Arrival at Mount Shu

The bronze warship broke through the undercurrents at the bottom of the Netherworld Trench and sailed into the void passage on the Western Nine Provinces.

Large patches of fluorescent moss covered the rock walls on both sides of the underwater tunnel, emitting a faint blue-green glow that made the entire channel look like a jade ribbon buried deep underground.

Occasionally, one or two Netherworld Fiendbeast would peek out from the darkness, their cold, vertical pupils fixed on the warship that had intruded into their territory.

But the next second, the undisguised Immortal Qi a Tribulation Immortal from True Lord Qingxiao made them shrink back into the depths of darkness, not daring to utter even a roar.

The oppressive aura of Sixth Layer of Tribulation Immortal is the best pass.

On the deck, the Little Black Dog Wangcai lay on the ship's side, its two front paws resting on the railing, tilting its head to look at the seabed. Whenever the shadow of a ferocious beast swept past from the shadows, it would bark excitedly twice, its tail wagging like a propeller.

"Quiet down." Jian Zhenzi picked Wangcai up from behind and tucked him under his arm. "He's so noisy."

Wangcai grunted and kicked its four legs a few times in mid-air before quickly becoming quiet.

Luo Futian leaned against the ship's railing, glanced at the blue-clad figure standing with his hands behind his back at the bow, and asked Jian Zhenzi in a low voice, "Just who is Grandmaster Qingxiao? I don't think Master and Uncle-Master Bai Wuya dare to breathe loudly in front of him."

"The fifth of the Nine Elders of Mount Shu," Jian Zhenzi's voice was also very low. "He is at the Sixth Layer of Tribulation Immortal and has lived for twelve thousand years. It is said that the last time he came out of the mountain was four thousand years ago, when Shu Mount Shu went to war with the Blood God Sect. Grandmaster Qingxiao single-handedly slaughtered three branch altars of the Blood God Sect with his sword."

Luo Futian swallowed hard.

"No wonder those Heavenly Monarch ran faster than rabbits."

The interior of the ship's cabin.

Chen Changqing sat cross-legged on the Meditation Cushion, his True Essence having recovered to 70%. The backlash from the shattering of his five Avatars had also subsided considerably, leaving only a slight soreness deep within his meridians.

The AFK Panel floated quietly in the Sea of Consciousness, the automatic cultivation mode in operation.

Instead of checking the specific allocation plan for AFK Points, he extended his Divine Sense to a range of 500 miles to carefully perceive the movements around the warship.

Clean and tidy.

Within a radius of 500 miles, apart from the occasional Netherworld Fiendbeast of the undersea tunnels, there was no trace of any Cultivators.

He then extended his Divine Sense to a thousand miles.

It's still clean.

Two thousand miles.

The limit is three thousand miles.

There was nothing there.

The three Shadow Guards who were tracking him at the Half-Step Heavenly Monarch had long since vanished without a trace. The surveillance Law Treasure 2,300 miles away had also disappeared.

"They got away." Chen Changqing withdrew his Divine Sense, a slight smile playing on his lips.

With Sixth Layer of Tribulation Immortal personally escorting them, let alone Half-Step Heavenly Monarch's Shadow Guards, even if you brought over that Ji Clan Grand Elder, they would have to go around him.

There were two light knocks on the door.

"Junior brother, are you awake?"

Liu Ruyan's voice carried a hint of cautious probing.

"Come in."

The door opened, Liu Ruyan walked in carrying a steaming bowl of Spirit Porridge. The porridge was emerald green and emitted a faint medicinal fragrance.

"This prescription was specially prepared by Junior Sister Hua Yao; she said it's good for the recovery of the soul." Liu Ruyan placed the bowl on the low table and sat cross-legged opposite Chen Changqing. "She asked me to send a message over; she originally wanted to deliver it herself, but the Medicine God Valley stopped her."

Chen Changqing picked up the bowl and took a sip. The warm spiritual liquid slid into his stomach, and a cool sensation spread along his meridians. At the same time, the Nine Great Red-Gold Primordial Spirits emitted a comfortable hum.

"Nice one."

"Your injuries..." Liu Ruyan's gaze swept over him, "Are you really alright?"

"That attack from the six Heavenly Monarch working together was indeed ruthless." Chen Changqing put down his bowl and stretched his shoulders. "However, with the True Essence poured in by Grandmaster Qingxiao's palm strike, the recovery will be very fast. I'll be fully healed in another day or two."

Liu Ruyan didn't speak, and remained silent for a few moments with her head down.

"Scared?" Chen Changqing looked at her.

"No, I didn't." Liu Ruyan raised her head, a hint of red flashing in her eyes. "I was just thinking, could you please not rush out alone next time?"

"Good."

Liu Ruyan was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to agree so readily.

"Next time I'll bring my Avatar with me."

Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at him, then got up and left.

After the door closed, Chen Changqing's smile faded.

He picked up the bowl, finished the Spirit Porridge, and closed his eyes again.

The journey ahead will be relatively safe, but the real trouble will come once we return to Mount Shu.

The news has already spread on the Nine Provinces Darknet. The label "Chen Changqing has residual Chaotic Origin Energy" will stick to him like a leech and won't be removed anytime soon.

Those forces that temporarily retreated due to the intimidation of True Lord Qingxiao will not remain so forever.

The Nine Elders of Mount Shu cannot protect him forever.

He needs to become stronger as quickly as possible, strong enough that no one dares to touch him.

A prompt appeared in the AFK Panel within the user's Sea of Consciousness.

[Host's cultivation level is approaching the breakthrough threshold. Activating Targeted Breakthrough Mode is recommended.]

Chen Changqing glanced at it.

He had already touched the threshold Middle True Lord Stage and Late True Lord Stage Monarch realms. The improvement in the quality of his Primordial Spirit brought about by the transformation of the Divine Pool, coupled with the combat experience accumulated in this great battle, had caused a subtle loosening in his cultivation.

"Let's talk about it when we get back to Mount Shu."

He closed the panel and entered a deep state of cultivation.

For three days, under the protection of True Lord Qingxiao, the place was as calm as a stagnant pool.

There were no pursuers, no ambushes, and not even a single foolish Demon Beast appeared.

The entire air route was eerily quiet.

On the morning of the third day.

The warship emerged from the underwater tunnel and ascended into the high skies of Western Nine Provinces.

As the morning light broke through the clouds, golden rays illuminated the distant, rolling mountains.

The mountain range stretched across the sky, its Main Peak piercing the clouds, its summit perpetually shrouded in a pale blue mist. Within the mist, one could vaguely discern palaces with upturned eaves and countless tiny points of light weaving through the mountains.

Mount Shu.

"We've arrived." Daoist Chen Yuan stood at the bow of the boat and Whisk his whisk.

The array on the warship hummed, and the exclusive command flags of the Shu Mountain Sacred Land appeared on both sides of the ship. The flags fluttered in the morning breeze, and the golden character "Shu" shone brightly in the sunlight.

True Lord Qingxiao turned around from the bow of the ship, his gaze sweeping over the vast void behind him one last time.

Those deep eyes seemed to penetrate all barriers, thoroughly examining every potential threat along the entire journey home.

"It's clean now." True Lord Qingxiao withdrew his gaze and said calmly to Daoist Chen Yuan.

Daoist Chen Yuan bowed respectfully.

"Thank you very much, Grandmaster, for escorting me all the way."

"Escort my ass." True Lord Qingxiao rolled his eyes. "I've been so secluded in the Nine-Layer Heavenly Palace that my bones are practically rusting. I finally got out to breathe, and not a single person dared to make a move along the way. It's so suffocating."

After he finished speaking, the emerald Immortal Sword beneath his feet trembled, and he transformed into a streak of azure light, flying towards the Nine-Layer Heavenly Palace on the back of Mount Shu.

It comes quickly, and goes even faster.

Daoist Chen Yuan gazed at the direction where the azure light had disappeared and sighed softly.

At the entrance to Mount Shu in front of the warship, a dense crowd of figures had already gathered.