The Heavenly Court Fragment (6.2k)

South, Sky----

Door?!

Yu Tunzhou's heart skipped a beat.

Am I overthinking things, or is this ruin before me truly the legendary site of the Southern Heavenly Gate?

There is indeed a Heavenly Court court in this world, but it dates back to before High Antiquity.

It was after the Heavenly Court disappeared that the competition among all races intensified. Without the protection of the gods, the Human Race lost many traditions and instantly fell to the bottom, becoming prey for other races. It wasn't until the Human Emperor appeared, redefined the path of cultivation, and recovered many lost traditions that the Human Race gradually grew stronger and eventually became the master of this world.

Putting aside whether this place is the Heavenly Court, and why I am here, and without any clothes on—

Yu Tunzhou's gaze fell on the Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist.

Before coming here, he was soaking in a tub of medicine, but now the tub is gone, and only this string of Buddhist prayer beads remains with him.

Master Lu once said that if I fulfilled his wish, he would give me a great gift.

Could there be a hidden secret within these prayer beads?

Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly heard voices outside.

Yu Tunzhou's gaze sharpened. Was that the footsteps from earlier? Were there other people here?

He listened intently, holding his breath. The two voices outside were both very young, probably not much older than his husband.

"Nobody's here. You surnamed Zuo, are you being too sensitive? Did you mishear me?"

A voice drifted out, as if surveying the surroundings.

A moment later, another, slightly cold voice rang out. "----Where is that guy's body?"

"You doubt Zhou Zhan? You're overthinking it. One sword through the heart, and he's as good as dead. He won't be able to enter this place again for at least a month."

"I'm asking you where the body is."

"I threw it over there, otherwise wouldn't it be an eyesore to leave it here?"

"What's in the way? According to the law, the corpse will decompose automatically in half an hour. By the time we return, what will we still see?"

"Alright, alright, you Zuo Qiantao, are a dignified Immortal Seed, whatever you say is right."

"I won't waste my breath on you," the young man called Zuo Qiantao said coldly. "I did sense something amiss here just now. Are you doubting my Dao-Bestowed Divine Ability?"

Behind a section of collapsed ruins, Yu Tunzhou pondered, the two men revealing a great deal of information in their conversation.

Is this guy next to me the Zhou Zhan they were talking about?

He wanted to look down one more time.

But as soon as his gaze fell, he was suddenly met with a pair of wide-open, angry eyes, Sha Qi murderous intent!

In that instant, Yu Tunzhou's hair stood on end.

A zombie?!

This body, pierced through the heart by a sword and seemingly beyond dead, had somehow opened its eyes and was glaring fiercely at him, the petty thief who stole clothes!

He had already pulled the longsword that had pierced his heart out, and no blood was flowing from the wound.

At that moment, a flash of sword light appeared, and a young man named Zhou Zhan, mostly naked, thrust his sword at Yu Tunzhou's brow with lightning speed.

Before the sword arrived, its cold gleam preceded it!

"Thief, give me back my clothes!"

Yu Tunzhou suddenly ducked, the sword's edge grazing his head and slicing off a few strands of hair.

He lunged forward, his right foot slamming into the ground, his spine snapping back like a bowstring stretched to its limit, all the force pressing into his left shoulder as he slammed into Zhou Zhan's arms.

Bang-!

A terrifying thud rang out.

Zhou Zhan looked on in disbelief, unable to believe that the person in front of him, Qi and Blood were not even cohesive, could possess such terrifying strength and speed!

He was struck head-on by a battering ram, his feet leaving the ground as he flew backward, blood gushing from the wound in his heart and from his mouth.

Zhou Zhan's eyes were bloodshot. He could feel that his ribs were covered with cracks. The sword wound that was off-center from his heart had been suppressed, but now it broke open again!

The impact was remarkably effective, but Yu Tunzhou's expression was grave, because the man's chest was only slightly dented, and he hadn't heard any cracking sound!

Due to the urgency of the situation, he didn't have time to activate the Great Spirit Courtyard, but he did use his Immortal Foundation.

The most direct special effect of [Primordial Azure One] is its weight!

Extremely heavy!

This single strand weighs over a thousand pounds; its exact weight is unknown, and it continues to increase daily.

His punch, combined with Primordial Azure One's movement, was even more powerful.

But the other person only had a dent in their chest; their bones weren't broken!

Bone training is complete!

This person is very likely Form Refinement martial artist who has achieved mastery of Qi and Blood!

Yu Tunzhou, not having time to think, takes two steps forward, giving no chance to catch its breath, striking while the man is already weakened to take his life.

Zhou Zhan originally wanted to resist, but the wound next to his heart was ruptured by the shock and spread towards his heart. He suddenly lost his strength and was caught by Yu Tunzhou, who grabbed the sword with two fingers, threw it aside, and then slammed it down with his other hand!

The punch landed squarely on Zhou Zhan's Adam's apple. With that one blow, Zhou Zhan's face turned bright red, his eyes bulged outwards, and he kicked the ground with all his might, quickly falling silent.

Yu Tunzhou cautiously confirmed that this time the man was truly dead, but he was still somewhat worried, since the man hadn't quite died even after being pierced through the heart by a sword before.

He picked up the longsword that had fallen to the ground, and recalling the sword that had just grazed his head, he couldn't help but have the idea of learning how to use weapons.

An inch longer, an inch stronger; and the edge of a weapon is incomparable to a fist. In close combat, the advantage of having a weapon is enormous.

Yu Tunzhou thrust his sword into Zhou Zhan's brow, swirling it around. Unless this person was a zombie, there was no reason why he could still move.

Only then did he have time to look at another battlefield.

Just as Zuo Qiantao's attention was drawn to that side, a short knife came at a tricky angle from his side. Even though Zuo Qiantao noticed it in time, it was too late, and the short knife pierced his waist!

Zhang Tianyang!

Zuo Qiantao struck the latter's shoulder with a palm, knocking him back. With his other hand, he grabbed the short knife stuck in his waist. His face was pale, and he was sweating profusely. He gritted his teeth, pulled out the short knife, and Inner Qi to seal the wound.

"You're colluding with Zhou Zhan and his group?!"

"You shouldn't have come back." The previously nonchalant young man now spoke in an icy tone as he approached again.

After several rounds, Zuo Qiantao was already severely injured and whose internal organs were damaged, was at a disadvantage.

But just as Zhang Tianyang was about to succeed, he suddenly twisted his body to the side and dodged the sword thrust.

"Who are you?! Don't interfere!" Zhang Tianyang shouted angrily.

"Friend, he has Form Refinement Greater Accomplishment and opened one of the apertures. I am injured. Let's kill him together!" Zuo Qiantao's voice was hoarse, and his words were concise and to the point, making the situation clear.

The phrase "Yu Tunzhou" embodies this idea.

Of the two, he only needs to keep one alive to interrogate him about the situation here. The best candidate would be Zuo Qiantao, who was seriously injured, rather than the other unharmed person.

Not to mention that the latter was the attacker.

Since ancient times, those in the same trade have been rivals!

Upon hearing about the opponent's strength, Yu Tunzhou's expression turned solemn Form Refinement Greater Accomplishment and even opened a new aperture—

What a master!

They'll definitely gang up on you first!

I never imagined that after two months, once my muscles and skin had fully developed, my first move would be here!

As soon as they started fighting, Yu Tunzhou felt an intense sense of pressure.

The opponent's surging Blood Qi was as vigorous and aggressive as fire, as if it had condensed into a Blood Qi Furnace within his body. Every move he made contained terrifying power, and Yu Tunzhou had no choice but to avoid its sharp edge.

The chilling killing intent made his fully developed skin feel as if it were being pricked by tiny needles.

Bang bang bang!

Zhang Tianyang shattered the air with three palm strikes, compressing the airflow, and his Inner Qi swept across a range of three zhang.

"You haven't even reached the Form Refinement Lesser Accomplishment, yet you dare to be my enemy?!"

He let out a long roar, realizing that Yu Tunzhou's Blood Qi hadn't even coalesced into a cohesive whole when he made his move; clearly, his Qi and Blood wasn't fully developed, not even reaching the Form Refinement Lesser Accomplishment!

He had initially been wary of Yu Tunzhou for defeating Zhou Zhan so quickly.

Looking at it now, Zhou Zhan is utterly useless!

His sword strike clearly avoided vital points. As long as his Inner Qi, it wouldn't affect his performance. Yet he was defeated so quickly by a martial artist who had just entered the Form Refinement!

On the other side, Zuo Qiantao felt bitter. He had originally planned to have Yu Tunzhou hold the front line while he waited for an opportunity to strike.

But this guy moved like a dragon, only defending and not attacking, slippery and easy to handle, clearly intending for him to take the lead first.

Left with no other choice, Zuo Qiantao could only grit his teeth, gather his Blood Qi Furnace, and charge forward.

Even if he dies, he will never let that Zhang Tianyang continue to live and harm his teammates!

Seeing that Zuo Qiantao was finally getting serious, Yu Tunzhou also began to wait for an opportunity.

In their brief exchange, he was certain that the force of his opponent's attack was no less than the full-force strike he had unleashed while simultaneously inflicting damage on Primordial Azure One.

This person looked only slightly older than him, and was definitely not an ordinary martial artist; he must be a genius from some family.

Given the current situation, the direct confrontation on the front lines naturally falls to Zuo Qiantao.

"Fine, I'll send both of you out of here today!"

Zhang Tianyang shouted sharply, realizing that he could not delay any longer, and immediately attacked with all his might, quickly Zuo Qiantao only able to parry.

But every time they were about to take a step further and defeat Zuo Qiantao, they would be startled back by Yu Tunzhou's impending surprise attack.

After several attempts, he glared angrily at Yu Tunzhou.

But the latter was extremely cautious; he would advance and retreat as needed, and retreat and advance as needed.

At this moment, Zuo Qiantao suddenly said, "If you keep going like this, I'm really going to be worn out by him!"

People who ignore the saying "Yu Tunzhou" are usually able to hold out for a little longer.

Zhang Tianyang seized an opportunity and launched a fierce attack on Zuo Qiantao, attempting to break the deadlock first, but a sense of crisis returned from behind.

This time, Zhang Tianyang was determined. He came prepared, wearing a suit of armor. What could a martial artist who had just entered the Form Refinement and whose Qi and Blood had not yet reached their full potential do to him, even if he was wielding a long sword?!

"Die!" Zhang Tianyang slammed his palm down on Zuo Qiantao's head, the air whistling as it struck.

Zuo Qiantao managed to dodge, but was still struck on the shoulder by the palm, instantly forced to kneel down on one knee, the sound of bones cracking clearly audible.

Seeing this, Zhang Tianyang grinned maliciously. So what if Immortal Seed? The advantage of Immortal Foundation lies mainly in the Dao-Bestowed Divine Ability. Unfortunately, Zuo Qiantao's Divine Ability are those bestowed by creation and have no offensive capabilities!

Today, you still have to kneel before him!

Zuo Qiantao gritted his teeth and glared angrily, only to see Zhang Tianyang suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood. His expression changed drastically, with shock, anger, panic, and disbelief all rushing to his head.

What incredible Fist Intent this is?!

Yu Tunzhou had been waiting for this attack for a long time. The attack had been circulating for forty-nine times in the Great Spirit Courtyard. Apart from taking too long, this attack really had no flaws.

Like a waterfall cascading down after gathering its full power, Yu Tunzhou unleashed a torrent of Inner Qi. Black and white energy appeared around him, and his already peak Fist Intent surged by another ten percent, truly unleashing his full power!

The punch was thrown out without any fancy moves or variations; it was simply a powerful, intense Fist Intent aimed directly at Zhang Tianyang's back!

Even though he was wearing armor that reduced some of the force, Zhang Tianyang still coughed up blood, with only one thought in his mind: he had fallen into a trap!

This person's Blood Qi and qi are not yet fully formed, but like Zuo Qiantao, he possesses Immortal Foundation and is also equipped with offensive and defensive Divine Ability Divine Ability. He had been concealing his abilities until now, when he finally made his move!

He tried to move, but a mouthful of blood gushed from his mouth, mixed with fragments.

But this punch struck his back, causing his Blood Qi to go out of control Blood Qi Furnace dissipate.

What kind of Divine Ability is this? It can actually severely injure him despite him being at both the Lesser and Greater Completion stages of cultivation?!

Zuo Qiantao didn't let this opportunity pass. He roared and clapped his hands together, striking Zhang Tianyang's ears squarely.

Amidst the violent tremors, Zhang Tianyang's mind went completely blank.

Zuo Qiantao did not stop, delivering three more blows in succession, causing Zhang Tianyang to bleed from all seven orifices and his body to stiffen before he finally stopped.

At this moment, Yu Tunzhou picked up the longsword he had just abandoned and pierced Zhang Tianyang's head.

Seeing this, Zuo Qiantao's body gradually went limp. He knelt on the ground, breathing rapidly, but forced himself to speak, "My name is Zuo Qiantao. May I ask your name, friend, and which family you come from?"

Yu Tunzhou confirmed that Zhang Tianyang was dead. He drew his sword and pondered that he really needed to learn about weaponry, at least to know himself and his enemy.

Before you ask me where I'm from, don't you first explain your own background?

He looked at Zuo Qiantao, observing his injuries, and remained vigilant.

The world of martial arts is dangerous; be careful, your opponent may still have the power to retaliate!

Zuo Qiantao looked visibly surprised, as if he had never expected that the other party would not know his background after hearing his name.

He gave Yu Tunzhou a deep look and said, "I am from the Jingjiang Zuo Household."

"Jingjiang?" Yu Tunzhou thought of a certain dragon girl who liked to dress as a man. "Jingjiang Commandery near Dongting Lake?"

"Exactly!"

Yu Tunzhou stopped beating around the bush and asked directly, "Is this the Southern Heavenly Gate, the former site of the Heavenly Court?"

"That's right."

Yu Tunzhou frowned inwardly. Was this really the Heavenly Court?

He pondered for a moment and asked, "Are there many people here?"

Where exactly did Master Lu send his gift?

Zuo Qiantao: "----Not many. This area has just emerged; we're here for a preliminary exploration."

"Are you Immortal Seed?" Yu Tunzhou's gaze fell on Zuo Qiantao, and he asked in confusion, "Is this guy also one?"

Based on what I learned in Luofu Grotto-Heaven, even in major Martial Dao sects and Daoist and Buddha courts, Immortal Seed individuals should be among the most outstanding geniuses of their generation.

Zuo Qiantao explained, "I am a member of the Zuo Household's Immortal Seed. This person is named Zhang Tianyang, a genius martial artist from the Guanhai Zhang Clan. Although he is not Immortal Seed lineage member, he is still a candidate on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, and his strength is a level above mine. I was caught off guard and was able to launch a sneak attack. In addition, my Dao-Bestowed Divine Ability are not suited for combat, which is why I was no match for him."

Yu Tunzhou nodded; it made sense.

He looked at the world around him, and already had some guesses in his mind.

Time was running out, and Zuo Qiantao's face grew paler. He said in a deep voice, "Friend, you don't need to be too cautious. Anyone who can enter this place through the Ascension Platform, even if they conceal their identity, will eventually have their true identity discovered."

Ascension Platform?

Seeing the fleeting doubt in Yu Tunzhou's expression, Zuo Qiantao exclaimed, "You didn't come from the Ascension Platform?!"

Yu Tunzhou frowned and asked, "I see you still have something on your mind, so from now on, I'll ask you questions and you answer, understand?"

Zuo Qiantao gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! Ask away! Hurry up, I can't hold on much longer! That bastard poisoned his blade! After you're done, you have to do me a favor!"

"If you die here, you won't die outside, right?"

"That's right! Our true bodies are all outside; what has descended here is our Primordial Spirit. This physical body, along with our clothing and weapons, is constructed from the principles of law, and our strength and other aspects are consistent with those outside."

Yu Tunzhou frowned. He had suspected something from the conversation between the two guys, and now he was right.

Doesn't this mean he'll have to kill those two people again when he's out there?

Why have you come here?

"We are standing on the ruins of the Heavenly Court Heavenly Court, which were lost in the Sea of Void Turbulence. Only at specific times can we sense them through the Earth Immortal Ascension Platform. We have come here to explore the ruins and search for ancient artifacts."

Yu Tunzhou suddenly said, "Could there be Xuan Profound Qi of the rank of the Nine Heavens Clear Qi here?"

While there are no specific ranks for Profound Qi, there are still levels of quality.

For example, the Heaven and Earth Clear Qi is considered the lowest grade.

The Nine Heavens Clear Qi, the Nine Netherworlds Tribulation Qi, and Martial Fortune that he had heard of before were all top-tier Profound Qi.

"Indeed! The Fairy Reflecting Moon of [Jade Pool] explored a Heavenly Court ruin and ultimately forged Ancient Method Immortal Foundation!"

"So, you mean, we can take these things out?" Yu Tunzhou's gaze involuntarily drifted to the plaque of the Southern Heavenly Gate. Noticing his gaze, Zuo Qiantao's lips twitched. "The premise that you can take them out is that you can lift them. That thing is the plaque of the Heavenly Court. Don't even mention you, even if External Scenery came, he couldn't do anything about it!"

The Yu Tunzhou, its eyes filled with regret.

How do I leave this place?

"Death, or—" Zuo Qiantao's gaze turned complicated as he looked at him, "Those who possess Heavenly Court Fragment can come and go at any time, as long as it's not during the period shrouded in mist."

What is the fog?

Zuo Qiantao pointed into the distance, where everything seemed to end in darkness. "That's it."

"Remember, even if you die, you must kill yourself, not be swallowed by it!"

Yu Tunzhou nodded with a serious expression and said, "Since you're cooperating quite well, tell me, what is your unfulfilled wish?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Qiantao turned cold. "I want you to catch up with the group ahead as soon as possible and tell Heroine Feng that Zhang Tianyang and the others have conspired with Deng Canglan!"

"Heroine Feng? What's her full name?" Yu Tunzhou pondered. "Or what does she look like?"

Zuo Qiantao stared at him blankly, muttering, "Friend, you really are a disciple of a reclusive sect? Has your lineage not had any contact with the outside world for nearly twenty years?"

Yu Tunzhou asked in bewilderment, "Is this woman really that famous? I just didn't know, yet you were able to sense that I come from a reclusive family?"

Zuo Qiantao said in a deep voice, "The heroine Fengyan Lengfeng, at the age of sixteen, had already mastered the Chain Form and entered the top forty of the Human Ranking. Now, at seventeen, she has perfected the Chain Form and entered the top ten of the Human Ranking, becoming famous throughout the world!"

"You don't even know her? You're either from a reclusive family or a novice martial artist with no background whatsoever!"

"Judging from your attack just now, the Form Refinement wasn't even fully formed, yet it possessed the power of a strike approaching the Form Refinement Perfection. You must also be Immortal Seed, right? Was that the power of Divine Ability ability?"

Yu Tunzhou pondered for a moment and said, "You only mentioned the top ten, so it must be tenth, right?"

Zuo Qiantao coughed up a mouthful of blood. His injuries were not under control, and his breath became increasingly critical. He glared angrily at Yu Tunzhou.

After saying all that, where did this guy's focus go?!

"Who exactly are you from, and do you actually possess [Heavenly Court Fragment]?"

Zuo Qiantao asked weakly, feeling as if he had died with his eyes wide open in dismay.

Yu Tunzhou closed his eyes and comforted him, "Hurry up and go, I still need to catch up with the people ahead and deliver your message."

Zuo Qiantao's voice grew even lower, but he still forced himself to say, "You're too cautious. I bet you won't rush forward; you'll definitely stay behind and pick up the scraps. But you need to hurry. This time, we've discovered the plaque for the High Heaven Treasure Hall ahead. You reminded Heroine Feng; knowing her personality, she definitely won't treat you unfairly—"

"Also, if you truly possess a [Heavenly Court Fragment], remember, don't foolishly die! Because you entered it in your true form, not your Primordial Spirit— "

"Besides----"

"Be careful—others—who possess [Heavenly Court Fragment]—"

Yu Tunzhou looked surprised, not expecting that this person, who had only worked with him briefly, had already made a preliminary judgment on his character.

And even on his deathbed, he kept reminding him—could this be—a good person?

In addition, the High Heaven Treasure Hall?

After confirming that Zuo Qiantao was indeed dead, he stood up and looked towards the Southern Heavenly Gate.

An ancient Ascension Platform.

The only known ancient Heavenly Court site in the world.

A man with an imposing presence suddenly turned around, looked at his awakened nephew, and laughed, "Died once?"

Zuo Qiantao gave a wry smile, subconsciously touched his waist, and then looked in a certain direction.

The man noticed his subtle movements and smiled knowingly. It seemed the key wound was on his waist; whoever did it was no longer important.

"Since you've died once, then you've gained something," the man laughed. "Remember how you died today, and don't repeat the same mistake in the future."

In his view, exploring the ruins of the Heavenly Court is extremely difficult to succeed in, and it has nothing to do with strength, but rather with fate.

If you're not destined for it, no matter if you're External Scenery or Dharma Aspect, you'll still return empty-handed from the Heavenly Court.

But truly dying once is an experience that few people in this world will have twice.

Zuo Qiantao took a deep breath, and once he regained his composure, recalling the person he had last encountered, he quickly said, "Third Uncle, I met someone who seems to possess a [Heavenly Court Fragment]!"

"Oh?" The man's expression turned serious. "Since you say so, does that mean you don't recognize this person?"

All the Heavenly Court Fragment in the world are destined, and those who possess the Heavenly Court Fragment are considered by men to be "Predestination persons," who will sooner or later gain something from the ruins of the Heavenly Court.

Zuo Qiantao described the final events in detail, along with his own speculations.

The man narrowed his eyes. "His strength hasn't reached the Form Refinement Lesser Accomplishment yet?"

Zuo Qiantao nodded. He had never seen Yu Tunzhou's Blood Qi twist into a single strand, unless he had been hiding his strength all along.

The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "When he made his move, was he skilled in boxing?"

At this moment, Zuo Qiantao couldn't help but recall a certain instant from just now, and his expression suddenly turned serious. "This person's Fist Intent flashed by, but the feeling it gave me was extremely high!"

Seemingly feeling that this description wasn't precise enough, he added, "Extremely, extremely high!"

"Then I roughly guess who he is." The man sighed and murmured, "So Lu Huaiqing's [Heavenly Court Fragment] was given to this boy? Hmm—if the rumors are true, this boy is indeed a suitable match."

"Lu Huaiqing?" Zuo Qiantao's expression suddenly changed. "He's Yu Tunzhou? The Yu Tunzhou who dared to question the Fist Martial Ancestor in Luofu Grotto-Heaven?!"

The man chuckled and said, "There are only a few Heavenly Court Fragment; it's most likely this one."

Zuo Qiantao suddenly became eager to try, saying, "This guy is still all alone, hasn't he joined any family yet? Why don't we, the Zuo Household, find him and recruit him!"

"Third Uncle, I'm the only one with Immortal Seed in our Zuo Household this generation. I often feel like I can't support the whole family alone!"

The man was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Two months ago, I would have fully agreed with you. But now, I can only say that you, Zuo Qiantao, can do this, but the Zuo Household cannot."

Zuo Qiantao looked puzzled.

The man sighed softly, "The new Three Rankings of Heaven, Earth, and Man will be released soon. You'll find out then."