The More He Thought About Taking a Step Back, the Angrier He Got

Zhang Xuezhou had a remarkable skill when he leaped into the air: he could change direction and turn around like a bird.

If it's a fixed distance and speed is the deciding factor, his ability isn't very useful. But if it involves pursuit and the area is large enough, he can fly very freely.

After passing through the Bifeng layer of the Immortal Court for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Zhang Xuezhou was already thinking about how to get back.

He was extremely satisfied with obtaining the Investiture of the Gods Ruyi of the Celestial Venerable Yuanshi so easily, even though he hadn't gotten the Investiture of the Gods. He felt that good fortune had finally descended upon him.

"Heavenly Venerable One, where are you?"

Zhang Xuezhou glanced behind him.

It wouldn't be good to completely shake them off after changing directions so quickly; there was no one behind Zhang Xuezhou.

He was standing high in the sky, and although he could use the sun, moon and stars to distinguish east, west and south, it was useless without any reference points.

In short, Zhang Xuezhou got lost in his attempt to shake off Celestial Venerable Yuanshi, and had no idea where he had ended up, let alone how to return to the Lingxiao Secret Land that kept the teleportation system running.

"Never renege on your debt!"

Zhang Xuezhou mentally complained a few times, but he could only land and seek landmarks for reference before rushing back to the Southern Heavenly Gate of Mount Tai.

As for whether Celestial Venerable Yuanshi will renege on his debt, it's hard to say. After all, he has met many great cultivators, and none of them are willing to suffer such a loss in silence.

"I only managed to get one of Li Changgeng's Demonic Sound Technique; my luck shouldn't have run out so quickly!"

Zhang Xuezhou comforted himself for a few moments before his body plummeted downwards like a shooting star.

Lush, verdant jungle came into view, and swarms of mosquitoes emerged from it, making Zhang Xuezhou feel as if he had entered a remote, uninhabited area in the south.

After searching for a while, Zhang Xuezhou only had a vague impression in his mind.

"I think I've flown to the southwestern border; this place seems very close to Divine Lord Zhenyuan's Soul-Severing Ridge!"

After Zhang Xuezhou's intelligence was awakened, his rigid memory became extremely strong. He would feel familiarity with the areas he passed through and could even completely replicate the memory of what he had first seen.

After repeatedly adjusting his bearings and flying several times, Zhang Xuezhou finally saw the familiar Broken Soul Ridge, which allowed him to quickly set a landmark.

Is Master Zhenyuan home?

Flying to the door of a familiar friend's house, Zhang Xuezhou waved and called out.

Zhang Xuezhou hadn't held out much hope, but to his surprise, the Daoist temple in Broken Soul Ridge appeared, and the voice of Divine Lord Zhenyuan came from the temple.

"Come in!"

"Hey, I'm just passing by and saying hello, I have to get back soon!"

"Come in!"

Zhang Xuezhou waved and greeted them before drifting into the Daoist temple.

What's wrong with you?

Once inside the Daoist temple, Zhang Xuezhou discovered that Divine Lord Zhenyuan was lying on his side on a simple wooden bed, his face somewhat ashen.

"What's wrong with me? I don't know what's wrong with me. I listened to you and went to Xiniu Hezhou, and then I paid a polite visit to the Western Sect," Divine Lord Zhenyuan complained to Zhang Xuezhou.

"Then what?"

"Then those two scruffy monks were very rude. One of them hit me with his prayer beads, which I caught with a flick of my sleeve. But then the other monk hit me on the back with a tree branch. If I hadn't managed to retaliate and my flying technique hadn't been superior, I probably would have been killed by the Western Sect!"

Divine Lord Zhenyuan harbored a deep resentment, but being outmatched and facing a double attack, he had no choice but to accept the loss.

The attempt to communicate backfired, and Divine Lord Zhenyuan ended up being beaten up, eventually lying in the secret place to recuperate.

"I originally wanted to seek your help to heal my injuries, but your whereabouts are unpredictable. I went to Chang'an City but couldn't find you, so I had to hurry back to rely on Spiritual Qi to nourish myself," Divine Lord Zhenyuan said sullenly. "Now that you've come, it's good that you can help heal me, so I don't have to lie in bed for three months!"

Searching for Zhang Xuezhou is obviously unreliable, as it often takes half a month or a month, and if you're unlucky, it might take even longer. Divine Lord Zhenyuan returned to Duanhun Ridge very quickly and relied on the Spiritual Qi energy of Duanhun Ridge to recuperate.

His body was now well-nourished by Spiritual Qi, and he was not afraid of Zhang Xuezhou's Technique Method eroding or damaging his body. He would just need to adjust himself if he felt weak.

"That scruffy monk is really ruthless!"

Zhang Xuezhou flipped open the back of Divine Lord Zhenyuan's clothes and saw that Divine Lord Zhenyuan's back was covered in tattoos that looked almost like a tree. He couldn't help but feel lingering fear, realizing Zhunti the leader of the Zhunti Sect was quite ruthless in dealing with outsiders who coveted the Heart Sutra.

If you didn't have some skill, the Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree would have killed you if it had hit you.

"I'm furious!" said Divine Lord Zhenyuan. "I've thought it over and over, and I feel that I could never beat those two in this lifetime. I can only swallow this anger and wait for them to die of old age. Anyway, they don't have many years left to live, and I won't argue with the dead!"

"Then you'll have to wait. The Emperor and the two Western leaders are currently making Immortality Elixir. Taking the elixir will allow you to live for at least another five hundred years," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"It seems that taking a step back didn't lead to a brighter future; instead, it just made me angrier!"

Divine Lord Zhenyuan muttered a sullen complaint, feeling extremely upset by the news about Zhang Xuezhou.

Divine Lord Zhenyuan is a magnanimous person. Even when his hand was bitten by Nine Spirits Primal Sage, he could still smile slightly. It seems that he has suffered a lot of humiliation at the hands of the Western Sect.

"It's understandable that older people can be irritable," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Even when my lifespan was nearly over, I didn't have such a fiery temper," Divine Lord Zhenyuan said with dissatisfaction. "They just have terrible tempers!"

"If you really can't swallow this anger, you can go play as the striker, and I'll provide support. If you lose, come here to heal, and once you're healed, go back and beat them up again," Zhang Xuezhou suggested.

"I understand this tactic of 'enduring the heat' (or 'burning the fire'). We have a chance to team up and give them a good beating. We have to get our revenge. It's one thing for them not to discuss things with me, but chasing after me and attacking me is just too much!"

Divine Lord Zhenyuan complained repeatedly, expressing his considerable dissatisfaction with the two leaders of the Western Sect.

He could accept not discussing or debating with each other, but he couldn't accept being targeted and ruthlessly turned on at the drop of a hat. It was only because he was capable enough that he hadn't ended up being beaten to death.

Zhang Xuezhou remained loyal as always, which pleased Divine Lord Zhenyuan greatly, and he felt the pent-up frustration in his chest subside significantly.

At the same time, the wound on his back that had not healed for a long time began to feel numb and itchy, and normal sensation finally returned to his body.

"That Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree is crafted from seven precious gems: Gengjin Bodhi, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, giant clam shell, red pearl, and agate. It can brush away and destroy anything, but that's its weakness. At least it can't brush away my Heaven and Earth Sleeves," said Divine Lord Zhenyuan. "To avoid being brushed by his Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree, simply discard the treasures before being brushed, and you'll ensure minimal damage to your body!"

"You have to experience this treasure firsthand to understand its mysteries. In the past, Master Zhunti used it to fight indiscriminately, and even those who died, though aware of the flaws, couldn't point them out. Only someone with your exceptional skill could discern his weaknesses!"

"I'll try again later. Sooner or later, I'll teach them a lesson for their methods... and make them pay!"

Just as Divine Lord Zhenyuan was about to vent his pent-up anger, his body tensed up, and he quickly stood up. He then made a Method Formula, and the bells tied to the Daoist temple rang repeatedly, giving the entire temple an extra layer of shimmering light.

"Those two Unrelenting Vengeful Spirit old killers, they actually found their way here!"

Divine Lord Zhenyuan's face was solemn. He raised his sleeves, intending to find a place to launch a sneak attack, when he heard a voice coming from outside the Daoist temple.

"You damned Shuo Xian, you've delayed me for the time it takes to drink four cups of tea! Now that you're trapped in the formation, do you need me to rescue you?"

The voice of the Celestial Venerable Yuanshi rang out outside the formation. Divine Lord Zhenyuan looked surprised and couldn't help but glance at Zhang Xuezhou again, wondering when Zhang Xuezhou had met a top-level cultivator.