Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

"Yes, Master."

Han Sheng retreated respectfully to the door, then turned and tiptoed his way out of the palace, careful not to make a single sound.

After a few moments,

Han Sheng stopped, turning his head to cast a complex gaze back at the majestic and splendid Qingjing Palace.

A sense of poignant loss spontaneously arose in his heart.

Unconsciously, the Master had completely surpassed him in strength.

Regarding this, Han Sheng had actually anticipated it, but he had not expected this moment to come so soon.

To think that he had only followed the Master for a few years.

...

...

Roar—

A mournful roar echoed in all directions, the sound waves distorting the air into a series of transparent ripples that rolled swiftly around.

Suddenly,

a streak of azure Sword Intent flashed by.

The deafening roar abruptly ceased to exist.

The next moment,

the sound waves, the land, the primeval forest, the ancient beast... everything before Zhang Jing began to slowly part to each side.

On the smooth, mirror-like cut surface, the sharp Sword Intent lingered for a long time, unwilling to dissipate.

Zhang Jing beckoned slightly, and a piece of divine iron under the distant ancient beast, along with the beast itself, was captured by his mana, then directly transformed into a streak of light that shot into his sleeve.

At this moment, the surging mana aura on his body had clearly reached the Dharma Phase Realm.

"The most profound depths of the forbidden ancient forest downstream seem to be just so-so. Should I perhaps head towards the midstream of the River of Cosmos instead?" he thought sneakily to himself.

After all, for someone like him who stood on the threshold of the Unity Realm Stage, continuing to search for chances downstream was truly a waste of time.

Wait a second! It seemed he had forgotten something.

"Right, the Combining Dao trade meetup."

Enlightenment flashed in Zhang Jing's eyes, followed by a shake of his head, "It's probably started by now; going back will most likely be too late. Forget it, directly to the midstream region, then,"

"This River of Cosmos is truly strange, time passes in absolute chaos."

Nevertheless...

Zhang Jing seemed to think of something, his eyes flickering for a moment.

Mysterious Pavilion!

...

...

"Mysterious Pavilion, as long as they're still within the Secret Realm, legends say there's no one they can't find."

"Stupid ox, you're dead now! You got me captured and locked up by the guards of Immortal City for so long, I cannot let this grievance go unavenged. I must stomp my way back!"

In a quiet alley,

a diminutive figure about three feet tall with a faint hoofprint on its forehead stretched out a tiny foot and fiercely stomped at the air, muttering viciously to itself.

After venting,

it couldn't help but look up, staring intently at the shop that appeared shabby and dilapidated, even lacking a signboard.

If it weren't for the information peddler's repeated deadly oaths of assurance, it would never believe that the infamous Mysterious Pavilion was actually located here.

Without much hesitation,

the tiny figure strenuously climbed the steps, flipped over the threshold, and slowly disappeared into the shadows.

It dared not use mana to fly in.

After all, should the Mysterious Pavilion consider it an act of offense or provocation, it would mean certain death.

Not long after,

inside the room.

"My lord, I wish to find someone, no, a cow, that's not quite right, in any case, the exact whereabouts of a Minotaur, here's the agreed upon payment."

The three-foot figure carefully handed over a storage bag to the old crone, followed by passing her the jade slip that recorded the target's scent and appearance.

"Finding someone?"

The crone lazily confirmed.

As she opened her mouth, an indescribable stench gushed forth, and the room was instantly coated with a slimy yellow-green hue.

"Yes, my lord,"

the diminutive figure nodded as if pounding garlic, with a face so docile it seemed completely unaware of the foul stench emanating from the crone's mouth.

"Three days time. Come and fetch."

The crone tossed the jade slip behind her.

On the ground, shadows flowed like water, directly swallowing up the jade slip.

Then, as if discovering something, the crone's neck gradually extended, transforming into a meaty python that lifted her aged head, inch by inch approaching the diminutive figure on the ground, and asked in a ghostly tone:

"Little thing, you have a nose, why aren't you breathing?"

Gross, oily stench sprayed onto his face, but the tiny figure no longer smelled the foulness.

All he felt was an encompassing, terrifying chill that left him stiff and unable to move.

"Gr... my lord, from a young age, I cultivated an inner breath technique, hence I don't often breathe, please forgive me,"

the tiny figure said with shivering eyes, lying through his teeth, his little face one that almost seemed ready to cry.

Damn!

The informant hadn't mentioned this scenario at all.

"Oh, is that so, let me have a look—" the crone said eerily, but before she could finish, she was interrupted by light footsteps.

"Who?"

She withdrew her neck and turned to look, finding a figure draped in a blue robe, shouldering an Immortal Sword, standing at the entrance.

Her gaze moved upwards.

A young, juvenile face with a somewhat mocking smile broke into her line of sight.

"It's you!"

The crone exclaimed involuntarily.

She recognized Zhang Jing at once.

Yet... how could this be? It was a pursuit by a full-fledged Earth Immortal, so why did this person look completely unharmed?

Even if another Earth Immortal had come to his rescue afterward, the gap in time between them was enough for a mere Dharma Phase Realm cultivator to die eight hundred times over.

"Tell me, how did you find my exact whereabouts?"

Zhang Jing, covering his mouth and nose, spoke indifferently:

"If you cannot provide a satisfactory answer today, the Mysterious Pavilion in the initial Immortal City will have no reason to exist any longer."