The Chiming Nine Heavens Map! (Seeking Collection)

"Roar~~~"

From the depths of the rolling mountain range came a series of furious roars, punctuated by the thunderous sounds of rock and timber shattering.

"Boom~~~~"

With one final, earth-shaking crash, the depths of the mountains finally fell silent.

At the edge of the mountain jungle, a large group of Black Sly Beasts stood gathered.

On the backs of the Black Sly Beasts sat men and women, with many children strapped to their parents' chests with hide ropes.

Every face was etched with profound exhaustion, and some were swaying precariously in their seats.

At the very front of the group, a young girl wearing black hide armor and carrying a bow and arrows kept her eyes fixed on the distant forest.

"Brother, it's been quiet for a while now. Why hasn't Zhou Hao returned yet?" Xiangcao asked, her face filled with worry.

"Miss Xiangcao, the Young Master was even able to slay a Great Demon. An Earth Armor Dragon that hasn't yet become a Xiantian lifeform is nothing to him," Ren Liang comforted her.

"That's right," Iron Ox nodded.

Three days had passed since the killing of Motai Jie and the Black Panther Great Demon. The entire Iron Ox Tribe had been riding the Black Sly Beasts left behind by the Black Armor Guards, galloping in a single breath for nearly thirty thousand li.

Along the way, any demon beasts that blocked their path were dispatched by Zhou Hao, who used his divine sense to control flying blades. Zhou Hao's overwhelming strength had long since earned the awe of everyone.

In their hearts, Zhou Hao was the Xiantian lifeform of their Iron Ox Tribe, their greatest existence!

Whoosh!

In the distant forest, a figure appeared like a wisp of smoke, flickering a few times before arriving before the group.

"Zhou Hao!" Xiangcao was the first to call out.

"Young Master."

"Young Brother Zhou."

Ren Liang, Iron Ox, and the others saw clearly that it was indeed Zhou Hao.

Zhou Hao nodded at the group and pointed to a small peak in the forest behind him.

"I found the Earth Armor Dragon's lair inside that peak. Everyone is exhausted from these days of continuous travel," Zhou Hao said. "The lair is quite hidden; we will rest here for two days before moving on."

"Good." Iron Ox and the others readily agreed.

To escape the pursuit of the Black Hand Tribe's Xiantian experts, the group had been galloping for three days, truly reaching their limits.

Even several of the Black Sly Beasts had collapsed and died, foaming at the mouth from the exertion.

The members of the Iron Ox Tribe followed Zhou Hao into the forest, arriving before a mountain peak shortly after.

The peak was not tall, only about two hundred zhang, with a cave entrance roughly ten zhang high at its base.

The clearing in front of the cave was riddled with large craters, and broken trees were scattered everywhere.

A hideous, greenish-brown beast covered in scales lay on the ground, its still-flowing blood nearly filling the crater beneath it.

"This Earth Armor Dragon is quite the expert at digging," Zhou Hao said, patting the beast's two sharp front claws. "It's practically hollowed out the entire mountain. The tunnels inside its lair are spacious enough to hold all of us with room to spare."

Seeing that they could finally rest, the weary Iron Ox tribesmen perked up. They tidied the cave, laid out the animal hides they had brought as bedding, and collapsed to sleep without a moment's delay.

Iron Ox had Zhamu, Qingshi, and the others provide simple camouflage for the cave entrance, and arranged for Blind Man and others to take turns on watch.

Only after everything was settled did he follow the winding tunnel upward, arriving at a spacious cavern about twenty zhang in diameter.

Judging by the position, this cavern was located at the waist of the mountain. The surrounding walls were smooth, as if a massive piece of solid bluestone had been hollowed out.

The best part was that there were dozens of holes of varying sizes on the upper wall of the cavern, though it was unclear if the Earth Armor Dragon had left them intentionally or if they were accidental punctures during its digging.

Sunlight from outside filtered through the holes—the largest of which were no bigger than a human head—ensuring the entire cavern was not dark.

Zhou Hao, Xiangcao, and Ren Liang were already inside. Zhou Hao had used his flying blades to carve out simple furniture like stone stools and tables.

"Everything outside is arranged," Iron Ox said, unable to hide his impatience as he entered the cavern. "Shall we begin now?"

"Yes, let's begin," Zhou Hao nodded.

He, too, had been looking forward to this for a long time.

Having finally obtained a cultivation technique from Motai Jie's Mustard Stone Space—the legendary, supreme God and Devil Body Refining technique—he naturally wanted to start practicing as soon as possible to increase his strength.

In particular, since they had wiped out a squad of Black Hand Tribe Black Armor Guards and killed their Young Master and his spirit beast, the future retaliation of the Black Hand Tribe remained a hidden danger.

Therefore, during their flight, Zhou Hao had discussed with Iron Ox that once they found a suitable place to rest, they would attempt to practice this technique.

"Young Master, I once heard Motai Jie say that this Chiming Nine Heavens Map is recognized across the endless land as the number one God and Devil Body Refining method. It is also the most widely circulated and easiest to obtain; almost every tribe or clan of any size possesses it."

Ren Liang looked at Zhou Hao, his eyes filled with admiration. "Even so, not everyone has the opportunity to practice it."

He was not greedy for wealth, and he was even willing to share such a technique with Iron Ox and the others. In the three days he had spent with Zhou Hao, he had not only never been insulted or oppressed, but Zhou Hao had even refused to let him use the title of 'Master.'

Yet, Ren Liang dared not address Zhou Hao by his name, continuing to use the title 'Young Master.'

This feeling of being treated as an equal was something Ren Liang had never experienced before.

With his former Young Master Motai Jie dead, if he were to return alive, he would certainly be forced to accompany him in death.

Since that was the case, Ren Liang had come to terms with it; he might as well follow this mysterious and powerful Young Master.

"Though it is easy to obtain, it is also the most difficult to cultivate," Zhou Hao said with a shake of his head and a smile.

Ease of acquisition is relative to those large tribes; places like the Iron Ox Tribe simply do not have it.

However, Zhou Hao also secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, the large tribes did not place too much importance on the Chiming Nine Heavens Map, otherwise, Motai Jie would not have carried a copy with him.

"It is indeed difficult," Ren Liang sighed. "I watched Motai Jie carry it for two years, and despite countless attempts, he couldn't even manage to enter the threshold."

As the premier cultivation technique for Gods and Devils, the Chiming Nine Heavens Map has several major hurdles.

The very first hurdle—the threshold—has stumped countless aspiring cultivators full of longing.

According to the records in the book, other God and Devil body-refining methods involve absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, or the powers of fire, water, lightning, and so on. But the Chiming Nine Heavens Map requires one to sense the 'Lunar' and 'Solar' stars from the very beginning, absorbing the Lunar power and Solar power from these two supreme celestial bodies.

Many cultivators, no matter how they try, cannot sense the Lunar and Solar stars, failing even to enter the threshold, let alone continue their cultivation.

And this is merely the first hurdle!

After sensing the two supreme stars and entering the threshold, the cultivator must continuously absorb the Lunar and Solar powers, which will automatically converge within the body to gradually form divine patterns.

Only when both the Lunar Divine Pattern and the Solar Divine Pattern have naturally converged and formed can the first stage of the Chiming Nine Heavens Map be considered complete!

This is the second hurdle of cultivating the Chiming Nine Heavens Map.

Even if many people can barely sense the Lunar and Solar stars to pass the first hurdle, the Lunar and Solar powers they draw in are too meager, and some even spend decades unable to condense the two great divine patterns.

If the first stage cannot be perfected, subsequent cultivation is naturally nothing more than a pipe dream.

"Whether it works or not, we'll know once we try," Iron Ox laughed.

He and Xiangcao had already read the cultivation method of the Chiming Nine Heavens Map and understood all the difficulties within; if they could cultivate it, that would be great, but if they couldn't, it wouldn't matter.

Having the opportunity to cultivate this legendary body-refining technique was already a stroke of immense luck!

"Then you two begin your cultivation; I will stand guard for you," Zhou Hao nodded.

After all, with Ren Liang present, necessary precautions still had to be taken.

The cultivation method for the first stage of the Chiming Nine Heavens Map is very simple: there are nine diagrams in total, and one only needs to cultivate according to the illustrations.

Iron Ox and Xiangcao stood in two separate spots, silently adjusting their breathing before closing their eyes, raising their hands high, and then kneeling to bow forward.

This was the first illustration—Worship Sun and Moon.

The two performed each movement according to the nine diagrams, which carried a faint, mysterious, and ancient charm.

It was as if they were performing a strange religious dance, offering sacrifices to the great ancient gods.

Zhou Hao watched silently, his thoughts drifting far away.

When he first saw the Chiming Nine Heavens Map, he had felt a vague sense of familiarity.

Having learned from Ren Liang that this world was ruled by the Great Xia Dynasty, and that the Great Xia Dynasty had existed since the era of Gods and Devils...

Combined with the familiar premier God and Devil body-refining technique, the Chiming Nine Heavens Map, Zhou Hao finally understood why he felt such familiarity.

This is clearly the world of Desolate Era, Zhou Hao sighed inwardly.

It was a web novel he had read during his first life.

His frail body meant that Zhou Hao spent most of his day lying in bed, with books and the internet as his only entertainment.

At the time, the protagonist in the book named 'Ji Ning', who also suffered from a terminal illness, gave Zhou Hao a strong sense of immersion.

Later, the adventures of Ji Ning after his reincarnation made Zhou Hao fantasize countless times about how wonderful it would be if he could also be reincarnated and transmigrate.

Until the very last moments of his life, Zhou Hao still regretted not being able to see Ji Ning's performance at the Immortal Fate Assembly.

He never expected that in this life, he would be reborn into the world of Desolate Era, and even transmigrate to the 'Xia Clan Great World', one of the three thousand great worlds mentioned in the book.

Does that mean the place where my master and I lived before was one of the countless small worlds in the Three Realms? Perhaps even the very same small world Ji Ning was in before his reincarnation?

Zhou Hao had countless questions and speculations in his heart.

I wonder if the original protagonist, Ji Ning, has been born yet? Will the original plot still unfold as it did?

When I have the chance, I'll determine the current year, Zhou Hao decided.

If he had the chance to meet Ji Ning and share a drink and conversation with his favorite novel protagonist, that would be quite an interesting thing to think about.

Old friends who love reading fan fiction often want to be happy, struggle, and grow alongside their favorite characters, don't they?

However, this "Seeking Longevity" is Suifeng's final fan-fiction practice work, and everything is prepared as a new book; the original characters won't have too much screen time, and everything will center on Zhou Hao.

Additionally, it doesn't matter if new readers haven't read the original work; just treat it as a new book. Hehe.

Right, one last word: the contract for this book has already been sent out, and it might change to a signed status in the next two days.

Those who haven't invested yet, hurry up; those who have already invested, please support with dividends, monthly tickets, and the like.

Suifeng bows and thanks all the big shots!