The outside world was full of chaos, with challengers flooding in.
But Zhao Xing had already completed the procedures for moving into Coral City. He stored away his Swift Straw Puppet and entered the inner world of Gu Luohe to cultivate.
This was the sixth cultivation ground within Gu Luohe's inner world.
Withered bamboo leaves blanketed the ground. A wild wind blew through, sending dead leaves flying and revealing the hard rocky terrain underneath.
The bamboo—yellowed and tilted in all directions—had completely lost its vitality.
Standing at the mountain's peak, Zhao Xing spread out both his Dao Field and Origin Space, covering the entire mountain.
In the next moment, the aura of life began to revive from the mountain.
The once-black mountain surface gradually became covered in green. A vibrant vitality seemed to paint the whole world in a layer of brilliance.
As time passed, bamboo shoots burst out from the rocky soil, erupting with a shocking life force. Some even launched the mountain rocks into the sky.
Those rocks eventually hovered somewhere far above, forming the vague outline of Gu Luohe's figure.
"Zhao Xing."
"Teacher."
Zhao Xing stopped what he was doing upon hearing the voice and looked up toward the sky.
Gu Luohe said, "The second step of the Life Dao—Revival of Life—you've fully grasped it. There's no need to stay here any longer."
Zhao Xing replied, "It's all thanks to your excellent guidance, Teacher. Using Golden Horn Bamboo to demonstrate the explosive force of the Life Dao made it much easier for me to comprehend."
"You're like a master painter of life, and these Golden Horn Bamboos are your preaching brushstrokes."
Bamboo-based plant soldiers had tremendous explosive force, making them excellent references for cultivating the Life Dao.
However, ordinary bamboo lifeforms could never provide such clear insight.
Because the myriad phenomena of the universe, when it enters the Ten Thousand Manifestations Phase, cloak the true essence of the Great Dao in layers of superficial appearances.
During this phase, no matter how talented the cultivator, their speed of comprehension could never compare to those who cultivated during the Primordial Phase, the origin stage of all things.
Only beings like Gu Luohe, capable of altering the essence of life itself—stripping away the illusion of worldly complexity—could allow one to see the essence of the Dao so directly.
That was why Zhao Xing said the bamboo that Gu Luohe planted were like Dao-paintings from a sage-artist.
"Go to the seventh cultivation site," Gu Luohe ignored Zhao Xing's flattery, and with that, transported him to the next training ground.
"Thank you, Teacher."
After 1,776 years, Zhao Xing had grown quite used to this.
Gu Luohe never wasted a single word unless it pertained to cultivation.
"Arriving at the seventh cultivation ground… that must mean it's time to comprehend the third step of the Life Dao."
"I wonder what this third step will be."
Zhao Xing looked around at the new environment.
Below was a perfectly circular patch of land, about three Realm Star Units in size, entirely planted with Seven-Colored Flowers.
As the wind blew past, the sea of seven-colored blossoms swayed gently, then began to collapse in large swathes.
Once the flowers fell, they immediately withered.
Then a brighter wave of blossoms took their place, shimmering briefly before also toppling.
Eventually, only one Seven-Colored Flower remained at the very center of the circular land.
All other parts had lost their color.
"Three Realm Star Units worth of Seven-Colored Flowers… and in the end, only this one remains?"
Zhao Xing immediately landed at the center, unfurled his Dao Field and Origin Projection, and began to comprehend.
Three years later, Zhao Xing—who hadn't moved an inch—stood up and walked away from the Seven-Colored Flower.
"My current Mixed-Origin World is only about 2.5 Realm Star Units in size—it can't fully cover this area yet."
"It's impossible to decipher anything meaningful from this miraculous phenomenon."
"Oh well, I'll leave for now and digest the battle points I've accumulated."
Zhao Xing took out his identity token and immediately exited Gu Luohe's inner world.
Ever since becoming a Coral-Rank member, Zhao Xing had moved into another place—Coral City.
The Primordial Divine Tree had nine massive leaves in total. Coral City was located on the central leaf of the tree.
Zhao Xing's Swift Straw Puppet had accumulated about 3.7 billion points, and now was the time to make use of them.
"Three-point-seven billion points… I've pretty much exhausted all the benefits I could gain at this stage. Unless my identity rank increases further, there won't be any short-term resources left that can yield real results."
Above Coral City, there was another well-known residential zone—Thousand Stars City.
It corresponded to two identity ranks: Thousand Stars Member and Primordial Envoy.
The Thousand Stars Member title came from the Thousand Stars Vine wrapped around the Primordial Divine Tree.
Most Thousand Stars Members were Reincarnation Realm cultivators. Only a few were in the Dao Domain Realm.
As for Primordial Envoys, they were at least Emperor-level Reincarnation Realm cultivators, and had to possess a level of excellence recognized by their peers in order to earn the title.
Even the Five Venom Emperor was only a Ninth-Tier Thousand Stars Member—because he wasn't the only Emperor-tier cultivator skilled in toxic-type seeds.
But there was no second Zuo Qiyu.
As for figures like Gu Luohe, they didn't need identity ranks at all—their very name was a rank.
[Coral-Rank Member Zhao Xing, you have spent 3.7 billion points to set a two-hundred-year closed cultivation plan.]
[This expenditure includes the purchase of tangible resources and a unique cultivation location.]
[Based on your application, you will now enter 'Do Not Disturb' mode. Even if you enter public cultivation zones such as the Hundred-Fathom Void, no one will be able to detect you.]
[Please confirm execution.]
"Confirm."
The moment Zhao Xing confirmed through the Star Mirror—
"Buzz—"
A flash of silver light descended from the sky as Emperor Chenjiu arrived.
"Greetings, Emperor Chenjiu."
Zhao Xing cupped his hands in salute.
Emperor Chenjiu waved casually and handed over a ring. "Here's what you asked for. For the next two hundred years, I'll oversee your training schedule."
"Thank you, Emperor."
Zhao Xing reached out and took it.
From this point on, he would enter single-user mode. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to disturb his cultivation. Even if he went to places like the Primordial Dao Repository, the Hundred-Fathom Void, or the Primordial Sea, no one would be able to see or bother him.
Unless someone had a rank even higher than Emperor Chenjiu.
Of course, Emperor Chenjiu's presence wasn't just for shielding him from interruption.
Among the 3.7 billion points Zhao Xing spent, a large portion went toward consumable resources.
Taking too many resources in a short period could still lead to dangerous side effects—but with a differentiated form of the Great Derivation Divine Weapon, Emperor Chenjiu, guarding him, there would be no issues.
"Emperor, I'll begin now."
"Mm." Emperor Chenjiu nodded slightly.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, two hundred years had gone by.
On a top-tier solar star within the Primordial World, an ice coffin floated in the solar flames.
With a wave of his hand, Emperor Chenjiu called the coffin out of the fiery current, and Zhao Xing emerged from within.
"Zhao Xing, your cultivation schedule is complete," Emperor Chenjiu said. "I'll no longer oversee your cultivation."
"Thank you, Emperor."
Zhao Xing bowed again. In the next instant, Emperor Chenjiu vanished.
In the new Huailiu Courtyard of Coral City—
Zhao Xing opened his panel to check his current status.
[Name: Zhao Xing]
[Realm: Grand Divine Ability Realm]
[Occupation: Shennong]
[Dao Field: Solar Tier Seven]
[Soul: Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm]
[Fortune: Derivation Thirteen (enhanced two tiers by Five Emperor Coin)]
[Age: 6,210]
[Remaining Lifespan: 2.9 Eras]
"Solar Tier Seven… my Dao Field has finally gotten stronger." Zhao Xing looked at the level displayed on his Dao Field, visibly relieved.
Previously, it was because his Dao Field was too weak that he'd never been able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top prodigies of the Primordial Assembly.
Now, Zhao Xing had finally caught up in Dao Field development, standing side by side with elite talents.
As the Dao Field grew stronger, the World Law Yin-Yang Separation also evolved.
[Yin-Yang Separation: Grand Divine Ability Tier Seven]
[Five Finger Mountain: Grand Divine Ability Tier Seven]
[Great Yang Revival: Grand Divine Ability Tier Three]
[Swift Straw Puppet: Grand Divine Ability Tier Three]
[Great Dream Marsh: Grand Divine Ability Tier Three]
[Stem Duel Immortal: Grand Divine Ability Tier Three]
[Perfect-Level Lesser Divine Abilities: Slaughter Mind Blade, Treasure Mountain Divine Ability, Essence-Scraping Divine Ability, Obscure Purple Light of Eight Eras, Three Divinities Destiny Palace, Soul Heavenly Sight, Divine Fire Turtle Transformation, Five Elements Heavenly Kitchen]
[Mixed-Origin World: Second Layer, 2% progress]
"Six Grand Divine Abilities—and five of them are core techniques of the Self School, covering Mind Field Laws, World Laws, Variant Laws, and Straw Puppet Laws."
"The Mixed-Origin World has also reached the second layer. My Origin Space now exceeds fifty Realm Star Units."
"At this point, my path of the 'Self' is almost fully formed. All I need now is to add a single auxiliary-type Variant Law, and I'll be complete."
"The framework's built. What's left is refinement."
"I can also start working on building the frameworks for the other two schools."
Zhao Xing contemplated silently.
Earthly Advantage Laws were manageable—at least he had Five Finger Mountain holding the fort. But the Dao of Heavenly Timing? It was tragic.
He didn't even have one Grand Divine Ability. Only three Lesser Divine Abilities were relevant: Divine Fire Turtle Transformation, Obscure Purple Light of Eight Eras, and Five Elements Heavenly Kitchen.
Of those, the second was an auxiliary-type divine ability, and the third was a food-based supplemental technique.
So among the three schools, both his Dao of Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage Law systems didn't even have their basic structures in place.
"My soul is at Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm. My Will Divine Ability is guarded by Great Dream Marsh, and I can easily command the Swift Straw Puppet techniques. I don't need to worry about anything for now."
"I can afford to multitask and try to integrate the three school paths."
"It's now the 1,976th year since I entered the Primordial World. Emperor Hongshan should've arrived by now."
"That means… I can now break through the first layer of Extreme Land."
The first layer of Extreme Land was something Zhao Xing had bought long ago in the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom. Back then, he never had a chance to cultivate it, but now things were different.
"Concentrate spirit to form a vein."
"Draw the vein into the body."
"Extreme Vein takes shape."
With just a few breaths, Zhao Xing extracted a Realm Star-level Earth Vein and drew it into his body, letting it fuse with the Spirit Qi Nebula.
"The first layer of Extreme Land... the spiritual vein flows through my entire divine body. Even my breathing rhythm has changed. It's like the earth itself is breathing through me."
"Too bad the royal family of Yuanhai isn't giving me back the tuition."
Once someone mastered the first layer of Extreme Land, they could apply to study at the Primordial Hill of the Beginning.
The royal family of Yuanhai would then refund the tuition—and even throw in a bonus.
Zhao Xing clearly remembered—Extreme Land had cost him a hefty sum.
"If the first layer of Extreme Land is mastered, and a Dao Domain Realm member of the Primordial Hill is nearby, they'll immediately sense it—and each of them is obligated to become that person's guide."
Extreme Land itself comes with a unique Earth Connectivity Secret Method, and the moment it's cultivated, it automatically sends out a broadcast, spreading far and wide through Realm Stars and continental Earth Veins.
"I've already ended the single-user seclusion mode. Emperor Chenjiu left long ago."
"Even if the Primordial World's formation is tight and no one else can detect it, someone like Emperor Hongshan would still pick up on it."
At that moment, Zhao Xing also lifted the Star Mirror's concealment.
Primordial Divine Tree, left leaf, Thousand Star City—inside one of the leaf pod spaces—
Emperor Hongshan sat on a floating platform in the southeast corner, with his disciple Tao Yang behind him.
Opposite him sat Emperor Tianwu, the lead figure from this session's Origin Heaven Palace delegation, and the palace's young martial prodigy, Du Yun.
In the central host seats sat the representatives of the Primordial World: the Five Venom Emperor, Zuo Qiyu, and Emperor Chenjiu.
The Reincarnation Hall, Scholarly City, and the Ancient Kingdom Alliance of the Barren Domain also had their own representatives present.
At this moment, though, everyone was ganging up verbally on Emperor Tianwu from the Origin Heaven Palace.
"Emperor Tianwu, our Ancient Kingdom Alliance of the Barren Domain agrees to select top talents from all sides for a decisive duel. The outcome of that duel will determine how rights are distributed."
"However, we can't go by the age limit you've set," one of the kingdom rulers spoke. "I believe the participants should be no older than eighty thousand."
"Exactly. If we go by the one hundred thousand age cap Emperor Tianwu suggested, that would be unfair."
"What's the difference between eighty thousand and one hundred thousand?" Emperor Tianwu said with a casual smile. "What exactly are you all getting hung up on?"
The two ancient kingdom rulers shut up immediately, while Emperor Hongshan gave a faint smile.
The difference between eighty thousand and one hundred thousand was the difference between whether or not Du Yun could participate.
Emperor Tianwu was clearly forcing everyone to say it outright—that they were afraid of Du Yun joining. This gave Origin Heaven Palace an enormous sense of pride.
But those kingdom rulers weren't fools. Talking about it casually was one thing, but saying it outright now would be the same as publicly acknowledging Du Yun as the number one genius of the Barren Domain across two eras.
Number one or not—it was all just public gossip. Even if it was true, the official line couldn't admit it—especially not during a time when they were fighting over rights and interests.
"Everyone, we need to come to a conclusion," Emperor Tianwu said blandly. "We've talked about this for a long time. Right now, this idea is the most reasonable way to resolve the dispute."
"If we let the higher-ups fight it out, it could easily lead to deaths. The destruction would be too great."
"If things go wrong, what should be a win-win might turn into a lose-lose."
"Having geniuses compete, and letting the winner claim a bit more of the resources—that's perfectly reasonable. It proves that we haven't wasted what we've been given. This isn't the time to play the balancing game."
"Emperor Tianwu, if you want to talk, talk. Don't drag it off-topic."
The Reincarnation Hall's representative, Emperor Yuanding, looked displeased. This guy—was he stirring the pot or playing both sides?
"Our Scholarly City won't participate in the competition. We're just here as observers," said an elder in scholar's robes, holding a book and making his stance clear.
"Silence!" The Five Venom Emperor suddenly knocked on the table and shouted, "You've all been arguing for dozens of rounds already. It's time we heard what the host thinks."
"I think Emperor Tianwu's suggestion makes sense. It's reasonable."
Emperor Tianwu gave the Five Venom Emperor a curious look.
Some of the other ancient kingdom rulers exchanged glances. Their kingdoms were more or less little brothers of the Red Star Empire, depending heavily on it. They'd come to this meeting primarily to oppose Origin Heaven Palace.
Now the Red Star Empire's representative, the Five Venom Emperor, had suddenly voiced support for Tianwu, catching them off guard.
Zuo Qiyu directly sent a voice transmission to the Five Venom Emperor, cursing him out: "Shut your damn mouth. What are you doing? You're here to be decoration, not to spout nonsense!"
"If you agree to this plan, and Du Yun ends up competing—who do you plan to send up against him? Don't you dare say You Beixuan."
"His martial talent might be decent, but he's still a level below Du Yun!"
The Five Venom Emperor replied quickly, "No, not him. We'll send Zhao Xing."
"You... ha." Zuo Qiyu gave a bitter laugh.
Seeing Zuo Qiyu's expression, the Five Venom Emperor quickly shared his idea. "Zhao Xing has mastered the Swift Straw Puppet, and you have the ability to control all puppets."
"This duel won't be under divine realm surveillance. If Zhao Xing goes onstage and uses the Swift Straw Puppet, and you control it from behind the scenes—what's there to fear from Du Yun?"
Zuo Qiyu paused in shock. So this wasn't about a fair fight—it was about cheating?
"It's doable, sure... but if things go south—"
The Five Venom Emperor immediately shook his head. "If you can get him a full set of source materials from the Void Ancestor Star System, what risk is there of getting caught?"
Zuo Qiyu blinked a few times, then said after a long pause, "You're still the shameless one."