"Yes." Zhao Xing followed Venerable Lanchuan up from the valley floor, a bit nervous.
Once they reached the top, Venerable Lanchuan glanced at Yu Ying. "You come too."
"Yes." Yu Ying obediently followed but couldn't help glancing at Zhao Xing again. She thought to herself, 'Venerable Lanchuan is looking at him with such a gentle expression. For a Divine Officer to show such clear emotion—did this Emperor Chen'an really pass the two-hundred li trial?'
"Boom~"
Venerable Lanchuan waved his hand, and all three turned into green mist and moved underground.
It was the same tunneling technique, but Lanchuan's skill was clearly far superior.
While traveling underground, Zhao Xing and Yu Ying could see everything around them. The green tunneling barrier unfolded like a mirror in front of them, revealing the situation within one thousand li of the earth beneath. It became a multidimensional field of vision that neither of them could replicate.
But Zhao Xing had no time to be amazed. He focused on whether Venerable Lanchuan was leading them away from the direction of Moxuan City, afraid he might be taken elsewhere.
Luckily, he was just overthinking it. Venerable Lanchuan brought them straight to the temple district of Moxuan City.
"Moxuan City has five temples. The Temple of Yu is in the center, and the other four are located to the east, south, west, and north," Venerable Lanchuan said as they appeared in a green stone plaza.
"You may freely choose which Great Divine Officer's divine power baptism to receive."
Becoming a Sky Patrol Divine Guard granted the right to receive a divine power baptism, but not from Yu God. Only Celestial Divine Officers qualified to undergo the Yu God's baptism.
"The four Great Divine Officers are: the Craft God 'Yuanyuan,' the Martial God 'Dongjun,' the Sword God 'Kuangmeng,' and the Demon God 'Zhiguan.'"
"Zhiguan is a naturally born divine spirit. The Craft God is a forgemaster among mechanists. The Martial God Dongjun became a god through Qi refinement, and the Sword God Kuangmeng through the sword path."
"Each divine realm grants different effects during the baptism."
"Of course, the baptism duration for a Sky Patrol Divine Guard is short. Just being able to rebuild the body is already great."
Yu Ying had clearly already made her choice. She bowed to Lanchuan and said, "Lord Lan, I choose to receive the baptism from Great Divine Officer Zhiguan."
"Head to the western temple, then."
"Yes."
Zhao Xing had originally intended to choose Zhiguan as well. Being a natural divine spirit, her strength was acknowledged to surpass the other three.
Just like when he encountered the Jiao Yuan Snake in the Baihan Realm—special races were inherently stronger than others of the same level.
But unexpectedly, Venerable Lanchuan spoke up. "Chen'an, I suggest you choose the Martial God 'Dongjun's' divine power baptism."
"Venerable, why?"
Lanchuan said, "Your Dao Bone is fragile. You've never undergone a special breakthrough. Plus, your method of regenerating flesh is unusual. The further you go, the higher the demands on your bone structure."
"Choosing Dongjun's baptism might help offset some of that."
Zhao Xing realized Lanchuan truly seemed to have his best interests at heart. The Dual Cultivation Dream Technique tempered the bone using spiritual power to grow flesh. Weak bones meant nothing to work with.
Unless he walked the Martial Shennong path, bone strength didn't usually matter to a Shennong. But here, in the White Bone Divine Domain, having a strong bone structure was clearly beneficial.
"Thank you for the guidance, Venerable."
Zhao Xing turned and headed toward the eastern temple.
Wang Tianzhi stood at the stargazing platform, watching nine stars align in a straight line. He frowned and walked back to his desk. Following custom, he recorded the major events of the past one hundred years.
[Records of Xuanhuang · Entry Ninety-Seven]
[Since the black rain ended, three thousand two hundred years have passed.]
[Its landmass has expanded greatly. Countless cave-heavens and blessed lands have sprouted like mushrooms after the rain.]
[Over the last century, the sect world has seen more mysterious powerhouses emerge.]
[The former White Bone Divine Sect—home of the Purple Bone Venerable—produced a peerless figure calling himself 'Eastern Emperor.' He elevated the sect from first-class to one of the Ten Great Divine Sects and now covets Great Zhou.]
[In the Southern Wastes, a new assassin group appeared, called Tianle Mansion. It includes powerful dancers and musicians, skilled in assassination.]
[Over eight hundred new cave-heavens have been found, along with more than three thousand blessed lands.]
[The Netherworld continues to quake, and oddly, more plants have begun to appear…]
[Thankfully, a barrier seems to exist between these lands and the Xuanhuang Continent. The strongest known beings remain at the Reincarnation Realm.]
[Empress Ji Luoheng of Great Zhou took my advice and put off ascension. She is actively responding to these new threats.]
[I've heard that forces across the universe are clashing, seizing territory. Could they be invading Great Zhou?]
[I contacted Ji Si. He said all the answers already exist in dreams. Yet I can't tell if I'm in a dream or if the Xuanhuang Realm is truly evolving. I don't know what to believe. Sometimes I truly admire Yun Tiandao—he's held fast at the Dao Establishment Realm for so many years—]
Wang Tianzhi put down his pen, overcome by sudden drowsiness.
In his dream, Ji Si appeared.
"Lord Wang."
"Lord Ji."
After bowing to each other, Ji Si curiously asked, "Lord Wang, did you see the Grand Shennong back home?"
Wang Tianzhi looked confused. "Grand Shennong? What do you mean? Has the Grand Shennong returned to the Xuanhuang Realm?"
Ji Si said, "The Grand Shennong may have returned, but he could be in danger. I remember the Xuanhuang Realm has many unbreakable laws. Can you use the power of the current Human Emperor to find him?"
Wang Tianzhi stood up solemnly. "I'll go right away."
In the Xuanling Star Domain, within the Akastar Empire at Jiachen Pass—
Ji Si also awoke from the dream, his expression strange.
"Since the journey to the Baihan Realm, the Grand Shennong's main body left with a close friend to take care of something. It's been nearly four hundred years, and we haven't heard a word from him."
"But his avatars are fine. One is studying under Meishan Venerable at Primordial Hill. One is cultivating in the Origin Realm. One is traveling the nations studying Heavenly Timing spells. One is overseeing affairs at the Ancient Road of Extinguished Stars."
Normally, a Reincarnation-level cultivator disappearing for four centuries wouldn't be unusual in the Xuanling Star Domain.
But Ji Si had a gut feeling that Zhao Xing's real body was in trouble.
The avatars were behaving normally, and he wasn't dead. That meant the true body hadn't perished. But why hadn't it made contact?
"I've been secretly tracking the Grand Shennong's true body for years. His karma is protected by the Celestial Master Sect. Now that I've completed tempering through the Four Realms and reached the Reincarnation Realm, I've discovered that his real body went to the outer edge of the Shenluo Wildlands."
"Did he go back to the Xuanhuang Realm? But Wang Tianzhi didn't see him. Something's off. If he went back, why wouldn't he tell me?"
"Did he sneak back? Is something else going on?"
Ji Si frowned, fingers moving rapidly in calculation. Eventually his palms were torn and bloody, but still he found no answer.
"I'm too weak… and I still don't know what the Grand Shennong is suffering."
"So good…"
Zhao Xing lifted his head and nearly moaned in pleasure.
In the Dongjun Temple of Moxuan City, golden light poured from the eyes of a massive god statue.
The golden rain hit Zhao Xing's facial bones.
"Sssss~"
His face bones rapidly absorbed it, growing flesh at lightning speed.
Dongjun was a Free God, a martial cultivator who became divine. His divine power, blood, and bones were all precious treasures.
The divine baptism felt like a dusty traveler soaking in a hot bath after a long journey.
With divine power assisting, Zhao Xing's flesh quickly regrew. His marrow flared with sun-like vitality, and his Dao bones began transforming.
When his body was fully restored, Zhao Xing felt truly whole again. For the first time, he could breathe the air of this place with his real lungs.
The pleasure didn't last long. Once the golden light stopped pouring, the statue went still.
"Thank you, Dongjun, for giving me a second life."
Zhao Xing bowed deeply.
His body and spell-form were both renewed. His connection to the origin of Dao became much clearer.
"Spell-body" means spells come first, body second. Zhao Xing wasn't a martial cultivator, but missing a physical body had seriously affected his daily life and cultivation.
Living in the White Bone Divine Domain without a body had been painful. Other professions also suffered without flesh, not just warriors.
"Hmm? The divine baptism didn't affect you that much?"
Lanchuan Venerable watched Zhao Xing walk out, surprised.
Besides regaining his body, Zhao Xing's spirit flame didn't seem to grow much stronger.
That was because Zhao Xing had practiced the Primordial Avatar Method. His soul had been split, so the benefits of the baptism were spread out across his many bodies. The effect wasn't concentrated.
Yu Ying had already finished. Her growth was obvious. In theory, Zhao Xing was more talented. Had Lanchuan misjudged him?
"Maybe you're still adjusting," Zhao Xing explained casually.
"True. Then I'll give you three years to stabilize your power. Is that enough?" asked Lanchuan. "Once you're ready, come back and pick your role."
"More than enough. Thank you, Lord." Zhao Xing bowed with respect.
Next to him, Yu Ying looked expressionless but was raging inside. 'He gets three years?! I only got three months! The favoritism is insane!'
'And did he just say pick your own job? Isn't it usually whatever task the higher-ups assign?'
But then she remembered—Lanchuan was the higher-up. What's the point of complaining?
Even if it were possible to switch officers, none would compare to being under Lanchuan. As the only Earth Divine Officer of the Earth-path in Moxuan City, his position and influence were unmatched.
"Thank you, Lord. I'll return as soon as I'm ready."
Zhao Xing left Lanchuan and flew toward the courtyard of the Eighteen Sophora Trees.
His Sun Dao Bone had now transformed into a true Sun Dao Body.
Dao bone and Dao body were just one step apart—but having a Dao body in the White Bone Divine Domain was incredibly rare and valuable.
"My flesh is back. I can finally use the Heavenly Mutation Needle to take on the form of a Nine Marsh God descendant and reach demi-god level."
"My Inner World can be reopened. My Extreme Land techniques are back. All my spells are unlocked."
"Compared to before entering the White Bone Divine Domain, my strength has skyrocketed."
"If I return to the Xuanling Star Domain, Wudu, Zuo Qiyu, and Hongshan Dijun will be shocked for sure."
Aside from Zuo Qiyu, the other two were all close to breaking through to demi-god.
Maybe he could reach it before them.
Crossing nine tribulations marked the demi-god level—but in the White Bone Divine Domain, you didn't even need to cross tribulations.
As long as you had enough bone-body advancement materials and soul flame cores, you could make it.
"Now that I've become a Heavenly Patrol God Guardian, I'm not far from the demi-god stage—as long as I can get enough money."
Wei Tianchen and Zhu Jian Zunzhe had indeed left him a stash of "money," which was the hard currency of the White Bone Divine Domain—soul crystals.
The total was around one million. But after half a year of dual cultivation with Fu Mengzhen—completely living off savings, no income—and supporting Bai Lanjun and the others, about one hundred fifty thousand were already spent. Only eight hundred fifty thousand remained.
"Normally, eight hundred thousand soul crystals are enough for an Eight-Tribulation Dijun to ascend and transform into a demi-god."
"But I practice the Primordial Straw Man Method. My soul is split one hundred one times. In the White Bone Divine Domain, combining avatars and the true body, I have ninety-seven entities. So I need ninety-seven sets of breakthrough resources. This stash won't cut it."
Being a Heavenly Patrol God Guardian doesn't mean no work. Even that mechanical demi-god Yi Qing is still guarding Yushenzhou's borders.
"If the White Bone Divine Domain is a barren field, what we're digging up is 'heavenly mechanism'—the Dao. If the forces created by God Kings are big companies, then becoming a Guardian is like getting hired as middle management."
When Zhao Xing returned to the Eighteen Sophora Courtyard, Fu Mengzhen ran out immediately. Seeing that his flesh was restored, she was thrilled and pulled him aside, eager to start dual cultivation again.
"Mengzhen, I've got work today. Go rest for now," Zhao Xing said with a sigh.
This woman was addicted to dual cultivation. Whenever she had nothing else to do, she came looking for him.
"If Your Majesty is busy, I won't disturb you," Fu Mengzhen replied, full of reluctant sweetness.
Zhao Xing pretended not to notice and went straight to his cave dwelling.
"Mirror, mirror. You there?"
The artifact spirit of the Eight Directions Divine Mirror appeared in the dusty mirror. "What do you want?"
Zhao Xing rubbed his hands. "I'd like you to analyze my current strength. Can I beat Ai Yisuo?"
The mirror spirit had already collected lots of Zhao Xing's data. The path of fate prediction worked best with detailed input.
"Ai Yisuo is a thirteenth-level Medicine Sovereign. His attacks are mostly poison and drugs."
"Wei Tianchen was way stronger than him. You've inherited the Red Jade Ring, which is packed with poisons, antidotes, and enhancement elixirs. Ai Yisuo's abilities would be more than half nullified by that ring."
"So against you, Ai Yisuo would basically only have Eleven Tribulation strength."
"Only Eleven Tribulation? That sounds off," Zhao Xing blinked.
The mirror responded, "I don't even need to know Ai Yisuo's full strength. I followed Wei Tianchen for years and never saw a stronger demi-god healer. In the entire Xuanling Star Domain, only Wei Tianchen could use True Soul Heavenly Poison and still cure it. Later, Bowe figured out a way too, but that method is really complicated. Don't you realize how strong Wei Tianchen was? Have you even read the medical manuals he left for you?"
Zhao Xing looked embarrassed. "I've been dual cultivating all year—I thought he just had good gear."
The mirror said flatly, "Wei Tianchen was a Fourteen Tribulation healer with insane talent. Ai Yisuo is Thirteen Tribulation, one tier lower."
"And in healing, one tier makes a huge difference in what potions you can make."
Zhao Xing asked sincerely, "In your expert opinion, what's my combat level?"
"You've got powerful Hou Transformation Techniques. I've examined them and done simulations."
"Using the first three layers of the Nine Marsh God transformation, combined with the Heavenly Mutation Needle, you can reach almost Eleven-Level Demi-God combat power."
"The Nine Marsh God is a born divine spirit. When you take on the form of his three heirs, the boost is natural."
"If you yourself became a demi-god, your True Spirit would sync better with the transformed body. Then you'd fully stabilize at that level."
"But I'm still far from that stage." Zhao Xing knew he needed more soul crystals to ascend. "Isn't there any other way?"
"There is." The mirror projected images of a few medicine boxes. "Go check if you still have any of these left from Wei Tianchen."
"What are they for?" Zhao Xing flipped through them while asking.
"Wei Tianchen mastered the five legendary divine elixir lines from the era of the Five Emperors."
"First, the Divine Enchantment Series."
"That Dao Heart Enchantment Pill he used on that ditzy girl? That's one of them. You know how strong it is."
Zhao Xing nodded. No doubt about it—the Dao Heart Enchantment Pill was crazy strong. Fu Mengzhen was a Thirteen-Level demi-god dancer, and it turned her into a loyal servant.
"Second, the Divine Might Series."
"That's designed for tempering the Golden Body of martial cultivators."
"It stimulates the physical body. Of course, only martial artists from the Qi Sect can endure its effects. Wei Tianchen's go-to test subjects were always Qi Sect warriors. There should still be a batch in storage."
"Divine Might Pills can let someone fight above their level for a short time."
"A pill that boosts strength by one tribulation is pretty common."
"A two-tribulation boost is considered decent."
"And a three-tribulation top-grade pill… I don't know if any are left. That's why I told you to look."
Zhao Xing's eyes widened. He didn't expect Old Wei to be a treasure trove of a grandpa.
A top-tier Divine Might Pill that lets someone fight three tribulations above their level? He hadn't even heard of that.
"Senior, what's the third type?" Zhao Xing asked quickly. Divine Might Pills clearly weren't for him. Even after divine baptism, he wasn't a Qi Sect martial artist. He had no way to enhance his physical body like that.
"The Divine Spell Pill Series," said the Eight Directions Divine Mirror. "These are crafted for spell-based cultivators. Very adaptable. As long as you use spells, taking one will push your spell mastery far past its current limit."
"The fourth is the Spirit Mind Pill Series. Focused on willpower and mental arts. Great for mental cultivation paths—not just for battle. It also helps with forging, alchemy, crafting mechanisms, formation setup, and even studying new techniques. It can push you into a brief 'enlightened' state."
"The fifth is the Divine Soul Pill Series. These target the soul, strengthening the true spirit. Useful when facing overwhelming soul pressure during inheritance trials, or to raise the base threshold for soul-cultivation techniques. I won't list all the benefits."
Zhao Xing rummaged around—and sure enough, he found them.
Inside the Red Jade Ring, Wei Tianchen had stored a White Jade Five Ridge Boat. At the top was a little medicine room labeled [Five Gods Cabinet], with another next to it marked [Ten Thousand Poisons Cabinet].
Each cabinet only had seven drawers, but each drawer contained billions of storage spaces.
Wei Tianchen by himself was practically a whole pharmaceutical factory.
"Found it!"
Zhao Xing pulled open the [Five Gods Cabinet] nine times and got a bottle labeled [Heavenly Spell Pill].
The bottle was shaped like a golden pagoda with three levels. The bottom layer held a flowing blue liquid, like a tiny lake.
The middle level contained thirteen fixed red droplets.
The top only had one golden drop.
Zhao Xing could tell this matched exactly what the mirror described—Divine Spell Pills. And not just any—this was a three-tier version, the strongest of its kind. As the name implied, taking it would let your spells blast through enemies up to three tiers stronger.
"Holy crap, this actually exists—"
Zhao Xing was stunned.
His first thought: Wei Tianchen was a monster genius.
Second thought: That loser Ai Yisuo didn't even deserve to die from a pill this good.
Third thought: A sigh of regret.
Old Wei had died far too soon. If he hadn't been captured by Dan Ye Free God—a fellow healer—he definitely had the potential to become a god.
If not for the desolate era limiting him, Wei Tianchen might've already become a Free God. Then he could safely seek proof of the Dao from the heavens.
"Unlocking a cultivator's full potential always has a cost," the mirror spirit reminded him. "Don't use that overpowered tier-three pill unless it's life or death."
"Got it, senior." Zhao Xing started sorting the pills into categories based on his own preferences. "I know where I stand. Ai Yisuo isn't even worth burning a pill this good on."
Zhao Xing was naturally frugal and would never waste such precious medicine.
Now that Wei Tianchen was dead, these pills were irreplaceable. Zhao Xing didn't have the medical skills to make more.
"The five divine pill lines can also be mixed and matched in many ways. I suggest you take time to read through the medical manuals Wei Tianchen left behind," said the mirror. "If you swallow something and blow yourself up, that would be quite the joke."
"Understood. Thank you, senior." Zhao Xing nodded. He definitely wouldn't go popping pills without thinking.
Healers could raise a whole team's strength by a tier. In his past life, during arena battles, Zhao Xing had seen how terrifying certain healer players could be.
While the medicine lasted, they were nearly invincible. The only way to survive was turtle-style defense and waiting out the duration. Once the effect faded, side effects would kick in, and they'd collapse even without being attacked.
"Now that I've got my body back, and with all of Wei Tianchen's legacy in hand, I don't even care if Ai Yisuo becomes a Guardian or even a local god official," Zhao Xing thought. "If he tries anything, he's just handing me an excuse to take him out."