Chapter 547: Chapter 547

Lonely peak, standing at the edge of the cliff, Zhouyang stood with hands behind his back.

His eyes gazed into the distance, as if through the countless mountains and rivers, he could still see the extraordinary beauty of his beloved.

It has been three years since the Kunxu Realm opened, and he has returned to the "Spirit Realm," currently situated on an unnamed mountain peak in the Westernmost Cultivation Realm.

But his gaze remained fixed on the distance, reminiscing about the last few months within the Kunxu Realm.

After leaving "Holy Infant Valley," he spent the remaining days with Jiang Fengxian in a temporary cave residence.

Those were beautiful times, the kind of beautiful times worth savouring for a lifetime.

Looking back at those few months of bliss, Zhouyang raised his palm to his nose, as if he could still smell the lingering fragrance of his beloved.

Regrettably, the beloved had already gone far away, and this lingering scent would soon fade.

The next meeting, who knows when it might be?

"If love is eternal, what need is there for morning and evening meetings!"

"Fengxian, wait for me, I will meet you again soon!"

"Next time we meet, I will not let you leave so easily!"

At the edge of the cliff, Zhouyang raised his hand, as if trying to grasp his beloved afar in his palm.

He was prepared for Jiang Fengxian’s departure; though a bit saddened, it was not unexpected.

When the Kunxu Realm was opened, it could teleport cultivators from various places in the "Spirit Realm" into it, and upon leaving, could similarly send them back based on their wishes.

Zhouyang originally planned to return to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm with Jiang Fengxian, so he could conveniently head to the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.

However, Jiang Fengxian chose not to return to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, but stepped into the teleportation array to the Celestial South Continent Cultivation Realm, intending to use this opportunity to travel the Celestial South Continent Cultivation Realm, then the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm, before finally returning to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Traveling through two cultivation realms would inevitably take decades or even longer.

Zhouyang had many things to attend to and naturally had no time to follow Jiang Fengxian, despite his desire to wander the world with his beloved.

Without Jiang Fengxian by his side, Zhouyang was also not inclined to return directly to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Lu Xuanji’s agreement was to reach the Profound Sun Immortal Sect within ten years after leaving the Kunxu Realm.

Considering the unpredictable nature of this journey, he felt it necessary to return to his family in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm first, storing his Kunxu Realm gains in the clan’s secret treasury, while informing his Dao Companion Xiao Ying and others.

Regrettably, those teleportation arrays in the Kunxu Realm only led to certain areas of larger cultivation realms like the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, Westernmost Cultivation Realm, and Celestial South Continent Cultivation Realm, excluding smaller realms like the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm which is attached to the Westernmost Cultivation Realm.

Therefore, Zhouyang chose the Westernmost Cultivation Realm as his return point, given that returning from here to the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm was easier than crossing the Broken Cloud Mountain Range from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Moreover, he was concerned about the Zhou family clansmen in Cangyuan Immortal City and the ghost servant Xu Song remaining in the Westernmost Land.

Over a month later, Zhouyang, hidden in identity and aura, arrived outside Cangyuan Immortal City once again.

Due to certain concerns, he did not enter the Immortal City, but went directly to the Zhou family’s Spirit Mountain outside the city.

To his relief, after more than ten years, besides an increase in the number of cultivators, there was no other change in the Zhou family.

This indicated that Guo Jinhong did not know his true connection with the Zhou family and had not wiped them out because he colluded with the Celestial Killer Corpse King to severely injure him.

Of course, it was also possible that Guo Jinhong discovered his connection to the Zhou family but intentionally left them to bait him.

Thus, he did not directly contact the Zhou family but found a Qi Cultivation Stage Loose Cultivator and placed several Tier Four Demon Pills, some spirit elixirs, and magical artifacts into a storage bag, sending them to the Patriarch of the Zhou family.

With his means as a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, he naturally had ways to compel the Loose Cultivator to obediently deliver the items without stealing them.

As long as Zhou Tongyue or Li Hong received the bag, they would know he was freed and use his gifts to grow the Zhou family here.

Yet one wonders whether they will have the opportunity to meet him again in this lifetime.

Nonetheless, Zhouyang believed that if he reunites with them in this life, he will have the courage to face Guo Jinhong’s retaliation.

After checking on the Zhou family’s situation, Zhouyang left Cangyuan Immortal City without lingering and headed to "Fallen Demon Valley" in the Rocky Wilderness.

The "Nether Contract" signed with the ghost servant Xu Song allowed him to sense that Xu Song was still cultivating in "Fallen Demon Valley" without departing.

Of course, this sensing was mutual, allowing Xu Song to know of his return.

Therefore, when he arrived outside "Fallen Demon Valley," Xu Song was already there to greet him.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Zhou, on forming a Golden Core, your future is promising!"

Upon meeting, Xu Song congratulated Zhouyang with genuine joy, his smile true and sincere.

"It’s been many years, Elder Xu’s cultivation has advanced again, congratulations are in order!"

Looking at Xu Song’s smiling face, Zhouyang faintly smiled, indifferent to whether his words were genuine.

He did not quite trust Xu Song, evident from not letting him accompany Xiao Ying and others back to the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.

Xu Song himself was well aware of this.

Their master-servant bond via the "Nether Contract" was merely a mutual need due to circumstances.

Zhouyang guarded against Xu Song, and when had Xu Song ever been honest with him?

But that was in the past; now that Zhouyang has formed a Golden Core, the Second-Layer Golden Core ghost cultivator Xu Song was beneath his notice, unable to stir any waves even without the "Nether Blood Contract" constraints.

Xu Song understood this well, which is why he adopted a more respectful and sincere attitude upon seeing Zhouyang.

Upon hearing Zhouyang’s words, he quickly waved his hand and said, "Fellow Daoist, calling me elder is too much grace for me. Since Fellow Daoist has formed a Golden Core, how dare I assume the title of elder before you? Being called ’Fellow Daoist’ is already an honor!"

"Alright then, from now on, I shall call Fellow Daoist Xu with ’Daoist,’" Zhouyang nodded slightly, gladly accepting the suggestion.

Previously calling Xu Song "Elder" was due to his lower cultivation realm and seeking assistance from him.

Now with equal cultivation realms and him as the contract master, there was no need to call him elder.

Xu Song’s proactive proposal revealed his awareness, or in other words, his judgment.

Zhouyang appreciated Xu Song’s judgment, as conversing with one who grasps the situation is not exhausting.

Henceforth, neither mentioned Zhouyang’s whereabouts these past years, instead discussing the return to the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.

Zhouyang did not want to mention the Kunxu Realm to Xu Song, for it involved many of his secrets.

Though Xu Song guessed he escaped via the "Kunxu Order" and was curious about his gains in the Kunxu Realm, he dared not ask, avoiding displeasing him.

As for returning to the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.

Zhouyang had no map from the Westernmost Land to the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.

But back when he was not at odds with Guo Jinhong, he had already gathered intelligence on the "Sea of Death." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novelꜰire.net

Thus, following the Rocky Wilderness eastward into the Boundless Desert Sea and crossing the "Sea of Death," he could naturally reach the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.

The "Sea of Death" in the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm is notorious, dubbed the cemetery of Golden Core Stage cultivators, with rampant "Black Sand Storms" and Sand Worm demon beasts capable of burying Golden Core Stage cultivators.

Yet Zhouyang dared to choose the return from the Westernmost Cultivation Realm, naturally possessing his own reliance.

Regarding Sand Worm demon beasts, though ferocious, Zhouyang’s "Taiyin Soul-cutting Saber" and "Qianyang True Flame" divine techniques are weapons for dealing with large beasts.

If necessary, he still had the "Profound Sun Purple Sky Divine Thunder" jade talisman gifted by Lu Xuanji.

Although this natural disaster known as the "Black Sand Storm" is terrifying, given Zhouyang’s powerful physique, his chances of surviving it are still quite high.

Of course, all this is just speculation in his heart; how things truly are, he will only know after he personally experiences it.

Ten years seems not short, but for a Golden Core Stage cultivator, it’s merely the time for a short seclusion.

Therefore, Zhouyang did not linger in the Land of the Far West for long; after reuniting with Xu Song, they directly plunged into the Boundless Desert Sea.

To conserve magical power, he was carried alternately by the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle and Xu Song, both of whom were quite fast, capable of flying seventy to eighty thousand miles a day.

Thus, in less than a month, Zhouyang saw the famed "Sea of Death."

Unlike the Boundless Desert Sea’s vast stretches of yellow sand, the sand within the "Sea of Death" is a kind of black sand, which has a high iron content and is much hotter than ordinary yellow sand under the sun.

Moreover, whether it’s an illusion or not, Zhouyang felt that after entering the "Sea of Death," his magical power consumption during flight was greater than outside.

"No, it’s not an illusion, it’s really true!"

His expression changed slightly, quickly confirming that his feeling was not an illusion.

This information, he was previously unaware of.

Then he recalled the records about the "Sea of Death" that he had read and found no mention of this.

So the situation was quite clear: either this change never appeared in the previous "Sea of Death," or those cultivators who left records deliberately concealed it.

Zhouyang tended to the former!

"I hate these uncontrollable changes!"

He muttered a low curse, knowing he had no retreat and could only forge ahead in the darkness.

"Who? Who dares to erase the Divine Soul Mark I left in the [Netherworld Profound Coffin]?"

"Damn little thief, don’t let me catch you, or I’ll make sure you can’t live nor die!"

Within a certain underground tomb, a black stone coffin suddenly exploded into countless fragments, revealing the ferocious form of the Celestial Killer Corpse King inside.

Ever since Zhouyang took away its treasure, the "Netherworld Profound Coffin," it had been waiting for the day the Kunxu Realm would close.

As soon as the Kunxu Realm closed, Zhouyang would return to the Spirit Realm with the "Netherworld Profound Coffin," and it could sense the treasure’s location through the mark it left inside, then rush over to reclaim it.

However, three years passed without the "Netherworld Profound Coffin" reappearing, and instead, it found that the Divine Soul Mark left inside the treasure had been forcibly erased!

Divine Soul Marks differ from Divine Sense Marks; when setting a Divine Soul Mark, a cultivator must split a portion of their own soul into the treasure.

Such Divine Soul Marks create a much stronger bond between the cultivator and the treasure than Divine Sense Marks, allowing strong sensing even over long distances.

And even if the treasure is obtained by someone else, it’s not easy for them to refine it.

However, this has pros and cons; if the Divine Soul Mark is forcibly erased, the cultivator permanently loses that part of their soul, which is a significant loss.

Even a powerful late-stage Nascent Soul demon cultivator like the Celestial Killer Corpse King, when its Divine Soul Mark left in the "Netherworld Profound Coffin" was forcibly erased by that black-robed man, suffered considerable damage, unable to suppress a thunderous roar of fury.

It certainly had reason to be angry, as the "Netherworld Profound Coffin" was crucial to its path to enlightenment; without this treasure’s assistance, its chances of advancing to the Tribulation Crossing Stage were infinitely close to zero!

Having one’s path severed would enrage anyone, especially a demon like the Celestial Killer Corpse King.

"Dare to hinder my path, I will scour the entire [Spirit Realm] but find you, little thief!"

The Corpse King roared in vow, and the ground of the tomb instantly cracked open, releasing countless streams of black evil qi.

This change immediately attracted the attention of cultivators within hundreds of miles, and the bolder ones hurried over to investigate, only to become victims of the Corpse King’s anger, their remains swallowed whole.

Far away in the Boundless Desert Sea, Zhouyang was unaware that the black-robed man had done him a massive favor.

He was currently facing trouble of his own.

Since entering the "Sea of Death" and discovering the changes, he remained on full alert, not daring to relax for a moment.

But the "Sea of Death" didn’t earn its notorious reputation merely by being vigilant.

On the first day Zhouyang entered the black desert, he encountered a notorious "Black Sand Storm."

The size of that "Black Sand Storm" was not particularly large, at most a medium-sized storm.

However, its sudden and unpredictable formation left Zhouyang no opportunity to evade, sweeping him inside directly.

Amid the "Black Sand Storm," Zhouyang finally understood why the elder cultivators spoke of this natural disaster with such reverence.

Having cultivated the "Void Refining God Technique," his Divine Sense was already as strong as a Ninth-Layer Golden Core cultivator, yet within the storm, he couldn’t even send his Divine Sense outside his body, and even using the "Separation Fire Golden Eye" technique, his sight couldn’t extend beyond three feet.

That feeling of being utterly abandoned by the world leaves one easily despondent and prone to give up resisting.

Zhouyang wasn’t despairing, but he wasn’t comfortable either.

Thanks to his powerful physique, he was faring much better in the storm than the average Golden Core Stage cultivator.

Yet, the storm’s power, although unable to tear him apart, still exerted massive pressure on him, as if his body were being ripped apart, requiring him to draw on magical power for defense to allow his body to rest periodically.

When he finally weathered that "Black Sand Storm" and emerged into the sunlight, it was two days later, and he had deviated far from his original location.

In the following month or so, he experienced four more "Black Sand Storms," detecting signs of two in advance to evade their cores, while the other two appeared without any warning, just like the first storm.

During the same period, he encountered the infamous Tier Five Demon Beast in the Boundless Desert Sea, the "Sand Worm," for the first time.

This demon beast, over a thousand feet long, mastered multiple Earth Element Divine Techniques and was naturally adept at concealing its presence, making it extremely difficult for cultivators to detect while deep underground in the desert.

However, choosing Zhouyang as prey proved a misjudgment for the "Sand Worm."

Its robustly defensive hard outer skin was slashed with a single strike of the "Taiyin Soul-cutting Saber," whose extreme cold freezing power further crippled the "Sand Worm’s" formidable regenerative ability.

The golden flames that emblazoned its knife wounds provided the "Sand Worm" with a taste of both fire and ice.

Though Zhouyang firmly held the upper hand in battle, ultimately, the desert remained the "Sand Worm’s" domain, and he was unable to capture the gravely injured "Sand Worm," which managed to escape deep into the ground.

Neither "Black Sand Storm" nor "Sand Worm" could stand against Zhouyang; he had essentially conquered the "Sea of Death," and logically, his mission should have been assured.

That’s what he believed until he encountered...

"Damn it, where did these demons come from? How can there be so many demons in the Boundless Desert Sea!"

In the black desert, Zhouyang enveloped in golden flames, continuously cast flames, burning the attacking demons to ashes while glaring at their direction with a face full of curses.

About three days ago, a large "Black Sand Storm" suddenly erupted, sweeping him in.

When he eventually survived that deadly storm and reemerged into daylight, he found himself surrounded by demonic presences.

After using "Qianyang True Flame" to slay a few grotesque beast-like demons, numerous demons abruptly emerged from all directions, madly assaulting him.

"To uncover the mystery, we must head towards the direction from which these demons are coming, Fellow Daoist Xu has a premonition that the emergence of so many exotic demons is likely linked to some experiment by a demon cultivator here; we might be in serious trouble!"

Hundreds of feet away in midair, Xu Song gazed into the distance from whence the demons came, solemnly offering his suggestion.

Being a Ghost Cultivator, and having refrained from attacking the demons, they also left him unscathed.

Of course, this was also due to the fact that the demons attacking Zhouyang were generally of lower rank and intelligence lacking, for had there been a Tier Five Demon, Xu Song wouldn’t have been allowed to watch so freely.

After hearing Xu Song’s words, Zhouyang pondered briefly and then solemnly stated, "I seem to have been targeted by these demons. If I recklessly advance, it might provoke some undesirable change; I’ll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Xu with this task!"