light, it also blends one's body into the Spirit Treasure Dao, and in an instant, one could perish and the soul could return to darkness."

Thinking this, Yunrong immediately rose to her feet.

Her supple body transformed into a faint light, and she was about to rush over to try and awaken Tao Qian.

However, as she moved, the golden light in the quiet room suddenly retracted. Tao Qian, who had just released the Golden Light Seal, wore a look of joy and proudly said, "As hard as they described, I entered the door on the first try; it seems quite easy after all."

As he spoke, Tao Qian just happened to see Yunrong rushing towards him, and he naturally caught her with both hands.

Then, quite naturally, he fondled her a few times before putting her down and patting her head while shooing her toward the corner with the words, "Dear sister, do not rush, I have just entered the door of the Golden Light Divine Spell and need to practice more. Later, I must also refine the Innate One Qi Great Seizing Hand; I have no time to mingle with you."

After speaking, Tao Qian, without caring about the skeptical and cat-like expression on Yunrong's face, continued his refining methods without pause.

Yunrong had reasons for her previous concerns.

Whether it is the Spirit Treasure Golden Light Body Protection Divine Spell or the Innate One Qi Great Seizing Hand, both are powerful Divine Powers.

Even if a Spirit Treasure disciple were to refine them, he could not escape the price.

Inside the Spirit Treasure Great Volume there were Dissipation Methods, but they could only eliminate most of the risk, not all.

However, it was different for Tao Qian.

"All consequences exempted!"

It was precisely because of this sentence that Tao Qian dared to refine without any concern.

Yet, to refine the Golden Light Mantra in the first attempt at such a speed, even within the bounds of Spirit Treasure Mountain Gate, could provoke heated discussions.

Apart from demonstrating that Tao Qian, with talents like Innate Dao Seed and Taishang Treasure No-leak Body, was indeed extraordinarily gifted.

It also indicated that Tao Qian had a deep affinity with the Spirit Treasure Dao.

The refinement process of the Innate One Qi Great Seizing Hand, which once again caused Yunrong's emotions to fluctuate, confirmed this point further.

Like what Yuan Gong said earlier, for others to refine the Great Seizing Hand was extremely difficult, yet Tao Qian, with an Innate Dao Seed in his possession, easily refined a thread of 'Innate Qi' and almost instantly formed the Great Seizing Hand, mastering a New Divine Power.

...

Three days later, at Zhang Mansion.

Still in that spacious quiet room, a special struggle was taking place.

In that room, a young Daoist's figure was sitting upright, holding a Dharma Seal, his body emitting golden light.

In the void, something seemed to be attacking him, only the sounds of "ding ding ding" could be heard. It was lively, yet it couldn't even scratch Tao Qian's skin.

That figure, moving so fast it was invisible, thus grew irate, and a sharp cat's cry was heard as a nimble Kitten stepped out of the void, its fur black and white, its eyes green and demonic, surrounded by flames and falling golden flowers, rushing towards Tao Qian in a blur of motion.

At the same time, a seductive magnetic voice entered Tao Qian's ears.

"Dear brother, this is the Xuan Yin Demon Flame, which scorches both body and heart, and can ruin the Yin and Yang Qi within you. If you can't withstand it, just speak up, and your sister will save you with her body."

Before these words fell, the quiet room, already set with a Forbidden Technique, suddenly saw thousands of ethereal cold glows burst forth, each thread instantly forming a bizarre, temperature-less flame, turning the room into a sea of fire. Every thread seemed alive, recklessly burrowing into Tao Qian's body.

Even though Tao Qian was protected by the Golden Light Mantra, he still shuddered abruptly.

First feeling cold, then the Yin and Yang Qi inside his body became unbalanced, his body like falling into an ice chasm, trembling all over, eyebrows frosted, yet his lower abdomen was ablaze, as if something was crashing left and right, longing to break out.

The usually composed Tao Qian was severely affected this time.

He thought to himself, "This is going to be tough. I really shouldn't underestimate anyone. The Heart Lamp Green Flame Yunrong used before was ferocious enough, and I didn't expect another 'Xuan Yin Demon Flame' to come."

Startled though he was, Tao Qian didn't plan to lose his composure in the face of a great enemy or during an overwhelming tribulation.

With a wry smile, he continued with the Golden Light Divine Spell, and with another thought, saw a stream of Source Qi emerge from the Chaos Abyss, engulfing everything. It shimmered and instantly transformed into a vast white hand that casually scooped in front of him, catching Yunrong neatly.

Gently caressing, in an instant, a comfortable moan was heard from the Kitten.

The mysterious appearance inside the quiet room vanished completely, the flames extinguished.

Tao Qian had just withdrawn the Golden Light Divine Spell and pulled Yunrong back into his arms when he heard an exasperated voice say, "Dear brother, you're cheating. Didn't we agree to only test the power of the Golden Light Body Protection Divine Spell and not use any other Divine Powers?"

Tao Qian chuckled dryly, about to offer some excuses.

Suddenly, a rescue arrived.

Sensing that events here had concluded, a Cloud Talisman Letter that had arrived earlier but had been intercepted by Lian Jing'er was now released from its constraints and flew directly into the open doorway.

The source of the Cloud Talisman was the National Salvation Congress.

Due to the tribulation energy on them, currently preparing and accumulating power, unable to afford any setbacks, the National Salvation Congress had no choice but to forgo inviting Tao Qian to join.

His mere visit was intended to be just that, a visit, yet it almost led to a catastrophe with the refining going out of control for one of the Three Immortals of the Great Wilderness, Tianjiang Immortal.

Formal membership would likely have entangled the Congress in ample trouble by now.

It was only a temporary inability to join, but that did not hinder establishing contacts and friendships.

Though he had visited only once and met merely a few individuals like Yu Yanshi, Li Wenyan, and Shi Yingqiong, Tao Qian was no fool or blind man. He could perceive the potential of the organization "National Salvation Congress."

To say nothing of the others, upon that visit, Tao Qian had seen influences like the Primordial Sect, Taishang Dao, Shaoqing Sect, Reclining Buddha Temple, Liang Family, and Heavenly Talisman Sect... Such forces, with a forward-thinking ideology—if he did not engage with them, he would indeed be a fool.

Not to mention, once contact was established, many benefits followed.

One of them was information sharing.

In these recent days, Tao Qian had learned much more from the National Salvation Congress, including secrets and news.

He had also tasked the Congress with collecting information about the many changes in Demon City and the progress of the war between the Ninth Prince and the Fourth Prince.

This letter was the latest.

Tao Qian thought and opened the Cloud Talisman, immediately lines of text reminiscent of a news bulletin emerged:

"Within the last two days, the rumors regarding the Exotic Treasure possessed by the Ninth Prince have escalated. Some say it's the Ancient Treasure [Thirty-Three Heavens Xuanhuang Pagoda], others claim it's one of the lost treasures of Taishang Demon Sect [Heavenly Demon Pearl], and still others suggest it's a Devil from the Outer Realm capable of swallowing heaven and earth."

"Fooled by these rumors, dozens of powers and hundreds of Demon Cultivators in the last twenty-four hours tried to use various Divine Powers to break into Prince Zhao Mansion and steal the treasures... Most were slain by the Demon Cultivators of the Demon Army under the Ninth Prince, yet some strong beings caused losses to Prince Zhao Mansion, though none succeeded in taking the treasure."

"After surrounding Xixia City for two days, the Heavenly Demon Army led by Yin Qiye was suddenly attacked by the Fungus Demon Army under Yue King Zhu Xuan, with insiders helping. The Heavenly Demon Army, along with the forces led by Zhang Jiudeng, suffered tremendous losses, and Yin Qiye was severely injured and had to flee."

"Only a few hours later, hundreds of miles outside Xixia City, a grand array suddenly appeared; it was the [Ten Directions Nine Realms Sky Demon Slaying Immortal Array], one of the most renowned Arrays of the Taishang Demon Sect. With the power of this Array, the Ninth Prince Zhu Qi not only annihilated Zhu Xuan's Fungus Demon Army and the remnants of the Western Capital Army but also trapped Zhu Xuan's other powerful subordinates and disappeared Xiao Chenzhou and his daughter."

"And at the critical moment of the final battle, a mysterious cultivator suddenly appeared on the side of the Ninth Prince, breaking through numerous Forbidden Techniques to abduct Zhu Xuan."

"Thus, the battle was won."

"The battle of Xixia City, within a few hours, became legendary across the lands."

"The Ninth Prince Zhu Qi, previously not a frontline contender in the struggle for succession, suddenly rose to the top three."

"The reigning Emperor, who had only recently returned triumphantly to the Imperial City and resumed his throne, also sent an Imperial Edict to Zhu Qi an hour ago. Rumor has it that the edict contained no reprimands but quite the opposite—lots of encouragement and even an invitation for Zhu Qi to come to the capital to assist him, intending to appoint him as the Crown Prince."

...

"Fourth Prince Zhu Xuan has been captured!"

Originally relaxed Tao Qian, upon seeing this outcome of the so-called battle of Xixia.

Suddenly, the hardly settled Human Dao Fortune within him along with the Infinite Tribulation Method churned out once more.

And this time, the disturbance was much too violent.

Even the abnormalities Tao Qian had hidden with his casting, long ears and double teeth, revealed themselves without restraint.

Then the Infinite Tribulation Method transmitted a premonition:

"The first tribulation is coming!"

"If you survive this tribulation, great benefits await."

"Fail, and your body will die, and your path will vanish."