Chapter 115: Chapter 96: Taixuan, Chu Zheng_2

"Taixuan... there hasn't been much activity," he said, "It seems they are preparing to reopen the Sect Gate and recruit disciples recently. Many Loose Cultivators have headed that way, looking to join in the excitement."

Even though Taixuan had been closed for ten thousand years, it remained a Holy Land, with the Immortal Ascension Method within its walls and an Immortal Treasure stabilizing its fate.

If there was a chance to join, no Cultivator would refuse, even if it meant being just an Outer Sect Disciple rather than wandering everywhere.

Song Lingqing recounted some of the changes that had occurred during this period.

Upon learning that the Divine Infant was hiding from the world, a hint of joy flashed in Chu Zheng's eyes, as this was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for him.

With the Divine Infant unable to take action, once he entered the Dao Embryo and with his Immortal Path Cultivation, he could dominate the world safely, greatly increasing his security and ensuring he would not be in danger every day.

However, after hearing the news of the meeting among the Five Great Holy Lands, Chu Zheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he rubbed his temples, falling into deep thought.

The bounty on him had obviously only spread recently, probably related to this meeting.

The other major Holy Lands were targeting him together, yet Taixuan showed no reaction, which was very intriguing.

If you were to say Geng Yiyang held any regard for him, Chu Zheng himself wouldn't believe it.

After meeting Geng Yiyang once, he lost four treasures: his wife, the Heritage Jade Token of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, the Fire Seed of the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire, and the Lihuo Spear.

And he gained nothing from Geng Yiyang.

Geng Yiyang claimed he was helping him to block a disaster, taking on Ling Qi's death, but Chu Zheng knew very well that at the moment of Ling Qi's death, his own calamity had already dissipated.

From Zhou Zili and Ling Qi's attitudes, it was evident that the target of Tai Xu Holy Land was indeed Taixuan, not Chu Zheng.

In fact, if it weren't for Geng Yiyang's forced intervention, so many people wouldn't have died, and those major Holy Lands wouldn't have noticed Chu Zheng at all.

Chu Zheng thought hard for a long while but couldn't grasp any leads; his gaze wandered around, and when it swept over Song Lingqing, a flicker of enlightenment suddenly flashed through his mind.

His current situation was eerily similar to Song Lingqing's previous predicament, almost exactly the same.

The reason those major Holy Lands targeted him could be narrowed down to two possibilities: either because of Taixuan Holy Land or because of their wariness.

Currently, his ranking on the Hidden Dragon List was just over seven thousand, which had barely any presence compared to the geniuses of those Holy Lands.

On the surface, this wasn't enough to warrant such an elaborate focus from these Holy Lands.

Clearly, some factors related to Chu Zheng made them uneasy.

Besides his talent, Chu Zheng couldn't think of any other possibilities.

Chu Zheng had a clear understanding of his own cultivation speed. In less than a year, he had advanced from the Nourishing Power Realm to the Late Spirit Spring Realm, a phenomenon undoubtedly extraordinarily fast even surpassing those with Superior Immortal Bone.

But this news couldn't possibly be known by those Holy Lands. The only ones aware of this information were those who knew about the Lihuo Spear, which was currently in Geng Yiyang's hands.

The answer was quite clear now.

The only explanation for Chu Zheng's current predicament was that Geng Yiyang had leaked his information.

"Heh..."

Having realized the connection, Chu Zheng clenched his teeth, blood rushing to his head in anger, yet he laughed in irony.

Chu Zheng didn't want to guess Geng Yiyang's motives or bother thinking about the reasons. Thanks to this old man, his troubles had indeed increased now, with enemies on all sides.

"Right, here are your Spirit Stones back."

Seeing Chu Zheng standing still, Song Lingqing suddenly remembered something and untied her Storage Bag from her waist.

After traveling for half a year, she had saved a considerable amount, always intent on repaying Chu Zheng's Spirit Stones.

Although she didn't know when she could fully repay the personal debt, returning some of it now would make her feel more at ease.

"Keep it for yourself; we're family now, no need to separate it out like this,"

Chu Zheng waved his hand, pushing the Storage Bag back to her, his attitude much more casual than before.

Times had changed; having married Song Lingxue, Song Lingqing naturally became his sister-in-law. As family, it was only right to look out for each other without being too formal.

"Family?"

At those words, Song Lingqing's expression turned hesitant, the term sounding unexpectedly intimate to her ears.

Seeing her reaction, Chu Zheng caught on and recounted the recent changes one by one.

Chu Zheng kept it simple, briefly glossing over the details, but it was enough to leave Song Lingqing somewhat shocked.

A Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator opposing Holy Lands was something not even rumors could fabricate.

The storytellers on the streets would never recount such a tale, for no one would believe it.

The existence of the Hidden Dragon List had completely overturned her understanding.

Above the Hidden Dragon List, Song Lingqing's name had been present, now ranked at twelve thousand and something—this was the very end.

Beyond that were cultivators in the Nourishing Power Realm who participated in the tournament not for rankings, but to see the world.

If they waited until the next tournament, they would be too old to participate.

This was their only chance in this lifetime.

Upon hearing that Chu Zheng had already married, Song Lingqing inevitably felt somewhat dazed.

However, after being separated for several months, upon meeting again, they inexplicably became family.

The person before her had become her sister's husband.

Regarding Chu Zheng's words, Song Lingqing had no doubts at all; Chu Zheng had no reason to deceive her.

After a long silence, Song Lingqing lowered her head to reattach her storage bag to her waist, subconsciously rubbing her forearm, only feeling that the wind blowing from outside the island had suddenly turned colder, chilling her heart.

After being lost in thought for a moment, Song Lingqing quietly said, "What are your plans now?"

Her first thought was the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.

From any perspective, Chu Zheng couldn't avoid this critical juncture.

With the opening of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, people from the Martial Hall would come here to take her sister away—this was inevitable. In order to seek a turning point, they must attend.

"When the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects begins, I want to see the situation."

Chu Zheng's response did not surprise Song Lingqing. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

But in reality, what Chu Zheng was thinking was vastly different from what she imagined.

In Chu Zheng's eyes, the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was a way to make contact with powers outside their domain. From the scroll he had obtained before, it was evident there must be other Qi Cultivators in this universe.

They just didn't exist in the Cangyun Realm.

With ten years, relying on his own power to resist the Immortal Path Cultivators of a whole realm was undoubtedly a pipe dream. However, if he could establish contact with outsiders and gain the help of other Qi Cultivators, perhaps there was still a chance.

At least there was a chance to save his life.

Currently, his Qi Refinement's cultivation was still shallow. Encountering a powerful cultivator, he could still dissipate his Dantian's Yuan Qi and hide it somewhat. Once he cultivated the Dao Embryo and even reached the Golden Core, avoidance would be inevitable, and conflicts would eventually arise.

Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing fell silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "I will go with you."

The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was also a knot in her heart.

In fact, if not for Chu Zheng's intervention, the Song family would have been destroyed long ago, and her Immortal Bone would have been completely ruined. Her only value, as the old ancestor of the Han Family, Han Yuanqing, had said, would have been to seek refuge under some noble family's son and live out her remaining years.

Even if she were reluctant, the final outcome wouldn't change much without power; she had no means to resist.

She was always a castaway from the Phantom Spirit Sect. When she and Xiao Yuanqing entered the sect on the same day, her path had already been predetermined.

How could she be willing to accept this?

"The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is held in Biluo Country, quite far from here. If you intend to participate, I'm afraid you'll have to set out soon."

Song Lingqing had already begun planning their upcoming journey. A Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator's speed of travel was, at most, ten thousand miles in a day; covering millions of miles nonstop in a year.

And Biluo Country lay tens of millions of miles away.

"I don't plan to participate in the Hidden Dragon Tournament."

Chu Zheng shook his head, dismissing Song Lingqing's notion, his expression coldly indifferent.

"Then what do you intend to do?"

Song Lingqing was puzzled, not understanding, "Your name is already on the Hidden Dragon List..."

"I plan to slaughter the list."

Chu Zheng's gaze was indifferent, with a surge of killing intent hidden within.

All along, he had never planned to participate in the so-called tournament step-by-step.

Since Geng Yiyang had decided to sit back and watch, Chu Zheng naturally had to find a way to cause him some trouble.

After all, he was now Chu Zheng of the Taixuan Holy Land.