Chapter 231: Chapter 89: Heading to Zouyi City
“Alright!”
Seeing everyone agree, Zhang Xuan said no more. With a grab in the air, a huge force enveloped everyone, and the next moment they arrived within the Suspended Realm.
Floating in the air, Zhang Xuan pointed gently, and a sea of clouds appeared in front of everyone. Immediately after, towering palaces materialized out of nowhere; each had incredibly spacious rooms and colossal training grounds.
All necessities for eating, drinking, washing, and using were readily available.
Worlds could be created, giving birth to these was merely a matter of a single thought.
“Time distortion!”
With a single thought, Zhang Xuan enveloped the entire cluster of white clouds with an intention, forming a special barrier. Moments later, the flow of time around the palaces subtly shifted relative to the outside world.
It quickly reached about twice the normal rate.
That meant, one day in the outside world was two days here, still far from the 100:1 ratio of the Celestial Realm and the Master Teacher Continent.
Just as he planned to continue, he suddenly felt the now stable space begin to wobble slightly, as if it could collapse at any moment.
Time and space exist concurrently, complementing each other, the so-called spacetime. To alter time is to alter the metabolic rate in space, like changing a person’s lifespan from 100 years to 50. If the body isn’t strong enough, it will fail to bear the change, leading to death.
Five million strands of Heavenly Mandate Vitality had stabilized the Suspended Realm, making it as solid as the Origin World, but adjusting time still proved too much to bear.
For now, it seemed that time could only be accelerated to about twice its normal pace. Any more than that and the same issues would arise.
“Twice will have to do for now. When I have more Heavenly Mandate Vitality, I’ll continue to stabilize it…” Zhang Xuan shook his head.
The Origin World spanned the four dimensions of length, width, height, and time. To evolve time to twice would consume five million strands of Yuan Power, and increasing it to four times would likely require eighty million strands—that’s five million times two to the fourth power!
As for increasing time to eight times, it would need 160 million strands…
The key point was, the Suspended Realm was continuously absorbing Origin qi and still expanding, so even that many strands wouldn’t be enough.
It seemed that for him, Heavenly Mandate Vitality was still a great shortfall, a long and arduous task ahead.
“You all practice here, and try to raise your cultivation to the Dharma Form Realm as quickly as possible. I’ll find a way to help you comprehend the fragments of the heavens…”
Zhang Xuan said.
To advance more rapidly in the Origin World, understanding powerful fragments of the heavens was essential. Although the Suspended Realm had a time differential, it could only enhance their Source Pool and physical strength; it was of no help for practicing Heavenly Mandate.
“Alright!”
Luo Ruoxin nodded, came over, and sniffed carefully, her eyebrows raising with a smile that was not quite a smile in her eyes, “Who is this person?”
“What do you mean ‘who’?” Zhang Xuan looked over, puzzled.
Luo Ruoxin: “Are they pretty?”
Zhang Xuan nodded, “You mean Fu Yingying? Her main practice is the Fox Charm Destiny; she wants me to help her…”
Luo Ruoxin looked over indifferently: “I want to learn this Destiny.”
“You???” Zhang Xuan was utterly baffled.
Your aloof and chaste demeanor, learning the Fox Charm Destiny? What a joke!
Nevertheless, if you truly learned it, I would be the one to benefit… With your looks, if you could indeed wield the Fox Charm Skill, I fear the whole world would be thrown into chaos.
“Bring me with you the next time you visit her!”
Luo Ruoxin turned and walked towards the palace at the fore, not looking back.
“This…” Zhang Xuan scratched his head.
Seeing this scene, all the disciples covered their mouths and chuckled lightly.
“Alright, go and practice now, stop dilly-dallying here!” said Zhang Xuan with an embarrassed wave of his hand, hastily fleeing the Suspended Realm to return to the Origin World.
After taking care of these things, he came to the courtyard where Yu Longqing and the others were.
“Teacher Zhang, the affairs here are concluded, and Han Qianye is dead. I should no longer be in danger. I wish to return to Baiyan City, live incognito, and spend the rest of my days with my father…”
Sun Lianxiang said.
“Alright!” Zhang Xuan nodded.
Though she was a princess, she was like a canary trapped in a cage, her every mood at the mercy of Han Qianye. Helping her break free from the cage was like giving her back her freedom.
As for pursuing higher cultivation and a higher world, she had no such desire or interest.
“What about you two?” Having arranged matters for this woman, Zhang Xuan turned to City Lord Yu Longqing and Dean Lu Mingrong.
These two had been of great assistance all along their journey; if they wanted to come with him when he left, he would certainly bring them along.
“Baiyan City has my family and my enterprises… I don’t wish to leave for the time being,” Yu Longqing shook his head.
Even though his daughter had left with Zhang Xuan, his wife and son were still there.
Lu Mingrong also nodded, “We’re going back to Baiyan City as well. If we were to leave, I’m afraid those guys wouldn’t work properly. It wouldn’t be easy for Baiyan Academy to maintain the edge it’s built up over the years, only to be overtaken by other schools…”
“So be it!”
Seeing they were set on going, Zhang Xuan gave them some medicinal pills and artifacts he had obtained from corpses and had Sun Qiang escort them out of the residence.
Everyone has their own pursuits and not all are willing to take risks.
Besides, he couldn’t always bring others along with him; there comes a time for parting.
Finding Yue Longxiao, he explained that he wasn’t the “real” Ling Buyang, and he tossed over the real Ling Buyang’s corpse, asking him to help claim nearly sixty million in rewards.
He also asked him to claim the rewards for Han Qianchou, Han Qianye, and Han Xiao, and of course, he exposed Han Qianye’s true identity as the rapist from the dream, claiming all the associated rewards.
Once he left Han Yuan City, he would no longer be eligible for these rewards; thus, he figured it was best to take them while he could.
At this moment, in Zhang Xuan’s hands, the available Origin Currency exceeded one billion, firmly establishing him as a tycoon.
Upon learning of his departure, Yue Longxiao breathed a sigh of relief and offered a slight smile, “Zhang Xuan, sir, my achievements have also led to a transfer to Zouyi Royal City. Once I’ve handed over my current responsibilities, I’ll head there. We’ll meet in Zouyi City then!”
Having found three super geniuses who each lit 99 Heavenly Destiny Incense sticks in one go, his rewards were incredibly generous, enough to help him make a breakthrough into the Galaxy Realm.
Returning to the courtyard, he located Min Jiangtao.
“Lord Zhang, this is my Aerial Origin Beast, the Iron-scaled Winged Beast, with the strength at the pinnacle of Star River Realm. It’s a bit wild…”
The Iron-scaled Winged Beast was massive, with a wingspan measuring over forty meters wide. It bore no feathers, only scales covering its body, similar in appearance to a winged dragon, and its appearance was frightfully ferocious.
Zhang Xuan’s Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk, in comparison, looked several sizes smaller, trembling and barely able to stand under the other’s imposing aura.
“Chirp!”
Seeing Zhang Xuan approaching to ride it, the large creature twisted its head in anger and roared furiously.
“Shut up!”
Zhang Xuan’s brows furrowed as the Giant Wave Formation within him erupted instantaneously.
The next moment, the Iron-scaled Winged Beast lay prostrate on the ground, shivering violently, as it lost control of its bowels.
Min Jiangtao also felt that power, his pupils abruptly constricting.
He had already known how powerful Zhang Xuan was, but feeling it up close was still terrifying beyond words.
The feeling was such that he didn’t need to lift a finger; a single thought from Zhang Xuan would suffice to kill him.
“Since you’re not welcoming, I won’t ride you. I’ll just ride my Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk!”
Having intimidated the creature, Zhang Xuan couldn’t be bothered to mount it and turned toward the Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk.
The Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk, seeing him approach, excitedly stretched out its head for him to stroke.
“Lord, I’m afraid this Origin Beast’s speed might not be able to keep up…” Min Jiangtao frowned.
The strength of the Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk was at the Half-Spiritual Perception realm, quite a way off from the Dharma Form Realm, let alone the Galaxy Realm.
“That’s simple…”
Zhang Xuan smiled slightly, “Throw a punch and see!”
The Phoenix Hawk looked puzzled for a moment before hesitantly stretching out its claw.
In the Library of Heaven’s Path, with a “boom!”, a book materialized. After Zhang Xuan had read through it, he became as fast as lightning. Blinking an eye, he had tapped the large creature hundreds of times in succession.
The next moment, a tremendous roar emanated from within the Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk and immediately after, an immense aura shot straight into the sky.
It had broken through to the Dharma Form Realm directly!
Eyes wide with disbelief, Min Jiangtao was utterly shocked.
Helping a person advance wasn’t beyond belief since each individual had some understanding of cultivation, but assisting a Primordial Beast in advancing was truly horrifying!
This capability, unseen even by his own teacher, let alone the Hall Master of Zouyi Heavenly Fate Palace, seemed impossible.
Even many of those with the Beast Taming Fate would struggle to achieve this.
Not only was he astounded, but the Iron-scaled Winged Beast was also transfixed, gazing at the Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk with longing.
It had been trapped at the pinnacle of the Star River Realm for who knows how long and it, too, wanted to progress, to excel!
Suppressing its fear, it shamelessly crept over and looked at Zhang Xuan with its big eyes.
“Iron Scaled…” Min Jiangtao found the situation somewhat funny yet pitiful.
Only moments ago it had been defiant, but now it had switched attitudes completely. It seemed that even Origin Beasts knew how to read the room… No wonder it was a powerful being from the headquarters of the Heavenly Fate Palace, truly fearsome.
Seeing that he had thoroughly intimidated both beast and man, Zhang Xuan paid them no further mind. He and Sun Qiang mounted the Phoenix Hawk, “Let’s go!”
“Yes!”
Min Jiangtao nodded, mounted the back of the Iron-scaled Winged Beast as well, and had just settled in when he felt a huge force topple him to the ground.
With a puzzled look, he raised his head only to see a disdainful look in the Iron-scaled Winged Beast’s eyes. The creature then nudged its head towards Zhang Xuan, signaling a desire to be stroked…
Min Jiangtao’s face darkened.
This beast had been with him for many years, and he had gone to great lengths to feed it every day. The slightest mishap and it would refuse to fly… He had thought that they had become thoroughly acquainted, but in less than three minutes of meeting Zhang Xuan, it had already switched allegiances…
“Do you want me to ride you?”
Seeing its behavior, Zhang Xuan smiled as he looked over.
The Iron-scaled Winged Beast nodded repeatedly.
“Fine, but you need to carry my horse!” Zhang Xuan said.
The Iron-scaled Winged Beast turned and glanced at Dao Li not too far away, then nodded.
Its size was quite massive; accommodating one or two people, or even another ten, wouldn’t pose any problem when flying.
“Let’s go!”
Having organized everything, Zhang Xuan no longer lingered. He mounted the Iron-scaled Winged Beast’s back, taking Dao Li and Sun Qiang with him, and shot through the sky.
Min Jiangtao had no choice but to follow on the back of the Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk with a resigned face.
“Empyrean Kong shi, I’m coming for you!”
As Han Yuan City faded into the distance, Zhang Xuan clenched his fist and his gaze flickered with resolve.