Someone Cheated in Public

In the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range, where the clouds ran deep and no one knew how far they stretched, the two women had sent out plenty of robots and probes over the past few centuries,

but the signals were poor, and they still hadn't found the edge. With Palace Master Biluo in seclusion these days, Chen Qing had started urging them to explore again,

but he hadn't expected the mist to suppress even their mental strength, so the three of them didn't dare stray too far from one another,

In the Virtual Universe, inside Chen Qing's private room, each of them had left behind a wisp of their consciousness. They stood behind the Original Ancestor, watching the blurry scene before them.

"I didn't expect the mist to interfere with detection so much. It looks a lot like the Mist Shadow Race's old territory!"

Chen Qing's heart stirred at the Original Ancestor's words. The Primal Universe had told him that this place had been transformed by a Supreme Treasure from an ancient powerhouse. Could this have belonged to the Mist Shadow Race?

"Original Ancestor, could you tell us more? Do you think it might be them?"

Chen Qing asked casually, hoping to learn more.

"Impossible. The Primal Universe doesn't nurture the same race twice. Once a race is eliminated, it won't be nurtured again. That's the way of the survival of the fittest."

The Original Ancestor shook his head and answered confidently, but still sent the three of them information about the Mist Shadow Race.

The Mist Shadow Race was one of the races that had appeared in the early days of the Primal Universe. They were favored by the Law of Feng Shui and were also energy-type lifeforms.

Their bodies stretched over a thousand kilometers, and they could change shape at will. However, unlike the Demon Slayer Race, they couldn't alter their auras.

The Mist Shadow Race was fast and could split off clones. In theory, they should have been very good at staying alive.

But a Palace Supreme Treasure had brought the entire race under attack in the Primal Universe.

"A Palace Supreme Treasure!"

Hearing Chen Qing's exclamation, the Original Ancestor thought he was envious.

"That's right. Back then, if a race had a Palace Supreme Treasure, it could establish a foothold in the Primal Universe. Unfortunately, it seems no one ever got their hands on it."

Chen Qing glanced at the Original Ancestor. He knew exactly what the man meant.

Lord of Sky Wolf had a High-grade Palace Supreme Treasure and acted arrogantly in the Primal Universe. His race was part of the reason, but there was no denying how useful a Palace Supreme Treasure was.

But what impressed him more was the Primal Universe's generosity. If this really was that treasure, it had practically been delivered right into his hands!

"In secret realms, treasures are usually found in special environments, but they're often accompanied by danger."

The Original Ancestor murmured, then went over to a table and chairs nearby.

In the end, they had to undertake their own trials. Chen Qing's situation was special, and the place he had encountered was unusual, so the Original Ancestor had been called over to take a look.

As for everything else, it was up to the Primal Universe. Even if there really was danger, there was nothing anyone could do.

The three exchanged glances in the secret realm. Jiang Fang brought up the exploration data they'd collected over the years.

"According to the AI's analysis, the mist is getting denser to the left ahead. That might be where it comes from!"

"Let's go see for ourselves!"

Chen Qing was practically burning with excitement. Judging by the Original Ancestor's information, there was a very good chance a treasure was here!

Five years later, the mist before them had grown so dense it was nearly black, and the three of them had slowed considerably.

At least my wives are with me. If I had to travel all day every day by myself, I'd die of boredom.

As he traveled, Chen Qing smugly congratulated himself. He wondered how the Original Ancestor had managed all these years.

"Careful!"

Chen Qing's face darkened. He'd only let his mind wander for a moment, and something had already stirred to their left ahead. Sister Fang had even had to warn him!

A black pillar of mist slammed toward Chen Qing. The blade in his hand moved with him.

With a hundred times the strength of a Peak World Lord, plus the boost from his amplification, even an ordinary swing carried considerable power.

"Bang!"

The violent crash rang through the heavens, and the pressure swept away the surrounding mist and trees.

Chen Qing was knocked back several kilometers before he came to a stop. Jiang Fang and Yao Rao hurried to his side. After glancing at the trench gouged into the ground, they fixed their eyes on the black shadow.

"Little Chen, you were definitely thinking naughty thoughts again!"

Yao Rao teased him as she stayed on guard. Jiang Fang rolled her eyes at the two of them, helplessly.

"Judging by the blade's chipped edge, this is probably a Marquis Immortal. Be careful! It's likely only an Ordinary Immortal Marquis, but unfortunately, our weapons aren't up to the task!"

Chen Qing reluctantly put away his weapon and switched to another, taking up a position in front of the two women.

Even with amplification, the two of them were still a little weaker than an Ordinary Immortal. Though Palace Master Biluo had taught them, their secret techniques only just about matched Chen Qing's, putting them at roughly the level of a World Lord General.

"You're still not strong enough. Stand back for now. If things get too dangerous, go into my world!"

"Okay."

"Don't push yourself too hard, either."

The three had fought together for so many years that they were already in perfect sync. None of them wasted words; they quickly settled on a plan.

Back in the private room, the Original Ancestor had frozen with his teacup by his lips, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

"The Mist Shadow Race?"

He'd seen the figure in the black mist in an instant, and couldn't help feeling baffled.

"No, it's not the Mist Shadow Race. It's a puppet! What is the Primal Universe thinking? Is it just going to plop that Supreme Treasure down right in front of him?"

It took him a long moment to pour the tea into his mouth. The bitter taste spread across his tongue, and the Original Ancestor furrowed his brow.

"What exactly is it after?"

Chen Qing paid no attention to the Original Ancestor's thoughts. He'd finally found an opponent who suited him, and he couldn't afford to make a mistake, especially now that he could see the black shadow clearly.

"Mystic Water!"

Chen Qing's blade flashed like a curtain, its radiance surging like waves across the sea.

Mystic Water was a secret technique Chen Qing had recently comprehended, an upgraded version of Water Ripple.

Though it only had a single move so far, it was the most suitable technique for him. With his amplification, its power was no less than that of a High-ranking Marquis Immortal!

This time, however, he didn't meet the attack head-on. Instead, he spread out his power.

"Whoa! That's huge!"

The thing before him wasn't a black shadow at all. It was a whole Black Mountain!

As Chen Qing marveled at its size, the shadow rippled and transformed into a nearly two-thousand-kilometer-tall "Chen Qing."

"So it really is the Mist Shadow Race! But there's a layer of markings on its body. I wonder what they do."

He glanced at the empty-handed shadow, then at the fifth-tier equipment in his own hand. With a helpless shake of his head, he put it away.

"Come on!"

With a thought, Chen Qing's body began to grow, stopping when it reached two thousand kilometers.

Jiang Fang and Yao Rao spat under their breath from a distance. They exchanged a glance, then turned back in unspoken agreement to keep watching the battle.

"Boom..."

Chen Qing raised both arms above his head to block the black shadow's fist, then struck back with an elbow. But the moment it hit the shadow, the secret markings flashed, and the thing didn't even budge.

Before Chen Qing could react, the black shadow's fist came down again, scattering a shower of wood chips.

"Damn it. Those markings are nullifying at least ninety percent of the force."

Chen Qing's expression darkened. "Little Cloud, how long can you hold out against attacks like this?"

"I recover quickly. It hurts!"

It seemed the mutated Cloud-Touching Vine had indeed grown much stronger. With the Origin Land to draw on, it recovered quickly enough to keep up.

"Little Cloud, hold back a little. Let some of the force through. I can use it!"

"Okay!"

Chen Qing hadn't forgotten his goal. Now he had an opponent to fight, and its weapon posed no threat.

"So this is another way to dissipate external force..."

He sensed the different kinds of force, using different methods to make them ripple through his body, channeling them before amplifying them.

Chen Qing gradually refined his amplification training and optimized its various nodes.

He also studied how the secret markings worked, using what he learned to build the nodes and strengthen their stability.

Before long, a brand-new Jade Lotus Body took shape in Chen Qing's mind!