Immortality starts from the liver proficiency

Chapter 681 Many years later, the Golden Core cultivator has returned.
The dark ice crystals clashed violently with the transparent sword spirit and annihilated.

The chilling aura of eternal night relentlessly eroded the sword intent of the sword soul, attempting to freeze and decay it.

Tongxuan Zhenjun let out a muffled groan, his face instantly turning paler. The backlash from the sword soul and the overwhelming will of depravity nearly caused him to lose his composure.

The opponent, wielding the power of heaven and earth, summoned endless darkness.

He was facing an attack from a powerful realm that was not of low rank.

However, he was ultimately a top expert in the Sword Soul Path. This Dao Fruit was suspended in mid-air, outside of the 108 Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Dao Fruits, and was conceived by the Dao Master of the Ten Thousand Chariots Sword Sect.

Its sword intent was incredibly refined, and the giant sword forcefully tore through the Eternal Night Claw Shadow.

However, before he could catch his breath, the ground beneath his feet suddenly collapsed inexplicably, and a surge of turbid earth energy shot into the sky, rushing straight at his protective sword spirit. Caught off guard, he crashed headfirst into it, almost corrupting his magical power.

This is one of the misfortunes brought about by the will of Heaven.

As the saying goes, when the time is right, heaven and earth lend their strength; when the time is far away, even heroes are not free.

In this world, without any cover, the two of them would encounter misfortune with every move they made.

Chi Yang and Tong Xuan stood back to back, their sword light of Burning Silence and their invisible sword soul echoing each other, one blazing and the other chilling, struggling to hold on amidst the storm of suppression from the three main gods and the Heavenly Dao.

The Crimson Sun True Lord's swordplay was expansive and powerful, with molten lava sword rainbows crisscrossing and extinguishing shards of divine magic.

The True Lord of Profound Understanding, on the other hand, takes a different approach to swordsmanship. His sword spirit is like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, focusing on attacking weaknesses and severing the connections between laws.

As veteran Golden Core sword cultivators, their killing power was indeed unparalleled among their peers. Even when they were at a significant disadvantage, they were still able to withstand the three main gods for a short period of time without falling behind, and even launched counterattacks from time to time, leaving scorching sword marks on the massive body of the God of Nature and cutting dark cracks in the holy light shield of the God of Light.

However, the suppression from Heaven was like a leech, causing them to consume far more magical power than usual. Every move they made was met with unexpected obstacles. After a long battle, their Taoist robes were torn, and their auras became disordered. It was only a matter of time before they fell into a disadvantageous position.

In the distant void, Xu Yunfan's figure quietly appeared, his body shrouded in faint starlight and subtle fluctuations of the Causal Secret Technique.

He had withdrawn from the "Lin" state, and his eyes regained their human-like brilliance. At this moment, he was coldly observing the chaotic battlefield filled with divine light, sword light, lava, darkness, and gale-force winds.

Like beasts trapped in a quagmire, Chi Yang and Tong Xuan were tightly entangled by the three main gods and surrounded, making every attack and defense extremely difficult.

"Even a mighty dragon can't suppress a local snake; this is truly an apt saying."

Xu Yunfan wasn't in a hurry. With the five of them locked in a fierce battle, it would take some time before a winner was decided.

Ignoring the earth-shattering battle behind him, he transformed into a thin streak of purple-gold lightning and silently fled towards the desolate western wilderness.

The desolate western wilderness, once a barren land with few gods and backward civilization, has now been transformed.

Decades ago, Xu Yunfan hunted down weak gods in this area, seizing their divinity and condensing immortal golden essence, almost wiping out all the local native gods and creating a huge vacuum of gods.

This vacuum was precisely the stage left for Zhang Ziyang.

Xu Yunfan flew past, looking down at the earth below.

The once desolate Gobi Desert, sparse jungles, and scattered tribal settlements have now been replaced by neatly planned farmland, wide stone-paved roads, and numerous Taoist temples with a unified style.

Crops are growing vigorously in the fields, pedestrians are coming and going on the roads, and caravans are coming and going.

Ancient and solemn Taoist temples are built against the mountain, with white walls and green tiles, flying eaves and brackets, with incense smoke curling and the sound of chanting faintly audible.

In the square in front of the temple, Taoist priests dressed in blue robes often lead believers in practicing martial arts to strengthen their bodies. Their movements are uniform and contain a mysterious rhythm.

However, the heterochromatic eyes and hair of these people seem somewhat out of place.

Inside the main hall of the Taoist temple, instead of any of the original deities of the Atila realm, was enshrined a statue of a Taoist priest in a green robe, with a compassionate face, holding a whisk, and seated on a nine-colored lotus platform. This was none other than Zhang Ziyang, who called himself "Taiyi Jiuku Jiunan Tianzun" (Great One Who Saves from Suffering and Calamity).

Xu Yunfan exclaimed in amazement upon seeing this scene.

The incense before the statue was burning brightly and intensely, its pure and rich aroma carrying the boundless reverence and devotion to the Taiyi Savior from Suffering. The incense smoke rose and gathered like golden clouds, eventually flowing towards the center of this region, to the most magnificent and spectacular Taiyi Tianzun Taoist Palace.

Xu Yunfan concealed his aura and quietly landed in a secluded courtyard deep within the Dao Palace.

The ancient trees in the courtyard reach for the sky, exuding a spiritual aura that far surpasses that of the outside world.

A figure dressed in a simple blue robe sat cross-legged on a futon, eyes closed and concentrating.

His aura was profound, having reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. A silver star formed from the power of exploration between his brows shone brightly, and his body was permeated with rich incense and divine power, as well as the profound Daoist charm that could see into the depths of the universe. It was Zhang Ziyang.

As if sensing something, Zhang Ziyang slowly opened his eyes, a flash of silver light in them, and looked at Xu Yunfan with a wise and knowing smile.

"The arrival of the Divine Firmament True Lord is an honor for this humble Taoist priest."

He stood up and looked at Xu Yunfan with great satisfaction.

"You have truly attained the Golden Core stage!"

"It's just a fluke."

Xu Yunfan removed the concealment of the Star Spirit Banner, revealing his figure, and said with a smile: "It seems that the position of 'Great Supreme Savior from Suffering and Calamity' has been firmly established for the Sect Leader. The incense is flourishing and the people's hearts are with him. This is a cause for celebration."

Judging solely from the purity and vastness of the incense offerings and vows, even ordinary high-ranking gods would find it difficult to match the sect leader.

Zhang Ziyang stroked his beard and smiled.

"Thanks to you, Yunfan, if you hadn't swept away all the demons and monsters in this world and left me this peaceful place and the authority to investigate, I wouldn't have achieved what I have today."

The people of this land have suffered greatly from the harshness of the wilderness and the exploitation of the gods. Their propagation of doctrines, the teaching of survival, and the gathering of offerings to strengthen our Dao are all natural and inevitable actions. This land has become the foundation of our Daoist kingdom.

He spoke with emotion, quite satisfied with the achievements of the past few decades. Then he changed the subject and looked at Xu Yunfan: "Judging from your calm and steady aura, and the solid and profound Divine Firmament Dao Fruit, the path to the Golden Core must be smooth sailing."

However, there's a hidden lightning bolt between your brows, and the aura of the Boundary Sea hasn't dissipated. It seems this journey will be fraught with trouble?

Xu Yunfan's smile faded, and his expression hardened slightly.

"The sect leader is astute as can be. There were indeed uninvited guests. Those two old bastards, Chi Yang and Tong Xuan from the Wancheng Sword Sect, chased me all the way to the Boundary Sea and even followed me into the Aitila Boundary."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ziyang showed no surprise; instead, his eyes shone with an astonishing light. The detection authority fluctuated continuously as he used it to its fullest extent, seemingly deducing countless possibilities in an instant.

After a long while, he suddenly clapped his hands and laughed.

"Excellent! Yunfan, Yunfan, you are truly blessed with incredible luck! This is a golden opportunity!"

"Oh? Why do you say that, Sect Leader?"

Xu Yunfan asked the question knowing the answer already, but his face couldn't hide his joy.

Zhang Ziyang most likely had the same idea as me.

Zhang Ziyang's eyes flashed, and he spoke faster.

"Have you forgotten? You possess the divine authority of thunder in this realm, a mark recognized by the Heavenly Dao, making you a local deity."

(End of this chapter)