The three left the ruins of the Holy Land. Duan De was the first to depart, as though evil oni were chasing him from behind.
Qin Sheng waved at him reluctantly. "Daoist, until next time! I'll be waiting for your good news!"
Duan De's rainbow light immediately sped up, as if he feared catching some bad luck.
They had already reached an agreement, each side taking a step back.
Once Duan De was out of sight, Ye Fan asked:
"Immortal, do you really believe that Daoist can find the Dao-Life Mother Stone?"
Qin Sheng smiled. "I definitely wouldn't believe anyone else, but he's different."
"He can come and go freely through the Demon Emperor's Yin Grave and the Emperor's Daoist Arena. If anyone in the world can find an emperor-exclusive Sacred Artifact like the Dao-Life Mother Stone, it has to be him."
"That's true." Ye Fan nodded, curious.
"Was that grave soil Chaotic Ruin Dust?"
"Definitely. That Wicked Daoist's goal was far too obvious. He must have known there was something like that inside."
"It really is a miraculous kind of Immortal Material."
Ye Fan sighed. "I can't imagine what my cauldron would look like after becoming a Netherworld Treasure. Just thinking about it makes me resist the idea."
"Maybe you could use it to hold ashes?" Qin Sheng offered constructively.
Ye Fan was speechless.
"Hahaha." Qin Sheng laughed loudly, then said:
"Next, I plan to return to the Shaking Light Holy Land and make a breakthrough."
Qin Sheng asked Ye Fan about his plans.
After some thought, Ye Fan said, "I plan to return to that Fire Fiend's Cave Mansion and continue cultivating. My cultivation is still too low; I need time to build it up."
"The Fire Fiend there can also help me forge my cauldron. It's a pretty good place."
"That's a good idea."
The route to Fire Fiend's Cave Mansion happened to be on the way back to the Shaking Light Holy Land, so the two could travel together.
When they reached the cave mansion, Qin Sheng bid Ye Fan farewell. Looking at Ye Fan, he suddenly said:
"Yezi, if one day the entire Beidou hunts me down and calls me an unforgivable villain, what do you think will happen to us then?"
Ye Fan smiled easily. "Of course I'd stand by your side. How could you possibly be that kind of person?"
"But what if what they said were true?"
"I'd still save you, and I'd investigate it myself to see whether it was true or false."
Ye Fan thought for a moment. "If it were true..."
"What would you want me to do?"
Qin Sheng smiled, turned around, and waved without looking back.
"Don't hold back."
"Ha."
Ye Fan laughed loudly and shouted:
"If I fall someday, lose myself in the Immortal Dao, and become the kind of person we despise now, don't hold back either."
Qin Sheng made a gesture, telling Ye Fan not to worry.
Ye Fan stood outside the cave mansion for a long time, thinking of many things.
His hometown, his parents, his friends...
Cultivation, the Immortal Dao, profit...
"I heard there are supreme figures in the Eastern Wilderness who have lived for one or two thousand years. What a long span of time... from the Qin Dynasty until now..."
Ye Fan murmured, "Time is merciless, and the Immortal Dao has countless forms. Will mortals like us change?"
Ye Fan was still only a minor cultivator, unable to answer his own question.
Everything could only be left to time, for the future to provide the answer.
"Heaven Devouring Demonic Art... ha." Qin Sheng smiled.
Sooner or later, Ye Fan would learn that he cultivated this Demonic Art. Some things could not be hidden.
Shaking Light Holy Land.
Compared to when Qin Sheng had left before, nothing had changed. It seemed eternal.
At Dragon-Pattern Peak, Qin Sheng first went to see Elder Li and explained his purpose.
"What? You want to challenge the Four Extremes Secret Realm?" Elder Li shot to his feet, utterly shocked.
What kind of cultivation speed was this?
"Yes. I've already reached Dao Palace Perfection, so I want to apply for a batch of resources to assist my breakthrough."
Qin Sheng enjoyed the treatment of a Candidate Saint Son at the Shaking Light Holy Land. Naturally, he could request the resources needed for his breakthrough from the sect.
That was one of the reasons for joining a Holy Land.
Of course, the Shaking Light Holy Land could only provide resources such as Source. Rare treasures like Divine Source would not be given out.
"Come with me to see the Peak Master."
At the ancient hall atop the peak, the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master summoned Qin Sheng. He opened his Immortal Dao Divine Eye and examined the disciple before him.
"Sure enough, you've reached Dao Palace Perfection. Your foundation is solid, and your reserves are profound..."
The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master's expression was somewhat strange as he advised:
"Qin Sheng, it's good that you're so driven, but sometimes you can slow down a little. Don't be too aggressive."
Hm?
A Great Ability from the Ruthless lineage was advising me not to be too aggressive?
Qin Sheng suspected he had misheard. How could such words come from an expert of the Ruthless lineage?
"You were only gone for such a short time, yet you went from newly entering the Dao Palace Secret Realm to its completion. I know how wonderful it feels to devour Origin."
The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master earnestly instructed him, "But sometimes you still need to restrain yourself. You're a little... too extreme."
A Mortal Body cultivating the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art had gone from the first level of the Dao Palace to the fifth heaven in just about a year...
The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master did not even dare imagine how crazily this new disciple had been "eating" outside!
It was a little too brutal.
The extreme Ruthless lineage thought Qin Sheng was too extreme.
Qin Sheng fell silent for a long while before saying:
"You're right, Peak Master. I really should reflect on myself."
"It's good that you understand." The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master said:
"I'll arrange the resources you need for your breakthrough. Also, when you attempt it, you may go to the Tribulation Platform."
"Though I don't know whether you'll encounter a Heavenly Tribulation, it's better to be prepared."
In the Shrouding the Heavens World, the earliest realm at which Heavenly Tribulations descended was when one advanced into the Four Extremes, but that was exclusive to geniuses.
Logically speaking, a worthless Mortal Body could never trigger a Heavenly Tribulation.
But the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art... those who knew, knew.
Moreover, cultivators of the Demonic Art did not merely face Heavenly Tribulations stronger than others when crossing tribulations. Even when devouring another person's Origin, they could be struck by lightning.
Qin Sheng had not been struck while devouring because he had devoured the Origin of another-worldly versions of himself, brought through the Infinite Land.
"Thank you for the reminder, Peak Master." Qin Sheng added:
"Peak Master, could you teach me the complete Sacred Art in advance? I want to comprehend the full mysteries of the Sacred Art. It would help me break through."
The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master nodded. "You may."
He took out a black jade talisman and passed the subsequent contents of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art to Qin Sheng.
"Besides the cultivation scriptures, I'll also teach you several secret techniques from the Sacred Art. Cultivate them diligently."
The Dragon-Pattern Peak Master warned, "But do not use them before outsiders. Once they are revealed, you must kill every witness."
"I understand."
"Enough. Go back and prepare yourself properly."
After Qin Sheng left, the Dragon-Pattern Peak Master sighed.
"Young people these days..."
A talent. He truly was a talent.
Qin Sheng returned to his cave mansion and examined the new inheritance he had obtained.
There was no need to mention the cultivation chapters for the secret realms after the Four Extremes. Those were the foundation.
"Great Dao Treasure Bottle, Myriad Transformations Sacred Art, and Heaven-Slaying Dao. He taught me three emperor-level secret techniques in total."
Qin Sheng was very satisfied. This had not been a loss.
The Great Dao Treasure Bottle could assist cultivation, absorbing and releasing the primordial energy of the Myriad Heavens and World Origin. It was also a battle Divine Art capable of suppressing myriad worlds.
The Myriad Transformations Sacred Art possessed endless transformations and no fixed form. It held unimaginable power, able to dissolve all secret arts, endlessly weaken an opponent's combat strength, and turn every astonishing technique into something mundane.
It could be said to counter all kinds of Divine Arts, making it unfathomable and unpredictable.
Heaven-Slaying Dao was even more extraordinary. It was a secret technique recorded in the forbidden chapter of the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art. It could comprehensively enhance a person, amplifying attack, control, divine power, and more, causing one's combat strength to soar.
Not long after, Elder Li delivered the breakthrough resources Qin Sheng had requested.
Everything was ready; all he needed was the final push!
Before you continue