```This is a once-in-a-lifetime demon.
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Eight million li away from Chu Zheng and his companion's location.
Two streams of fleeing light, one before the other, were rapidly retreating toward the depths of the secret realm, trying to get as far as possible from the meeting place previously agreed upon with Chu Zheng, waiting for the Cangyun Secret Realm to eject them.
He Yu was leading the way, followed closely by Yu Xianglong, ranked seventy-eighth on the Hidden Dragon List and in the late stage of Soul Condensing, a disciple of the Tai Xu True Transmission.
At this moment, Yu Xianglong's expression held a hint of hesitation:
"Brother He, about Junior Sister Ji..."
To abandon a fellow sect member they had lived with for nearly a hundred years was a decision that filled him with mixed feelings and inevitable guilt.
He Yu maintained his fleeing speed and spoke indifferently:
"Let me ask you, if we were to arrive as planned and Chu Zheng suddenly attacked, using the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure to slay us all, what then? Can you guarantee that he would keep his promise and spare Junior Sister Ji?"
"This..."
Yu Xianglong found himself at a loss for words upon hearing this. He too had many concerns about this matter.
To bet one's own life on the character of an opponent was indeed unwise.
"How many cultivators from the Holy Land have died at the hands of Chu Zheng? More than a hundred, no? Do you think he is of a gentle heart and lenient hand?" seaʀᴄh thё novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
He Yu slowly shook his head, his gaze cold: "Tai Xu and Tai Xu are now in an irreconcilable conflict; to hand over these gains to Chu Zheng is to fatten an enemy!"
"Moreover, are you willing to hand over an opportunity that's within our grasp to Chu Zheng? We only have this one chance at the Cangyun Secret Realm in our life, and there will not be a second time."
Yu Xianglong stopped speaking and continued on his way in silence. Although most of the gains had already been taken by Chu Zheng, he had still managed to make some minor gains in the past few days to compensate for his losses.
Now, to just give them away and possibly even risk his life would be foolish; any sensible person would know how to choose.
"Having lost Junior Sister Ji, what we need to do is to double our efforts in cultivation and one day avenge today's humiliation."
He Yu let out a low shout, his tone slightly chilling: "Sooner or later, I will make the Taixuan Holy Land repay today's debt."
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In the void, a breeze caressed the face, and the crimson glow of dusk bathed the entire world, creating a scene of twilight.
Above the land lay scattered ruins, relics of old times now mottled with the erosion of time, as though the whole world had been buried in ancient times.
Now, in Cangyun, no one remembers those buried in this secret realm—no one does now, and no one will in the future.
Chu Zheng scanned the land inch by inch, his expression somewhat complex. In his previous life, he had also watched years go by through the lens of time, often feeling delighted for a long time after restoring an artifact and bringing forth the stories of the ancients.
At this moment, however, he had lost that feeling. The struggle for Taoist orthodoxy's dominance is inseparable from slaughter and strife. When flipping through the entire ancient history of the Cangyun Realm, all he could see now was bloodshed.
Counting the days, it had been more than two years since his arrival in Cangyun.
Chu Zheng subconsciously took out his diary, contemplated for a long time with his pen poised, wanting to write something, yet finding nowhere to begin and ultimately putting it away in resignation.
After pondering for a while, he took out his diary again and wrote:
[In the New Calendar's third year, contemplating the ancient and observing the present, I can only sigh that time cuts like a knife; all the ancient sages, all buried in time, the honors and disgraces of their lifetimes vanished in the blink of an eye, those whose names are recorded in history are but a scant few...]
As he wrote this, Chu Zheng's pen paused for a moment then continued fluently:
[One day, should I reach the end of my life, I hope I can seize the chance to strive for an everlasting legacy, so that in endless eons and among billions of stars, there will still be people who know just who Chu Zheng was. Only then could I say that my two lifetimes as a human were not in vain, and find comfort in my life.]
Chu Zheng put away his diary and looked no further, massaging his slightly swollen brow.
After stepping into the late stage of Soul Condensing, he increasingly felt the incongruity between his physical body and Divine Soul as if a large bucket of water was being forcefully poured into a container the size of a palm, bulging and bloated with occasional feelings of constriction deep within his soul.
After leaving the Cangyun Secret Realm, enhancing the strength of his physical body had become imperative, otherwise, it would soon hinder the progress of his cultivation.
Hum—
As Chu Zheng's thoughts scattered, the crimson firmament above rippled with layers of Immortal Patterns, a ray of clear light fell, enveloping Chu Zheng's side.
The First Level of Immortal Light swept over Chu Zheng and Ji Xiao, wrapping them up.
A familiar feeling of compression entered Chu Zheng's mind; he relaxed his body, letting the secret realm take them away.
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After a lengthy period, when Chu Zheng returned to his senses, he was surrounded by a vast ocean.
Chu Zheng looked up to the sky, a flicker of spiritual light in his eyes, glanced at the celestial phenomena, and quickly determined his location.
His luck was still good. He wasn't too far from the Southern Region, still within tens of millions of miles. Even if Geng Yiyang didn't come looking for him, he could return to the Southern Region in ten days to half a month.
Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, the sky suddenly split open, and a tumultuous Divine Fire surged out.
"Return to Taixuan immediately!"
Geng Yiyang strode out, his expression extremely grave. His usually placid demeanor was now filled with repression.
His breathing slightly ragged, the corners of his mouth tinged with blood, it was evident that he expended a great deal of Yuan Qi to hasten here.
"What has happened?"
Seeing Geng Yiyang in such a state of urgency, Chu Zheng's heart skipped a beat, and he tensed up, "Why the rush?"
"The sky has split, I'll explain on the way."
A blaze of Divine Fire emerged from Geng Yiyang's palm, enveloping Chu Zheng, tearing through the void, as they rushed toward the direction of Taixuan.
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With Geng Yiyang's disregard for the cost and frenzied pace, they had covered tens of millions of miles, and by the time the sky darkened, Chu Zheng could see the endless crimson Divine Peaks.
"Cough..."
Upon landing, Geng Yiyang coughed lightly, and before he could speak, his complexion suddenly changed. He looked at Chu Zheng with an unprecedented seriousness:
"The Immortal Alliance has summoned us. You wait for me at the Sect. Don't leave even a half step! I'll be right back."
Chu Zheng nodded as instructed, his eyes filled with worry, "Take care of yourself."
Geng Yiyang was already like a piece of rotting wood, his lifespan nearing its end. These massive movements were further shortening his already limited lifespan.
Geng Yiyang waved his hand dismissively, not inclined to speak further, and turned into a ball of Divine Fire, blending into the void.
A moment later, he arrived at a Divine Palace above the nine heavens.
Within the palace, several Holy Masters, including a host of elders from various Holy Lands who had entered the Divine Transformation Realm, were all present, and even included families from the Eastern Region and people from the Western Region Immortal Sects.
In a corner stood five figures whose eyes shone with Great Demons, whose powers reached the Divine Communication level.
The number of people or demons who came this time far exceeded those at the previous gathering of the Five Saints.
"By my calculation, this sudden space passage will be fully open in no more than ten days. The Immortal Alliance can't spare True Immortals to come here in the short term; we can only rely on ourselves now."
"Here, on behalf of the Immortal Alliance, I issue an edict, please listen carefully."
Ji Yuyan scanned the senior members of the various Holy Lands, his face devoid of any smile, cold as eternal ice:
"All cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm, ready for battle. All Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures and above, including the Sect-Defending Immortal Treasures of each Holy Land, must be awakened. Anyone found to be hiding their treasures will be dealt with according to the Immortal Alliance's first penal code; the crime of betrayal will be punished."
The crime of betrayal warrants the extermination of one's Sect, the annihilation of one's clan, the end of one's lineage, and the severing of one's cycle of reincarnation.
Not only will there be no future in this life, but even the hope of reincarnation and rebirth will be lost.
"Can Shang Zuling possibly..."
The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord spoke solemnly, attempting to seek some leniency for Shang Zuling.
Before he could finish, Ji Yuyan interrupted:
"I have already said, all cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm are to prepare for battle; that includes her."
His face grew colder: "If we do not hold up in this battle, I will die in Cangyun, let alone her."
The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord spoke no further, bowing his head in acquiescence.
Ji Yuyan's expression was utterly unflinching as he spoke solemnly:
"You all have three days to prepare. After three days, gather in front of the space passage. Anyone who retreats from battle, hesitates, or delays will be executed on the spot!"
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