Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

"Of course——"

The frigid man dragged out his words, a hint of a cold smile appearing on his face.

"If you don't wish to join us, that's an option too. Just leave your Jiaoyun Decree in your possession behind."

"After all, we're also considering your safety."

Saying this.

He waved a single hand.

The twenty or so Cultivators standing behind him suddenly stepped forward in unison; their powerful momentum gradually connecting, like a surge of tidal waves pressuring Zhang Jing.

On the other side.

Zhang Jing's calm gaze swept across the frigid man's face before lightly landing on the figure of the cloaked man standing at the front.

"Do you mean to tell me that things are currently calm in the Central Area of the fight arena?"

He asked, out of curiosity.

"Yes, in the past few days, many Monsters have converged in the Central Area, and nobody dares to make a move there."

The leading man explained.

An unruffled expression of self-confidence sat upon his face.

Is it so?

A flash of understanding crossed Zhang Jing's mind.

It seems that the initial chaos of the Central Area had passed, and this was indeed a much-needed respite.

Thinking of this.

"Many thanks for the information."

A radiant smile bloomed on Zhang Jing's face while his eyes were full of gratitude towards the people in front.

As his words rang out.

A strong sense of impending danger inexplicably arose in the cloaked man's heart.

A chilling terror seeped into his very marrow.

He suddenly lifted his head.

Reflected in his eyes was a huge, slowly descending, five-colored hand.

The Five Elements Tao Intent circulated endlessly on the surface of the hand, perfectly harmonious and releasing waves of terrifying power, enough to make one suffocate.

At this moment.

The usual indifferent expression on the cloaked man's face began to slowly dissolve, to be replaced by horror, despair, and endless regret.

"It's over! My twenty million worth of luck movement!"

He let out a silent wail in his heart.

Then, he transformed into a beam of white light and disappeared on the spot.

Those who disappeared along with him were the dozens of people behind him.

Only a few Jiaoyun Decrees quietly suspended in the air remained at the original spot.

"You know, this tactic really does work."

As his gaze swept across the massive finger print in front of him, a touch of satisfaction appeared on Zhang Jing's face.

Nothing else needed to be mentioned.

At least, the clearing was quite effective.

On the other side.

The man, who was previously bathed in golden light, came running back in a desperate panic.

When he laid eyes on the unscathed Zhang Jing.

His gaze revealed a hint of surprise.

Then.

His eyes subconsciously glanced at the giant print that was filled with strong Tao Intent.

The man had seemingly guessed something.

Without much thought, he turned his head back.

Those people were still pursuing him relentlessly.

Suddenly, he realized that the Zhang Jing before him might just be his best chance to escape from his pursuers.

As for what happened earlier....

"He seemed young, and moreover, I merely yelled to advise him to run away. He shouldn't hold a grudge over that. The main issue here is that I don't really have any other choice."

With this thought in mind.

The man steeled his heart, and once again ran straight towards Zhang Jing.

As he was about to approach him.

All he could do was to earnestly shout:

"Fellow Daoist! Perhaps you and I——"

However, before he could finish his sentence.

A five-colored giant hand appeared in his line of sight, slowly descending with an overwhelming momentum.

It was utterly unstoppable!

The man's shocked expression froze on his face.

In the corner of his eye.

Those who were relentlessly chasing him were now also enveloped by the shadow of this giant hand.

He struggled to look at Zhang Jing's calm face.

His eyes were filled with shock.

Was this man actually planning to eliminate all the Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators, including himself, with a single strike?

"Is this what they mean by the top-notch cultivator Monsters nurtured by those great powers? I guess those who came before me must have been eliminated in the same way."

The man felt a wave of helplessness.

In the next instant, his vision darkened.

"Shut up!"

A faint voice seemed to echo in his ears.

...

Right there.

He intently stared at the floating twelve Jiaoyun Decrees in front of him.

Complex emotions couldn't help but surface on Zhang Jing's face.

In the beginning, he desired just one and couldn't obtain it.

But now, ironically, the more he wanted to refuse, the more the Jiaoyun Decrees lined up and delivered themselves to him.

He shook his head.

Gathering all the twelve Jiaoyun Decrees, Zhang Jing swiftly transformed into a beam of radiant light, heading straight towards the central area of the battlefield.

...

In a certain valley.

A roaring river was furiously rushing forward, ten-meter-high violent waves carried a colossal force, brutally crashing against the rugged cliffs on both shores, causing even the ground to tremble.

On the remote river surface.

Two groups of people were confronting each other, the atmosphere was extremely tense and heavy.

"You sure have plenty of people, but if you think you can take our Jiaoyun Decrees without any sacrifice, I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy!"

A woman shrouded in a crimson magical robe, her body radiating intense golden light, angrily glared at the opposing team of more than thirty members, choking back her fear while she yelled.

The ones she was shielding behind her.

Were seven or eight women in magical robes, palace skirts and various other garments, their bodies also shimmering with a golden hue.

At this moment.

Their faces were already turning pale.

"What kind of skill does it take to steal our Jiaoyun Decrees? If you have real courage, go to the central area and steal from those people."

"Yes, it's been rumored that someone in the central area has even set up a contest platform now. If you can withstand for five breaths' time, you can get a Jiaoyun Decree. But even with that, you guys don't dare to challenge, you only know how to steal from us."

"These are found with great difficulty by us."

"Don't you have any decency?"

These women yelled angrily at the group on the other side, their voices even carried the hint of sobbing.

"The Monsters in the central area, huh? Hmph, sooner or later I will challenge them. We're all in the Foundation Establishment Realm, but I want to see what makes them so powerful that you admire them so much."

Without warning, the leading man on the opposite side speaking somewhat defiantly.

The moment these words came out.

Immediately dozens of surprised or doubtful glances turned towards the man leading the group.

It was at this moment.

A dazzling rainbow light carrying an immense momentum broke into the crowd's field of vision.

Inside the rainbow light.

One could faintly see the silhouette of a young man.

In his hand, there were dozens of Jiaoyun Decrees radiating an intense golden glow.

The newcomer was none other than Zhang Jing, who was traveling at full speed.

Right there.

The leading man was staring intently at the rainbow light transformed by Zhang Jing, a hint of temptation flashing in his eyes.

He was just about to intercept him.

Unexpectedly.

He had barely taken half a step forward.

When a terrifying, substantial gaze was cast from the rainbow light, it landed directly on him.

Suddenly, his consciousness turned blank.

A trace of unconcealed fear surfaced on his face.

At this moment, the air was particularly silent.

...

After an unknown amount of time.

The rainbow light had already vanished without a trace.

Everyone slowly regained consciousness.

"Who was that…? Is he in the Foundation Establishment Realm?"

The leading man swallowed his saliva, speaking incredulously.

"Boss, that person should be one of the 'Monsters' you were just talking about challenging, we can probably find him if we head to the central area now."

One of his followers carefully explained.

However, the leader didn't even respond to him.

He just kept murmuring to himself:

"He shouldn't be… the legacy never mentioned that someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm could be that terrifying."

"Boss, are you still planning to challenge in the central area—"

The follower who had been speaking earlier asked again.

However, before he could even finish his sentence, he was rudely interrupted by the leader:

"We will... we will go when we have the chance! For now, let's go to the peripheral area to find some Jiaoyun Decrees. Damn it, those girls managed to slip away."

...

Half a day later.

Three towering mountain peaks arranged in a '品' shape with flattened tops came into Zhang Jing's sight.

On top, nearly a hundred figures were sitting in silence.

The aura emanating from each of these individuals was unique, but they all shared a common trait, each one exuded an overwhelming presence.

Anyone could tell they were no ordinary people.

The frequent sights of fights and skirmishes along the way were nowhere to be seen here.

It seemed like an oasis in a turbulent world.

"Here we are!"

Zhang Jing's eyes flashed.