Innate God-Demon Cave Abode

"Is there any other Junior Brother or Sister willing to come forward?" Zhao Gongming's voice rang out again, as calm as ever, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

The hundreds of disciples below looked at each other. Those who had been eager to try and full of fighting spirit now subconsciously took half a step back.

Xiong Shan's crushing defeat was still fresh in their minds. Who would dare to step forward and humiliate themselves? This was no longer a spar, but a one-sided annihilation!

Only Shi Ji's clear eyes flickered with a strange light. She bit her lips lightly, as if struggling, but finally let out a soft sigh and bowed from afar to Zhao Gongming, "Senior Brother's Spiritual Power is vast, and we are far from catching up. To witness Senior Brother's divine might today is already a great gain. I dare not trouble you further."

Her voice was clear, yet carried a hint of loneliness.

Shi Ji had initially believed that after cultivating for ten thousand years, her Dao heart was firm. Although she couldn't compare to those Personal Disciple Senior Brothers and Sisters, she should still be among the best of the outer disciples.

But after seeing Zhao Gongming today, she realized that there was always someone better.

That seemingly casual strike contained profound principles of the Great Dao, a realm she was completely unable to comprehend at the moment.

"Since that is the case, let us end here for today." Seeing this, Zhao Gongming did not press further. His purpose of establishing his might had been achieved, and he had also tested the power of the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, gaining 50 Primordial Points. He was already content.

He nodded slightly at everyone, his figure flickered, and he transformed into a streak of clear light, disappearing from the Training Ground, leaving behind only a group of Intercepting Sect disciples whose minds were in turmoil.

After this battle, no one dared to question Zhao Gongming's title as "Number One Outer Disciple." His prestige was unmatched.

However, for Zhao Gongming, this was merely a trivial interlude. Upon returning to his Cave Abode, he immediately entered a deep state of contemplation.

"50 points... too little." He frowned slightly.

Sparring with fellow disciples was safe, but the rewards were truly limited.

If he wanted to quickly accumulate Primordial Points, deduce cultivation techniques, and improve his Spirit Treasures, relying on such meager gains would take an unknown amount of time.

The shadow of the Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods hung over him like a sword. He did not have that much time to waste.

"It seems I must leave the island."

A resolute glint flashed in Zhao Gongming's eyes.

His Master, Sect Master Tongtian, had once said that the Primordial World was vast and boundless, hiding countless ancient ruins and primordial secret realms, remnants of the war between the three tribes and the struggle between the Wu and Yao.

Opportunities and dangers coexisted within them. Only those with great perseverance and great Destiny could obtain them.

For the current Zhao Gongming, this was undoubtedly the best way to acquire Primordial Points!

Slaying ferocious beasts, searching for heavenly treasures, exploring secret realms... these actions, in the System's judgment, were all "chance encounters" that would surely yield rewards far exceeding those from sparring with fellow disciples.

With this thought, he no longer hesitated and immediately set off for Biyou Palace to bid farewell to his Master.

Several days later, on the coast of the East Sea.

A streak of blue light tore through the clouds, revealing Zhao Gongming's figure.

He stood above the clouds, looking down at the surging, boundless sea below and the winding coastline.

According to fragmented memories from his previous life and his deductions about the geography of the Primordial World, beneath a certain cliff on the coast of the East Sea, there should be a Cave Abode left behind by an ancient God-Demon.

The name of that God-Demon had long since vanished in the river of time, but its Cave Abode, due to its unique terrain, had been preserved to this day.

He released his divine sense, like an invisible net, sweeping inch by inch along the coastline.

How powerful was the divine sense of a Golden Immortal? Within a radius of ten thousand miles, mountains, rocks, plants, fish, shrimp, and crabs were all reflected in his sea of consciousness.

"Found it!"

About half an hour later, Zhao Gongming's gaze sharpened, locking onto an inconspicuous reef cliff.

The cliff, constantly eroded by sea waves, was covered with moss and shells, appearing unremarkable.

But within his divine sense, within the cliff, there was a faint energy fluctuation, like ripples on the water, cleverly isolating a space from the outside world.

This was a highly advanced concealment formation. If his divine sense were not so powerful, and if he were not deliberately searching, he might have flown past a hundred times and still not discovered it.

Zhao Gongming's figure flickered, and he landed silently on a reef in front of the cliff. He reached out and gently touched the stone wall, his fingertips channeling Magical Power as he carefully sensed the formation's patterns.

"Ancient formation patterns, based on water elemental energy, using the tides as a barrier. It's quite ingenious," he thought to himself, nodding in approval. Although the formation was not complex, its strength lay in its integration with heaven and earth, making it appear natural and seamless.

For an ordinary Golden Immortal, it might take several years of slow, painstaking effort to break through.

But for Zhao Gongming, it was not a difficult task.

"Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, activate!"

With a thought, the twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls appeared from between his eyebrows, circling around him, emitting boundless water elemental Dao rhythm. That aura was the source of all water, the ancestor of all seas!

Buzz--!

The concealment formation on the cliff, upon sensing the aura of the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, let out a faint groan, as if encountering a subordinate facing its king. The tidal water elemental energy it operated instantly became sluggish and obstructed.

Zhao Gongming seized this opportunity, flicked his finger, and a stream of extremely pure Supreme Purity Immortal Light accurately struck the weakest node of the formation.

"Crack!"

A crisp cracking sound echoed. The invisible energy ripple shattered like a broken mirror, disintegrating inch by inch and vanishing into nothingness.

A deep, dark cave entrance slowly revealed itself before Zhao Gongming.

A dense, potent Innate Spiritual Energy, mixed with the scent of ancient decay, rushed out from the cave entrance.

Zhao Gongming dared not be careless. He summoned a Sea-Calming Divine Pearl and held it above his head, where streams of water-blue light descended to protect his body. Only then did he step inside.

Within the Cave Abode, it was a world apart.

Beneath his feet was smooth Jade Ground. The cave walls were inlaid with countless unknown glowing gemstones, illuminating the entire Cave Abode as brightly as day.

The Spiritual Energy was so dense it had almost condensed into substance, forming a faint white mist in the air. Every breath was refreshing and invigorating.

The Cave Abode was not large, and its furnishings were extremely simple, consisting only of a stone platform and a stone bed.

On the stone platform lay several scattered, tattered jade slips, inscribed with ancient runes. They appeared to be fragments of some cultivation technique.

Zhao Gongming casually picked up a slip and probed it with his divine sense. He discovered it contained rather basic body-refining methods, of little value to him. However, it did give him a vague understanding of the cultivation system of ancient times.

His gaze was soon drawn to an object in the corner of the stone platform.

It was a small grass, about a foot tall, its entire body a dreamlike purple. Its leaves were dotted with golden patterns, like scattered stars, and it emanated circles of purple halos, emitting a fragrant aroma.