The Realms of the Divine Path, World Plateau

The deep sorrow and suffering on Zhang Fusheng's face were genuine.

This sorrow, only I know.

"Hey ox, behave yourself!"

"Moo!"

The red ox thumped its rump, causing its hair to stand on end like steel needles, making Zhang Fusheng, who was riding on top, feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.

He winced in pain and punched the bull hard on the head.

'Thump!'

Red Ox let out a disdainful "moo," and Zhang Fusheng's fist shattered into pieces.

Even if this Old Niu is just a divine embryo, it is now infinitely close to the level of a Venerable—and may even become a Venerable at any time.

Zhang Fusheng was furious. He turned around and slapped the dog's buttocks twice.

"Moo!!"

Red Bull's Fury:

"You ant, you are insulting a True Lord!"

"True Lord?" Zhang Fusheng slapped it on the buttocks again.

"Presumptuous!!"

The red ox was enraged, and every hair on its body stood up like red needles, making Zhang Fusheng's eyebrows dance with delight.

In a fit of rage, he swung his hands, which reflected a dazzling Rosy Clouds, and slapped the cow's rump again and again.

With each slap, the red ox mooed, and its red hair bristled.

Zhang Fusheng was stabbed again, and in anger, he slapped it once more.

And so it goes, in a continuous cycle.

Ruan Yutu led the red ox, whose mane was bristling. An old man rode backwards on the ox's back, waving his hand and slapping the ox's rump.

Six hours later.

From day to night, and then from night to day, the Red Ox finally chose to compromise:

"Insignificant ant! Even though I have fallen from my celestial position, I am still Great Divine Ability User has attained the Fruit Position of True Lord. You will benefit greatly from treating me with respect!"

It issued a warning:

"If you were as obedient and well-behaved as this cowherd girl, this god might bestow upon you a wondrous method to ascend to heaven in one step!"

The old man rode backwards on a red ox, a cold smile appearing on his face:

"A meteoric rise to power? I'd like to see how that works. How about this: if you're honest and obedient, then..."

"I will bestow upon you a wondrous method, from the ancestor of your Ox tribe. What do you say?"

Red Bull continues to bristle:

"Nonsense!"

Zhang Fusheng, enduring the intense pain, reached back and touched the red ox's head:

"Nonsense?"

A dark light flashed in his palm, the rich black color seeping into the red bull's head, revealing an old scene before its eyes.

In the scene,

It was a colossal bull demon, towering above the heavens and the sea, with a great banner waving behind it.

The inscription above it reads, "[The Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage]".

The spirit of the Red Ox was captivated; from the secrets contained within the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage Scripture, it sensed a true aura of the ancient ancestor.

Even, not just the ancient ancestors.

It murmured in surprise:

"This is... a Celestial Venerable, the Heavenly Venerate Fruit Position!"

The red ox's eyes suddenly turned blood red.

"You brat, teach me this method, and I will tell you the location of a secret treasure of the Western Sect!"

Zhang Fusheng's heart skipped a beat. The Heavenly Venerate Fruit Position?

He knew this from the Fuli Chapter, which has seven chapters, each corresponding to one of the seven Fruit Position spiritual cultivation.

Humanity, True Person, Heavenly Lord, Heavenly Venerable, Daluo, Supreme, and the [Dao] Fruit Position corresponding to the last chapter.

The Human Fruit Position consists of the Six Realms of Humanity, with the True Person Fruit Position and the Heavenly Lord Fruit Position each corresponding to two major realms.

In other words, the Heavenly Venerate Fruit Position is equivalent to a being in the fifth realm of the Divine Path.

Therefore, Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage Equaling Heaven equivalent to the fifth realm of the Divine Path?

Zhang Fusheng's heart skipped a beat. The Old Niu's status in mythology wasn't particularly high, but it was certainly not weak.

I reckon he could at least exchange a few blows with Manifesting Divinity True Lord.

Such a person is at the fifth level of the Divine Path.

Do similar layers exist in Different Dimension?

Zhang Fusheng's mind raced, but his smile remained unchanged.

"I told you, if you are obedient and honest, I would gladly pass on this wonderful technique to you."

The red ox growled, seemingly wanting to attack, but Zhang Fusheng flipped his hand, revealing a phantom image of the painting.

The red ox immediately became docile.

It said in a low voice:

"Where did you obtain this method from?"

"Fortuitous opportunity was just a coincidence."

Zhang Fusheng didn't bother to say anything more to it. Seeing that it no longer made its hair stand on end like steel needles, he gave up and asked instead:

"Good ox, let me ask you, what are the different realms within the Divine Path? And what stage has the strongest person in that Different Dimension reached?"

The red ox grunted reluctantly before answering:

"The strongest being at present has seemingly attained the Buddha Fruit Position. There are rumors that some have even begun to delve into the realm of [eternal enlightenment], peering into the realm of time."

Permanent proof?

Zhang Fusheng's thoughts shifted, and the words "[Daluo]" came to mind.

He smiled and said "Oh".

"Could you elaborate?"

Ruan Yutu, the girl leading the ox, also perked up her ears. Her master rarely spoke to her about matters of the divine realm.

After all, those things were still too far removed from her—but she was curious nonetheless.

Red Ox answered slowly:

"The first two realms of the Divine Path, Venerable and Great Power, are both at the same Fruit Position, namely the [True Person Fruit Position] or the [Fruit Position]."

"The Venerable One can be called True Person or an Arhat; the Great Power is therefore True Person who has attained the Way or a Great Arhat."

Zhang Fusheng seemed lost in thought:

"Continue."

The red ox grunted and groaned as it narrated:

"Above that is the true deity— Great Divine Ability User, also known as the True Lord Fruit Position Fruit Position."

Zhang Fusheng said with a smile:

"True Lord and Bodhisattva, they probably correspond to two different realms, right? The fourth realm of the Divine Path should also be included?"

How do you know?

Red Ox asked a question, but then answered honestly, clearly very envious of the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage Scripture:

"The fourth realm of the Divine Path is the realm of true sainthood. It is difficult for those who do not hold a heavenly position to enter this realm. Beings in this realm are also known as Great True Lord or Great Bodhisattvas."

The red ox's voice clearly carried a respectful tone:

"The most powerful beings in all dimensions are in this realm. The higher Buddha Fruit Position, and even the eternally attained Daluo Fruit Position are merely illusory legends."

There are always rumors that someone has gotten involved in those fields, but whether it's true or not, nobody knows.

Zhang Fusheng understood immediately; it seemed that the development of the Different Dimension was roughly as he had imagined.

It's nowhere near the magnificent scene of immortals and Buddhas shining in the old world—it doesn't even have figures at the level of Heavenly Venerables and Buddhas.

The Daluo is even more mysterious.

He didn't relax; instead, his heart sank even further. After all, he hadn't even attained the status of a Venerable One.

Not to mention.

Zhang Fusheng suspected that the so-called Age of Great Strife might simply be the gradual emergence of the hidden plans of many ancient immortals and Buddhas.

He asked:

"Before, when we were fighting, you said that I was one of the destined ones, according to ancient prophecies, destined to return to Age of Great Strife. Tell me about this prophecy."

This time, Red Bull remained silent for a long time.

It wasn't until Zhang Fusheng once again activated the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage Scripture, communicating with the secrets within the surging demonic energy and revealing the former glory of the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage, that things truly changed.

Red Ox then readily agreed and replied:

"It is a celestial stele, unearthed by a supreme expert who is suspected of having attained the Heavenly Venerate Fruit Position."

It said in a muffled voice:

"That supreme powerhouse is none other than the [Primordial Cult Master], who belongs to the same pantheon as me."

"He unearthed a celestial stele, inscribed with the words that Age of Great Strife would soon arrive, and some chosen ones, buried in the past, would descend one after another."

Zhang Fusheng frowned, seemingly deep in thought, and asked:

" Among the East Cult and Western Sect, the former regards 'Moral Celestial Venerable,' 'Primordial Heavenly Venerate,' and 'Lingbao Heavenly Venerate' as the highest."

"The latter Taishang Cult Master, the Primordial Cult Master, and the Tongtian Cult Master as the highest."

After a pause, Zhang Fusheng tentatively asked:

"Are these six people among the strongest beings in this Different Dimension?"

"Yes." This time, Chi Niu answered with unusual decisiveness, "They are all suspected of having attained the Heavenly Venerate Fruit Position."

Zhang Fusheng continued to press:

"Then what are the heavenly positions they occupy?"

Red Bull sneers:

"Naturally, each of their names corresponds perfectly. For example, I sit in the Plague Heavenly Position, and thus I am the God of Plague, the True Lord of Plague."

Zhang Fusheng chuckled.

These six clearly all point to the Three Pure Ones —but how are the Three Pure Ones divided into six celestial positions?

Unless

Zhang Fusheng thought of the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones.

One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones, which can lead to a celestial position.

For example, according to legend, the Taishang Daode Tianzun had eighty-one incarnations.

From this perspective, the heavenly positions where those six beings sit...

It is highly likely that these are not the actual positions of the Three Pure Ones, but rather the positions of the incarnations of the Three Pure Ones.

"The four realms of the Divine Path are: Venerable, Great Power, Great Divine Ability User, and then True Saint."

"The higher Buddha Fruit Position are not necessarily achieved by anyone, and as for the Daluo, it is even more out of the question."

Zhang Fusheng had a general understanding of the divine realm, and he wasn't stingy with his knowledge.

After a moment of contemplation, he stroked the bull's head:

"You're a good girl."

Therefore, the introductory chapters of the Heaven-Pacifying Great Sage Scripture were taught to Chi Niu.

The latter Supreme Treasure.

There always has to be some reward.

The next few chapters will depend on how Red Bull performs.

Just then.

Ruan Yutu, leading the red ox, spoke softly:

"Father, we have arrived at Hangu City."

The old man riding backwards on his red ox looked back, gazing at the magnificent city, where a slit could be seen torn in the void above it.

It resembles the magnificent scene of the Heavenly Gate opening.

Ruan Yutu said:

"Master should have given approval to open the passage to [Golden City] in the World Plateau, which corresponds to my Golden Province."

"Godfather, should we go discreetly by following the crowd, or..."

"Don't make it public."

Zhang Fusheng withdrew his gaze, looking old and frail, and slowly said:

"Just line up patiently."

And so, another day and night passed.

The day has officially arrived at the first day of December.

During this day and night,

Zhang Fusheng scanned Hangu City extensively, but did not spot Chen Nuanyu, Huang Qiuxian, or the Buddhist monk.

Presumably, they had already left Hangu City and were now on the World Plateau.

But Zhang Fusheng did see other acquaintances.

He gazed at Zhang Xiaoxi, and saw Shen Baobao, Yu Huafeng, and others; they were mingling in a special group, at the very front of the line.

There were even dedicated grandmasters and Great Grandmaster to protect them, separating them from other people.

The team at the Source Origin Research Institute.

Are they also leaving the Golden Province?

Zhang Fusheng quietly observed and listened to some conversations within the Research Institute.

"This trip to the main hospital is a tremendous opportunity," a small old man solemnly addressed the crowd.

"A major breakthrough has been made in the research on the Root Layer, with the discovery of a spiritual message from an ancient ancestor. Although the content is somewhat sparse, it explains a great deal."

"This will be a major breakthrough in research on Root Layer and the old era."

After pausing for a moment, the old man let out a breath:

"Most importantly, chaos may be brewing in the Golden Province, so leaving now is a good thing."

"Disorder?" Zhang Xiaoxi couldn't help but ask, "Is it related to the mysterious force that drained everyone's illnesses a couple of days ago?"

The old man nodded, then shook his head:

"Don't ask too many questions; it involves some terrifying creatures."

He looked rather enigmatic.

In the distance, an elderly man riding backwards on a red ox seemed lost in thought.

What is the Root Layer?

The ancient ancestors and the inscriptions on their spirit reminded Zhang Fusheng of the things he had carved with his Mental Intent at the foot of Buzhou Mountain.

'Zhang Fusheng was here'.

Is this related?

Zhang Fusheng's mind raced, but he didn't care too much—after all, Shen Baobao was among them.

If any research findings are discovered, we can ask about them during our next gathering in Gaotian.

The most important thing right now is to find Chongyang World, enter it, and transform it into [Gaotian City].

At the same time, he must seize all the so-called fortuitous opportunity in Chang'an Town —of course, Zhang Fusheng did not forget about the Sea-Calming Divine Needle Iron.

Time continued to pass, and the Research Institute were the first to leave through the 'Heavenly Gate'.

People were released in batches, and after waiting for two more days, it was finally Zhang Fusheng and his group's turn.

"Godfather, let's go."

Ruan Yutu, her face veiled, spoke obediently:

"It's our turn."

She led the ox, which carried the old man, step by step toward the Tianmen Channel, where a dazzling light descended.

The two men and the ox disappeared from Hangu City without causing the slightest disturbance.

Up to this point.

The three divine gazes that had been fixed on this place from within the bamboo forest slowly withdrew.

"Age of Great Strife!"

Su Qiansuan sighed.

The World Plateau.

Jincheng is one of the forty-nine cities on the plateau.

This place should have been called Golden City, corresponding to the Golden Province —but the provincial Provincial Government just happened to be called Golden City.

So it was named Jincheng.

It was early morning, but there was hardly any sunlight; the World Plateau was shrouded in a mist of unknown origin year-round.

This mist erodes divine senses, obstructs vision, and blocks the brilliance of the sun and moon.

"Have you heard? Old Wang and his crew recently hunted down another Level 1 Star Beast. Tsk tsk, that's another fortune!"

At a small tavern on the outskirts of the city, some people sat at the entrance drinking beer and talking loudly:

"Traces of an Ironhorned Rhinoceros have been discovered to the north. It must have just fallen from the stars. I'm preparing to organize a team to hunt it!"

He paused, then downed his beer in one gulp, letting out a satisfied burp. The city's neon lights appeared somewhat thin and weak in the hazy fog.

He turned his head and shouted:

"Fourth Girl, are your dad and the others going? A giant armored rhinoceros like that, if they hunt it down, would be worth a fortune!"

The little girl, nicknamed Fourth Girl, waved her hand dismissively:

"No! No!"

She said with a smile:

"My dad is planning a trip to the west; it's been quite lively there lately."

Fourth Girl counted on her fingers:

"There's a mysterious Buddhist temple that was built sometime ago. I've heard that the incense and wishes made there are very effective. There's also a rumor that a small celestial realm that fell there last month is also located there!"

The man poured himself another full glass of beer, sat down leisurely, and said happily:

"A Buddhist temple? Are you going there to burn incense? They've been cracking down on cult members really hard lately. It might be a sting operation by the Federation. They'll arrest you all in a minute!"

Fourth Girl pouted and tossed her ponytail:

"I just happened to be passing by to drop by, and the main thing is that little corner of the internet. My dad said there might be a big business opportunity there!"

The man laughed:

"What great business opportunities could possibly come our way? To open up trade routes? If you ask me, the biggest business opportunity is to honestly hunt some level 1 star beasts!"

The two of them talked back and forth,

Heavy footsteps echoed through the gray fog.

Everyone sitting outside the tavern looked up.

A figure emerged from the mist, gradually approaching and becoming clearer.

"Wow!" someone exclaimed. "What a powerful ox!"

Emerging from the mist was a red ox, with an old man riding backwards on its back, and a veiled young girl leading the ox, who appeared to have a graceful figure.

Someone looked the strange group up and down and shouted:

"Judging from their clothes, they're from the lower ranks?"

"Lower" refers to the Forty-Nine Provinces, with a specific reference to the Golden Province.

After all, Jincheng was the end point of the sea route from the Golden Province to the World Plateau.

The entire city was built to serve the waterway.

The old man on the ox's back nodded repeatedly, seemingly dozing off, and didn't respond.

The girl leading the ox responded crisply:

"Yes, I just came from Hangu City."

Many eyes gleamed in front of the tavern. The Heavenly Gate had opened three days prior, and the order of passage through the Heavenly Gate channel was based on rank.

Did they arrive in Jincheng on the third day?

That status wasn't exactly lowly, but it certainly wasn't high either.

A burly man stood up; his body was covered in strange, twisted tattoos, and his eyes gleamed with an inexplicable light.

Is this your first time in Jincheng?

"I've been here before, but this is my godfather's first time," the veiled girl replied casually.

"Yeah?"

The burly man's face was beaming with a smile:

"Jincheng is in chaos. They've recently added new rules: all newcomers must register their identity and get an ID card before they can move around freely."

"The place to register your identity isn't far from here. I just happen to be going there. Would you two like to come along?"

Ruan Yutu frowned, but before she could speak, a rough voice suddenly rang out:

"Gentlemen, this isn't a place for ordinary people. Let's go to the city center. There's no fog there, and not as many shady characters."

The speaker was a shirtless man carrying a coffin taller than a person on his back, who slowly walked out of the mist.

"Dad!" Fourth Girl called out.

The burly man with the twisted tattoos on his body suddenly frowned, and his tone became somewhat unfriendly:

"Lian Laosan, what do you mean?"

The man carrying the coffin said calmly:

"It's meaningless—when did we start requiring identity registration in Jincheng? Everyone knows what you're thinking. What, you want to fight me?"

He glanced sideways, staring intently at the burly man:

"Look at all those tattoos on your body. The Golden City Investigation Bureau isn't far from here."

The man laughed angrily:

"Good, good, good, Lian Laosan, you're awesome!"

He glanced longingly at the crimson bull and the graceful, veiled girl, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

"Dad!" Fourth Girl came over, somewhat worried. "Why did you directly clash with the Myriad Gods Cult?"

"It's alright, we're leaving Jincheng anyway, heading west."

The burly man stroked the coffin behind him, gave a casual reply, and then glanced sideways at the old man on the back of the red ox:

"Old man, once we leave the city, the fog will be thick, and murder and robbery are common occurrences. The ox you're riding is of exceptional quality; countless people will try to take advantage of it. You'd better hurry back to the city."

The old man on the ox's back raised his eyelids, looked at him gently, and said:

"I just heard this little girl say that there seems to be news of a small world falling to the west?"

The burly man nodded, seemingly lost in thought, and said:

"You can tell fortunes, sir?"

"I know a little."

"No wonder," the burly man said calmly, "These days, many fortune tellers have been searching for that fallen little world, saying that there is Great Opportunity there."

After pausing for a moment, he calmly reminded him:

"The fog is thick. If you're not familiar with the area, it's best not to venture outwards. You could easily get lost or encounter star beasts."

Zhang Fusheng, riding backwards on the ox's back, felt a surge of interest.

Aren't star beasts all in the starry sky?

How come there are World Plateau?

That said, this hazy, gray mist was indeed quite peculiar; even his divine sense couldn't penetrate it.

So much so that at this moment, the road signs left in Chang'an Town are completely imperceptible.

After a moment of contemplation,

Zhang Fusheng cried out:

"Hey man, can you find Chongyang? The little world that fell down there?"

The burly man raised an eyebrow:

"What, you want a ride? Let me make this clear first, it's not free. There are two fees: one for the tour guide and one for security."

Ruan Yutu, leading the red ox, simply nodded:

"Sure, how much?"

"No bargaining, three thousand remnant souls—remnant souls, not fake souls," said the burly man carrying the coffin.

Three thousand remnant souls are equivalent to ten portions of the Five Internal Organs Elixir, but that's a reasonable price, considering the heavy fog.

Ruan Yutu first looked at the old man, and only after the old man nodded did she turn her head away:

When can we set off?

"Have breakfast, and you can leave by noon."

The burly man said in a loud voice:

"Also, my surname is Lian, and my name is Lian Laosan. This is my daughter, and her name is Lian Xiaosi."

"My surname is Ruan, and this is my godfather." Ruan Yutu nodded simply, led the red ox, and simply waited by the side.

The old man, riding backwards on the red ox, dozed off again.

Meanwhile, in the fog behind the tavern.

"This month, Lian Laosan has ruined our fourth deal."

The burly man covered in tattoos squinted his eyes:

"Let's leave it at that. That ox was of very high quality. If it were transported to Qinghe City, it could fetch at least this much!"

He held up five fingers.

Nearby, someone licked their lips:

"And that girl leading the ox. Although she's wearing a veil, I'm sure she's top-notch!"

After a moment's pause, he said dejectedly:

"But it seems they've brought Lian Laosan along. Lian Laosan is no simpleton; he usually acts like a nice guy, but he's actually ruthless and vicious."

The burly man pondered for a moment, his eyes flickering:

"Lian Laosan and the others go west, they'll definitely visit that newly emerged Buddhist temple. It seems to be from the declining Lingshan lineage."

He slapped his thigh:

"Let's do it this way: contact Qiu Laoda of the Investigation Bureau, give him three months' salary, and ask Qiu Laoda to do us a favor. We'll also give him a political achievement!"

The subordinate responded and hurriedly left.

Time passed, and it was already noon.

After packing his things, Lian Laosan looked at the little girl leading the ox and said:

"It's time to go, but let me make this clear first."

"We're not going directly to that small world; we'll be stopping at a Buddhist temple along the way. Is that acceptable?"

"Okay." Ruan Yutu nodded.

"Then we can't leave by car. The engine is too loud and will easily attract star beasts."

He mounted a horse, which pulled a wooden cart, and Fourth Girl climbed onto the cart and sat down.

Ruan Yutu asked curiously:

"Just us? I thought there would be many more people."

"Just me, that's enough."

Lian Laosan said calmly, and before setting off, he habitually recited:

"The sacred mountain is boundless, Amitabha."

(The transitional plot was a bit of a writer's block, and I almost had to take a break, but I finally managed to finish it. I'll be preparing for an extra chapter on the 1st soon, and I'll try to update more frequently then.)