Escape from Buzhou Mountain, Taking Stock of the Gains

Whoosh—

Lu Chen transformed into a streak of black light and rushed into a valley on the western side of Buzhou Mountain.

A natural formation flowed at the valley entrance, something even ordinary Golden Immortals would struggle to detect. Following the Jade Slip's guidance, he found the formation eye and sent a stream of mana into it.

Buzz—

A crack opened in the formation. Lu Chen flashed inside, and the crack instantly sealed shut.

The spiritual energy within the valley was as dense as mist. Strange flowers and herbs covered the ground, while a spiritual spring bubbled at the center. Most importantly, this place blocked outside detection; even Great Luo Divine Sense would find it difficult to penetrate.

"Safe at last..."

Lu Chen let out a long breath and collapsed beside the spiritual spring.

Thinking back on the danger just now, cold sweat still ran down his back. Ancestral Dragon, Primordial Phoenix, Shi Qilin—any one of the three clan leaders could have crushed him with a flick of the hand. If Ancestor Qiankun's name had not carried enough weight, he would already have been reduced to a puddle of flesh.

"Strength! I have to improve as soon as possible!"

He sat cross-legged and began taking stock of his gains.

First were the three Azure Dragons—currently suppressed inside the small world of the Qiankun Diagram, unconscious. Lu Chen sent in his Divine Sense and inspected them carefully.

"Hm? The jade pendant at this Azure Dragon's waist..."

He took out the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant. After sweeping it with his Divine Sense, his expression shifted slightly.

[East Sea Dragon Palace · Third Prince Token]

[Holding this token grants access to the third level of the Dragon Clan Treasure Vault]

[Note: Contains a Bloodline Restriction. It will self-destruct if activated by a non-Dragon Clan member.]

"Dragon Palace Third Prince?!"

Lu Chen was both startled and delighted.

Startled because this identity was far too dangerous—he had killed a Dragon Clan Prince, and Ancestral Dragon would never let him go. Delighted because this token could open the third level of the Dragon Clan Treasure Vault! That was where the Dragon Clan kept its most precious treasures!

"I can't leave any witnesses."

Lu Chen's gaze turned cold. Since enmity had already been forged, he had to uproot the problem completely. He activated the world's power of the Qiankun Diagram. The three Azure Dragons were crushed while unconscious, their essence blood, dragon souls, and dragon pearls all stripped away.

"What a pity. If only I could have subdued them as thugs..." Lu Chen shook his head, quickly putting the thought aside.

Next came refining the essence blood.

He took out the Azure Dragon essence blood, the lingering aura from the Ancestral Dragon's Reverse Scale, the Divine Phoenix's essence blood, and the aura of the Primordial Phoenix Tail Feather. Together with the Three Lights Divine Water, he began condensing the Five Qi in the Chest.

"Metal, wood, water, fire, earth... I already have the beginnings of Metal Qi. Now I'll complete water and fire!"

Boom—

Inside his dantian, two vortices began to take shape.

Water Qi corresponded to the kidneys and governed nourishment, gained from Ancestral Dragon's bloodline. Fire Qi corresponded to the heart and governed explosive power, gained from Primordial Phoenix's bloodline. Harmonized by the Golden Light of Merit, the two forces fused perfectly.

Three days later, Lu Chen opened his eyes, and a flash of golden light vanished from them.

He had condensed three of the Five Qi in the Chest: metal, water, and fire! His cultivation had officially entered the Early Golden Immortal stage!

Though he had only just entered the Golden Immortal realm, his foundation was solid, supported by merit and protected by Innate Spiritual Treasures. His true combat power could rival that of a Late Golden Immortal.

"Still not enough." Lu Chen looked at the remaining materials.

The storage artifact he had taken from the Divine Phoenix contained more than ten bottles of pills, dozens of Houtian Spiritual Treasures, and three Phoenix Eggs. Though they were merely ordinary Phoenix Eggs, what hatched from them would still be formidable support.

The most precious items were the three Dragon Pearl Fragments.

A Grand Unity Golden Immortal's dragon pearl contained an immense amount of essence and fragments of laws. Lu Chen did not dare absorb them directly, fearing that he would burst from the excess energy, but he could use them to refine a clone.

"Ancestor Dragon Nine Transformations..."

He found this Dragon Clan secret art within the Jade Slip. Ancestor Qiankun had acquired it when discussing the Dao with Ancestral Dragon long ago. Though incomplete, it was enough to refine a Dragon Clan clone.

"Refine!"

Lu Chen cut off a wisp of his Primordial Spirit and fused it into the largest Dragon Pearl Fragment, supplementing it with Azure Dragon essence blood and Three Lights Divine Water.

Time acceleration activated within the Qiankun Diagram. One day outside was ten days within.

Ten days later.

A clone clad in Azure Dragon scales took form. Its face resembled Lu Chen's by seventy percent, and its aura was unmistakably that of an Early Golden Immortal!

"I'll call you Ao Chen." Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction.

The clone existed independently. It could cultivate and fight on its own, yet its mind was connected to the original body. In the future, Lu Chen would rely on it to infiltrate the Dragon Clan.

Next were the Phoenix Eggs.

Lu Chen soaked the three eggs in Three Lights Divine Water and infused them with a trace of Nirvana Origin. According to the Jade Slip, Phoenixes hatched this way would naturally possess the attributes of the Three Lights, giving them greater potential.

"Once they hatch, I'll have three powerful Spirit Pets."

After finishing that, he began sorting through his treasures.

Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner (Innate Spiritual Treasure · Supreme Defensive Treasure)

Qiankun Diagram (Innate Spiritual Treasure · Supreme Spatial Treasure)

Black Brick (Natal Spiritual Treasure · Empowered by Merit)

Kirin Seal Replica (Houtian Treasure of Merit)

Dragon Palace Third Prince Token (Treasure Vault Key)

Elder Token (Kirin Ancestral Land Treasury Key)

And a pile of Houtian Spiritual Treasures, pills, spiritual materials...

"At last, I have a little ability to protect myself." Lu Chen grinned.

But he did not let it go to his head. The Three Clans' decisive battle had already begun, and blood was flowing like rivers outside. It was the perfect opportunity to scavenge corpses... ahem, collect resources.

"I'll heal my injuries first, then go out and pull off another job."

Lu Chen took out a healing pill and swallowed it, beginning to regulate his breath.

Three days later, his condition had returned to its peak.

Just as he was preparing to leave the valley, his brow suddenly furrowed.

"Someone's here?"

A faint disturbance came from the formation outside the valley. It was not an attack, but a probing touch.

Lu Chen concealed his aura and slipped to the valley entrance, peering outside through a gap in the formation.

Three figures stood beyond the valley.

In the middle was an elderly man in yellow robes. He had a kindly face, held a whisk, and possessed an unfathomable aura—at least a Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

On the left stood a girl in red. Her features were exquisite, and a faint Phoenix phantom could be seen behind her.

On the right was a youth in green robes with dragon horns growing from his head. He was clearly from the Dragon Clan.

All three looked battered and injured, evidently having just experienced a great battle.

"This combination... Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Kirin Clan members together?" Lu Chen became wary.

The yellow-robed elder spoke. "Fellow Daoist within the valley, I am Zhen Yuanzi. I have come here with these two young friends to seek refuge. Would you be willing to grant us some convenience?"

Zhen Yuanzi?!

Lu Chen's heart shook. The future Ancestor of Earth Immortals, master of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, one of the Primordial World's greatest good men!

As for the other two... the girl in red should be the Phoenix Clan Princess, while the youth in green should be a Dragon Clan Prince? Why were they traveling with Zhen Yuanzi?

"Something's wrong." Lu Chen narrowed his eyes.

The Three Clans were fighting to the death. He had just knocked out the elders of these two, yet they were now fleeing together? And Zhen Yuanzi should have been cultivating in seclusion at Longevity Mountain during this period. Why was he here at Buzhou Mountain?

"Is this a trap, or a coincidence?"

As he hesitated, he suddenly noticed the jade pendant hanging from the red-clad girl's waist—it bore the words: [Personally Bestowed by Primordial Phoenix · Nirvana Token].

"Primordial Phoenix's daughter?!" Lu Chen's gaze sharpened.

If she truly was Primordial Phoenix's daughter, then her value was immense. Taking her hostage would be equivalent to seizing Primordial Phoenix's weakness.

But the risk was just as great. Primordial Phoenix was on the battlefield at Buzhou Mountain. If he was discovered, he would be doomed.

"I'll gamble on it!"

Lu Chen withdrew part of the formation, revealing the valley entrance.

"Please, come in."

Zhen Yuanzi nodded slightly and led the other two into the valley.

The instant they entered, Lu Chen secretly activated the Qiankun Diagram and sealed the valley's space—now, none of them could leave.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist." Zhen Yuanzi cupped his hands and examined Lu Chen. "You are so young, yet you have already become a Golden Immortal. Truly, the younger generation is to be feared."

"You flatter me, Senior." Lu Chen smiled. "May I ask why the three of you..."

Before he could finish, a sudden change erupted!

Buzz—

The red-clad girl suddenly sprang into action. A Phoenix Feather appeared in her hand and stabbed straight toward Lu Chen's glabella!

At the same time, the green-robed youth tore through space with a Dragon Claw, reaching for Lu Chen's heart.

Even Zhen Yuanzi's expression turned cold. With a sweep of his whisk, countless threads lashed toward Lu Chen's limbs.

"So it was a trap after all!" Lu Chen had been prepared.

The Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner spread around him, blocking the Phoenix Feather and Dragon Claw.

With the Black Brick in hand, Golden Light of Merit erupted as he smashed it toward "Zhen Yuanzi."

Bang!

The whisk threads shattered. "Zhen Yuanzi" grunted and staggered back three steps, his face blurring and changing—it was actually a Shapeshifting Kirin!

"Someone from the Kirin Clan?!" Lu Chen's gaze grew cold.

"Hand over Third Brother's belongings!" the Shapeshifting Kirin roared, revealing his true form. He was a direct descendant of Shi Qilin, a Middle Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

The red-clad girl and green-robed youth also revealed their true forms. They were both Kirin Clan experts in disguise, each possessing Peak Golden Immortal cultivation.

Three against one, with a Great Luo overseeing the battle.

"Shi Qilin sent you?" Lu Chen resisted their attacks while considering his escape route.

"You're more than enough to kill!" The Great Luo Kirin opened his mouth and spat out the genuine Kirin Seal!

The moment the genuine article appeared, the replica trembled violently, and its power diminished sharply.

The pressure on Lu Chen surged. Cracks appeared in the light barrier of the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner.

"I can't fight them head-on..."

His thoughts raced. Suddenly, he recalled a line from Ancestor Qiankun's Jade Slip: [Buzhou Mountain was formed from Pangu's Spine. Within it lies Pangu's Pressure, which no race but the Witch Clan can endure for long.]

The Witch Clan! Formed from Pangu's essence blood, Buzhou Mountain was their home ground!

Lu Chen looked toward the depths of the valley. The rocky cliff walls there were jagged, and a faint aura of Pangu seeped out.

"I'll gamble!"

He stopped fighting and turned to charge deeper into the valley.

"Chase him!" the Great Luo Kirin sneered. "Once he enters the region of Pangu's Pressure, he'll die even faster!"

The three pursued him without pause.

The deeper he went, the heavier Pangu's Pressure became. Lu Chen felt as though he were carrying a mountain on his shoulders. Every step was difficult.

The Kirin Clan experts behind him slowed considerably as well, but they were still faster than him.

Just as they were about to catch him, Lu Chen gritted his teeth and scattered the Three Lights Divine Water.

Sunlight Divine Water wore away at them, Moonlight Divine Water corroded them, and Starlight Divine Water dissolved them.

"Watch out for the divine water!" The Great Luo Kirin did not dare take it head-on. As they dodged, the distance between them widened.

Lu Chen seized the opportunity to reach the end of the valley—before a cliff face as smooth as a mirror.

Blurred patterns were carved into the cliff: twelve towering giants stood beneath the heavens, forming a circle.

"Twelve Ancestral Witches Totem?!" Lu Chen's heart jolted.

The Jade Slip had mentioned that deep within Buzhou Mountain was a Witch Clan Forbidden Land, carved with sacrificial totems of the Twelve Ancestral Witches. Could this be...

He reached out and touched the totem.

Buzz—

The totem lit up with bloody radiance. A crack opened in the cliff face, and an ancient, desolate aura surged from within.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Chen rushed inside.

"Don't run!" The Great Luo Kirin struck out with his palm.

Boom!

The cliff face closed, sealing the palm force outside.

The crack vanished as though it had never existed.

The Great Luo Kirin's face turned livid. He attacked the cliff face madly, yet it did not move in the slightest.

"Pangu Hall's restriction... Damn it, he entered the Witch Clan's sacred ground!"

Lu Chen fell into Pangu Hall and discovered an enormous, empty hall. At its center floated a slowly beating heart—Pangu's Heart! Twelve drops of essence blood lay scattered around it: the Twelve Ancestral Witches' Origins!

But even more terrifying was the sleeping giant phantom within the hall. That was... the Head of the Ancestral Witches, Dijiang!

Outside the hall, Shi Qilin had already arrived and was joining forces with the Great Luo Kirin to break the restriction. Time was running out!