Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

Ship tower, floor one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three.

Dingchou District.

"Should be the right room?"

Zhang Jing looked at the door in front of him, covered with fairy light, and couldn't help but sigh in relief.

Finally found it!

Perhaps due to the influence of mustard seed shrinking earth, the interior of this Void Treasure Ship was much larger than it looked from the outside.

A grand sum of two thousand seven hundred and thirty-two floors.

Each floor was divided into twenty-nine districts, each with dozens, if not hundreds of rooms.

The layout was complicated, like a labyrinth.

From the ship's bow deck to here, Zhang Jing had indeed taken quite some effort.

He took out his ticket and gently affixed it to the door.

In an instant.

The dense fairy light covering the room's door began to slowly dissipate.

Just as he was about to open the door and enter.

Rustle--

A sudden sound of footsteps appeared by his ear.

Zhang Jing could not help but turn his head towards the sound, seeing a young cultivator in golden robes with a hint of arrogance on his face. Especially the pink immortal jade pendant around his waist, it was remarkably flamboyant.

Before he had time to remark

Zhang Jing's gaze suddenly sharpened.

In his line of sight.

This young man was walking straight towards him, his speed increasing, his momentum intensifying. It was as if a terrifying elemental magnetic storm that could obliterate everything was moving towards him.

"He's strong, but he seems hostile. Have we met before? Is he from the Heavenly Realm lineage?"

He quietly analyzed.

Zhang Jing was certain.

Since entering the Boundless Tai Yi Daoist Gate more than thirty years ago, I have been cultivating working hard on the Immortal Island, not making a single enemy.

His gaze gradually settled.

This person's strength was formidable, but just... formidable.

On the other side.

Meeting Zhang Jing's gaze.

The golden-robed man walked straight up to him.

Much to Zhang Jing's surprise.

The very moment this person stopped in his tracks, his overwhelming momentum vanished into thin air.

"Ahem, Brother…" The young man in the golden robes looked at Zhang Jing and asked cautiously, "Could you tell me how to get to Dingchou District on the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-third floor? I've been wandering around for a while, but I can't find where Dingchou District is."

"I don't know who the Five Elements-crazy person who built this Void Treasure Ship is, but this is killing me!"

Upon hearing this.

Zhang Jing showed a bewildered expression on his face.

After pondering for a moment.

He asked, "Have you really been wandering around here for a while?"

The golden-robed man nodded sincerely.

Seeing the other's reaction.

Zhang Jing couldn't help but feel speechless.

He took a deep breath, pointed at the ground beneath him, and calmly stated:

"This is Dingchou District!"

"This is Dingchou District?" A look of disbelief flashed across the golden-robed man's eyes.

He was momentarily stupefied.

If this was Dingchou District...

He thought of the question he had asked just a moment ago and felt his face flushing slightly embarrassingly.

What a disgrace!

Coming to his senses.

The man in the golden robe turned around to thank Zhang Jing, but found that Zhang Jing had already entered the room.

In an instant,

A quarrel erupted deep within his sea of consciousness.

"Master, I told you not to lead the way blindly and make me look like a fool…" the man in golden robes complained.

At his words.

The fragmentary figure in his sea of consciousness was immediately choked with fury, huffing and puffing.

"You dare to blame your master? If I hadn't led the way, you would have never found the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-third floor!"

"But leading me around Dingchou district to find the Dingchou district seems a bit absurd."

"That's me getting familiar with the environment…"

"You're looking for Dingchou District in Dingchou District!"

"There's a reason for that."

"You're looking for Dingchou District in Dingchou District!" The man repeated emotionlessly.

The fragmentary figure instantly went berserk.

At last.

In desperation, and seemingly to change the subject, the fragmentary figure revealed a serious expression on its half-face, uttering solemnly:

"The little guy you just asked for directions, he's terrifying!"

"Of course he's terrifying, I am his clown."

The man in the golden robe sighed.

"What I mean is... his strength is terrifying, in no way inferior to yours! And he seems to be even younger than you."

At his words.

The golden-robed man's face suddenly froze.

"Are you sure you didn't misjudge?"

He said in disbelief.

The fragmentary figure nodded confidently, not saying any more.

The next moment.

The man in the golden robe began to bellow in frustration:

"Old man, you lied to me! Didn't you say I am the greatest in the Foundation Establishment Realm, how come I bumped into someone no weaker than me even before I got to the Jiaoyun Secret Realm?"

"Going by this trend, won't there be thousands, if not tens of thousands, who are as strong as me?"

At this point.

The fragmentary figure could not help but roll his eyes.

"Firstly, you should include 'one of them' in that sentence to avoid misunderstanding. Secondly, how on earth would there be thousands or tens of thousands as strong as you?"

"The little guy just now is no doubt a monster that might have been carefully cultivated by a True Monarch of your Taiyi Sect's Cave Heaven. Your master suggests that you get on good terms with him if he is also from the Lower Nine Domains."

"I see, thank you for your guidance, Master."

The man said gratefully.

The expression on his face instantly restored to calm, compared to before, he seemed like a completely different person.

Eventually.

After a round of searching.

The man in the golden robe was surprised to discover that his room was just next to the monster he had just asked directions from.

"Fate indeed~"

A smile filled with interest suddenly appeared on his face.

...

At this moment.

Not far from Zhang Jing's room.

The door was gently opened.

An ordinary-looking figure quietly stepped out, his gaze firmly stuck on Zhang Jing's room.

"Zhang Jing, he's here too? Is he simply here to experience the Secret Realm or..."

A thoughtful expression appeared on You Yuanming's face.

Based on the information he had gathered in this period.

Disciples from the Cave Heavens, like Zhang Jing, usually settle in the Foundation Establishment Realm for a century or two, then directly participate in the competition for the top hundred places of Foundation Establishment in the Jiaoyun Realm.

They absolutely couldn't possibly enter the Secret Realm right now!

However—he suddenly recalled the terrifying performances of the other party at the Dragon Lake Dao Institute in the Lower Realm, and his confidence couldn't help but waver a bit.

This 'Junior Brother' of his past.

When could he ever be predicted according to common sense?!

But at this moment.

The door next to You Yuanming gently opened.

"Junior Brother You, what are you looking at?"

"Senior Brother, I just saw someone I knew from the Lower Realm."

You Yuanming replied with a smile.

"Oh~ A friend of yours from the Lower Realm, he must have also come to broaden his horizons. Haha, it seems we've all thought the same thing."

Light laughter sounded from the room.

You Yuanming also laughed along, but a hint of complexity flashed in his eyes.

Expand his horizons... perhaps.

...

Time slowly passed.

On this day.

On the deck at the bow of the void treasure ship.

A few cultivators were scattered in different corners, seemingly chatting about something. Their faces showed expressions of admiration, excitement, and expectation.

Among these people.

Zhang Jing was standing alone with his hands behind his back in a vacant area, his gaze calmly looked at the pitch-black void ahead, seemingly deep in thought.

Not long after.

A figure in a golden robe quietly appeared not far from Zhang Jing, asking with some curiosity:

"Brother Zhang, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing really, I'm just emptying my mind."

A faint smile appeared on Zhang Jing's face. Then he turned his head and looked at the other man, saying, "Brother Qu, you've decided to come out today?"

Unknowingly, two months had passed.

Zhang Jing and the man in front of him had gradually become acquainted.

This man was named Qu Junhou, also from the Chiwu Department of the Lower Realm's Juntian Domain.

At the same time, this fellow had comprehended the Aurora Yuan Magnetic Sea and was then guided into the Upper Realm by Shangyuan Qingjing Cave Heaven.

He should've arrived at the same time as me.

Thinking of this.

Zhang Jing couldn't help but take another glance at Qu Junhou, only to meet the other man's gaze.

"What a monster!"

The two simultaneously exclaimed in their minds.

As for Zhang Jing.

He was very clear that his current success was entirely due to the Mysterious Jade Talisman. Without the talisman, he might still be at the Dragon Lake Dao Institute in the Lower Realm.

Where would he have the confidence to seize the first place in the Foundation Establishment like he does now.

At this moment.

Similar thoughts appeared in Qu Junhou's thoughts.

He knew well that without the guidance and help of the teacher in his consciousness, he would probably still be somewhere in the Lower Realm.

The most important thing is.

Still vivid in his mind is the incident of Zhang Jing squeezing into the top ten of the True Spirit List.

Being able to reach this level purely based on talent was somewhat abnormal.

No wonder the teacher asked him to maintain a good relationship with Zhang Jing.

"Hehe, although Brother Zhang, you have monstrous talent, don't blame me for not being understanding in this Jiaoyun Secret Realm. After all, I recognized the teacher through my own abilities. I suppose it won't go too far when the old man guides me a bit during our competition"

Qu Junhou thought gleefully.

According to the teacher's evaluation of Zhang Jing.

He knew that he would most likely face off against Zhang Jing in the Jiaoyun Secret Realm, so he had made some... minor preparations in advance.

But at this moment.

Boom——

The void treasure ship suddenly shuddered violently.

Zhang Jing and Qu Junhou's faces changed simultaneously, they hurriedly looked over.

Next moment, a touch of uncontrollable shock flashed in their eyes.

In their vision.

Without knowing when it started, the originally calm void had stirred up a terrifying storm. The twisted and violent atmosphere spread over countless distances in an instant.

The void treasure ship, as large as a mountain range.

In the face of this storm, it suddenly turned into a negligible speck of dust, seeming like it could topple at any moment.

Moreover——

Zhang Jing dazedly raised his head to look higher up.

Did he imagine this?

Atop this virtual storm that extended over countless distances, a silhouette of half a giant demonic wing appeared faintly.

Through that silhouette.

Zhang Jing seemed to see a vast world composed of mountains and seas.

"Mountain... Sea... Butterfly!"

The man beside him, Qu Junhou, murmured.