“Looks like this place is becoming more and more chaotic by the day, even the missing Heretical King has shown up, negating the presence of the Imperial Sire. If all the sects and clans form an alliance, it’ll overwhelm the court regardless of how strong it is. I must grow stronger in order to survive in this turmoil.”
Feiyun truly felt a great pressure, unable to escape from the chaos. All he could do was to improve himself to wait for the return of the Supreme Goddess’ soul. Being strong was the only way to make her feel safe later on.
It would be terrible for her to be rebirth in an era where she could die again at any moment. Because of this, Feiyun needed to be stronger to spare her from harm.
On the second day, Feiyun, Ruxue, Strategist Mo, and fifty soldiers crossed the pass towards Ancient Jiang.
The road was rugged due to the forests and mountains. The Jin has started building infrastructures here but they have been overrun by weeds. Only two lines were left behind from the carriages of merchants.
Strategist Mo has sent a scout ahead. He rode a qilin bull and followed behind Feiyun.
Bai Ruxue was in a carriage, fortunate enough to enjoy the treatment of an imperial consort.
“The bulls should be fast enough to reach the first city of Heavenly Witchcraft Division, Sin Edge.” The strategist said while waving his feathered fan.
Feiyun rode on his scaled tiger, adorned in red armors and looking quite gallant. He stared at the way ahead and chatted: “Strategist Mo, I see big flaws in your cultivation.”
The strategist slightly trembled after hearing this. He sighed in response: “Lowly ones like us are lucky to get an incomplete merit law. My current achievement is already a blessing from heaven.”
His merit law was very ordinary and could only reach peak sixth-level Heaven’s Mandate at best. He would never be able to reach the seventh level.
In fact, this showed his amazing talents and comprehension. If he had access to a top merit law since youth, perhaps he would be a Giant long ago and join the upper echelon of Jin.
Giants were the top elders in any clan. Only one would appear among tens of millions of people. Only one out of ten half-steps could become a Giant.
“I have a top manual from the old king, Spring and Autumn’s Six Laws. It is an art from the Daoist Gate. If you can cultivate the six arts to perfection with great comprehension, you’ll be able to become an Enlightened Being.” Feiyun took out a leather scroll.
“...” The strategist shuddered while gritting his teeth. How could he not be moved with this merit law in front of him? However, he couldn’t take it right away. This was a priceless treasure that couldn’t be given away just like that. He felt that the whole thing was surreal.
Just grabbing a scroll enough to turn him into a Giant was beyond his wildest dreams, let alone one for becoming an Enlightened Being.
Feiyun said: “If I tell you to take it, take it. Don’t be so indecisive at your age.”
The strategist patted his hands before carefully accepting the scroll; his hands still trembling. He pulled on the iron reins to stop the bull before getting down on the ground to kneel: “Thank you, Your Excellency, for bestowing this merit law to me. I will not let you down. Just say the words and I will follow your command until death.”
Feiyun said: “Strategist Mo, rise. The court naturally wouldn’t mistreat sect masters like you who have joined us.”
The strategist was moved to tears.
Feiyun took out another fifty first-ranked pills. They floated above his palm like jewels and emitted a faint glow. They then flew over and fell into the hand of the fifty soldiers, one each. He did the same with another fifty spirit stones.
These soldiers were even more excited than the strategist. They got on their knees at the same time: “We vow loyalty and devotion to the dynasty and Your Excellency!”
They were at grand completion God Base and belonged to the elites of the army. However, they have never used spirit pills and spirit stones before, only ordinary medicines when wounded.
Even a first-ranked spirit pill was considered a great treasure. The spirit stones were even more precious. One was enough to trade for 300,000 gold coins, enough for their entire family to live in luxury for a lifetime.
He was too generous. The eyes of these soldiers changed while looking at him.
A while ago, they thought that he was too young and weren’t that convinced. But now, they became obedient, thinking that the future was quite bright following him.
When they came back to the camp, this story would definitely spread. Every soldier will know of the benefits when following Feiyun. This future result was his real goal.
The troops moved on with unprecedented morale. Meanwhile, Feiyun entered the carriage and took out a red spirit grass. It had three growing young leaves, shiny and wet. They looked like three separate flames with powerful spirit energy gestating within.
This was a 5,000-year-old Red Cloud Spirit Grass stolen from the Grand Tutor by Bi Ningshuai.
It usually grew in areas with extreme heat and extreme yang affinity. At one hundred years of age, it could be used as medicine or refined into physical-empowering ointments for a child. It would strengthen the muscles and bones, resulting in a better physical constitution.
A 1,000-year-old one was priceless and coveted by top cultivators for immensely effective physical tempering.
This particular one in Feiyun’s hand had great medicinal effectiveness. Even a seventh-level Giant wouldn’t dare to use it directly because their body wouldn’t be able to handle the hot affinity within. It had the same temperature as a nether flame.
That’s why they would need to give it to a high-ranking alchemist in order to refine it into a Red Cloud Pill for consumption.
Feiyun didn’t need to do so. His body was tougher than a Giant’s so he could directly refine it.
“I can’t reach the sixth-level so quickly but if I can refine this root, I might be able to create a second phoenix bone.”
Feiyun didn’t only focus on energy cultivation but also the Immortal Phoenix Physique. This physical cultivation was at the second stage, Bone Refinement.
He had created the heart bone and now, it was time for the second - the wisdom bone.
It was one of the twenty-nine bones on top of the head. This particular one was at the very top of the skull.
Grand completion of this physique required 999 phoenix bones, allowing one to live for 90,000 years. Feiyun had only managed to cultivate 206 bones in his previous life. Each bone created would greatly boost one’s physical power.
With this second bone, he would be able to fight against a Giant without using spirit energy and release the force of seven dragon-tigers. That’s his true abilities; his cultivation would become inconsequential.
People usually only noticed cultivation realms and levels. Why were historical geniuses able to defeat those above their level? Because their constitution was far superior. Physical prowess combined with cultivation resulted in an explosive battle potential.
The Immortal Phoenix Physique sought to improve this physical prowess. Reaching one hundred bones would turn him into a mythical-level genius.
As he was cultivating inside the carriage, a yellow hawk flew out of the thicket nearby. It circled around for a bit before flapping its ten-meter-long wings towards a city.
The Third Lord of Heavenly Witchcraft Division, Shi Zhenxiang, sat inside a majestic fort made out of stones. The hawk landed before him and issued loud screeching. No one but him understood it.
“Haha! Feiyun, you’re actually coming here with only fifty soldiers? I’ll make sure you never leave this place.” He has been coveting the beautiful girl next to Feiyun and hasn’t forgotten about Feiyun’s thrust.
He knew that Feiyun would reach Sin Edge tonight so he personally came in order to kill Feiyun. Just thinking about Bai Ruxue’s enchanting figure made the wait torturous.