Immortals of the End Times

Today is the 615th day.

In the Wang family residence, Zhao Wuji sat alone in the pavilion on Balong Mountain, sipping fragrant tea.

His divine sense spread out like a tide, probing the clouds in the heavens and examining the spiritual energy of the earth's veins, but he still failed to detect even the slightest sign of the revival of spiritual energy.

Hundreds of miles underground, those depleted spiritual veins were indeed restless.

However, this abnormal situation has persisted for more than two years.

The rate at which the spiritual veins were depleting showed no signs of slowing down, as if this restlessness was nothing more than a death struggle.

"According to Wang Wujiang's calculations, the revival of spiritual energy should have begun long ago."

He frowned slightly. "At least the depletion of the spiritual veins should have eased somewhat."

Just as he was deep in thought, a streak of blue light pierced through the air and arrived.

Lan Canghai bowed and presented a jade slip: "My lord, the secret reports from various places have been compiled here."

Zhao Wuji casually took the jade slip and scanned its contents with his divine sense.

"The Three Immortals of the Mist still occupy the former territory of the Purple Cloud Immortal Sect in Huaihai Yizhou, and with the approval of the three major overlords of Huaihai Yizhou, they have become the fourth dominant force."

"Master Xuanming has reached an agreement with the Ice Soul Immortal Palace to use its millennia-old cold marrow to reshape the Ice Soul Dao Body. Recently, he set up the 'Nine Nether Frost Condensation Array' in the Snow Abyss, which is suspected to be to intercept the first wisp of extremely cold spiritual energy during the resurrection."

"Three days ago, near the Burning Valley in Tianmeng Prefecture, at the site of the eruption of the earth fire, seven charred corpses of Burning Valley cultivators were discovered, all of whose dantian had been melted through."

Fen Gu speculated that it was likely revenge by the red-haired dwarf he had severely injured in the past.

"In Yizhou of the East Sea, the powerful cultivator among the sunken ship's Yin soldiers seems to have joined forces with Huang Chang, forming a standoff with Penglai Sword Pavilion."

The rusted royal banner has spread across a ten-mile-long ghostly domain, seemingly awaiting the spiritual tide to awaken more ghostly soldiers from the previous dynasty.

"Huang Shang actually got involved with those Yin soldiers and ghost cultivators. Could it be that he found a clue to the Nine Cauldrons of Yu the Great?"

Zhao Wuji was pondering this.

He was surprised to see the next message.

"Gong Tianrui, the new elder of the Immortal Martial Sect in Southern Chu Prefecture, has killed two accomplices of the Iron-Armed Immortal Luo Zhan of the Immortal Martial Sect, and stated that he will soon find the mysterious Golden Core cultivator from the past."

"Was this a kill from the void, or were two innocent ghosts mistakenly killed?"

Zhao Wuji was speechless.

He's still perfectly fine.

Wang Zheng, who once went to Nan Chu Prefecture with him, is still in the Wang family and is doing fine.

"Perhaps this newly emerged monster from the Immortal Martial Sect is playing hard to get, trying to lure me out."

Zhao Wuji shook his head and put away the jade slip.

For his other identities to be revealed, there would need to be sufficient incentives and benefits.

Otherwise, their other identities will remain hidden indefinitely.

But now, look at these old monsters who have emerged from the world, they are all very active.

There are even rumors that top immortal sects in Zhongzhou, which have been closed for many years, have reopened their gates, suggesting that a major event of spiritual energy revival is indeed about to occur.

With a thought, Zhao Wuji's body rippled like water, and in an instant, he was inside the Pot Heaven space.

The vast expanse of heaven and earth, now five hundred and thirty feet wide, unfolds suddenly, with nebulae swirling in the dome.

The twinkling starlight, like fireflies, fell and intertwined with the rising mist from the ground, making the entire space seem like a dream.

In the distance, the Lingshan Mountains rise and fall, their ridges winding like a dragon.

The Seven-Colored Spirit Tree transplanted from the Wang family in the mountains has grown to a height of three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

The tree canopy is like an umbrella, and the leaves shimmer with a glassy luster, scattering dappled sunlight as they tremble gently in the wind.

At the foot of the mountain, the Yin Sha Spring gurgles forth, its black water as dark as ink.

At the bottom of the spring, a yin marrow floated, while a third yin marrow had already taken shape, its surface entwined with wisps of grayish-white malevolent energy.

The Xuan Yin Grass by the spring is growing vigorously, with blade-like leaves and frost crystals condensing on the edges, making it an excellent material for refining Yin-attribute pills.

"grown ups!"

A petite figure leaped out from the herb garden.

The young apprentice Xiaoyue wore a bright green dress and had a wooden spirit hairpin given to her by Zhao Wuji in her hair. Her spiritual energy fluctuations had reached the seventh level of Qi Induction.

Not far away, the young girl carrying a wine jar came running barefoot, her ankles jingling with silver bells. Her cultivation had reached the sixth level of Qi Induction, and her face was flushed with excitement: "The newly brewed Starry Night Wine made three more jars yesterday. I added half a spoonful of Three Lights True Dew as you taught me!"

"Excellent! Brew more."

Zhao Wuji smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping over the herb garden.

The nine-leafed golden lotus that was transplanted from the royal family's secret storehouse has now blossomed to its sixth leaf, with its heart emitting golden light.

The Xuanxing vine climbed up the jade frame, and seven green fruits the size of longan fruits grew among the vines, with cloud patterns faintly visible on their skin.

These spiritual plants, though not particularly rare, are of exceptional quality thanks to Xiaoyue's cultivation and the constant nourishment of spiritual energy.

"These are the best things the Wang family has left. Most of their resources were used to help their peak master break through to the Golden Core stage, and I consumed a lot of them."

Zhao Wuji pondered for a moment, then walked to the edge of the spiritual spring, sat down cross-legged, and focused his inner gaze on his dantian.

The golden elixir was suspended in the dantian, and the purple-gold patterns on its surface were more profound than they had been two years ago, but the elixir was only a quarter full.

After reaching the Golden Core stage, the refined power of the core requires even higher purity of spiritual energy.

Therefore, the spiritual energy that can be absorbed and refined daily by relying on the fourth-level spiritual vein is nearly half less than that when one is at the peak of the Concentration Realm.

In addition, more than a month ago, after the Human Treasure and Earth Treasure Wine were exhausted, although his spiritual aptitude was barely maintained at the top purple light with the help of the Starry Night Wine, the speed at which his spiritual power was condensed every day dropped from eleven to nine.

At this moment, the golden core slowly rotated, eagerly absorbing the rich spiritual energy within the pot, compressing strands of pure spiritual power into golden core energy, but it still could not regain its former efficiency.

"It's still a bit lacking... Fortunately, after sending a Spirit Condensation Pill from the Wang family to the Xuan Kingdom, Li Shiyu sent word that she had broken through to the Spirit Condensation stage and completed the third stage of the Nine Transformations of the Maiden."

Zhao Wuji sighed softly.

Suddenly, a clear and melodious sword cry came from the mountaintop.

He looked up and saw the Blood Fiend Needle Sword chasing after the Cold Soul and True Martial Swords in the clouds.

As the sword flashed, it stirred up the nebula, scattering a fine rain of light.

After two years of nurturing, the sword spirits of these three flying swords have become increasingly solidified.

In particular, the Blood Fiend Needle Sword, imbued with the Nirvana Sword Intent, can already conjure a blurry phoenix shadow, with crimson flames flowing between its wings, clearly benefiting from the unique stellar power tempering within the Pot Heaven.

With a flick of his sleeve, Zhao Wuji sent seven star-patterned array stones to the ground, forming an array that drew in the starlight from the dome, cascading down like a waterfall.

He closed his eyes and activated the "Inner Landscape Refining Spirit Technique," transforming the starlight into pure divine consciousness.

In the internal vision, the inner golden core was actually larger than his own golden core, radiating brilliant inner power and reflecting the faintly visible gate of mystery.

The gray mist at the edge of the Pot Heaven space is now churning, seemingly trying to expand again, but it has been slowed down due to insufficient spiritual energy within the space.

"By heading to the Qilin Sword Sect, we may be able to collect more immortal techniques and ancient texts, and decipher other spells... Furthermore, if we acquire resources within the Tiannan Secret Realm, we can also enhance the Pot Heaven Space."

Zhao Wuji sat cross-legged in the pavilion, his eyes slightly closed, his mind focused on his dantian, gazing at the cultivation information that appeared on the surface of the Yin-Yang Pearl.

Immortal cultivation level: Early stage of Golden Core (6911/30000)

Martial Immortal Cultivation: Late Stage of Martial Courage (7892/9999)

After more than 600 days of arduous cultivation, his immortal cultivation has improved by about a quarter.

With the support of the Wang family's resources, Wu Xiandao's cultivation was approaching a critical point, his blood and qi surging like mercury, and his bones faintly glowing with a pale golden light.

He was just one step away from reaching the pinnacle of martial prowess.

However, apart from the two fourth-level spiritual veins that can still provide abundant spiritual energy, the Wang family has exhausted all the natural treasures, elixirs, and spiritual liquids available for Golden Core cultivators.

Besides his improved cultivation, he has also diligently studied and improved many of the Earthly Fiend Techniques. Among them, the Later Great Strength Technique, the Shifting Scene Technique, the Flow Interruption Technique, and the Illusion Technique have all been cultivated to a point of minor success.

Just as Zhao Wuji was about to continue circulating his energy through the body.

Suddenly, the 'Dream Marriage Technique,' which had already broken through to an outstanding level, suddenly responded!
"Om!!"

Several images flashed through his mind like lightning.

In the first act, endless darkness envelops everything.

The surrounding area was covered with roots that looked like ferocious dragons and were as thick as giant pythons, twisting and coiling. The roots were bound with white bones, and ghostly fire seemed to flicker in the empty eye sockets of the skulls, making it eerie and sinister.

In the second scene, it is also pitch black, but the roots are even denser, intertwined like a spider web.

Several armored cultivators could be vaguely seen entangled in the roots, unable to move, with dark red bloodstains seeping from the gaps in their armor, clearly indicating that they had been completely eroded.

The third scene depicts a vast, rocky area with howling winds and sandstorms.

A cultivator in black armor was bending over to set up a teleportation array. Spiritual patterns flickered at his fingertips, and array stones were embedded in the ground, emitting a faint blue light.

These Xuanjia cultivators were all images transmitted back by puppets that Zhao Wuji had sent into the 'Tiannan Secret Realm' over the past year!
Last year marked the opening of the Tiannan Secret Realm, which happens to be held once every six years.

Zhao Wuji remembered that the little fox and the cowardly tiger that he had once released into the Tiannan Secret Realm were still there, so he sent some of the low-level cultivators controlled by his Jiameng to enter the secret realm to investigate.

Firstly, they wanted to check on the little jade fox's condition; if it wanted to leave the secret realm, these people could guide it.

Secondly, he also wanted to test what exactly existed beneath the half-depleted level-four spiritual vein deep within the secret realm, and what secrets the Tiannan Secret Realm held.

That's why he personally oversaw the sending of a group of cultivators from the Xuanming Dynasty into it.

As for the Supreme Grotto-Heaven and the Jade Grotto-Heaven, although some disciples were also sent into the secret realm to plunder resources, that group of people came out on time and did not stay for long.

Only the group of Xuanjia cultivators controlled by Zhao Wuji have not returned yet and are still exploring within the secret realm.

"Back then, the Peak Master and all the elders clearly stated that the Tiannan Secret Realm would only be open for one month, and one should not linger there."

Zhao Wuji's eyes flickered slightly as he pondered.

The reasons behind what happened back then have always been kept secret.

He only found out later.

Almost all cultivators who failed to leave the Tiannan Secret Realm that month remained there forever in that mysterious place.

This seems to suggest that hidden dangers lurk within the secret realm.

Last year, in particular, he learned a shocking secret by asking the elders of the Wang family.

It seems that an old monster is lurking in the Tiannan Secret Realm, hiding from the calamity of the end times.

As for who this person is, perhaps only the late Wang Wujiang would know.

Thinking of this, Zhao Wuji's gaze darkened slightly.

Promising that Little Jade Fox and that cowardly tiger could stay in the secret realm back then was perhaps a mistake.

This time, he tried to salvage the situation by once again commanding Xuanjia cultivators to infiltrate and search, traversing thousands of mountains, but could no longer find that familiar snow-white fox shadow.

What's even more chilling is that almost all the cultivators who ventured deep into the secret realm encountered strange tree root attacks in the vast mountains and forests.

Those gnarled, dragon-like roots seemed to possess sentience, entangling and devouring the cultivators, as if the entire forest were the hunting ground of some terrifying tree demon.
"Swish"

Just then, in the scene transmitted by the Dream Marriage Technique, gnarled tree roots suddenly burst forth.

Like a living creature, it coiled around the cultivator's head, its roots piercing into the seven orifices, actually sucking out the brain marrow.

The bound cultivator's face withered at a visible speed, eventually turning into another hideous skeleton among the roots.

"This tree demon is quite strange; it seems to have developed consciousness and is sucking human brains."

Zhao Wuji observed with a cold and stern expression.

These monks have been trapped since they were bound.

He used to see this scene often.

All the Xuanjia cultivators under its control died tragically at the hands of the tree roots.

"Could it be that this tree demon is a strange form cultivated by some old monster in the past? Just to avoid the end of the Dharma?"

"Can't stay anymore."

He frowned slightly, his fingers forming a knife-like shape. The Dream Marriage Technique transformed into an invisible blade, cleanly severing the connection with the two, and then carefully erasing all traces of the spell.

"Fortunately, there's still one clever one."

Zhao Wuji's consciousness turned to the last scene.

The surviving Xuanjia cultivator had already fled to a rocky area under his orders, successfully avoiding the tree demon's attack.

They had even slowly collected substitutes for the lost spiritual materials of other murdered colleagues, which was enough to barely set up a teleportation array.

"He's someone who knows how to get things done."

Zhao Wuji's lips curled slightly.

Over the past year, he has tried many times and found that ordinary teleportation arrays only work when the Tiannan Secret Realm is open.

However, over the past year, through repeated probing by secretly manipulating Xuanjia cultivators, he has gradually uncovered the secrets of the protective array of the Tiannan Secret Realm and found several gaps in the array.

Now he was confident, relying on the Void Stone and the Scene Shifting Technique, which were secretly kept by the Wang family.

Even if the secret realm is not open, one can sneak into it without anyone noticing.

Such methods were impossible for the former masters of the Lesser Cave Heavens of the Four Kingdoms of the South.

Even the Wang family, lacking skilled array masters, could not possibly master it.

"If we can bring this Tiannan Secret Realm under our control before heading to the Qilin Sword Sect..."

Zhao Wuji's eyes flashed with a sharp light, "Or use the Pot Heaven Space to devour the half-depleted fourth-level spiritual veins within, and when the spiritual energy recovers, it will have another layer of foundation."

However, before stepping into the secret realm, there are still some mysteries to be solved to avoid danger.

He stood up with his hands behind his back, strolled to the outside of the pavilion, and looked down at the primordial spirit of Xinghe Daoist, which was imprisoned by a series of arrays not far away.

With his current cultivation level and the fact that he already has Xiang Yu's head in his hand, he no longer needs to be overly wary of this Taoist's primordial spirit.

"It's time to give this old Taoist priest some freedom."

Just as he was pondering this, the entire space of the pot suddenly trembled, and the gray mist at the edge was churning violently.

At the same time, the gray spots of the end-of-days rules that had been eroding the spiritual veins for years began to fade at a visible rate.

"This is."

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted sharply, and his divine sense surged like a tide, covering the entire Pot Heaven space.

The blood spirit vein that once stretched for over sixty feet in the dome of the Pot Heaven was now twisting violently like a dragon.

The accumulated Yin energy on the surface was instantly evaporated, and the bursting spiritual mist condensed into crystal rain in the air.

"Spiritual energy is reviving? It started right from my Pot Heaven space?"

The dome of nebulae was spinning wildly.

The illusory nascent stars have now solidified like diamonds, with wisps of purple aura mixed in with the falling starlight.

The Yin Sha Spring was also bubbling and boiling, and the third Yin marrow seemed to be forming at an accelerated pace.

Suddenly, the end of the third-level spiritual vein that formed the sacred mountain underground pierced into the void with a "whoosh," like a giant python reaching out its head towards the place where the gray mist dissipated.

Zhao Wuji's divine sense followed closely behind, and suddenly a domineering head appeared above his head, with wildly dancing black hair and double pupils like blood moons. It actually pierced through the barrier of the pot-shaped sky and saw that a vortex of spiritual energy was forming there, like a passage.

Even more terrifying, from the other end of the passage, a faint, ancient, and hungry terrifying will emanated, as if a colossal beast that had slumbered for millennia was awakening.
(End of this chapter)