With that, Zhou Donghuang stayed in the Lightning Sword Sect's Autumn Valley. Whenever he trained, he produced a formation using a large number of spirit stones from his space ring. This formation aided him in his practice, allowing his speed to increase.
Before he went to the Tianxuan planet of Luohe Galaxy to look for Luo Qinghan, besides obtaining an ultimate Dharma Laws stage martial adept's space ring on the Honglong planet in the Tianma Galaxy, Zhou Donghuang also went to planets in other galaxies to obtain the treasures left behind by Dharma Laws adepts.
However, some of these adepts had created tests for those seeking their treasures, and only those who managed to pass were able to receive the wealth that they had left behind.
Such tests set by a Dharma Laws adept could not be that difficult. With Zhou Donghuang's current power and experience from his previous life, he could easily pass them and win the treasures.
The valuables that attracted Zhou Donghuang most were spirit stones. Even spirit weapons, elixir formulas, or inferior potions were worth nothing in his eyes.
Besides, items as valuable as the Soul Shaper or the Core King Fruit were nowhere to be found.
"Quickly, turn this silver essence into a golden essence. Based on the requirements of the 'Way of the Four Supremes,' I have to turn all four primal cores in my body into the golden essence stage before I can try to reach the Dharma Laws stage."
Behind tightly shut doors, Zhou Donghuang sat on his bed, his eyes shining. "For a typical golden essence adept, the golden essence crystallizing into Dharma Laws is the sign that one has reached the early Dharma Laws stage. As for me, who is using the 'Way of the Four Supremes' based on this technique's requirements, I will need all four of my golden essences to produce the Dharma laws before I can attain the early Dharma Laws stage. Of course, this is what is stated in the 'Way of the Four Supremes.' But even if just one of the golden essences in my body produces Dharma Laws, I will be as strong as any early Dharma Laws adept. In fact, because the 'Way of the Four Supremes' uses the Dharma Laws of the four great beasts, no one at the same Dharma Laws level will be able to defeat me."
What were the four great beasts? They were the ancient, godly beasts of legends with the power to crush galaxies beneath their feet and swallow them whole. They were at the top of the food chain. By producing the Dharma Laws of these four great beasts, even if they contained just a little bit of the real beasts' power, these Dharma Laws became incredibly powerful.
"If I enter the early Dharma Laws stage as part of the 'Way of the Four Supremes' and produce the Dharma of the four great beasts, even if only at the early stages, I will be able to defeat and even kill any typical late Dharma Laws stage adept!" Zhou Donghuang said to himself, his eyes gleaming.
...
The Lightning Sword Sect had gained a new inner disciple. The Autumn Valley had a new disciple. For a disciple of the Autumn Valley, this was hardly news, and within the Lightning Sword Sect, few people paid these kinds of matters any attention. However, for the Autumn Valley disciple, Da Zhuang, this was a big deal because his Senior Sister had instructed him to take good care of her little Junior Brother.
There were many female disciples in the Autumn Valley and many of the same rank as Da Zhuang. However, Da Zhuang always addressed them by their name and title. He only called He Mengxi simply by her title 'Sister,' without using her name.
"Little Brother, if you have any requests, you can look for me anytime. Even if I am training, you can interrupt me. As long as I can help you, I will. Sister told me to take care of you."
Zhou Donghuang had an excellent first impression of Da Zhuang simply because his Third Senior Sister, He Mengxi, had mentioned him during his past life. In the days that followed, Zhou Donghuang developed genuinely positive feelings toward this three-meter tall giant because of how he had behaved. Because of that one instruction from He Mengxi, Zhou Donghuang made his first friend in the Lightning Sword Sect.
After Da Zhuang had once again helped him to buy the herbs that he required, Zhou Donghuang did not rush to use them to produce his elixir. He smiled as he said, "Da Zhuang, how did you end up in Lightning Sword Sect and Autumn Valley?"
"The Sect Leader and Sister brought me into Autumn Valley," replied Da Zhuang with a smile.
"Where is your home? On this planet?" Zhou Donghuang asked curiously.
"Home?" Da Zhuang was taken aback then shook his head as he said, "I do not have a home. As far as I can remember, my family was a group of wild apes. Of course, I only found out later than I was a human, for the apes were beasts. Back then, I was living with that group of apes, and a human adept killed the whole group. Only I was left alive. That person was about to kill me, but Sister and Sect Leader happened to come by. Sect Leader knew that man and did not want to poke his nose into his business, but Sister took pity on me and insisted on saving me. In the end, Sect Leader saved me."
As he spoke, Da Zhuang's eyes turned red, and the golden yuan in his body seemed to rise. "Although they were apes, if they had not raised me, I would have died, so I must avenge them! I must take revenge!!"
Instantly, Da Zhuang deflated like a balloon. "But that man is too strong, and I cannot kill him. Sister said that he is a powerful Primordial Soul adept who is almost as powerful as Sect Leader. It is simply impossible for me to kill him."
As he said this, Da Zhuang stooped and buried his head in his hands, crying loudly. This three-meter tall giant seemed to turn into a small crybaby.
Zhou Donghuang looked at Da Zhuang, as he said with a smile, "I'll help you."
Da Zhuang stopped crying and looked at him with disbelief. "You'll help me? You? How can you help me? You are less powerful than me, so how will you help me?"
"You don't trust me?" Zhou Donghuang stared at Da Zhuang.
Faced with Zhou Donghuang's intense glare, Da Zhuang was shocked. He regained his senses as he said thoughtfully, "If you can help me take revenge, then my life will be yours! In my heart, Sister is the most important, but if you can help me, you can be second most important."
"This technique will be your payment for all the help you've given me so far." Zhou Donghuang raised his hand, and a scroll appeared in his hands. With his inner yuan, he sent the paper to Da Zhuang.
"Can you read?"
"Yes." Da Zhuang nodded. He did not stretch out his hand to take the scroll, which was floating in mid-air amidst Zhou Donghuang's yuan. "Little Brother, you do not have to help me take revenge. Sister told me to take care of you. If someone tries to kill you, and I cannot defeat him, I will protect you until my death."
If anyone else had said that, Zhou Donghuang would have doubted him, thinking that he had an ulterior motive. But after spending these few days with Da Zhuang, Zhou Donghuang knew that this giant was simple enough not to say something he did not mean. Furthermore, although he had spent some time here, he had not yet revealed his powers, so nobody knew about his strength.
In these circumstances, even a silly giant or someone with ulterior motives would not think of sucking up to him.
"If you want revenge, then take this," said Zhou Donghuang flatly. "There is a technique written on it that allows you to train until the Primordial Soul stage. After that, I will give you the technique once you reach the stage."
Da Zhuang's eyes filled with emotion, and his hand trembled as he lifted it. But his hand froze in midair. "Little Brother, Sister told me that nothing comes for free. I cannot accept this."
"Nothing comes for free?" Zhou Donghuang shook his head. "Didn't you say that I would become the second most important person in your heart if I helped you take revenge? To me, that is the best thing that I could ask for in return."
Seeing Da Zhuang hesitate, Zhou Donghuang continued, "If you do not accept this today, in the future, I will not ask you for help. In fact, I will tell Sister that you did not take good care of me."
"You! Little Brother, how can you say this?" Da Zhuang was flustered, and his face turned red. "You can't tell Sister that! No! You can't!!"
"Then accept it." Zhou Donghuang was speechless. He had just offered him the premier 'Fiery Thunder Training Regimen,' which was considered among the best in the whole universe. Other people fought to obtain it, but this silly giant was refusing to take it.
"Alright! Alright! I will take it. But you must not tell Sister that I did not take good care of you! You must not!" Da Zhuang said hurriedly.
"As long as you take this, follow this technique closely, train well, and do not tell the others about this, and I will not tell your Sister that you did not take good care of me."
It was then that Zhou Donghuang realized that, in this silly giant's heart, his Third Sister's opinion of him was more important than anything else. No wonder, in his past life, this silly giant sacrificed his life to save her.
"I will train well. But must I keep this technique hidden even from Sister?" Da Zhuang stared at Zhou Donghuang.
"As for Sister, I have something more suited for her. Something as powerful as...this technique is not suitable for her."
With that, Zhou Donghuang finally gave away the premier training technique. This moment was to be a turning point in the life of the mighty warrior Da Zhuang, who would one day come to be known all over the universe.