The copy has 0 error tolerance, and the last words on the ground are all wrong for me.

Chapter 442 Kaiyang's Blessings

Upon seeing the hidden side quest notification, Wu Chang was stunned for a moment. This was not a quest triggered by his perfectionist title, but a hidden side quest that he triggered naturally.

In the dungeons of the Abyss game, not all tasks will be approved by the system.

The vast majority of "side quests" are actions taken spontaneously by players who are sensitive to the exploration of the dungeon's storyline. These actions will be rewarded, but these rewards are merely a bonus for exploring the dungeon's world view and will not be recognized by the system.

Even Wu Chang, who always completes dungeons with perfect scores, rarely encounters hidden side quests with quest prompts when the Perfectionist title is not triggered. This shows how valuable quests recognized by the system are.

Wu Chang hesitated only for a moment before accepting the task.

"Alliance Leader Lü, my purpose in taking action this time is to subdue demons and protect the righteous path, so as to save all living beings from calamity. If I hesitate over the mere dangers of the Immortal Abode, how can I possibly penetrate into the Demon Realm to slay demons and eliminate evil?"

Wu Chang's words were resounding and commanded respect from the members of the Humanitarian Alliance. A flood of praise poured in, calling him a "young hero," a "chivalrous and righteous man," and a "benevolent and compassionate man."

However, Wu Chang often saw the expressions on everyone's faces in the memories belonging to the Tang Clan leader.

Tsk, these old guys must think he's a sucker, waiting for him to give them a free ride.

However, the Humanitarian Alliance is a righteous alliance, and no matter how filthy they may be in their hearts, they will still keep a respectable facade.

Just like watching the Tang Clan and the demons fight to the death, everyone would give the Tang Clan some insignificant benefits to save face.

For Wu Chang, the first to enter the Great Xuan and who joined the Demon-Slaying Army without hesitation, the Human Alliance, in order to show its regard for him, not only provided him with information on the seven immortal mansions, but also released the formation diagram of the Ziwei Exorcising Array.

The overall diagram of the Ziwei Exorcising Array is a secret within the Human Alliance. Even a protector of the Tang Clan's level can only know a part of it and cannot see the whole picture.

Allowing Wu Chang, an "outsider," to see the overall diagram of the formation was already the highest respect the Humanitarian Alliance could show him, without offering any substantial rewards.

The formation diagram uses the entire Tianlan Province as its background. Near Zhenyue City, seven formation eyes are marked. These seven formation eyes are distributed in a spoon shape, similar to the Big Dipper constellation in Wu Chang's reality.

Not only do the two look similar, but even the names of their seven array eyes are the same: Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, Tian Ji, Tian Quan, Yu Heng, Kai Yang, and Yao Guang.

Previously, An Rong mentioned that the location of the immortal abode was called Kaiyang Mountain, and he thought it was a coincidence. Now, after seeing the overall map of the Ziwei Exorcising Array, he was convinced that the Kaiyang that An Rong mentioned was indeed the Kaiyang he knew.

With the Big Dipper as the array's eye, Zhenyue City as its core, mountains and rivers connecting the entire array, and the Great Xuan Emperor and the Earth-worshiping ceremony gathering human fortune, this is the complete picture of the Ziwei Exorcising Array.

Wu Chang, who possesses the power of mystical origins, is extremely skilled in formations and rituals, but the moment he saw the overall diagram of the formation, he was so shocked that he was speechless.

Prior to this, he believed that, compared to the Reiki system, the more sophisticated mysticism, which leans towards support, was more suitable for use in array rituals.

But when he saw the overall diagram of the formation using the entire Tianlan Province as its canvas, his thoughts changed. Perhaps mysticism was indeed superior in small-scale formations and rituals, but from a macro perspective, the grandeur and scale of the spiritual energy system formations were unmatched by mysticism.

After a brief moment of shock, Wu Chang began to review the information on the seven array points.

The intelligence clearly outlines how the Humanity Alliance will discover the seven Immortal Abodes and the special connections between them.

What caught Wu Chang's attention was the intelligence's speculation that more than one immortal opportunity was hidden within the seven immortal mansions.

Wu Chang pretended not to understand and asked Lü Changgeng:
"Alliance Leader Lü, may I ask what this 'Celestial Fate' is?"

Lu Changgeng was about to ask in return, "Don't the overseas immortal mountains have any immortal opportunities?" But he immediately realized that immortal opportunities are things left behind by immortals after they die. The spiritual energy of the overseas immortal mountains has not been cut off, and the ancestors who have already become immortals are mostly still alive and well. Where would immortal opportunities come from?

He explained:

“Fellow Daoist Heping, the Great Xuan is different from the overseas immortal mountains. Its spiritual energy has been cut off since ancient times. Without spiritual energy, immortals cannot live forever. They must either find a way to leave the Great Xuan or pass away and seek reincarnation.”

"When they leave, they leave some things in their former cave dwellings. Most immortals leave behind blessing techniques in their cave dwellings, which we call blessing essence. But some powerful immortals leave behind something special in addition to blessing techniques."

"It could be one's own cultivation experience, a technique that can lead to immortality, or an elixir that can break through the bottleneck of a Grandmaster."

When Lü Changgeng finished speaking, the elders of the Human Alliance present all showed longing in their eyes.

"These relics left behind by the immortals are placed in the deepest part of the immortal palace, and can only be obtained by passing the trials of the immortal palace."

"If you are lucky enough to obtain a special relic left by an immortal, you can use it to break through the bottleneck of the Grandmaster and obtain the opportunity to become an immortal. This is what we call the immortal destiny."

Lu Changgeng paused for a moment and said:

"It was during my exploration of the Immortal Abode that I was fortunate enough to obtain the sword intent left behind by an ancient sword immortal. By integrating it and breaking through the bottleneck, I was able to achieve my current status as an Earth Immortal."

Wu Chang praised, "No wonder I felt that Alliance Leader Lü had an extraordinary demeanor the moment I saw him, like an immortal."

Lu Changgeng laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist is joking. Compared to the true immortals of the overseas immortal mountains, we juniors who have just become earth immortals are still far from being able to do so."

"The seven immortal abodes contain the opportunity to become an immortal. In the overseas immortal mountains, there are immortals to guide you, so the opportunity to become an immortal may not be so important. But in the Great Xuan, the opportunity to become an immortal is the only chance to become an immortal."

"The seven immortal abodes have different focuses. Elder Yang can perform a divination for you to see which of the seven immortal abodes is more suitable for you."

While Wu Chang was introducing the immortal destiny to Lü Changgeng, his main body and An Rong were on their way to Kaiyang Mountain.

He then asked, "Young friend Anrong, on our way to Tianlan Province, we heard that the Ziwei Exorcising Array has seven array eyes, and all seven array eyes are immortal abodes. One of them is called Kaiyang. I wonder if it is related to the Kaiyang Mountain you mentioned?"

An Rong made no attempt to guard against Wu Chang, the leader of the Tang Clan, and said directly:

"The Kaiyang Mountain we are heading to is one of the seven key points of the formation."

Wu Chang asked, "Among those seven immortal abodes, does each one contain a true immortal destiny?"

An Rong shook his head and said, "The seven immortal mansions are special, but not every one of them contains immortal destiny. Only three or four of them gave me a sense of something when I explored them deeply. The rest should just be ordinary immortal mansions."

Wu Chang asked calmly, "Besides Kaiyang Mountain, what other places have touched your heart?"

An Rong pondered, “Besides Kaiyang Mountain, there are also Tian Shu Cave, Tian Quan Lake and Yu Heng Valley, but I haven’t entered the core of any of these three immortal abodes. I only have some doubts. But I can confirm that at least one of the three immortal abodes has a chance to become an immortal.”

Inside the temple, Wu Changzhen silently took out the blessing of the goddess of fortune, activated the lead-filled dice, and revealed three 1s, triggering a stroke of great luck.

Then, the information on the three immortal abodes—Tian Shu, Tian Quan, and Yu Heng—was reversed, and a document was randomly selected based on intuition.

Tianquan Lake.

Lu Changgeng asked in confusion, "Fellow Daoist Heping, what are you doing?"

Wu Chang said, "When I'm unsure how to choose, I always leave the decision to luck."

Lu Changgeng felt that Wu Chang's approach was somewhat frivolous, yet also somewhat reasonable. This simplest method seemed to be a way of following the will of Heaven.

"And what was the result, fellow Daoist?"

Wu Chang said, "I'm going to Tianquan Lake."

Mentioning Tianquan Lake, the expressions of the high-ranking members of the Humanitarian Alliance became somewhat strange. Lü Changgeng said:
"The Tianquan Lake Immortal Abode is different from other immortal abodes. In addition to testing cultivation, the layout of the immortal abode also tests knowledge and the way of formations. It is not suitable for all cultivators."

"If you find it difficult to solve, please do not force it. You can return and change to another immortal abode."

Wu Chang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Alliance Leader Lü."

After accepting the hidden side quest, Wu Chang was about to head to Tianquan Lake. Just as he left Lidi Temple, he saw dozens of cultivators gather around him, presenting him with invitations to a banquet.

Just receiving each invitation took Wu Chang quite a bit of time.

Although Wu Chang joined the Demon-Slaying Army by completing the trials through his own strength and without relying on joining a certain force to obtain a letter of recommendation, this did not prevent various sects from recruiting him.

Everyone has witnessed Wu Chang's strength. If they could have such a powerful Celestial Being in charge, their sect's strength would increase rapidly.

However, most of the sects that flocked to Wu Chang and sent him invitations were expressing goodwill towards him, not actually hoping to win him over.

They treat it like a lottery; if the Heavenly Brain selects their sect, they'll make a fortune; if not, they won't lose anything.

After everyone left, Wu Chang hadn't walked far when a young man carrying a long sword, who looked seven-tenths like Lü Changgeng, approached him and handed him an invitation.

The young man was Lü Changgeng's eldest son, representing the Divine Sword Sect in extending an olive branch to Wu Chang.

In the Great Xuan realm, if a Celestial Being wants to join a certain power, there is nothing more suitable than the Divine Sword Sect, where the leader of the Humanity Alliance resides.

After the sword-wielding youth parted ways, a hundred paces later, a eunuch dressed in a bullfighting robe handed Wu Chang a golden invitation.

If there is one, it is the Great Xuan Dynasty itself.

Wu Chang threw all the invitations he received into his personal space. These freely selectable connections were clearly one of the privileges of being the first player to enter the world instance.

Before obtaining the Luck Stealer, he preferred to join the Divine Sword Sect, but now, he would probably choose Emperor Zhaoning.

So far, only Emperor Zhaoning and Anrong have appeared as the chosen ones in the world instance. Hedging his bets on both his true self and the other side is undoubtedly the safest option. However, which one he chooses will have to wait until he returns from exploring the Immortal Abode.

While his true self rode a white crane toward Tianquan Lake, his physical body and Eileen had already arrived at Kaiyang Mountain under An Rong's guidance.

Before the spiritual energy of Kaiyang Mountain was restored, it was just an ordinary little mountain, neither high nor dangerous, neither special nor beautiful, and attracted no attention.

The only special thing about Kaiyang Mountain is that it is an isolated mountain.

The Beishan mountain range where it is located is continuous, but it breaks off at Kaiyang Mountain and is not connected to other mountains. This makes the residents near Kaiyang Mountain very wary of this mountain, believing that it has the meaning of loneliness and is unlucky. Unless necessary, few people go to Kaiyang Mountain.

After the spiritual energy revived, people began to realize that Kaiyang Mountain was rich in spiritual energy, which gradually made the place known to the public and attracted many independent cultivators to come and practice.

However, with the discovery of the immortal abode within Kaiyang Mountain, the Human Alliance sealed it off, and the area within ten miles of Kaiyang Mountain became deserted again.

When Wu Chang and his group arrived near Kaiyang Mountain, they saw the mountain-guarding cultivator of the Human Dao Alliance at the entrance to the mountain, as well as the sign standing next to him.

This is an area under the Humanitarian Alliance; unauthorized personnel are not permitted to enter.

Before being hunted down by Zhu Yinhai, An Rong had been exploring the Immortal Abode in Kaiyang Mountain. The disciples guarding the mountain recognized him and did not stop him from entering with his entourage.

As they entered the Kaiyang Mountain area, the atmosphere gradually became lively. From time to time, cultivators could be seen riding by on horseback. In front of the open space at the foot of the mountain, cultivators even formed a temporary market, exchanging the pills, spells and talismans they needed.

There were hundreds of cultivators in the market alone, and each of them looked to be at least a second-rate expert.

As expected of a world instance, in other instances, even the Steam Phantom Plane, let alone second-rate experts, all the extraordinary beings in Stellan combined might not have more cultivators than here.

In terms of the abundance of extraordinary items, the World Dungeon has definitely reached the level of the Realm of Reason Dungeon.

He exclaimed in surprise, "So many skilled fighters have gathered in Kaiyang Mountain alone?"

An Rong explained:
"They didn't come at the Spirit Control Realm. Since the Demon Realm appeared, the Human Alliance has opened up the Immortal Abode, allowing talented young disciples from various sects to enter the Immortal Abode to accelerate their cultivation."

"Only those who reach the Spirit Control Realm can enter the Demon Realm and barely become combatants. If someone is lucky enough to stumble upon a chance encounter with immortality, they can take the opportunity to close the gap with the demon race."

The Demon King is incredibly powerful; even outside the Demon Realm, only Earth Immortals can barely hold him off.

There are four demon kings but only three earth immortals. The urgent need for a fourth earth immortal led the Human Alliance to open the Immortal Abode. Even if they couldn't find a fourth earth immortal, it would be good to cultivate some more cannon fodder.

The immortal abode of Kaiyang Mountain is hidden in a cave. Under An Rong's guidance, Wu Chang and Ai Lin entered the inner side of Kaiyang Mountain through a natural cave.

As soon as he entered, Wu Chang felt a gaze sweep over his body.

His gaze was scrutinizing, but without malice.

An Rong said from the side, "Sect Leader Tang, don't be nervous. This is the first test of the Immortal Mansion, which we call righteousness. Those who have ill intentions or are extremely wicked will not be able to enter the Immortal Mansion."

"If one's character is upright and unyielding, one will receive the protection of Kaiyang, just like..."

An Rong looked at the faint glow appearing on Wu Chang and Eileen's bodies and said:

"Just like the changes in the two of you, if the things you have done for the Great Xuan are not protected by Kaiyang, then no one can bear this recognition."

Wu Chang smiled and said, "We just did what we were supposed to do."

As he spoke, a notification popped up in front of his eyes.

"You have completed the first round of trials at Kaiyang Immortal Palace and have obtained one layer of Kaiyang Blessing."

"You have received the blessing of righteousness. During the duration of the world dungeon, your life attribute is increased by 5%, and the influence of demonic energy on you is reduced by 5%."

Gaining the favor of Kaiyang Immortal Palace was something he and Eileen had long expected. It wasn't because of the identities given to them by the True Traveler, but because in the real world, Kaiyang Star, as one of the Big Dipper, has another name.

The Star of Martial Arts.

Wu Chang used the statue of Wuqu Xingjun and, by observing Wuqu Xingjun's battle with the Lord of the Deep Sea, acquired two skills: Master-level combat and Master-level cold weapon use.

In a sense, he can be considered half a disciple of Wuqu Xingjun, having grasped a trace of Wuqu Xingjun's essence.

Needless to say, Eileen was personally recognized when Wuqu Xingjun projected his image to the mortal realm. How could this cave dwelling named Kaiyang not recognize her?

Besides him and Eileen, An Rong, who had passed the test of righteousness, was also recognized by Kaiyang Immortal Palace, and the protection of righteousness appeared on his body.

But passing the test does not guarantee that you will receive protection.

Wu Chang looked around at the cultivators who were exploring the Immortal Palace together. Apart from the three of them, there were nearly twenty other cultivators in the room, of whom only three had received the protection of righteousness.

Without protection, one cannot receive the blessings of the celestial abode.

If this applies to cultivators, it's probably also true for players.

Obtaining the blessings mentioned in the main quest seems to be more complicated than it appears.

After passing the test of righteousness, mist began to fill the narrow cave.

An Rong's voice rang out from the side, saying:

"The second trial of Kaiyang Immortal Mansion is called Courage. If you do not have courage in your heart, you will not be able to move forward."

As he spoke, the fog in Wu Chang's eyes cleared, and he realized that he had become separated from An Rong and Eileen, and had come to the entrance of the cave alone.

Standing at the entrance of the cave, he found himself facing a bottomless abyss. On the other side of the abyss was another cave. The abyss was a hundred meters wide, with only a narrow, seemingly precarious mountain path, about the width of a foot.

This is the Immortal Abode's test of courage.

Without hesitation, Wu Chang walked straight onto the narrow path. He walked quickly and steadily, not caring at all that he might fall at any moment.

After walking about twenty meters, he began to see monsters flying out of the cave on the other side. The monsters had ferocious appearances and rushed straight at him.

Wu Chang seemed not to see the demon and continued forward. The demon passed right through him without causing him any harm.

Whether it's the abyss or the demons, they are all illusions created by the immortal abode to test the Dao heart of those who enter.

Illusions are created using magical techniques, which are simply illusions imbued with divine power. Even ordinary cultivators, or grandmasters, would instinctively believe that everything before them is real under the influence of their consciousness.

Unfortunately, even if it is a magic spell, as long as it is an illusion, in order to affect the target, you must first break through the opponent's will barrier.

Wu Chang's will barrier was quite thick, and even illusions imbued with divine power could not break through it.

He not only saw through the setup of the second trial from the very beginning, but also saw that he was actually in a huge stone chamber, where there were seven or eight other cultivators participating in the trial besides the three of them.

As they cautiously advanced, they brandished their magical weapons to fend off the demons, each one appearing as if they were performing a silent film.

Wu Chang turned his head and met Eileen's clear gaze.

Eileen is now only one step away from becoming a mid-level god. She is one of the most powerful beings in the Realm of Reason. Even if the immortals of Kaiyang Mountain Immortal Abode were to come, they might not be a match for Eileen. Trying to influence Eileen with the tricks within the cave is more difficult than influencing Wu Chang.

Ignoring the illusion mirror, the two quickly reached the other side. Having passed the test of courage, they received an additional layer of protection.

"You have completed the second round of trials at Kaiyang Immortal Palace and have obtained one layer of Kaiyang Blessing."

"You have received the blessing of courage. During the duration of the world dungeon, your Willpower attribute is increased by 5%, and the influence of demonic energy on you is reduced by 5%."

An Rong was not as fast as the other two. Although he already possessed the potential for immortality, his skill was insufficient, and he would still be drenched in sweat every time he completed the trial.

He looked at Wu Chang and Eileen, who had finished the test early and were whispering to each other, and sighed again that he was not good enough.

In terms of courage, he is still far from it. Perhaps he has some concerns in his heart and is not brave enough to move forward. The blessing of courage does not appear on his body.

In contrast, the Tang Clan's leader and his wife set an example by their own actions. No wonder the Tang Clan never backed down when facing demons and disregarded their own lives.

After passing through two trials, the three of them passed through the stone gate at the end of the pass, and a bright and open space suddenly appeared before them.

Beyond the stone gate lies a vast grassland, rich in spiritual energy. Being there, one's internal energy flows much faster.

Sensing the aura of the world around them, Wu Chang knew that they had finally entered the Immortal Abode.

The three walked forward along the grassland. Before long, three paths diverged in front of them, as if the immortal abode was telling them that it was time to split up.

(End of this chapter)