I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 1007 Immortality
The three-headed, six-armed deity made a hand seal, and boundless radiance transformed into a light curtain that descended, enveloping the entire Wenhou territory. The entire territory was bathed in a golden hue, becoming as solid as a rock. No matter how the outside world attacked, it could not cause the slightest ripple on that barrier.

"Wenhou's strength is only at the tenth level, so how can his defense be so strong? When that light barrier fell, even a twelfth-level expert couldn't shake it." Zhang Chen looked at the divine light emanating from Wenhou and finally understood why the demon race was helpless against Wenhou. It was simply that Wenhou's defense was too heaven-defying, and no one could break through it.

"Such terrifying defensive power is unprecedented and unparalleled. This is the first time I have ever seen anything like it." Zhong Wubai looked at Wen Hou, who seemed like a god or demon in the distance, his eyes filled with seriousness and his pupils were full of shock.

“Now that the demon race has surrounded Wenhou’s territory, we have two options if we want to go to the North. The first is to risk passing through Wenhou’s territory, but the demon race’s beast tide is difficult to deal with, and if we get surrounded by the beast tide, it will be troublesome. The second is to take a detour, but the detour will add a year to the journey.” Zhang Gaqi said from the side, his eyes looking at Zhang Chen: “I wonder if our methods of repelling beasts will be effective against the demon army.”

“Of course, it will have the same effect,” Zhang Chen replied. “The large ships can just sail over.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaqi was secretly shocked by Zhang Chen's methods. His eyes were filled with astonishment. He got up and went outside to give orders. He saw the large ship sailing forward. Before long, the ship stopped again. It was not blocked by the demon beasts, but by the golden light barrier set up by Wen Hou.

The barrier was impregnable, preventing any substance from entering and keeping everything outside. At this moment, patrolling soldiers in small boats scrutinized Zhang Chen and his group through the barrier, calling out to them: "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

“I am from the Zhang family fleet. The head of the Zhang family from the capital is on board. We wish to pass through this place on our way to the north. We would like to trouble Lord Wen to allow us to pass.” A steward from the Zhang family stepped forward to negotiate with the soldier.

The guard was shocked upon hearing this: "Is it the Zhang family, one of the eight great families?"

The steward, upon hearing this, replied with a smug look, "Exactly."

Upon hearing this, the guard quickly bowed and said, "So you are from the Zhang family of the capital. My apologies! Do you have any proof? I would like to inform Marquis Wen."

The Zhang family steward took out the document and token and placed them in front of the barrier. The guard inside the barrier reached out and passed through it without any hindrance, took the document, and then walked away.

Before long, the guards arrived before Marquis Wen. Looking at the Marquis Wen, who stood ten thousand feet tall and possessed a three-headed, six-armed divine form, they reported the matter. The ten-thousand-foot-tall divine form shrank, transforming into a normal human figure, but the protective barrier still enveloped the void, seemingly unaffected by the loss of Marquis Wen's support.

"What eight great families of Kyoto, what Zhang family of Kyoto, they're all paper tigers. They were all wiped out by the royal family long ago. The eight great families have long since become a thing of the past, buried in the long river of history, not worth mentioning. Tell them that I said, 'What dog-skin Zhang family? Never heard of them. Tell them this place is sealed off and to go around them.'" Marquis Wen shouted, his eyes full of disdain.

Upon hearing Wenhou's words, the guard turned back and relayed them verbatim. Zhang Gaqi, on the boat, was furious: "That Wenhou! How dare he humiliate my Zhang family like this! He deserves to die! This damned brute, he wasn't even worthy to be a dog for my Zhang family before, and now he dares to humiliate my Zhang family! He deserves to die!"

Zhang Gaqi cursed loudly, his voice filled with anger. He turned to look at Zhang Chen, waiting for Zhang Chen's orders and to see how Zhang Chen would deal with the situation. However, Zhang Chen did not get angry. Instead, he stood there calmly and said, "Lord Wen has quite the nerve. He doesn't even put my Zhang family in his eyes. When I first met him, he wasn't like this."

When Zhang Chen and Zhou Qiucheng passed through the territory of Marquis Wen, Zhou Qiucheng was proving his Dao, and Marquis Wen personally came out to curry favor with him, showing a respectful and courteous attitude towards scholars.

“We’re heading north right now, so it’s not wise to start a big fight. Let me handle this!” Zhou Qiucheng stepped forward. “I met Marquis Wen once before, so he might give me some face.”

Zhou Qiucheng walked all the way to the lead ship, arrived in front of the golden screen, clasped his hands in a salute to the guards, and handed them a card: "This is my card. Please trouble the young general to pass it on to Marquis Wen."

The young general glanced at Zhou Qiucheng, and seeing the other's extraordinary demeanor, he dared not delay and accepted the invitation. He then walked away on the water and disappeared from everyone's sight. Not long after, the young general returned and said to Zhou Qiucheng, "My general said that this road is blocked. Please trouble Mr. Zhou to take a detour."

Zhou Qiucheng was taken aback upon hearing this, staring at the young officer with a look of astonishment: "And then? Is there anything else?"

"That's all!" The young general shook his head.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng's face flushed red: "You brat, how dare you deceive me!"

Zhou Qiucheng was humiliated and immediately burst into a tirade of curses, his voice filled with anger. Zhong Wubai, standing to the side, turned to Zhang Chen and said, "That brute showed no respect whatsoever. I'm afraid only you can handle this personally."

Zhang Chen shook his head upon hearing this:

"I'm afraid it's no use for me to handle this. I'm just an unknown nobody, and Marquis Wen might not give me any face. Besides, the Zhang family has already fallen from its position as one of the eight great families, so Marquis Wen won't give them any face either. But the old gentleman has taught the world and his students are all over the world. I suppose Marquis Wen should give you some face."

Zhang Chen wanted to ask Zhong Wubai to intervene, but Zhong Wubai hesitated for a moment and said, "They wouldn't even give Mr. Zhou face, so they probably won't give me face either. But since things have come to this, we have no choice but to try." Zhong Wubai stepped forward and handed over his own invitation. The young general was stunned when he heard Zhong Wubai's name, and was greatly shocked. After all, Zhong Wubai was also one of the teachers of the academy, and his reputation was renowned throughout the world.

The young general dared not delay and immediately turned around to deliver the message. A short while later, he returned with a nervous expression: "Mr. Zhong, you'd better take a detour. My general said we cannot let you pass."

Zhong Wubai looked displeased and retreated from the deck, turning to Zhang Chen: "Even my influence won't work."

Zhang Chen's expression finally darkened: "That damned Marquis Wen is so arrogant, showing us no respect whatsoever. Since that's the case, you can't blame me. You all wait on the ship, I'm going to meet him."

Zhang Chen's figure flashed and he disappeared without a trace. When he reappeared, he was already on a desolate mountain. He then summoned Tiger Power Immortal. Before long, a stream of light flew from the demon camp and landed in front of Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen looked at Tiger Power Immortal with surprise and said, "You came very quickly."

"The demon race is currently attacking Wenhou's territory. I am here to oversee the situation and ensure that Wenhou's territory is conquered before the great upheaval ends, thus resolving the trouble here. On the contrary, why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the capital?" Tiger Power Immortal asked with a surprised expression when he saw Zhang Chen appear here.

“I wanted to lead my family north, but Marquis Wen blocked my way,” Zhang Chen said calmly.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Tiger Power Immortal, with his intelligence, immediately understood what was going on. He then advised, "You should take a detour. The territory of Marquis Wen is impregnable and cannot be breached in a short time."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen asked with a puzzled expression, "What's going on with Marquis Wen? Where did he get such abilities that he has rendered the demon race helpless?"

"That Marquis Wen, from who knows where, has gained good fortune and cultivated a strange supernatural power: the Heart Concealment Technique. He can dig out his heart from his body and hide it somewhere. As long as the heart is not destroyed, he will not perish. Moreover, he has also obtained the indestructible golden body of Jin Dou, the guardian of Tiger Soul Pass. His body can be transformed into metal, or into liquid, or even manifest as a three-headed, six-armed demon god. Even a twelfth-level expert cannot defeat him."

"What a brilliant technique to conceal one's mind! It's an incredible skill." Even with Zhang Chen's current cultivation level, he couldn't help but be astonished upon hearing such an evil name as the Technique to Conceal One's Mind. Could such a heaven-defying supernatural power really be cultivated by humans?

"If the other party weren't so troublesome, I would have taken him down long ago. Why would I be stuck here, blocking my demon race's southward journey?" Tiger Power Immortal complained. "His cultivation is only at the tenth level, which is not worth mentioning. But with those two supernatural abilities, he is impossible to kill or defeat. He is incredibly troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen hesitated for a moment, then took out half a sword from his sleeve, which was the half of the Zhuxian Sword: "I have a broken sword, which is extremely sharp and has the effect of killing living beings. It may be very effective against Wen Hou. I can lend it to you."

As Zhang Chen spoke, he poured his innate power into the sword, maximizing the power of the broken Immortal Execution Sword.

He certainly couldn't afford to take a detour and waste three to five years. Who knew what the end of the Dharma would be like in three to five years? Everything was full of variables, and Zhang Chen couldn't wait three to five years.

When Tiger Power Immortal saw the broken sword in Zhang Chen's hand, he couldn't help but twitch his lips. This was not Zhang Chen's sword at all; it was clearly a demon's sword!

He knew this sword very well.

"With this precious sword, perhaps we can subdue Marquis Wen." Knowing the sword's power, Tiger Power Immortal solemnly put it away, saying, "Wait for my good news."

Tiger Power Immortal departed, and Zhang Chen returned to the ship, where he found everyone gathered together waiting. Upon seeing Zhang Chen's return, they quickly approached and asked, "How did it go?"

Zhang Chen said, "Just wait patiently."

As soon as Zhang Chen finished speaking, everyone knew that he had already made his move, so they patiently waited for things to take a turn for the better.

An hour later, the sound of war drums suddenly rang out, spreading for hundreds of miles around. Then, a terrifying pressure spread out from the sky, followed by a terrifying sword light that transformed into a white line connecting the sky and the earth, radiating a chilling killing intent. Even from dozens of miles away, everyone felt that the killing intent emanating from the sword light seemed to freeze people's blood and obliterate their souls. The sword light contained boundless killing intent and great terror, making people dare not look directly at it.

"What terrifying sword light! I felt like my soul was about to be shattered by that sword intent after just one glance." Zhong Wubai said with lingering fear, his face pale and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Zhang Gaqi and the others, whose cultivation was slightly weaker, screamed and blood flowed from their eyes.

"Everyone close your eyes, this sword light cannot be looked at directly." Zhang Chen hurriedly instructed everyone. He never expected that Tiger Power Immortal, with the addition of innate energy, could actually urge the incomplete Zhuxian Sword to this extent.

(End of this chapter)