After more than twenty thousand kalpas at the Grand Luo realm, Zhisheng's cultivation was only at the mid-Grand Luo stage, still short of the late Grand Luo stage. Yet the hidden lineage already possessed strength comparable to the late Grand Luo stage.
A single Heavenly Gang Camp could rival a late-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal. The hidden lineage had three Heavenly Gang Camps and eight Earth Fiend Camps. With Haofeng included, didn't that make twelve Grand Luo-level combatants?
"You weren't lying to me?"
Seeing Zhisheng's incredulous gaze, Jiang Haofeng immediately smiled. He had spent so long deducing with the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book; how could it be ordinary?
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Only after a long while did Zhisheng finally accept this shocking news.
She praised him sincerely, "Haofeng, you're truly amazing!"
"Haofeng, then does that mean the Myriad Fiends Slaughtering God Formation is now our human race's strongest combat force?"
Jiang Haofeng nodded. "You could say that."
Although the Myriad Fiends Slaughtering God Formation formed by Zhuxiang leading five hundred Golden Immortals could not harm him, the human race had far more than five hundred clan soldiers. Moreover, the person with the deepest mastery of the Myriad Fiends Slaughtering God Formation was not Zhuxiang, but Jiang Haofeng.
Gathering all the human race's clan soldiers and having Jiang Haofeng personally establish the Myriad Fiends Slaughtering God Formation—that would be the human race's peak combat strength.
"The hidden lineage has developed incredibly fast. At this point, I, a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, am probably no match even for the clan soldiers."
Jiang Haofeng smiled. "The Heavenly Gang Camp can rival late Grand Luo cultivators only because they are the most ordinary kind of Grand Luo. You have the Grand Pure Immortal Method personally passed down by a Saint, countless Great Divine Powers at your disposal, and Merit Spirit Treasures protecting your body. How could your strength compare to that of an ordinary mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal?"
"What Grand Luo Immortal doesn't have divine powers or spirit treasures to protect themselves?" Zhisheng shook her head with a laugh.
Jiang Haofeng merely smiled without speaking.
The two fell silent. After a moment, Jiang Haofeng said, "Now that you're back, guard Central Phoenix Mountain for me for a while."
"Where are you going?" Zhisheng turned to look at Jiang Haofeng beside her.
"I need to make a trip to the East Sea Eye."
Jiang Haofeng gazed into the distance, as if he could see the wave-tossed East Sea across endless space.
"The East Sea Eye is one of the Primordial Era World's most dangerous places. What are you going there for?" Zhisheng abruptly raised her head.
"To pay respects to a senior."
To borrow a pair of eyes!
Jiang Haofeng silently added in his heart.
The Witch-Demon War was about to erupt in the Primordial Era World. When that happened, experts such as the Twelve Ancestral Witches, the Demon Emperor, and the Demon Sovereign would all clash. It would be a fine opportunity for Jiang Haofeng to learn.
Merely what he had learned from several Witch Clan great witches had allowed Jiang Haofeng to establish the human race's martial path. Once the Ancestral Witches fought, he would surely gain even greater benefits.
But during that time, the human race would likewise face slaughter. Jiang Haofeng could not abandon them to go observe and learn.
Yet such a wonderful opportunity would be truly regrettable to waste.
Jiang Haofeng also intended to use this chance to let the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book simulate the spiritual essence of the Chaos Bell. Once the Chaos Bell fled into chaos, Jiang Haofeng would still be able to restore its might to the Primordial Era World.
The final three revolutions of the Nine Revolutions Profound Art had yet to be found. This was Jiang Haofeng's simplest route to obtaining them.
There were also peerless formations such as the Twelve Capital Celestial Gods Array and the Zhou Tian Star Dou Great Array, along with every other kind of foundation. These would all be the basis for the human race's future rise. He absolutely could not miss them.
Thus, Jiang Haofeng found himself in a dilemma. He could not leave the human race, but if he went to observe the battle, he could not protect the human race either.
He pondered bitterly over this for several days before finally thinking of a solution.
Why not cultivate a divine eye technique?
Then he could sit atop Central Phoenix Mountain while a pair of divine eyes surveyed the entire world, learning countless divine powers. That was the correct way to use the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book.
Personally searching the Primordial Era World for battlefields to observe was not only dangerous, but also far too inefficient.
How many battles occurred in the Primordial Era World each day? How many could he possibly watch?
Wouldn't that be wasting a treasure?
It would be squandering the heaven-defying learning ability of the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book.
Jiang Haofeng had tried using the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book to deduce a pair of divine eyes, but without any foundation, it was difficult to derive a pair capable of surveying the entire Primordial Era World.
The Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book excelled at learning and creating new things based on what it had learned, not at pure deduction. Without a foundation, even the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book found deduction extremely difficult.
For a single Myriad Fiends Slaughtering God Formation, he had spent twenty-three thousand kalpas deducing it. That was only because he had learned of it from novels of a later age and barely had some foundation, knowing that it involved the fusion of fiendish energy. Only then had he managed to deduce it from that basis.
If he had the chance to glimpse the Twelve Capital Celestial Gods Array, the speed of deduction would likely increase tens of thousands of times. Moreover, the battle formation he deduced might be even more powerful.
The Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book was fundamentally meant for learning. Deduction was merely supplementary.
Learning others' divine powers in the Primordial Era World and replicating their spirit treasures—that was the correct way to use the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Book. Using it solely for deduction was putting the cart before the horse.
However, most famous divine eyes in the Primordial Era World belonged to later ages. Of those Jiang Haofeng could think of now, his first choice was Candle Dragon's Candle Dragon Eyes.
Legend said that when these eyes opened, they made day; when they closed, they made night. They could see through the past and future, gaze upon the heavens above and survey the Netherworld below. They should meet his needs.
In any case, he had merit protecting him. He would simply make the trip. At worst, he would return empty-handed.
Zhisheng, standing beside him, said in surprise, "That's the East Sea Eye. Is there even a senior living there?"
"There is. If I'm not mistaken, Senior Candle Dragon of the Dragon Clan is there, guarding the East Sea Eye for the stability of the Primordial Era World!"
According to legends of later ages, Candle Dragon's remnant soul suppressed the East Sea Eye, maintaining the stability of the Primordial Era World and completely securing the Dragon Clan's fortune. As long as Candle Dragon remained, the Dragon Clan would not be destroyed by the backlash of its monstrous karma!
"What if you encounter danger..." Zhisheng said hesitantly.
With a thought from Jiang Haofeng, the Merit Golden Body within him instantly condensed. Dazzling Golden Light of Merit illuminated all directions, and a vast Merit Auspicious Cloud appeared above his head.
"With this, I won't encounter danger while traveling through the Primordial Era World."
"Especially from the Dragon Clan. They already owe Heaven and Earth immense karma. They definitely won't do anything to me."
Seeing the boundless merit upon Jiang Haofeng, Zhisheng immediately relaxed. That was true. With the Merit Auspicious Cloud protecting him, Haofeng was likely the safest person in the entire human race.
"Alright, go. I'll watch over the hidden lineage for you."
"Alright. Wait for my return!"
"Mhm!" Zhisheng nodded gently.
After bidding Zhisheng farewell, Jiang Haofeng took one step forward. The earth beneath his feet instantly shrank, and with a single step, he had already crossed tens of millions of miles—far beyond the Monkey King's later somersault of one hundred and eight thousand miles.
Of course, the vastness of the Primordial Era World far exceeded Jiang Haofeng's expectations. The Monkey King's divine power might also have been faster than one hundred and eight thousand miles. After all, traveling only one hundred and eight thousand miles with a somersault was indeed rather slow in the Primordial Era World.
Jiang Haofeng did not stop. He pushed the perfected divine power Star Chasing Moon Catching to its limit, and the land continuously shrank beneath his feet as he rapidly approached the East Sea.
Several dozen days later, Jiang Haofeng stood on the shore of the East Sea. Looking at the boundless sea before him, a trace of shock flashed through his eyes.
The sea before him was truly vast and limitless. Looking out, even with Jiang Haofeng's strength as a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, he could not see its boundaries. Everywhere he looked was an endless expanse of towering blue waters!
Rumble!
Jiang Haofeng released his aura. In an instant, the vast aura of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal swept outward, its ancient pressure shaking the void and instantly scattering clouds across a radius of ten thousand miles. Waves rose one after another across the sea.
Not long after Jiang Haofeng released his aura, a splash appeared on the sea. A Taiyi-realm yaksa emerged with two Golden Immortal-realm Crab Generals and nearly a hundred True Immortal-realm Shrimp Soldiers.
"This lowly one is a Sea Patrol Yaksa of the East Sea Dragon Palace. Greetings, Exalted Immortal. May I ask what business brings you to our East Sea?"
The leading Sea Patrol Yaksa respectfully bowed to Jiang Haofeng, speaking neither arrogantly nor servilely.
"I am Haofeng of the human race. I have a matter to discuss with the East Sea Dragon King. Please, General Yaksa, report my arrival for me."
Jiang Haofeng was also quite courteous. The Dragon Clan's power was absolutely not to be underestimated.
Although they were constrained by Heaven and Earth Karma and unable to act freely, one must never underestimate the Dragon Clan's foundations. As the protagonists of Heaven and Earth during the previous calamity, they had faced both the Phoenix Clan and Kirin Clan with the strength of a single clan. Their power was terrifying.
Moreover, the Dragon Clan's surviving strength was the greatest among the three clans. Setting aside everything else, Jiang Haofeng knew of Great Divine Powers such as Candle Dragon, Ying Long, and Azure Dragon. Later on, there would also be Yellow Dragon, one of the Chan Teaching's Twelve Golden Immortals.
There was no need to mention Yellow Dragon for now. Which of the first three was an ordinary existence?
Azure Dragon guarded the eastern extremity of the heavens and stabilized the Primordial Era World after the Investiture of the Gods. There was no need to question how powerful he was. If he were weak, how could he suppress the Primordial Era World?
Ying Long was an illustrious war god of the Primordial Era World, an existence spoken of alongside Xing Tian and the Nine Heavens Profound Lady.
As for Candle Dragon, he was an unparalleled powerhouse. Guarding the East Sea Eye himself, he was absolutely among the most formidable beneath the Saints of the Primordial Era World. With these three supreme experts standing guard, even if the Dragon Clan was inferior to the current great Witch and Demon clans, its foundations were not far behind.
And that was only what Jiang Haofeng knew. There was much more that he did not.
Anyone who truly believed the Dragon Clan were merely loaches, as the Monkey King called them, was utterly ridiculous.
"Please come in, Exalted Immortal!"
The Sea Patrol Yaksa did not hesitate upon hearing this and immediately raised a hand. Then the water on the sea churned, and an underwater passage appeared before Jiang Haofeng.
Jiang Haofeng's gaze shifted slightly. It seemed the Dragon Clan had already begun keeping a low profile, gradually changing into the Four Seas Dragon Clan familiar to people of later ages.
"Thank you for the trouble, General Yaksa."
Jiang Haofeng immediately stepped into the underwater passage.
As Jiang Haofeng entered the underwater passage, the passage on the sea's surface vanished as well. With every step he took, the passage behind him disappeared a little more.
Before long, a magnificent Crystal Palace appeared before Jiang Haofeng. The Crystal Palace stood upon the seabed, with schools of fish swimming around it. Fish of every color swam through the Crystal Palace in groups, adding a lively beauty to the place.
Within the Crystal Palace, clam maidens moved through the halls, while numerous Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals carrying weapons patrolled around the palace. It was a scene fit for immortals.
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