I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 1043 Another Ten Years

First of all, Wu Changming is one of the Twelve True Men, so his words naturally carry weight. If Wu Changming dares to lie, someone will naturally come after him to cause trouble.

Secondly, the guards had already heard about the 'misfortune' Huang Tiandao had encountered and Zhang Chen's group's intention to elect him as the new leader of Huang Tiandao.

Therefore, when Wu Changming said that Zhang Chen was the new Great Teacher of Virtue, everyone simply let him pass without daring to stop him.

If they obstruct the new Great Teacher of Virtue, they will have to take the blame later. If they let Wu Changming and Zhang Chen in, and it is later found that Wu Changming lied, Wu Changming will take the blame. The guards can distinguish the pros and cons of this situation.

Zhang Chen and Wu Changming arrived at the stone cave and found it to be a small paradise, filled with sunshine and fresh flowers, plants and trees. In the center of the cave was an open-air cold pool, above which was an opening about ten feet in size, through which sunlight shone, nourishing the vegetation in the mountains.

Around the cold pool were empty stone caves, inside which were rows of bookshelves. Some books were written on animal hides, some were engraved on bamboo slips, some were directly engraved on jade, and some were even directly engraved on cliff carvings.

"The true form of that celestial book is located at the deepest part of the Cold Pool. Normally, if any disciple or member of the sect wants to peruse it, the book will be projected onto the stone wall. Now that the Dharma is in decline, the only way to view the celestial book is to enter the Cold Pool and search for its true form." Wu Changming led Zhang Chen to the edge of the Cold Pool and said to Zhang Chen, "I will have someone retrieve the celestial book right away."

"No need, I can do it myself." Zhang Chen stopped Wu Changming's actions. The next moment, Zhang Chen transformed into a stream of water and disappeared into the cold pool. He dived all the way to the deepest part of the cold pool and saw a formation at the bottom of the pool that had lost its power. In the center of the formation, golden light flowed, and a golden booklet was shimmering with golden light.

"The Golden Book!" Zhang Chen's eyes lit up when he saw the golden book. The water he transformed into swept the book up from the bottom of the pool, and then Zhang Chen turned into mist, carrying the golden book, and landed on the shore, holding the book in his hand.

"Impressive technique!" Wu Changming's eyes showed a hint of envy as he watched Zhang Chen transform into water and mist.

"Just some minor tricks." Zhang Chen held the golden book but didn't rush to look at it. Instead, he took out the animal skin engraved with the feng shui array deduced by the Queen Mother of the West and said to Wu Changming, "I want to build this underground palace, and I will have to trouble my master to personally oversee it. There can be no negligence whatsoever."

This was no ordinary feng shui formation. Zhang Chen had also incorporated various mechanisms to prevent tomb raiding. After all, there were too many people involved in excavating this tomb, and leaks were inevitable. All Zhang Chen could do was minimize the risk of the tomb being robbed.

Zhang Chen explained the feng shui formation to Wu Changming and then instructed Wu Changming to activate the Yellow Heaven Path to search for news of the spiritual world's fall. He had not forgotten that the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts existed within the spiritual world. The Eight-Nine Arcane Arts was the technique he absolutely had to find, as it was the key to his attainment of the Primordial Chaos and escape from this world.

From the time Zhang Chen explained the feng shui formation to Wu Changming, to the time Zhang Chen personally transformed into mist to determine the nodes of the feng shui dragon vein of Qingcheng Mountain, a full half year had passed. At this time, countless laborers were also sent over by various lords of Huangtiandao. With a command from Wu Changming, the laborers began to work in the mountains according to Wu Changming's instructions.

Only then did Zhang Chen have time to look at Huang Tiandao's Heavenly Book. However, after flipping through it once, a look of disappointment appeared in Zhang Chen's eyes. This so-called Heavenly Book was nothing more than the incantation of a Qi cultivation technique from the Wuzhuang Temple. It was of no use to Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen casually threw the golden book into the thatched hut and continued to deduce the dragon vein trend of Qingcheng Mountain.

Zhang Chen's presence on Mount Qingcheng greatly boosted the morale of the entire Huangtiandao faction. With a powerful backer, the various lords under Huangtiandao's command began to expand their territories, attacking and capturing cities and strongholds from the human-demon race, the Great Victory Royal Family, the White Lotus Sect, and other forces. They showed an ambition to unify the world, which forced several factions to join forces to curb Huangtiandao's development. For a time, the two sides fought fiercely back and forth.

However, Zhang Chen was too lazy to care about what was happening down the mountain. He secretly monitored the construction of the underground palace and the changes in the energy within it.

As time passed, the mountain was gradually carved out, and countless laborers, like tiny ants, busied themselves in the mountain. A subterranean palace, built five thousand meters below the earth and spanning twenty square miles, gradually took shape in the hands of countless laborers.

Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Wu Changming has grown much older and can no longer walk; he needs to be carried.

Zhang Chen sat quietly like a statue in front of the thatched hut on the mountaintop, looking at the blueprints in his hand, deducing the feng shui formation of the Queen Mother of the West again and again. To be honest, he did not completely trust the Queen Mother of the West, fearing that she might do something wrong. He had to deduce the formation again and again like a frightened bird. He deduced the entire feng shui formation no less than a million times.

Just as Zhang Chen was deducing the feng shui formation, a heavy footstep sound came from afar. Zhang Chen opened his eyes and saw two burly men carrying a stretcher with steady steps, walking up the mountain step by step. Wu Changming on the stretcher looked at the scenery in the mountains, his eyes filled with memories.

Beside him stood a middle-aged man in his forties, whose calm demeanor and flowing energy indicated he was a skilled martial artist. He silently supported the stretcher and followed Wu Changming.

"Master!" Zhang Chen stood up to greet Wu Changming upon his arrival.

The Qi and Blood Master who was following Wu Changming lifted him off the stretcher, and then Wu Changming waved to signal the two stretcher bearers to leave.

"Zhang Chen." Wu Changming's aged voice rang out. Upon seeing this, Zhang Chen quickly walked over, took Wu Changming, and placed him on the prayer mat.

“Master, you haven’t climbed the mountain for several years. Why have you come in person today?” Zhang Chen knew that Wu Changming had difficulty moving his hands and feet and had been recuperating at the foot of the mountain for the past few years, no longer coming up into the mountain.

"I have successfully completed the construction of the underground palace you requested, and I have come to report the good news to you," Wu Changming said.

Zhang Chen's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this: "Is it finally finished? Millions of laborers, digging stones for ten years, spending ten years of their lives, it's finally done."

"What should we do with those laborers? Kill them or..." Wu Changming asked tentatively.

“Those are millions of families, hundreds of husbands and sons, whose families are still waiting for them to come home.” Zhang Chen said without hesitation, “Let them all go back.”

“I’m afraid there are spies from various powerful forces among them, many of whom are experts in feng shui. If we let them go, the consequences could be dire…” Wu Changming hesitated. “What if their descendants come to dig up the feng shui formation in the future, or have ulterior motives…” “I will naturally make some arrangements in secret. The current feng shui formation is just an embryo. I still need to personally enter it to set up mechanisms and traps. If their descendants have bad intentions, they will surely suffer the consequences.” Zhang Chen was not worried about anyone coming to rob the tomb.

First, the underground palace is built 5,000 meters underground, which is not something that ordinary people can steal. How difficult it would be to dig 5,000 meters with ordinary strength.

Secondly, even if large groups of powerful individuals were to raid tombs, Zhang Chen was prepared.

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Wu Changming sighed, "In this chaotic world, human life is as worthless as grass, yet you still possess a compassionate heart, which is truly rare. Since you have your plans, I will not say more. I am now old and frail, and it will be difficult for me to do things for you in the future. This is my son, Wu Yang, who will succeed me as the leader of the Huangtiandao Sect. If you have any instructions in the future, just ask him to carry them out."

Upon hearing Wu Changming's introduction, the middle-aged man immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Zhang Chen, saying, "Greetings, Great and Wise Teacher."

"Wu Yang, right?" Zhang Chen asked.

"It is indeed I, Wu Yang," Wu Yang said respectfully.

"Work well for me, and you will be the new leader of Huangtiandao from now on." Zhang Chen said, then turned to Wu Yang and said, "Summon the leaders of all the major forces of Huangtiandao, and I will personally crown you in a month."

"Your subordinate obeys." Upon hearing this, Wu Yang's face lit up with joy, and he kowtowed respectfully once again.

Zhang Chen looked at Wu Changming: "Master, you should go now!"

He could sense that Wu Changming's vitality was like a light in the dark, as if a strong wind could blow it out.

"I don't know when I'll wake up next, or if I'll ever have the chance to live through another golden age. I'm a little reluctant to leave this wonderful world." Wu Changming's eyes were filled with longing.

"There will be an opportunity! There will definitely be an opportunity!" Zhang Chen murmured to himself.

"Please!" Wu Changming looked at Zhang Chen and slowly closed his eyes.

Zhang Chen's Heavenly Eye opened and closed within his consciousness world. The next moment, a golden pill fell into his stomach, followed by a vast divine light soaring into the sky. A terrifying pressure swept across a radius of a thousand miles, startling everyone in the four seas and eight wastelands who all turned their heads to look, their eyes revealing a hint of horror.

Some of Huang Tiandao's followers exclaimed in alarm:

"That's the mountain where the Great Teacher of Virtue lives in seclusion. It's the Great Teacher of Virtue using his supernatural powers!"

"Such powerful pressure! I never imagined that after ten years, the Great Teacher of Virtue would still be completely unaffected."

A scout stared in awe and disbelief at the vast divine light soaring into the sky: "What a terrifying Great Teacher! How can we possibly contend with him?"

"All laws of heaven and earth have perished, yet only this scoundrel Zhang Chen stands out alone. How unjust is Heaven?" someone cursed inwardly.

Regardless of the circumstances, once this scene spreads, Huang Tiandao's morale will surely soar, and various forces will no longer dare to contend with Huang Tiandao.

On the solitary peak

Under Wu Yang's shocked gaze, Zhang Chen's body twisted three feet away, and an extremely cold aura erupted. Snowflakes drifted in the three feet of void, and an invisible passage twisted and appeared beside Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen approached Wu Changming and stroked Wu Changming's head with his palm: "Golden Age, see you!"

The next moment, Wu Changming's body disappeared, the snowflakes that had distorted the void vanished, and the dazzling divine light and oppressive aura disappeared. Everything seemed like a dream, except for Zhang Chen, who remained standing quietly in place.

Wu Yang stared blankly at Zhang Chen. Even though Wu Changming had given him some instructions before he came, he was still shaken when he actually saw the scene in front of him.

The next moment, Wu Yang knelt down and began to rave about the great teacher: "May the great teacher live forever and never perish. With the great teacher around, everyone else is nothing but a clown. My Huang Tiandao will surely unify the world."

"Go prepare for the abdication ceremony in a month." Zhang Chen waved to Wu Yang and turned to walk into the thatched hut.

(End of this chapter)