Origin God, Origin Ghost

No wonder it felt familiar. So this person is practicing the Swallow Demonic Art.

The old man is an outer member of the Ruthless Bloodline, having lived for five thousand years with profound attainments in the art of feng shui.

In his youth, he started out by grave robbing, accumulated too much corpse Qi, and carelessly used feng shui arts, suffering heavenly retribution that made further progress difficult.

Later, he was found by the Ruthless Bloodline and taught the Swallow Demonic Art. Relying on devouring the origins of predecessors, he also became a True Saint, becoming a branch leader of the Ruthless faction.

After thousands of years of cultivation, he was always just a bit short of reaching Saint King. With the old Saint's lifespan approaching its end and growing desperate, he set his sights on those Source masters with supreme source skills.

If he had rare treasures to assist him, not only could he break through to the Saint King realm and increase his lifespan by a thousand years, but he could also find even more longevity-extending treasures.

While gathering information in Saint City, he set up a stall on a city avenue, slipping some valuable items into stone materials and placing them among a pile of waste stones for people to screen, using this to find anyone who knew source skills.

Several people had already fallen into the trap previously, losing their lives, but this time he hooked a big shark in Zhang Huan, and was instead reverse-refined into a puppet.

Old thing, you truly died a deserved death.

Who knows how much blood stained such a person's hands. Killing him felt gratifying, and he died well.

It also happened to give Zhang Huan an important clue about the heir of the Ruthless.

Sleepiness brings a pillow, heh.

The Ruthless Bloodline is deeply hidden, and their traces in Big Dispper are mysterious, almost never showing their faces. Even this old Saint, who was recruited thousands of years ago, did not know where they were.

Usually, he relied entirely on a mysterious figure to contact the branch leaders recruited from the outside, commanding the cultivated forces.

Zhang Huan retrieved a dark token from the old Saint's bitter sea, with the character for demon carved upon it, pitch-black and profound.

The token is an item issued by the Ruthless Bloodline to prove identity, and the unique demonic art aura would definitely be recognized at a glance by cultivators who specialize in the Swallow Demonic Art.

Following the mysterious figure's clues another day, it is not impossible to find their lair and wipe them out in one go.

As long as the Ruthless Bloodline does not produce a quasi-emperor, even if some flaws arise, Zhang Huan will still forcefully deduce their whereabouts.

He will never let go of the other volume of the Indestructible Heavenly Art. This method must fall into Zhang Huan's hands; it is the key for him to break free from the shackles of the demonic art.

The Indestructible Heavenly Art is the second emperor scripture of the Ruthless Emperor. Its most heaven-defying aspect lies in its ability to let cultivators shed their old bodies and give birth to a divine embryo.

It is rumored that the Great Emperor Ruthless used this cultivation method to shed her demonic body and give birth to a new divine embryo, living out a lifetime in reverse.

The mysterious figure will come to the branch to collect supplies in a few months. That time will be an opportunity.

In the old Saint's memories, the other party used the token to contact him once every ten years, and several months remained until the next time.

Packing away the heavenly materials, earth treasures, and Saint weapon carried by the old Saint, Zhang Huan flicked his finger to produce a ball of fire that burned his corpse to ashes.

There is still some time, so he can leisurely spend a while in Saint City.

Having learned numerous source skills from the old Saint's memories, Zhang Huan felt his mind active and eager to try.

Returning the way he came, he sped through the air while the cultivators walking on the ground below dared to be angry but did not dare to speak.

At this moment, the Dao One Holy Land had not yet been established, and he missed the Qilin Undying Divine Medicine. Zhang Huan regretfully entered the stone gambling house of a Holy Land.

Treading up the steps, bypassing the crowd, following the pebble-paved path, and passing through several stone gardens, the people he encountered grew fewer and fewer.

Walking all the way deep inside, Zhang Huan stepped directly into the Heavenly Grade Stone Garden.

By the time he reached here, almost no people existed; they were all older figures who stayed here year-round, quite studied in stone gambling. Some could not make up their minds to gamble, while others were purely for appreciation.

The stones placed here are not many, but they are all rare stones, blending into the scenery and exuding the charm of the Dao. Each one might possibly hold a rare treasure of astonishing value.

Correspondingly, the prices are also extremely exorbitant, with the threshold being too high for even a Holy Land Lord to bear. If one gambled wrongly, it would mean immediate bankruptcy, and thus almost no one dares to risk a fortune cutting the stone materials here.

Zhang Huan walked up to a pool of water, and was immediately attracted by a piece of stone material.

A few old monsters glanced curiously at the new face, and seeing his actions, immediately knew he was also a person of the same path, stepping forward to exchange research insights on these stone materials.

The pines and cypresses by the pool were verdant, and a cluster of needle-like emerald leaves pressed against the stone material radiated a glowing life force, resembling the pulse of life that waxed and waned with the patterns on the stone's surface, indistinguishable from breathing.

If there is something inside this stone material, its origin is definitely astonishing. Under the watch of the Origin Master, Zhang Huan unleashed several source skills, stirring the spiritual veins of heaven and earth in hopes of catching a glimpse of something within.

Thousands of threads of golden Dao patterns combined into patches of auspicious signs, carving into the stone, but they were all blocked by the stone skin, unable to see even a sliver. Whether there is actually anything inside is truly hard to say.

If the legendary Origin Heaven Master had arrived in person, he might have had the ability to know the mystery within, but the Origin Heaven Book has had no news for tens of thousands of years.

Looking at this stone material again and again, Zhang Huan still could not make up his mind, setting it aside for now and turning to walk toward other stone materials.

Three full days passed, and the old monsters nearby had changed in a fresh batch. Zhang Huan finally finished studying all the stone materials, pointed at a piece of stone material to the Origin Master, and prepared to cut the stone immediately.

This stone material was unadorned and lacking in splendor, looking like a piece of waste stone seen everywhere.

Yet perceived through source skills, there was a stiff and extremely overbearing Qi within it, accompanied by the Great Dao Heavenly Sound that lingered and did not fade. Deducing it through various ways, the interior absolutely nurtured a prized treasure.

It turns out to be this stone material! This is actually one of the stone materials that has stayed the longest in this stone garden, displayed for many years. It can be called one of the town-garden treasures among them!

An old monster exclaimed excitedly with eyes eager to the point of piercing. He had also set his sights on this stone material before, studying it for a long time, but ultimately dared not make a cut, always waiting for a predestined person to help fulfill his dream.

I have also studied this stone, feeling that I could capture something, yet it was like flowers in the fog, returning empty-handed every time. It is truly too hard to fathom.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the Origin Master was meticulous, peeling off the stone skin piece by piece. The entire audience was fully focused, staring intently at every movement.

As the saying goes, one cut makes you poor, one cut makes you rich. An industry like stone gambling naturally possesses a captivating charm.

Hum~

As if stirring the Great Dao Heavenly Sound, faintly and indistinctly, brilliant light shot out. Immortal light illuminated everywhere, falling petals descended, and crystal-clear flower petals dropped with a penetrating fragrance.

An extraordinary auspicious sign appeared, drawing bursts of exclamations.

Zhang Huan shook his head, not very satisfied with the treasure he opened, and then selected a few more stone materials with a three-tenths certainty, throwing out a million catties of sources in a single cast.

Blood-stained ancient Saint weapons, mysterious Taigu creatures, three-thousand-year Medicine Kings. Item after item was cut open, and various auspicious signs intertwined, making the various old monsters incomparably envious.

Outside the stone gambling house, it was already a sea of people, all gazing at the treasures cut from the Heavenly Grade Stone Garden. Yet Zhang Huan stopped right there, unable to fathom the remaining stone materials, and did not continue cutting.

Sell these to the stone house in exchange for some sources for me.

Most of what was opened had a huge gap from what could be useful to Zhang Huan at his realm. Zhang Huan looked down on them, keeping two or three items and directly trading the rest to the stone gambling house right here.

Walking out of the stone house, the old monsters stared intently at his every move. Seeing Zhang Huan enter another stone house again, they immediately followed elatedly.

For more than ten consecutive days, Zhang Huan traveled through several stone houses, deployed domains, insighted stone materials with source skills, and purchased some, mostly gaining something.

The stone house of the Jade Pool Holy Land.

Zhang Huan led the surging crowd, with a few old monsters clearing the way for him in front.

The female disciple welcoming guests at the entrance immediately ran over, bowing respectfully.

Over the past few days, his deeds had long circulated in Saint City, crowned with the hat of a Source Master, and he was most likely a senior expert.

Countless people wanted to become a disciple and swarmed over. Whenever this happened, the old monsters would make a move, throwing these people aside like dedicated bodyguards, escorting Zhang Huan safely.

No matter, I'll walk around myself. You don't need to follow.

Zhang Huan waved his hand, rejected her reception, and walked into the Heavenly Grade Stone Garden on his own.

Observing one by one with source skills, wandering around the garden, Zhang Huan observed for two hours and finally selected an oval stone with seven apertures.

Has the senior made a choice? The spiritual nature within the seven apertures of this stone is extraordinarily rich. It absorbs essence by day and gushes radiance by night, seemingly containing a marvelous scene of flying immortals, wondrous and extraordinary. It is worth thirty thousand catties of sources.

The stone-cutting master spoke respectfully.

Every stone here had accompanied him for many years, and he understood all their special and strange traits best.

This stone should have a heaven within, containing rare treasures.

Zhang Huan ordered the master to make the cut, determined in his mind to buy it.

As the master stripped away the stone skin, a dazzling divine radiance illuminated half the air, making it crystal clear and translucent like a piece of crystal.

It's—it's yielding!

Exclamations once again spread among the crowd watching outside the stone garden.

Manifesting such an extraordinary scene, a peerless rarity must have been cut out, which is likely to be of priceless value.

A light barrier propped up, sealing off this space.

Brilliant light radiated in all directions, and a dreamlike flying immortal flew out from within the brilliance, fleeting away and as beautiful as foam.

When the light barrier dissipated, the cave within the divine source was completely empty, leaving only a few strands of red hair behind.

Seeing the red hair at a glance, Zhang Huan instinctively took a few steps back, concentrating fully to guard against abnormalities.

Why is this... There should have been a peerless treasure inside, why is there no trace?

Eh, what is this red hair? Could it be that treasure, but it has no divinity at all, looking rather like something shed by a creature.

The strangeness in the stone caused the old monsters to analyze it in a buzz of words, all feeling baffled. This did not make sense, and the various auspicious scenes manifested did not match the source.

The stone-cutting master had never seen such a situation, and he was also doubtful, muttering to himself.

Seeing this, Zhang Huan cursed angrily in his heart.

He knew who was making trouble; the source-god and source-ghost from the underworld must have gotten to this source first.

Those two half-dead things specifically stole rare treasures of heaven and earth, and before leaving, they deliberately left behind a few hairs, as if mocking the person who opened the stone.

Tsk, thirty thousand catties of sources. I could never save that much in a lifetime, and it just went down the drain like that. What a pity, truly a pity.

A young man shook his head and sighed, as if feeling regretful for the lack of gains this time.

There were still plenty of stone materials, but Zhang Huan no longer had the mind to keep cutting, his enthusiasm ruined by the red hair.

Inviting the fairy by his side to take him to a secluded place, Zhang Huan had the group of old monsters follow along.

Though these people do not leave Saint City, they are well-informed, share deep ties with major powers, and are unconstrained. They are prime candidates for inquiring about the Ruthless Bloodline.

As it happened, they were infatuated with the Dao of source skills and had clear weaknesses. With a slight enticement, it was guaranteed they could leak some news about the Ruthless Bloodline.

Stone cutting ended hastily, and before the crowd could recover their senses, they dispersed lingeringly.

Since you have diligently followed me for so many days, even if there is no great merit, there is still hard labor. I am willing to bestow some source skills upon you. I wonder what you think of this?

Zhang Huan spoke calmly and evenly facing the many old monsters.

I wouldn't dare. Allowing us to appreciate the stones is already a favor from senior, fulfilling a long-cherished wish of ours. How could we shamelessly ask you for source skills?

Is that so? Since that's the case, let's put it another way. How about an exchange?

In Zhang Huan's eyes, the various old monsters exchanged glances, their words airtight as they tacitly reached a consensus.

I once had a grievance with the Ruthless Bloodline. Now that my cultivation has reached completion, I want to avenge that past grudge.

Whoever can provide valuable information or help me find their whereabouts will immediately receive my source skills, taught without reservation.

Seeing that the groundwork had been laid, Zhang Huan went straight to the point.

Do you only need us to provide information, Senior?

An old monster was tempted, took a steady breath, and asked.

I will go avenge the grudge myself, so you need not worry about the rest. I only need their intelligence, the more detailed the better.

These words put several old monsters at ease, and someone immediately answered.

One thousand eight hundred years ago, our Holy Land once discovered traces of the demonic art. The infiltrating spies reported that it was a branch, and eventually, the branch leader was besieged and died with body and soul destroyed, annihilating the entire branch.

What about the main branch? Is there any news of the Ruthless Bloodline?

Zhang Huan's gaze was piercing. This was similar to what he knew, and he hurriedly asked if there was any other news.

Uh... nothing else.

The old monster shrank his neck in mild embarrassment, explaining that the Ruthless Bloodline had always been mysterious, with only their existence known, their whereabouts erratic, and useful information rarely uncovered.

Yet Zhang Huan's mind was made up, and he added a Saint weapon to the trade.

Wealth moves the hearts of men, and after weighing the options, someone revealed deeper clues, which currently only the higher-ups of a few Holy Lands knew.

Actually... we once came into contact with a Saint King who practiced the Indestructible Heavenly Art.

The other party called himself a Demonic Person, mastered many great divine arts, with profundity rivaling the nine secrets, and was suspected to be a Ruthless inheritor.

Our Holy Land once fought a battle with him, but ultimately he managed to escape.

The old monster's voice was muffled, as if he was rather unwilling to bring up that past event. The other party's escape techniques were astonishing, and the entire Holy Land mobilized without managing to catch him; leaking that out would make them lose all face.

Senior, please look. This is the appearance of this person. We once studied his information and psychological traits, and methods to counter his escape techniques are also in this manual.

Zhang Huan took the yellowed manual and confirmed its authenticity after glancing at it twice.

Very good.

Subsequently, the various old monsters revealed some more circumstances to him, making Zhang Huan even more confident in his heart.

Everything is ready, waiting only for the Saint King called the Demonic Person to deliver himself to the door in a few months.