Conquest

Zhou Yuan returned to his seclusion chamber in the Water Mansion.

He intended to sort through the gains from intercepting and killing Dao Lord Tianshui's reincarnated Dao body.

Dao Lord Tianshui had always been a cautious man with many contingencies.

Using a secret art, he had created nine Dao bodies.

He had planned that, if Nirvana Gui Xu ever came, he would still be able to rise again.

Thus, he had truly left quite a few fine treasures and cultivation resources for those Dao bodies.

"Dao Lord Tianshui was an old relic who had survived since the Archaic Era."

"Even among the Primordial Divine Race, he was one of the elders."

His talent had not been exceptional, but his extreme caution had allowed him to survive steadily into the New Era.

Unfortunately, divine abilities could not overcome fate.

"The most important spiritual treasures of the Tianshui lineage were naturally taken by those two at Phoenix Perch Mountain."

"But aside from that, I should have gained the most."

Zhou Yuan smiled.

With a sweep of his sleeve, treasure light filled the void.

Dao Lord Tianshui had bestowed many treasures, but Zhou Yuan valued three of them most highly.

The first was a Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Profound Nether Weak Water Bead.

This treasure possessed twenty-two Innate Restrictions and was one of the Innate Spiritual Treasures of the water element lineage.

It could unleash Profound Nether Final Divine Light and release Innate Weak Water, corroding Dao bodies and contaminating primordial spirits.

The second was the Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Three Lights Jade Ruyi, which possessed twenty-four Innate Restrictions.

A single shake of the ruyi released Sunlight Divine Water, two shakes released Moonlight Divine Water, and three shakes released Starlight Divine Water.

The Three Lights Divine Water was incomparably powerful. Used separately, each could wear away flesh, corrode souls, and dissolve true spirits.

But with a fourth shake, all three types of divine water emerged at once. They could revive the dead and regrow flesh from bone, making them an exceedingly rare holy medicine for healing.

"Besides those two Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures."

"What I obtained from the old flood dragon of Yunmeng Marsh was a low-grade Innate Spiritual Root."

The Pure Jade Glazed Apricot.

Zhou Yuan's gaze fell upon the apricot tree.

The three-foot sapling shimmered with watery light, crystal-clear and translucent, its color like glazed glass.

Thirty-six pale pink apricot blossoms swayed upon it.

Consuming its fruit could purify true blood and cleanse one's magical power.

Dao Lord Tianshui had truly left behind quite a legacy.

"These alone make three Innate Spiritual Objects."

"If Dao Lord Tianshui had not both come from the Primordial Divine Race and lived for so long, an ordinary Innate Dao Lord might not have possessed such wealth."

One had to know that what Zhou Yuan had acquired was merely the contingency Dao Lord Tianshui had left for himself.

The Innate Spiritual Treasures he kept close at hand were certainly not among them.

Zhou Yuan rubbed his chin. Excluding the Myriad Dao Book, his current wealth still could not compare to that of certain veteran Great Divine Ability Users.

For example, the extravagantly wealthy Three Pure Ones of Kunlun Mountain.

Or the old ancestor seated upon a blood lotus in the sea of blood, holding the Twin Swords.

But he was probably a little wealthier than those two on Mount Sumeru?

"The Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Northern Profound Origin Water Control Banner."

"The High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Machine Chessboard and the Twelve Sea-Calming Pearls."

"The Mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures Profound Nether Weak Water Bead and Three Lights Jade Ruyi."

Unfortunately, he could not rashly reveal these Innate Spiritual Treasures.

"At the very least, I must wait until I attain the Dao as an Innate Dao Lord before revealing even a little. Otherwise, it would invite disaster."

Zhou Yuan slowly closed his eyes.

So he still needed to increase his strength.

Fortunately, the inheritance Dao Lord Tianshui had left behind pointed directly to the foundation of the Great Dao of Water Element.

By using the Myriad Dao Book to comprehend its Dao essence, he could strengthen himself another step.

"However, I am nearly there as well."

Even the Three Lights Divine Water could not save the innate embryo of the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Root Yellow Middle Plum.

Then it could only serve as cultivation sustenance.

"Once I absorb all the water veins within Dao Lord Tianshui's domain."

"I will enter seclusion peacefully. With this innate embryo, I will certainly be able to greatly improve my foundation."

"I may even Reverse to Innate divinity in one stroke!"

A sharp gleam flashed through Zhou Yuan's eyes.

Once he absorbed the innate embryo.

His cultivation realm should be sufficient as well.

In the blink of an eye, a hundred years passed.

Zhou Yuan finished taking stock of his gains one by one.

Then he emerged from seclusion and began taking control of the water veins within the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty.

"The upper reaches of the Huai River, one of the Four Waterways, pass through the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty."

"Or rather, the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty was built around the Huai River."

Above the Wei River, Zhou Yuan raised towering waves.

Behind him stood Dao soldiers clad in black armor and wielding golden spears.

The auras of these Dao soldiers intertwined, their surging blood energy condensing into twelve enormous Dharma manifestations.

The Dharma manifestations roared, their divine might overwhelming.

"In this campaign, seize every water vein of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty."

"Until our objective is achieved, our blades shall not be sheathed."

"Anyone who obstructs or resists may be killed!"

Though Zhou Yuan's voice was soft and indifferent, it clearly reached the ears of every cultivator in the Wei River Water Mansion.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

Weapons clashed, and war drums thundered.

The soldiers of the Black Water Guard had excitement and killing intent in their eyes.

Before this expedition, orders had already been issued within the Water Mansion. The Divine Lord had given his verbal decree.

The rewards would be doubled.

The young soldiers thirsted for military merit!

Above the Wei River.

Overwhelming baleful energy gathered into blood-red clouds.

The many cultivators observing the Wei River from afar all changed expression abruptly.

Towering waves carried the people of the Wei River Water Mansion toward the major water veins of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty.

Each of those water veins was occupied by beings at the level of Grand Unity Great Sage.

"Who goes there? How dare you trespass upon my Dao ground?"

Hearing the voice, Zhou Yuan focused his gaze.

He saw a white-haired old man glaring furiously ahead, holding a golden whip and riding a blue-water qilin beast.

"Are you a fellow member of the demon race?"

Zhou Yuan asked.

The old man sneered.

"The demon race?"

"They are merely Postnatal Beings."

"I attained the Dao during the final years of the Human Emperor."

"I am a true-blooded member of the divine race."

"You junior, how dare you invade my Dao ground?"

"Leave at once, and I may yet spare your life."

"Otherwise, I will make sure your moon wanes and never becomes whole again."

Zhou Yuan nodded.

"Since you are not a fellow member of the demon race, but a remnant of the Tianshui Divine Clan."

"Then this will be easy."

The old man tugged the reins of his blue-water qilin, frowning.

How had it become easy?!

Before he could figure it out.

He saw the green-robed Daoist before him form hand seals.

Then wind and clouds churned, while thunder rumbled.

Rumble!

Thunderclouds rolled across the heavens, lightning serpents dancing wildly.

"Black Water Divine Thunder!"

The Black Water Divine Thunder manifested the scene of Nirvana Gui Xu.

It crashed toward the white-bearded old man.

The old man's face turned pale.

He hastily threw out a small bronze bell.

But the moment the bronze bell touched the divine thunder, its spiritual light dimmed, and it fell into the river.

Meanwhile, the Black Water Divine Thunder continued onward without losing momentum, blasting toward the old man.

"Spare me! This old man is willing to surrender... Ah..."

With a miserable scream.

A being at the level of Grand Unity Great Sage perished.

Zhou Yuan watched the scene coldly.

Lightning Law was the pivot of heaven and earth.

His Five Elements Lightning Law was not a mere spell, but a divine ability a level above spells.

The Black Water Divine Thunder grew vastly more powerful upon encountering water.

Upon this river, what gave that old fool the right to contend with him?

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~"

Winds surged and clouds rolled.

The golden-red Myriad Spirits Banner fluttered, strangely gaining a trace of holiness beneath the sunlight.

With a casual gesture, Zhou Yuan seized the old man's soul and imprisoned it within the Myriad Spirits Banner.

Then he said to Su Nu, who had manifested in the void:

"Lead the people of the Wei River Water Mansion and clean up everything here."

He meant the other cultivators and forces within this water vein.

The little girl with twin topknots let out a burp, twisting her small hands as she played with them.

"Can I kill them all?"

Zhou Yuan frowned.

"Do not kill those who surrender."

"Do not kill those with minor sins."

"Do not create needless slaughter."

Su Nu nodded, then turned and gestured at Guizhenzi and the others.

"Come on. Follow your great-aunt and clean up the battlefield."