Chapter 14

Upon entering Yingzhou Island, Li Peng spotted a towering giant tree that connected heaven and earth.

"What kind of tree is this? How could it be so enormous?" he exclaimed in amazement.

A flash of insight struck him, and Li Peng cried out, "Could this be the legendary Tongtian Jianmu?"

(Note: Tongtian Jianmu was a divine tree from the Chaos era. When Pangu opened the heavens, it was severed into several pieces. One branch fell into the prehistoric world and transformed into Jianmu.)

"Later generations say that one can ascend directly to the Heavenly Court by following Jianmu. If that is true,

wouldn't I be able to plunder the Heavenly Court's treasures before Di Jun and Tai Yi?"

With that thought, Li Peng immediately flew upward along Tongtian Jianmu.

This flight lasted two whole years before he finally reached the top of the tree.

However, Tongtian Jianmu's summit did not lead to the Heavenly Court. There was only a patch of chaos-colored void.

Li Peng felt somewhat disappointed at the sight.

However, he soon noticed that Tongtian Jianmu could convert Chaos Qi into innate spiritual energy.

This ability seemed ordinary, but if Li Peng were to create a world in the future and use Tongtian Jianmu as its pillar supporting the heavens,

then by having it continuously transform Chaos Qi into innate spiritual energy, he might prevent that world from running out of spiritual energy.

At that thought, the light in Li Peng's eyes gradually brightened.

But he soon frowned again—the Tongtian Jianmu before him was enormous, yet it was still not large enough to support the heavens.

"If only it could grow another one or two times larger." Li Peng sighed softly.

However, he soon stopped dwelling on it. After all, his gains this time had already been plentiful.

Li Peng stored Tongtian Jianmu in the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda, then began searching Yingzhou Island for the formation core stele.

Since Penglai Island had possessed a formation core stele, Yingzhou Island presumably had one as well.

Unexpectedly, he did not find the stele, but instead discovered a mysterious yellow ruler.

Li Peng examined the ruler. Though it showed nothing remarkable, his intuition told him it was anything but ordinary.

He circulated his mana and poured it into the ruler.

In an instant, a stream of information flooded into his mind.

This ruler was called the "Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Merit Ruler."

It was said that after Pangu opened the heavens, the Great Dao bestowed merit. Thirty percent scattered across the prehistoric world, ten percent went to the Three Pure Ones, and twenty percent went to the Twelve Ancestor Witches.

Of the remaining forty percent, twenty percent merged with fifty percent of the Profound Yellow Qi, becoming the Acquired Merit Supreme Treasure, the "Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda."

This pagoda possessed unparalleled defense, was untouched by karma, and could also ** suppress fortune. Once suspended above one's head, one would stand undefeated, with defensive power comparable to an Innate Supreme Treasure.

The other twenty percent of merit merged with the remaining fifty percent of the Profound Yellow Qi, evolving into the Acquired Merit Supreme Treasure, the "Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Merit Ruler."

This ruler was likewise untouched by karma and could ** suppress fortune. Its offensive power rivaled that of an Innate Supreme Treasure.

The Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda had appeared in the world long ago, yet the Merit Ruler's whereabouts had always remained unknown.

Li Peng had never expected to find this supreme treasure on Yingzhou Island.

"Haha! It seems I truly am blessed by fortune. Otherwise, how could these treasures keep falling into my hands one after another?" Li Peng laughed loudly.

After laughing, Li Peng quickly calmed himself.

After all, with his current strength, he was not considered powerful in the prehistoric world. There were still quite a few great experts capable of killing him with ease.

For example, old monsters like Demon Ancestor Luohu, Ancestor Yang Mei, and Dao Ancestor Hongjun!

Therefore, Li Peng could not be too flamboyant yet, or he would simply be courting death.

After settling his emotions, Li Peng continued searching for the formation core stele.

Not long afterward, he found his target at the center of the island.

Li Peng stepped forward and began refining the stele.

Time flowed on. In the blink of an eye, a thousand years passed, and he finally finished refining the formation core stele, gaining complete control over Yingzhou Island.

Next, Li Peng used his divine sense to carefully search the entire island and found every spiritual treasure on it.

However, none of them were high-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. The items he obtained were all dispensable to Li Peng.

Still, he was not disappointed. After all, he had already gained a great deal on Yingzhou Island.

Next, Li Peng headed directly to Fangzhang Island to continue his treasure hunt.

On Fangzhang Island, he found a lake full of Pure World White Lotuses.

There was one twelve-grade Pure World White Lotus, one eleven-grade lotus, two ten-grade lotuses, three nine-grade lotuses, five eight-grade lotuses, seven seven-grade lotuses, ten six-grade lotuses, fifteen five-grade lotuses, twenty-four four-grade lotuses, sixty-four three-grade lotuses, and the rest were flower buds.

These Pure World White Lotuses were all Innate Spiritual Treasures. Only the twelve-grade Pure World White Lotus was a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure; the rest were at most high-grade.

They grew upon a lake of Three Lights Divine Water. Given enough time, they could continue growing.

Though they might not all reach twelve grades, reaching nine grades would not be difficult.

(The Three Lights Divine Water was divided into golden Sunlight Divine Water, silver Moonlight Divine Water, and purple Starlight Divine Water.

Sunlight Divine Water could wear away blood, essence, bones, and flesh;

Moonlight Divine Water could corrode primordial spirits and souls;

Starlight Divine Water could dissolve true spirits and consciousness.

But once the three were combined, they became the foremost holy medicine for healing injuries,

capable of curing all poisons and all wounds and ailments, even restoring flesh to bare bones and reviving the dead.)

After finding these treasures, Li Peng searched for the formation core stele as usual, and Fangzhang Island indeed had one.

A thousand years later, he finally finished refining Fangzhang Island's formation core stele.

The instant Li Peng refined Fangzhang Island's formation core stele, a stream of information flooded into his mind.

After receiving it all, Li Peng was completely stunned.

He had never imagined that the Three Immortal Islands concealed such an astonishing secret.

It turned out that Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang had originally been a single piece of Chaos stone, shattered into three pieces when Pangu opened the heavens.

More importantly, the three islands' protective formations could merge into one, forming the "Chaos Three Talents Strangling Great Formation."

Not only could this formation conceal itself and block the Heavenly Secrets, even experts beneath the Heavenly Dao could not detect its existence.

Once the great formation was activated, even Hunyuan Realm experts would have to pay a terrible price to break through it by force.

As for Quasi-Saint-level experts?

The moment they stepped into the formation, they would be strangled to ashes in an instant.

With this formation, Li Peng effectively possessed a secure rear base and no longer needed to worry about his foundation being destroyed by others.

With that thought, Li Peng immediately left Fangzhang Island and flew toward the central sea between the Three Immortal Islands.

His hands continuously formed seals as one spell after another flew from his palms toward the Three Immortal Islands.

Upon receiving the seals, the three islands began slowly moving according to a specific arrangement. The formations on the islands expanded accordingly, gradually connecting with the other two islands.

Time flowed on. A hundred years passed in the blink of an eye, and the formations of the Three Immortal Islands finally merged completely.

Yet Li Peng did not relax, because one final step remained—activating the Chaos Three Talents Strangling Great Formation.

After sensing himself briefly, he discovered that more than half his mana had been depleted.

That was only natural. He had been casting spells without rest for five hundred years.

Li Peng took out a Yellow Middle Plum and swallowed it without hesitation.

In an instant, vast energy erupted within his body.

He immediately circulated ** and refined it with all his strength.

Two months later, the Yellow Middle Plum's energy was finally fully absorbed.

Li Peng felt both his vitality and mana return to their peaks, while his cultivation had even improved slightly.

After all, the Yellow Middle Plum was the foremost of the Top Ten Innate Spirit Roots. Such an effect from taking it for the first time was not surprising.

He took several deep breaths and formed hand seals once more.

As mana continuously flowed into the formation, the merged great formation slowly began to operate.

Time flew by, and another hundred years passed.

Li Peng's final seal descended, and the Chaos Three Talents Formation of the Three Immortal Islands finally began operating.

The instant the formation opened, the Chaos Three Talents Strangling Great Formation shone brilliantly, releasing a vast and surging pressure.

But that imposing force lasted only an instant before suddenly vanishing.

Within the Purple Cloud Palace, Ancestor Hongjun suddenly opened his eyes, his expression grave. "Such pressure... it is actually that of a Primordial Great Luo Golden Immortal! Who has entered the prehistoric world? Is it Ancestor Yang Mei, or surviving Chaos Demon Gods?"

He raised a finger to deduce the Heavenly Secrets, but after a moment, he could only stop and sigh. "The Heavenly Secrets remain chaotic and unclear. They cannot be calculated. It seems I must accelerate the process of combining with the Dao. Once I combine with the Dao, let's see how you can continue hiding!"

Cold light flickered in his eyes as killing intent rose.

On Kunlun Mountain, the Three Pure Ones opened their eyes at the same time. They looked at one another, all visibly shocked.

"Just now... did someone achieve Dao?" Tongtian asked hesitantly.

"That should be the case. Although that pressure was not as great as when Dao Ancestor Hongjun became a saint, it was extremely similar to Hongjun after he achieved Dao." Laozi sighed solemnly.

"Alas, to think that we, Pangu's Three Pure Ones, have fallen so far behind others. In the past, only the Dao Ancestor stood above us. Now there is another unknown great expert." Yuanshi spoke in a low voice, clearly deeply affected.

Laozi and Tongtian fell silent at his words.

Within Western Spirit Mountain, Zhunti and Jieyin sensed that pressure, and the worry on their faces deepened.

"Another great expert in the east has achieved Dao... I wonder when the west will produce such a figure." Zhunti sighed deeply.

"There will be one. As long as the two of us work together as one, we will certainly enable the west to surpass the east." Jieyin said firmly.

"Indeed. If the west has no such great expert, then we shall become such great experts! When that time comes, the west will surely flourish under our leadership." Zhunti said with renewed spirit.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes burning with determination to revitalize the west.

On the Sun Star, Di Jun and Tai Yi, as well as the Twelve Ancestor Witches within Pangu Hall on Buzhou Mountain, all sensed it.

At Longevity Mountain Five Villages View lived Zhen Yuanzi, the future ancestor of Earth Immortals, along with his close friend Hong Yun.

Within the endless Blood Sea was Ancestor Minghe, the future leader of the Asura Religion.

All these innate great experts sensed that vast aura. Each revealed a look of shock before beginning to discuss it.

Of course, Li Peng knew nothing of these matters.

At this moment, he was staring at the smoothly operating Chaos Three Talents Strangling Great Formation with a foolish grin on his face.

After grinning for a while, Li Peng flashed and stepped directly into the Chaos Three Talents Formation. (Because Li Peng had completely refined the formation stele, the formation posed no obstacle to him, and he could enter and leave as he pleased.)

After entering Penglai Island, Li Peng directly found a mountaintop and sat down cross-legged.

He took a Yellow Middle Plum from the Chaos Yin-Yang Pagoda and casually tossed it into his mouth.

In an instant, vast energy erupted within his body.

Li Peng immediately circulated the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique and refined that energy.

The Nine Revolutions Profound Technique truly was a massive consumer of energy. In only a month and a half, it completely refined the Yellow Middle Plum's energy.

Li Peng took out another two Yellow Middle Plums, swallowed them in one gulp, and continued refining them.

Time flowed on. In the blink of an eye, three thousand years passed.

During these three thousand years, Li Peng continuously consumed Yellow Middle Plums, using their energy to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique.

In merely three thousand years, he had consumed more than six thousand Yellow Middle Plums.

Such extravagance was simply extreme.

Yet Li Peng did not regret it in the slightest.

By now, he had cultivated the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique to the late stage of the ninth revolution. His physical body was as tough as a Top-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure, and his Physical Realm had reached the Quasi-Saint Late Stage.

Combined with the Innate Supreme Treasure in his hands, Li Peng was confident that even an opponent at the Quasi-Saint Peak could be defeated.

Of course, that was assuming the other party did not possess an Innate Supreme Treasure.

Feeling the surging power within him, Li Peng eagerly opened his attribute panel to inspect his current status.

Name: Li Peng

Race: Golden Winged Great Peng

Dojo: Three Immortal Islands Overseas

Aptitude: Top-tier Chaos Demon God Aptitude!

**: Ancestral Phoenix Art, Nine Revolutions Profound Technique (late stage of the ninth level), Yin Yang Rotation Art, Chaos Yin-Yang Art (not cultivated)

Divine Ability: Innate Yin Yang Destruction Divine Light

Primordial Spirit Realm: Grand Unity Golden Immortal Peak

Physical Realm: Quasi-Saint Late Stage

Comprehended Laws: Law of Yin (forty percent), Law of Yang (thirty percent!)

Treasures: Innate Supreme Treasure Yin-Yang Pagoda, Acquired Merit Supreme Treasure Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Merit Ruler, Top-Grade Innate Spirit Treasures Yin Yang Twin Swords, Yin Yang Two Forms Lamp, Yin Yang Orb, Pure World White Lotus (the rest not collected), high-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures Universe Ruler, Seven Star Sword, Purple Lightning Hammer, Taiyin Jade Hairpin, twelve Sea-Calming Divine Beads, and more.

Spirit Roots: Foremost of the Top Ten Innate Spirit Roots Yellow Middle Plum, Tongtian Jianmu, top-grade Innate Spirit Root Enlightenment Tea Tree, innate high-grade Spirit Root Purple Jade Fruit, innate mid-grade Spirit Root Kirin Melon, and more.

Items: One drop of Pangu's Essence Blood!

Evaluation: The host is nearly invincible beneath saints!

Seeing the system's evaluation, Li Peng felt delighted.

He then looked at the drop of Pangu's Essence Blood in the system storage.

Li Peng was certain that if he refined this drop of Pangu's Essence Blood now, his physical cultivation would certainly break through to the Quasi-Saint Peak.

But in the end, he restrained the impulse.