Return to the Big Dipper

During this process, he could solve the problem of the demonic art in one fell swoop.

I need the Ruthless Emperor's two-lifetime scriptures, the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art and the Indestructible Heavenly Art, as well as a large number of notes of this type for comprehension.

With no path ahead, Zhang Huan intended to return to Big Dipper and wanted to find these things. The major forces of Big Dipper were the best assistance.

After all, the Ruthless Emperor originated in Big Dipper, and there had always been a branch of cultivators calling themselves the Ruthless Bloodline.

In later generations, they hid in Shaking Light Sacred Land and had always been active, coercing Hua Yunfei of the Great Profound Sect to practice the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art and so on, committing numerous evil deeds. He just didn't know where they were currently hiding.

At the same time, it was best to make some allies to help him in the future deal with the master of the demonic art hiding behind the scenes.

Now he was already a Great Sage holding an imperial weapon, and even facing a Quasi-Emperor he would not flinch. The supreme Dao forces would also have to extend olive branches, dying to hook up and build a friendship with Zhang Huan.

Holding the coordinates, Zhang Huan deduced a path, stepped on the void to set off, and jumped along the way through the Five-Colored Altars, advancing in the endless darkness.

Although he saw some saints, no one dared to make a move against Zhang Huan. In the depths of the boundless starry sky, faint lights were scattered, and after hundreds of jumps, he finally saw Big Dipper.

A massive planet permeated a huge life aura, with five continents distributed regularly, resembling the Five-Colored Altars.

This was transformed from the body of a Chaos Body in ancient times, made into land for the supremes to charge at the Path to Immortality.

Passing through the atmosphere, he saw the Seven Forbidden Lands in the distant sky. Although he didn't feel any pressure, a wave of inexplicable palpitations arose in his heart.

Even a Great Sage could not look too long. The forbidden lands were mysterious and terrifying, possessing unfathomable power, and were the resting places of undead ancient supreme beings. The higher the cultivation realm, the more one could feel the terror within.

Zhang Huan reined in his essence, Qi, and spirit inwardly, silently landing within a landscape of mountains and rivers, strolling between villages and yellow sand and gravel.

Not far away, a gang of bandits was collecting an annual fee. Seeing the name on the big flag, Zhang Huan narrowed his eyes.

Black Wind Stockade!

The starting point of this body, a bandit den that committed countless crimes.

In his second life, due to half a piece of a Source Art Fragment, they hunted down Zhang Huan together with the forces behind them. At that time, his strength was low, and until his death, he didn't know which force was supporting the Black Wind Stockade.

Now seeing this stockade still existed, Zhang Huan sneered twice and completely blasted the group of people to death.

Leaping up, he flew to the lair of the Black Wind Stockade, and with a sweep of Zhang Huan's spiritual sense, he found the person with the highest cultivation.

Immediately call all the bandits in your stockade back right now!

With his back to the tiger-skin bone stool, Zhang Huan easily controlled the stockade master, who was currently sitting and ravaging a woman for pleasure.

Issuing the order, Zhang Huan first inquired who was supporting the activities of the Black Wind Stockade. After a few days, seeing that the bandits who had returned were about all back, he dismissed the abducted laborers and beauties.

Manifesting a hand that could cover the heavens, he stirred the quicksand and slapped down with one palm, shattering the Black Wind Stockade into the gravel.

Not long after, Zhang Huan arrived at the lair of the Demonic Sun Cult tens of thousands of miles away, controlled the Cult Master of the Four Extremes Realm, and obliterated this cult in the same way.

The Yin Hu Sect, the White Lotus Sect. For several days in a row, probing step by step along the chain of interests, Zhang Huan embarked on a killing spree, wiping out numerous Ten Thousand Year Great Sects in one go.

Walking across the land of Eastern Wasteland, Zhang Huan subdued several great forces everywhere, ordering them to search for information regarding the Ruthless Emperor with all their strength.

Visiting the major sacred lands, Zhang Huan was treated with courtesy and told many secrets.

Returning to the Dao Field where he had originally founded the Holy Religion, this place was even more grand than a thousand years ago, and its development was quite good. Every morning, the sound of praising the Cult Master resounded for a thousand miles and endured for a long time.

The acting cult master was a saint, wearing white-and-red-patterned attire, holding the holy scripture in his hands, and constantly sharing insights with the various followers.

Even after a thousand years, the major sacred lands had not caused trouble, which was unexpected.

Entering the luxurious palace, Zhang Huan secretly met the acting cult master and likewise assigned him a task.

Being all by himself, he didn't know how much time and months it would take to find information. Matters like this were best left to the people below to put in effort, sparing him some trouble.

Traveling through Eastern Wasteland, Zhang Huan saw quite a few saints. The overall strength of the cultivators of Big Dipper nowadays had also risen explosively.

Over the past thousand years, newborn powerhouses had emerged in endless succession, and currently almost all major sacred lands had pushed out the younger generation who had grown up to serve as holy lords.

Exchanging insights with some Saint King powerhouses, he made up for some shortcomings that he had always ignored previously. Zhang Huan wanted to run into some fortuitous encounters and search in places pointed out by certain rumors.

However, several months passed in succession, and he did not find any traces.

Although the land of Eastern Wasteland contained countless fortuitous encounters, very few were actually encountered by Zhang Huan.

Finding some places according to his memory, the gains were not very satisfying either. Big Dipper was vast and boundless, and this life was already over a hundred thousand years away from Ye Fan's era, so his impressions were mostly of no use.

At this time, Purple Mountain was still Ancient Emperor Mountain, revered by all races, with great momentum. Saint Cliff had not yet appeared, and the only places that matched were such long-standing places as Ten Thousand Dragon Nest and the Ancient Imperial Dynasty.

As a Great Sage, Zhang Huan didn't even have a single secret technique he could pull out, the nine secret arts had never even been seen, and he still hadn't found suitable materials for a Great Sage Artifact unique to himself.

Compared to some Saint Kings he had seen, his net worth couldn't even compare. Previously, he had focused solely on cultivation, and in terms of spellcasting and competing for resources, he truly hadn't paid much attention to it.

However, with the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Jar to fall back on, I don't really need to care about these external objects.

Zhang Huan muttered to himself.

Suppressing people with a high realm, no matter how they cultivated divine abilities and secret techniques, in the end, those who didn't want to die would still obediently be manipulated.

When encountering a life-and-death crisis, one still had to see if there was a great lethal weapon; nothing could compare to the sense of security brought by this half-piece of an imperial weapon.

The realm was cultivated by oneself, while cultivation techniques and secret techniques were external objects obtained, so bullying the weak in spellcasting was not disgraceful.

Saint City, also called Divine City.

This place had existed since ancient times, and its origin could no longer be traced. It was unknown how long it had existed.

Zhang Huan came here intending to see if he could run into those strange stones that Ye Fan sliced open in later generations.

The Kirin Undying Medicine Seed and the Humanoid Undying Medicine he sliced out were things even ancient great emperors would be moved upon seeing, being rare treasures and divine medicines that seized the creation of heaven and earth.

There were descriptions of them in his impressions, and if he saw them, he would definitely be able to recognize them.

Even if he didn't find them, he could still slice out some treasures.

He had also practiced Source Art in the past, coupled with his Great Sage cultivation, so he should have some gains, and he had some confidence in his heart.

A single cut would not result in losing his shirt, and he could at least open up some things.

The city was bustling, with palaces standing in rows, wide ancient streets, having everything one could expect, fully equipped. The most famous thing was its extreme luxury, possessing enough source to indulge in sensual pleasures.

Almost all major forces opened stone gambling houses here, on a massive scale.

Entering the city, Zhang Huan clicked his tongue in wonder. The gambling houses here openly flaunted their wares, which was rare to see in other places.

Walking to a street stall, a dozen stones were placed casually. Zhang Huan glanced at the stall owner, and his heart moved slightly—this was an old saint on the verge of death.

It looked like he was living in seclusion in the mundane world, coming here to set up a stall and endure this last remaining time of very little.

Yet Zhang Huan smelled a trace of a familiar demonic scent on him, and immediately intended to probe the depth of this old saint.

Seeing the old saint leisurely and content without any reaction, Zhang Huan took the initiative to pick up a stone to inspect.

There should be good things inside; the spiritual energy is active, and perhaps it is a heavenly material and earthly treasure.

Probing the interior with Source Art, Zhang Huan confirmed it eight or nine tenths.

Old man, may I ask how this stone is sold?

Zhang Huan reined in his cultivation, and his aura was no different from an ordinary person's, hence he wasn't sensed.

A flat price, ten catties of source, but you must buy three pieces of stone material at once, otherwise I won't sell!

The old man breathed out a puff of white vapor, removed his pipe, opened the corners of his eyes to squint, and cast a glance.

Three pieces? Ten catties of source is already not a small number, and thirty catties is not something just anyone can pull out.

Zhang Huan curiously asked the old saint for the reason.

These stone materials are my lifelong collection, all extraordinary. Thirty catties of source is definitely worth it.

After speaking, his tone took a turn.

However, seeing that you and I have an affinity, I'll sell three pieces to you for ten catties of source, sigh.

Perhaps feeling that a mortal like Zhang Huan truly couldn't scrape together so much source, the old saint easily relented to concede profit, sighed, and said while reminiscing.

At the same time, he released a trace of saint might, controlling the force so that Zhang Huan could perceive his extraordinary nature.

This fellow's intentions don't look like those old saints who have settled their minds and stepped into the red dust. He is intentionally displaying his cultivation—what is he plotting?

Zhang Huan guessed that he was either fishing or had some secret.

If it were anyone else, they would probably already be moved to tears of gratitude, rejoicing that they could have such a fortuitous encounter.

Yet Zhang Huan feigned a daze, and then acted just like a normal person.

Then many thanks to the old man.

There weren't actually many good things on this stall, and Zhang Huan picked out two more stone materials. Seeing this, a look of joy appeared on the old saint's face, and he raised his brows slightly.

Under Zhang Huan's perception, the hand holding the pipe tightened unconsciously.

Handing ten catties of source to the old man, Zhang Huan left with a beaming smile amidst hawk-like scrutiny.

Let's leave the city. This person is rather strange; let's capture him and interrogate him.

Ever since he left the stall, that old saint had locked onto him, following far behind.

He intended to wait by the tree stump for the rabbit, quietly waiting for the other party to come looking for him.

On a dark night with a high wind, in the mountain forest, Zhang Huan sat quietly in meditation, and the old saint walked out from behind a towering ancient tree.

If you want to blame someone, blame the fact that you have no strength yet harbor Source Art, and just happened to be encountered by me.

The old man had no scruples, talking to himself as if he had already regarded Zhang Huan as things in the bag.

Walking step by step, his gaze became even more terrifying, and demonic Qi surged in his hands, directly intending to refine Zhang Huan right here and seize everything of his.

Old Sage here is about to die, and the longer I live, the more unwilling I am. I still want to live. Day after day watching my wheel of life wither away, can you understand what kind of torment that is?

Lend me your Source Art to help Old Sage find some ancient medicines and divine fruits, and live for another period of time. Old Sage will remember your kindness.

As if absolving himself, he mumbled, his gaze actually revealing a benevolent expression.

Eh, why aren't you afraid of me?

Seeing Zhang Huan keeping his eyes open and watching him walk step by step without being the least bit moved, the old saint was extremely astonished.

Why should I be afraid?

Zhang Huan raised his eyebrows frivolously, saying with calm and composure.

You, you—

Shut up and accept your death!

Without waiting for him to continue, Zhang Huan directly interrupted. Surging saint power suddenly emerged around his body, drowning the surroundings.

A single scolding utterance carried the power of rules within it, striking the old saint like an unbearable pressure, suppressing him to kneel on the ground while blood foam continuously gushed from his mouth.

The situation instantly reversed in two stages, and the old saint trembled like a sieve.

You, ah—

On his terrified face, Zhang Huan could no longer see any hypocritical posturing.

Damn thing, say 'refine me' again and try.

Zhang Huan sneered as he raised his demonic palm just like the other had, directly slapping down onto the crown of his head, punching out a large hole with flesh and blood blurred.

After a few slaps, the old saint's begging for mercy faded away. His primordial spirit, like a frightened bird, wanted to transform into a stream of light and escape, but Zhang Huan grabbed it and began refining it on the spot.

Saint Lord, this old man had eyes but failed to recognize your identity, it's a misunderstanding—

Ignoring his plea for mercy, Zhang Huan invaded the depths of his consciousness, devouring the mark of life without leaving a single trace.

A moment later, Zhang Huan broke through the lingering seals, perused the sealed memories at a glance, and completely refined the old saint's primordial spirit.