Immortals of the End Times

Three days later.

Within the Pot Heaven Space, clouds and mist swirled, and the gnarled vines of the Demon Tree's clones intertwined to form a huge vine bed, resembling a celestial couch from beyond the heavens.

Zhao Wuji leaned lazily against the wall, while the four women, including Hua Qingshuang, lay or sprawled, their black hair and robes cascading down, dancing with the ethereal clouds.

After a life-or-death battle outside the Nine Heavens, being able to return safely and relax with his Daoist partner on this cloud-top rattan couch is something even a Daoist of his current status can't help but crave in this moment of pleasure after the tension and oppression.

"Husband."

Nan Zhixia's black hair cascaded down Zhao Wuji's chest like a waterfall. Her fingertips unconsciously twirled a strand of his hair as she softly asked, "You, Cang Yunzi, and Senior Sword Lord suffered such severe injuries during your expedition to the Nine Heavens. Did you manage to investigate the situation in the Nine Heavens successfully?"

Zhao Wuji's hand, which had been stroking her hair, paused slightly. The smile in his eyes faded, and he shook his head, saying in a deep voice, "It wasn't smooth sailing. I thought that seeing the true face of the Fallen Heavenly Dao beyond the Nine Heavens would resolve many of my doubts, but it seems that things haven't gone as planned."

He frowned slightly. "On the contrary, there are even more mysteries."

"Why the rush, senior brother?"

Li Shiyu knelt behind him, her slender fingers gently massaging his shoulders, her red lips close to his ear, her breath sweet as orchids, "Since there are still mysteries to be solved, we can investigate them slowly."

With your abilities, you'll figure it out sooner or later. Just be more careful next time.

"good."

Hua Qingshuang's usually cold and aloof face showed a rare hint of worry as she gripped his sleeve tightly with her slender hand. "I don't want to see you injured like that again. Even if the end of the Dharma truly arrives, with the abundant resources and spiritual veins we've accumulated, we can at worst endure another three hundred years. Even if our cultivation level declines, it's still better than nothing."

Her voice trailed off slightly, as if she was unwilling to say anything more about that unlucky thing.

"that is!"

Yan Lan, her red robe half-undone, suddenly rolled over and pressed down on him, her phoenix eyes piercingly fixed on him. "If anything happens to you, are you going to make the four of us live like widows?"

"Bah bah bah!"

Nan Zhixia hurriedly sat up, annoyed, "Sister Yan, you're just saying such unlucky things! I... I don't want anything to happen to my husband, and for him to grow old alone."

That's not what I meant.

As Zhao Wuji watched the four women bickering over him, a smile involuntarily spread across his lips.

These four delicate faces, some pouting, some sorrowful, nestled among the clouds, surpass the beauty of countless sunsets in the world.

Having found such a Daoist companion, even though the flames of tribulation raged beyond the Nine Heavens and the calamities of the Dharma-ending Age had not yet been resolved, at least for now, one could find peace of mind.

Moreover, all four women are exceptionally talented, each possessing top-tier spiritual aptitude and extraordinary comprehension.

Hua Qingshuang, who has the highest cultivation level, has already touched the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage and is about to break through.

With Zhao Wuji, a Nascent Soul Dao Lord, personally guiding them on the path to Nascent Soul, it's only a matter of time before they advance to the Nascent Soul realm.

After spending a brief moment with his four Daoist companions, Zhao Wuji left with the demon tree clone to continue his dedicated cultivation, preparing for his breakthrough to the Dao Integration Realm.

He returned to the underground lava cave where he had discovered the remains of the Jianmu tree years ago. A scorching wind rushed towards him, making his robes flutter loudly.

"boom!!"

The demon tree clone leaped into the rolling lava, its massive, mountain-like trunk shuddering violently, its towering two-thousand-foot-tall form resembling an ancient behemoth descending upon the world.

The gnarled roots, twisted like dragons, burst forth with a dazzling blue light, each vein resembling an inverted galaxy, boldly plunging into the abyss of boiling magma.

"boom!!"

The long river of magma was forcibly torn open, and dozens of main roots as thick as water vats plunged into the sea like hungry dragons, instantly penetrating thousands of feet of rock layers.

The Jianmu Dao patterns emerging on the surface of the roots surged with a blue light, each pattern resembling an ancient dragon's emblem, absorbing the essence of the Nine Provinces' energy in the blazing current, turning the crimson magma into an emerald hue.

"Longkaka!!"

A thunderous rumble came from deep within the earth's crust, and the main root split into countless fine tendrils, spreading wildly along the veins of the Central Plains as if they were living things.

Some roots entwine around the earth fire spirit marrow, drawing in the blood-red essence.

Some penetrate the Yin Sha mineral veins, devouring the Xuan Yin Qi that has accumulated over thousands of years.

Most astonishingly, there are three thickest dragon-shaped main roots, which, with the force to destroy mountains and shatter peaks, rush straight toward the Netherworld.

Wherever it passed, the rock layers crumbled like rotten soil, and the roots could be vaguely seen to be tinged with the unique Netherworld purple flames, as if it intended to directly draw the power of the Netherworld Abyss!

The ancient Jianmu tree of the past drew strength from the Nine Netherworlds to grow, and now the demon tree clone is doing the same.

The domineering nature of Jianmu Daoyun was fully revealed at this moment.

Where the roots extend, the mysterious phantom of the Jianmu tree appears and disappears among the roots, as if the ancient divine tree has cast its power across time and space.

"Alright! In that case, I don't need to worry about the clone."

Zhao Wuji's double pupils flickered as he gazed at the roots extending downwards into the soil, a sense of satisfaction filling his heart.

Even now, his seventh Yin Pearl was activated again, and another Earthly Fiend Technique was lit up, ready to be unsealed.

"It seems they're about to use earth magic."

Zhao Wuji pondered, "However, with the projection of the Nine Yin Nine Yang Pearls in the ancient Immortal Court's treasured medicine furnace, it is no longer difficult for me to decipher the remaining Earthly Fiend Techniques."

At this moment, the roots of the demon tree clone continued to grow wildly downwards, and the Daoist aura of the Jianmu tree was domineering and unparalleled.

In this desolate era of spiritual depletion, the only way to accumulate sufficient foundation for the tree's avatar to break through to the Dao Integration stage is to emulate the ancient Jianmu tree and draw upon the power of the Nine Netherworlds.

Otherwise, given the current state of decline in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, it would be insufficient to support Zhao Wuji's main body and clone breaking through simultaneously.

"boom!"

The roots suddenly pierced the last barrier of the earth's veins, and ghostly blue flames erupted from the crack.

Zhao Wuji's lips curled up slightly.

This time, the roots of the demon tree reaching into the Nine Netherworlds were also something he did intentionally.

It is not only to cultivate an avatar, but also to use the characteristics of the Jianmu tree to shake the Nine Netherworlds, and at the same time to test the true strength of the six Ancestral Demons deep within the Nine Netherworlds.

Especially the magnificent phenomenon he had previously glimpsed from the phantom of that broken black chess piece.

The moment the towering figure in the giant sun closed its eyes, the eerie image of six black moons sinking into the depths of hell lingered in my mind like a dark cloud.

He didn't know if the sight of the black moon setting in the west might be hinting at some secret hidden in the depths of the netherworld.
At this moment, the dragon roots of the demon tree's clone spread through the earth's veins like a spider web, continuously advancing into the depths of the Nine Netherworld.

Zhao Wuji also rolled up his sleeves, his figure transforming into a ray of light and disappearing into the third Pot Heaven space, heading straight towards the ancient immortal court connected to the Pot Heaven Secret Realm.

Within the ancient celestial court, a vast expanse of spiritual energy surged forth, its concentration comparable to that of a level seven spiritual vein.

Zhao Wuji's spiritual aptitude has now reached the pinnacle of his time, with all his acupoints wide open, drawing in spiritual energy from all directions like a whale sucking in water.

He suddenly took out the Nanming Fire Lotus he had obtained from Yan Lingluo from his bosom, and gently stroked the "Entering Water" True Daoist pattern engraved on the lotus petals with his fingertips.

The image of forcibly reversing cause and effect with the true meaning of the Dao resurfaced in his mind once again.

In that scene, the black-robed celestial being's wide sleeves billowed in the thirty-third heaven, and the sight of falling stars was vividly clear.

"My karmic entanglement with Junior Sister Yan might be related to Heavenly Venerable Meng Qiyuan."

Zhao Wuji's gaze was deep as he stroked the tadpole-shaped Dao patterns at the bottom of the fire lotus.

To unravel the many mysteries of this world, perhaps the key lies in this ancient celestial court.

If the Wall-Opening Technique can be combined with the Inner Realm Secret Realm.

By gradually gaining control of this mysterious land and the illusory image of the Celestial Court, one might be able to access the true teachings of the Great Dao left behind by the Four Heavenly Venerables.

At that time, not only will the secrets of heaven and earth be revealed, but the path to heaven for a Mahayana quasi-immortal may also be within reach.

With this thought in mind, he flipped his hand and put away the Southern Bright Fire Lotus, his hand seals suddenly changing.

With a flicker of light, the illusion technique transformed him once again into the appearance of Zhao Zheng, the celestial official wearing the Jinxian crown.

He fluttered his blue robe and transformed into a streak of light, rushing towards the celestial court supported by the distant phantom of the Jianmu tree.

Meanwhile, in the provinces beyond the river, in the deepest part of the Nine Netherworlds.

The savage laughter of the demons of greed and anger echoed in the dark abyss, like the wailing of countless wronged souls.

Their scarlet demonic eyes pierced through the mists of the Netherworld, reaching the edge of the Nine Heavens in the outside world.

Although more than ten days have passed, they still clearly grasped the unusual activity in the Nine Heavens.

They knew that Zhao Wuji and his companions must have returned defeated from the Ninth Heaven, having gained no advantage whatsoever.

"Ho ho."

The greedy demon licked its fangs, its demonic voice like a steel knife scraping bone, "That brat surnamed Zhao is probably just like those pitiful worms who tried to break through the Nine Heavens in the past, his head is broken and he has suffered a severe injury."

"I have sensed the presence of Ziwei and Zhongtian." The Demon of Anger stretched out his demonic arm, stirring up the turbid air of the Nine Netherworlds, and his voice was like the wailing of ten thousand ghosts. "They are all just Nascent Soul cultivators, yet they were able to alarm these two. They must have paid a heavy price."

The three heads of the Greed Demon simultaneously revealed a greedy look, and viscous demonic saliva dripped into the abyss: "Ziwei, Zhongtian, you were just juniors to us back then. If we hadn't ambushed you during your tribulation and forced you to disintegrate and become scattered immortals with Meng Qiyuan's help..."

Its demonic face on its belly suddenly twisted, letting out a sharp, sneer: "What a pity! These two little fellows can still cling to life by borrowing the power of Heaven, while we brothers are suppressed here by that wicked old Heaven! Heaven is unjust!"

"boom!"

The roar of the vengeful demon exploded from the bottom of the altar, and the pitch-black demonic energy erupted like a volcano: "Damn it! If it weren't for the suppression of the Heavenly Dao, I would have devoured all the living beings of the Nine Provinces long ago! Heaven is blind."

Countless vengeful spirits wailed in the demonic energy, coalescing into twisted and venomous human faces.

"Jie Jie"

The demon's crimson eyes flashed in the depths of the Netherworld, emitting a piercing, sinister laugh. "Heaven is indeed blind! If it had eyes, this wicked Heaven wouldn't have fallen to such a state, unable to distinguish friend from foe."

Zhao Wuji, that brat, overestimated himself and failed miserably in his attempt to break through the Nine Heavens. In truth, it was heaven's help to us!

"They have failed."

The demon was enveloped in dark demonic energy, its six demonic arms waving excitedly: "Excellent! Let this world be completely plunged into the cataclysmic end of the Dharma. If this happens a few more times, the corrupted Heavenly Dao will collapse sooner or later."

Its demonic face on its belly suddenly twisted and roared, "The day we see the light of day again will be our day! The Demon Lord will rule the world, reshape the Six Paths, and re-establish the cycle of reincarnation!"

"Not just the six realms of hell, but even the Heavenly Court..."

The vengeful demon poked its hideous head out from the altar, its viscous saliva dripping into the abyss. "It is we who should rebuild it!" it roared.

As the six ancestral demons were laughing wildly, a strange fluctuation suddenly came from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds.

They were shocked to realize that their own demonic energy was slowly draining away, as if being drawn away by an invisible hand.

"Hmm? This is... the aura of Jianmu?!" The three heads of the Greed Demon roared in fury simultaneously, "It's that brat Zhao Wuji causing trouble!"

"Roar!!"

The six demons roared in unison, causing the turbid mist of the Nine Netherworlds to boil.

That long-lost fear of being devoured by the power of the Jianmu tree descended once again, like an ancient nightmare.

Although the demonic energy that is being lost at this moment is only a trickle, it is far less than the vast power that the ancient Jianmu tree once possessed when it swallowed the Nine Netherworlds.

But this threat, as faint as a sprout, caused a look of panic to appear in the eyes of the six ancestral demons.

"Hmph, we have to stop him!"

The demon's demonic arms flared wildly, and its demonic eyes spewed forth a raging inferno.

"How to stop it?"

The Demon of Greed opened its maw and let out a piercing shriek: "Now that the Nine Netherworld Demon Servants have fallen! Our true forms are still sealed and suppressed, how can we possibly stop them?"

A venomous laugh suddenly echoed from the depths of the altar, as if the chilling ice of millennia had scraped to the bone. "Heh heh. My brothers, have you forgotten that we still have one last forbidden secret technique that we have yet to use?"

In the dim demonic aura, the vengeful demon slowly opened its crimson single eye, a chilling malice churning within it: "Now... that method that has never been used before might be worth trying."

Ancient celestial court, shrouded in auspicious mists.

Outside the Xuanqiong Dao Palace, the Celestial Craftsman Immortal sat on the Nine-Headed Cloud Platform, surrounded by golden lotuses of Daoist charm formed from the True Fire of Refining Artifacts.

As each lotus petal unfolded, countless principles of weapon crafting materialized into tangible Dao patterns that rained down, captivating the celestial officials below the stage.

Zhao Wuji, in disguise as "Zhao Zheng," was sitting cross-legged on one of the jade mats, playing with the celestial official's waist token in his hand.

At this moment, within the Yin-Yang Pearl of his consciousness, the proficiency of the Stone Boiling Technique and the Yellowing and Whitening Technique fluctuated and intertwined, continuously improving under the guidance of the Celestial Craftsman Immortal Lord's teachings.

He glanced at his side out of the corner of his eye.

Yan Lingluo was recording Dao patterns with the Fire Spirit Jade Slip. Her crimson sleeves fluttered like butterflies as she made hand seals. While discussing Dao with Lu Ming and the others in hushed tones, she smiled and chatted. The cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye was breathtakingly beautiful under the glow of the clouds.

"The vibrant faces of these fellow Daoists have now all passed away."

A complex and poignant look appeared in Zhao Wuji's eyes, and deep in his mind, images of those decaying Dao bodies pierced by the chains of tribulation outside the Nine Heavens suddenly surfaced.

The image of the fellow Daoist chatting and laughing before him overlapped with the fading, lifeless image from his memory, causing a shadow to flicker in his eyes.

"Senior Brother Zhao?"

Yan Lingluo suddenly turned her head, the coral hairpin at her temple jingling. "The way you look at people lately is really strange. What are you thinking?"

The woman extended her jade-like fingertips and waved them in front of him, bringing with them a wisp of the burnt aroma of Nanming fire.

"It was just a recollection of some old stories."

Zhao Wuji chuckled, concealing his surprise, and put away the waist token in his sleeve. He said, "The Dao of 'Returning All Treasures to the Source' that the Celestial Craftsman Immortal Lord spoke of today has given me new insights into the Spirit Tempering Chapter."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ming clapped his hands and interjected, "Ten years from now, when the Purple Star Immortal King begins his lecture on the Starry Chess Game, with the Milky Way as the board and the stars as the pieces, it will surely be a grand event that is only seen once in a thousand years. Junior Brother Zhao, you must not miss this opportunity."

Just as Zhao Wuji was about to bow in gratitude, the clear sound of chime bells suddenly came from the distant Zhurong Palace.

The crimson phoenix sculpture on the roof ridge seemed to come alive, raising its head and crying out, its eyes spewing forth three feet of true fire.

With a flick of her sleeve, Yan Lingluo conjured a rainbow bridge from the Southern Bright Fire: "The restrictions on the two halls of Zhurong and Gonggong have been lifted. Fellow Daoists, please follow me quickly."

The celestial officials rose with delight and set off, their robes fluttering as they displayed the aura of immortals.

Upon reaching the Gonggong Hall, Zhao Wuji suddenly felt a tremor in his heart.

On the jade wall depicting Gonggong's furious attack on Buzhou Mountain, illusory images appeared in the cracks of the collapsing sky.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed quite similar to the scene he had seen in the black chess pieces: the ancient divine battle scenes softened by auspicious clouds, with the blue phoenix and black tortoise appearing as if they were bubbles, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

After everyone was seated in the Zhurong Hall, Zhao Wuji took advantage of a break in the discussion to ask Yan Lingluo in a low voice about the secrets of the Zhurong Hall's heritage.

The disciple of the Zhurong Temple, clad in a crimson flowing robe, replied without hesitation, "The so-called Zhurong is actually an honorific title passed down through generations. In ancient times, there was a Mahayana Celestial Venerable who held this position."

"We, the descendants of the Zhurong Temple, dedicate our entire lives to cultivation, yet all we desire is to recreate the glory of yesteryear."

The fire in her palm flickered. "The strongest person in the hall right now, Lin Xianjun, has only integrated his natal Dao seed into the earth's core lava, barely touching the threshold of the Dao Integration stage. This is the highest achievement our Zhurong Hall has made in six hundred years."

The situation at Gonggong Temple was similar.

Listening to Yan Lingluo's explanation, Zhao Wuji couldn't help but fall into thought.

The mythical imagery of Pangu creating the world and Nuwa creating humanity within the black chess piece he once possessed felt strangely disconnected from the celestial court's legacy before him.

Those ancient deities worshipped by the world may never have been born holy, but rather the names of cultivators who were deified by time.

The ancient holy names worshipped by all living beings in the land are merely the result of incense burning to create an immortal image over the long course of time.

Therefore, the myths and legends of the past seem to be false and not the same as the world he once lived in.

What about the histories of past dynasties? Were they also fabricated?

"Illusion and reality."

He seemed to have grasped a hidden side of this world that had been misunderstood for a long time.

Zhao Wuji suddenly looked up, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

The phantom of the medicine furnace atop Jianmu was emitting spiritual mist, and the Daoist aura of the Celestial Venerable beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens cracked like glass.

A realization more terrifying than the Nine Netherworld Mist struck his heart like a sharp arrow.

If the gods and immortals are fictional, and history is fabricated, then this world, which bears the weight of billions of lives, is still a fictional place.
Could this place be the one that shelters all living beings?

His Dao heart trembled violently as he recalled the scenes he often created in dream worlds using the Dream Marriage Technique.

Even this illusory ancient celestial court seemed real in his dream world.

These immortal officials and fellow Daoists who had long since passed away still played vivid roles in his dream world, and no one knew that all of this was an illusion.

Only he himself knew, as if he were the only one sober while the whole world was drunk.

Is it possible that this world is also a dream from the Spring and Autumn period, a dream that has not yet ended, during a time of decline and decay of the natural order?

Because the Way of Heaven has fallen into a deep slumber, all people are also trapped in illusion and find it difficult to awaken.

Within the Yin-Yang Pearl, the final true incantation of the Dream Marriage Technique suddenly appeared: "The Great Dream of Three Thousand Worlds, before Zhuangzi awoke."

The art of dream marriage has reached a level of unparalleled mastery.

The Dao-Intercepting True Meaning between Zhao Wuji's brows spontaneously condensed into golden threads that pierced the void. "Could it be that this entire universe is just a grand dream of some being?"

(End of this chapter)