As the fireworks faded, Wu Yun collected Muyuan's belongings. Some items were so valuable that even a Marquis-Level Immortal's self-destruction couldn't destroy them.
"I need to create stronger moves. Otherwise, earning military merits by killing Marquis-Level Immortals will be too slow, and I'll easily attract trouble." Wu Yun had only earned two hundred billion military merits so far.
Killing a High-level Marquis was worth one hundred billion, while a Peak Marquis was worth one trillion.
Killing one or two now and then was no big deal. But if Wu Yun slaughtered Marquis-Level Immortals on a large scale, Peak Kings or even those at the limits of King-level might come after him.
So he set his sights on King-level opponents, too.
Killing an Initial King was worth ten trillion. It would be difficult, but he could manage it as long as he improved his secret techniques, skills, and level of understanding.
If he reached the twentieth level of the Heavenly Bridge, attained the peak below Universe Venerable, and created his own Peak Secret Technique and skill, Wu Yun would have a chance of matching a Peak King while still a World Lord.
After several more jumps through space, Wu Yun found a continent fragment with no inhabitants. He needed to refine his secret skills and techniques and continue cultivating the laws.
There was still plenty of time. Wu Yun could spend tens of thousands of years cultivating in the Outer Realm Battlefield.
The Desolate Era world.
In the blink of an eye, the day came for Wu Yun to leave his master's tutelage. Over the past hundred years, he had raised his true body's God-Demon Body Refining to the Void Return level and learned all kinds of divine abilities.
His strength had changed beyond recognition.
"Cultivate diligently. When your strength matches Donghua's, you'll be able to enter and leave the Dao Palace at will." Daoist Three Pure Ones was fairly satisfied with Wu Yun's progress.
Though Wu Yun hadn't comprehended a Great Dao, with just a little guidance he could combine several Daos exceptionally well. He had also cultivated divine abilities like the Eight-Nine Profound Art, and his strength after training in multiple paths could match that of an ordinary True Immortal.
Progress was good. Many Heavenly Immortals and True Immortals in the Three Realms probably spent billions of years without advancing at all.
"Yes," Wu Yun replied respectfully. "Thank you, Master."
He had arrived as an ordinary Heavenly Immortal, but his strength had undergone a tremendous transformation by the time he left. At last, Wu Yun could begin making plans and competing for resources.
Of all the opportunities in the Three Realms, Shaoyan Chou's World Prison came first. Obtaining it would give him the chance to cultivate the Nine-Horned Electric Snake divine ability, the Eighteen Taowu God-Demons, and more.
Next came Moonlit Pool, left behind by World God Beixiu. It contained resources that could even improve one's Golden Core, and those who passed its trials would also receive an excellent cultivation method.
World God Kuji and Nine Origin Annihilation. World God Kuji was a method that led directly to the World Realm, while Nine Origin Annihilation was a special divine ability.
The cultivation methods currently available in the Three Realms still fell short. Even the Inner Observation Ancestral God Scroll couldn't compare with World God Kuji.
After tearing through the void and returning to the tribe, Wu Yun saw a Black-Robed Emperor seated in the main hall, waiting for him. Celestial Immortal Wushan was keeping him company.
The absolute ruler of Great Xia: Emperor Xia.
"Fellow Daoist Wu Yun, I sensed you had returned, so I came over to see you." Emperor Xia laughed heartily. He was well-informed, and Daoist Three Pure Ones wasn't as mysterious as Ancestor Bodhi. He had learned decades ago who Wu Yun had taken as his master.
That was Daoist Three Pure Ones, a peerless Dao Ancestor.
In an age when no Ancestor Gods openly showed themselves in the Three Realms, the leaders of the Daoist Sect and Buddhist Sect were the strongest.
"Your Majesty," Wu Yun hastily replied. "I'm only a Heavenly Immortal. I'm hardly worthy of being called a fellow Daoist by you."
Among the Heavenly Gods and True Immortals of the Three Realms, Emperor Xia was one of the most tactful. Since he had decided to befriend Wu Yun, he would do it properly. He said, "Why not? We're both disciples of Dao Ancestors. As for strength, you're probably no weaker than an ordinary True Immortal. 'Fellow Daoist' is only fitting. Just call me Xiamang."
The more Celestial Immortal Wushan listened, the more shocked he became. Emperor Xia had said Wu Yun was a disciple of a Dao Ancestor, but they weren't addressing each other as fellow disciples. That meant Wu Yun hadn't joined Dao Ancestor Chiming's line.
The three of them chatted in the main hall. Celestial Immortal Wushan only chimed in now and then, spending most of the time listening to Emperor Xia share interesting tales about the Three Realms.
After a short while, Emperor Xia took out a painting and handed it to Wu Yun.
It depicted a brilliant full moon amid mountains and rivers.
"The Bright Moon Landscape Painting? This is a Pure Yang treasure." Wu Yun thought Emperor Xia was being incredibly generous, offering such a treasure to befriend him.
Emperor Xia was an immensely wealthy Pure Yang True Immortal with several Xiantian spirit treasures, including the Eight-Dragon Cloud City, the One-Thought Clear Heart Lamp, and the Flowing Light World-Crossing Boat.
He certainly wasn't short of Pure Yang treasures like the Bright Moon Landscape Painting, which contained an entire world.
"Fellow Daoist Xiamang, I can't possibly accept this." Wu Yun waved his hands repeatedly, declining. One shouldn't accept gifts without earning them; accepting one meant incurring a debt.
When the Three Realms fell into chaos in the future, he would have to repay that debt. The end of the God-Demon Era wasn't all that far away—it would probably come in a few hundred million to a billion years.
Wu Yun already had two Pure Yang treasures, gifts from his senior brothers. Since they all belonged to the same lineage, he felt no qualms about accepting them.
"Fellow Daoist Wu Yun, don't be so formal." Emperor Xia pretended to be displeased. "I'm very close to your senior brother, Lu Dongbin, and your Wu Shan Clan is in my Great Xia. It's only natural for me to give you a congratulatory gift."
Wu Yun couldn't very well refuse again, so he accepted the Bright Moon Landscape Painting.
No wonder Emperor Xia had such extensive connections throughout the Three Realms. Even Dao Ancestor Yinglong was his brother, and in the Great Xia Royal Capital, the Tianmang Hall ranked below Yinglong Divine Mountain.
Emperor Xia really was excellent at cultivating relationships. His understanding of the Dao, however, was merely ordinary. In the future, becoming a third-tier Ancestor Immortal would probably be his limit.
After Emperor Xia left, Wu Yun examined the Bright Moon Landscape Painting. The full moon had been modeled entirely on the Moon Star, and carried a hint of its essence. The mountains and rivers were also majestic and imposing.
As a Pure Yang treasure, the world within the Bright Moon Landscape Painting could accelerate or decelerate time for cultivators of lower levels.
It was also useful for Qi Refiners in battle. Once the landscape painting appeared, it weighed countless times more than a small world. Even an ordinary Heavenly Immortal would be crushed to death.
"Very generous of him. The Bright Moon Landscape Painting is a top-grade Pure Yang treasure." Wu Yun's opinion of Emperor Xia improved a little.
He knew perfectly well that the other man was deliberately trying to win him over, but Emperor Xia still made him feel appreciated.
External help was secondary. What mattered most to Wu Yun now was breaking through to the next level. He planned to become a Pure Yang True Immortal first, then consider becoming a Heavenly God.
PS: From the time the Pangu Chaos World formed until Ji Ning's era, nearly one Chaos Epoch passed (108 billion years). During this period, the Chaos World fought among itself, Ancestor Gods died, and True Gods like Three Pure Ones and Tathagata reincarnated. Only after that did the collision with the Wujian Chaos World take place, and the ensuing battle crippled the Three Realms.
After the Three Realms were damaged, Emperor Xia came to Great Xia. During the God-Demon Era, he fought everywhere and eventually conquered the great world completely. That should have happened early in the God-Demon Era. The protagonist's era was near its end. Yellow-Haired Great Bear mentioned that refining Ju Hua's treasures had taken more than three hundred million years, so I think a span of a few hundred million to a billion years is reasonable.
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