Pure Yang!

Chapter 452 Mortal King (5k big chapter)

Those who prioritize evil over righteousness and attain the ultimate truth are the only ones who are truly unique, and none in the world can surpass them.

The demon king of Tongluo Mountain, Ningxie.

Even a hundred years ago, among all the masters in the world, only a handful were qualified to call out such a name. Not to mention, a hundred years have passed, and the old friends have passed away, like leaves falling in the wind.

In this day and age, how many people still remember this name?
"It's been almost a hundred years."

In the heart of Tongluo Mountain, that imposing figure sighed softly, his domineering aura revealing a hint of desolation and loneliness.

Deep in the Cangshan Mountains, in a perilous and dangerous place, a white crane soaring into the sky suddenly appears sacred under the moonlight, echoing the scene from afar.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the white crane.

"Baihe Temple!?"

Zhang Fan's gaze sharpened, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

The world is full of hidden realms of mountains and seas, teeming with demons and ghosts. But when it comes to the best, there are only a handful of beings, such as the old tortoise of Zhenwu Mountain and the white crane of Baihe Temple.

These are all powerful demons who have lived for over three hundred years, possessing astonishing cultivation levels.

Among the demons and monsters of the mountains and seas, perhaps only the number one demon under heaven has the power to surpass this white crane…

Hate the King!!!

“You scraggly bird, what are you doing here at my Tongluo Mountain instead of going to the capital?” Ning Xie said coldly.

"The place where Xuanwu rejects corpses, where the Three Corpse Daoist once used misfortune to avert calamity and avoid the gate of life and death." The huge white crane's wings fluttered gently, and its sharp voice echoed in the sky above Tongluo Mountain.

"The successor of my White Crane Temple is destined for this great calamity. He must come here to comprehend the way of the birth and death of this calamity."

"Li Changgeng!?"

Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning icy cold. The thing he least wanted to see had still happened.

That man was indeed like a centipede, dead but not stiff.

three times.

The first time was ten years ago, at the foot of Longhu Mountain. It was also the first time the two had clashed when they were young. As a result, Li Changgeng was seriously injured, and Zhang Fan went into the dark before dawn.

The second time was at the "Imprisoned Immortal Temple" in Dongshan Province. At that time, Zhang Fan had not yet successfully merged with the divine realm. As a result, Li Changgeng was plotted against by Zhao Jiexuan. If it weren't for his supernatural ability of "rebirth after decapitation," he would have been killed in that incident.

It was on that occasion that Zhang Fan first saw the white crane, which descended from the sky and took Li Changgeng away.

Throughout the entire process, the other party didn't even glance at him.

The third time, and the last time.

In the Ten Thousand Mountains, the two gods successfully merged, and fought a life-or-death battle. In the end, Li Changgeng was destroyed in both body and soul.

"How can someone who has been completely destroyed, body and soul, still live?!" Zhang Fan's gaze was cold, filled with deep suspicion.

hum...

Just as this thought arose, the giant white crane, hovering in mid-air, suddenly turned its sharp gaze and landed on Zhang Fan.

"I never expected this... Your entire lineage is almost wiped out, with only a handful of cats and dogs left, and your father was even forced into the Ailao Mountains..."

"Under these circumstances, you've actually managed to gain some influence!"

The cold voice echoed in the sky above Tongluo Mountain.

Zhuang Yumin, Lin Haitang, Shen Mingchan... all of these people's eyes fell on Zhang Fan, revealing deep curiosity.

This Zhao Jiexuan indeed has an extraordinary background.

"Senior is too kind. This is nothing at all," Zhang Fan said casually.

"Only when I can personally visit Baihe Temple will it truly be a significant achievement."

Upon hearing this, the giant white crane's gaze grew even colder.

"I'm afraid that day will never come."

The giant white crane flapped its wings. If it was true that during their last meeting, Zhang Fan was not even in its sights, but merely a whetstone for Li Changgeng.

At this moment, however, he truly harbored murderous intent.

A remnant of the Southern Zhang clan, the grandson of Zhang Tiansheng, and the son of Zhang Lingzong, he has reached the Zhai Shou realm at such a young age and is one of only two beings in the world to have successfully cultivated the [Divine Demon Holy Embryo].

Zhang Fan's growth trajectory and speed have exceeded expectations and control.

“Many members of your family have died at my hands, one more won’t make a difference.” The giant white crane’s claws tapped lightly together, producing a metallic sound that shimmered in the pale moonlight.

"Were you there back then?" Zhang Fan said coldly.

This white crane was also involved in the destruction of the Southern Zhang.

"I ripped your grandfather's heart out of his body; it was dripping with blood, but the taste was delicious," the giant white crane said calmly, its mocking gaze lingering on Zhang Fan.

Rumble…

As soon as he finished speaking, an unnamed fire surged up in Zhang Fan's heart, almost uncontrollable.

Zhang Wuming reacted quickly and grabbed him.

"If I gain power, I will definitely come to settle scores with you, and you will be the first one I target."

Each word was spat out from between Zhang Fan's teeth, his eyes blazing with fury.

Rumble…

As soon as he finished speaking, a terrifying aura swept over the sky, several times stronger than Yuan Zhuliu's power just now.
In an instant, everyone was in a daze, seeing white feathers falling everywhere, the wind howling and cranes crying, suddenly becoming an eerie sound that shook the heavens and the earth.

"You little rascal, do you think I'm just for decoration?"

Suddenly, a domineering yet cold voice rang in their ears, pulling everyone's frozen thoughts back to reality.

Immediately afterwards, another surge of energy rose into the sky.

Two distinctly different waves collided in the sky above Tongluo Mountain.

White cranes soar in the sky, black snakes coil around the mountain.

The collision of those two auras seemed to tear the sky in two, causing the clouds to reverse, the moonlight to shatter, and black and white ripples to frantically crash against Tongluo Mountain.

The earth cracked open, and bolts of lightning surged and extended through the air.

"The aura of a great demon, this is the true aura of a great demon!"

Fear was barely concealed in everyone's eyes.

You must know that these two are true overlords of the human world, standing at the pinnacle of all mountains, seas, demons, and ghosts.

Such a collision is extraordinary and rarely seen in decades.

Rumble…

Above Tongluo Mountain, black and white swirled, clearly distinct.

Everyone's primordial spirit seemed to sink into a raging ocean. Looking up, they saw two enormous and blurry figures standing between heaven and earth, like masters of mountains and rivers.

"Ning Xie, are you going to become my enemy for this brat?" The giant white crane's voice was loud and clear.

"You scraggly bird, you overestimate yourself. What's wrong with being your enemy?" Ning Xie said coldly. "I'm only calling you a scraggly bird out of respect. If I didn't, you wouldn't even be a bird."

"Interesting. It seems you haven't truly escaped that life-or-death ordeal yet," the giant white crane sneered.

"Your cultivation is not easy, why risk your life for this brat Ge?"

"What a joke! Do you really think White Crane Temple is invincible?" Ning Xie said in a deep voice, "You scraggly bird, I'll make a bet with you."

"What are we betting on?" the giant white crane asked.

"future."

"future!?"

“Not bad.” Ning Xie said coldly, raising a glance at Zhang Fan.

"When the world is in great turmoil, true heroes will emerge every hundred years."

"I'm betting on the vicissitudes of time, on the waves of the new era, on the next hundred years..."

"This kid..."

"He must be the best in the world!"

Upon hearing this, the heavens and earth fell silent, and the mountains and rivers seemed to stand still.

A series of incredulous gazes fell upon Zhang Fan.

Such a judgment, such an expectation, is far too heavy, yet it comes from the mouth of an unparalleled overlord.

"Alright, I'll take the bet and see whose sect will rule the world in the future!"

A crane's cry startled everyone, echoing across the sky above Tongluo Mountain.

"let's go!"

Rumble…

As soon as he finished speaking, a beam of dark light shot into the sky, engulfing the clouds and shattering the moonlight.

The world is vast, and only the enormous white crane soars in the air, standing above Tongluo Mountain.

Just then, in the dark light, a slender figure slowly emerged and landed on the back of the giant white crane.

The thin figure was deathly pale, haggard to the point of being sickly. He sat cross-legged on the white crane, looking down at the ground. His indifferent gaze seemed devoid of any human emotion; all that remained in his eyes was…

Zhang Fan!?
"Li Changgeng!"

Zhang Fan looked up and saw the thin figure. Their eyes met, and no words were needed.

"You're really lucky to be alive."

"Heaven seems not yet weary of strife."

The frail figure spoke softly, his state was peculiar, and the aura he exuded was full of calamity and ferocity, as if he were beset by misfortune and trapped by heaven and earth.

"The elixir of immortality is indeed my precious medicine for achieving immortality..."

"We will not meet again until I am absolutely certain that I can kill you."

His thin figure looked even weaker, as if a single sentence had exhausted all his strength.

"The next time we meet will be the time when I kill you and prove my Dao."

As soon as the words were spoken, the enormous white crane soared into the sky, its high-pitched cry like thunder, piercing through the heavens. In an instant, only withered white feathers remained in the sky, and its terrifying form was nowhere to be seen.

"They're gone," Zhang Wuming murmured, sighing with regret.

Such opportunities are extremely rare. If the demon king of Tongluo Mountain had made his move just now, there might have been a chance to capture him.

However, this former overlord has only just escaped his tribulation, and he probably doesn't have enough confidence to deal with that white crane.

"Thank you, senior," Zhang Fan suddenly said.

"What are you thanking me for? This is what we agreed upon," Ning Xie said calmly.

He had made a prior agreement with Zhang Fan: if Zhang Fan could help him escape his predicament, he would guard Zhang Fan's sect for ten years.

Now, this first blessed land can be considered the foundation of the mortal world.

"No, I'm thanking my senior for leaving that thing to me."

Zhang Fan's gaze was cold and clear. Although a murderous intent arose within him, his heart remained completely calm.

Along his journey, what life-or-death situations hasn't he faced, what tribulations hasn't he endured?
Disciples of the Chunyang family, successors of major Taoist sects, demons and ghosts of the mountains and seas, rivals of the Northern Zhang, Li Changgeng, Yu Xuanji, Luo Sen... all these people once stood in his way.

But so what?
Those who survive tribulations are the elixir of immortality.

These people, like whetstones, shaped Zhang Fan into who he is today, making him who he is today.

Now, he has reached the first level of the fasting realm, his primordial spirit is undergoing profound changes, and his life cultivation has been greatly accomplished.

Zhang Fan felt no fear or worry whatsoever; his mind was clear and bright, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

"To be able to understand such a profound truth at such a young age, it was worth all the boasting I gave you in front of that scruffy bird." Ning Xie nodded and said.

Without tribulations, how could one cross rivers and seas?
Especially those repeated, identical tribulations, occurring one after another without any coincidence, must be one of the greatest tribulations in one's life, yet also one of the most important opportunities.

Just like Li Changgeng.

Zhang Fan still has an immense destiny to share, so naturally, there are also immense tribulations waiting ahead.

"In any case, this Dan Yuan Dharma Assembly can be considered a relatively successful one." Zhang Wuming breathed a sigh of relief.

Having killed Yu Xuanji, saved the demon chief of Tongluo Mountain, and seized this first blessed land, Zhang Fan further refined his inner core and entered the Zhai Shou realm, thus establishing a solid foundation for the mortal sect.

This trip was a great success.

"Everyone get out of Tongluo Mountain immediately!" Ning Xie roared in alarm.

In fact, he didn't even need to say anything. When the white crane flew away, the masters from various mountains and sects had already retreated.

Especially people like Shen Mingchan and Lin Haitang, who only wished their parents had given them two more legs, have already left the territory of Tongluo Mountain.

"I've just escaped my tribulation and need to go into seclusion for a while. Call me if you need anything," Ning Xie whispered.

He is a person who has been reborn after experiencing tribulations. With a century of accumulation, once he goes into seclusion, he will probably make a significant improvement in a short period of time.

For him, this was both a calamity and an opportunity.

"Please make yourself at home, senior," Zhang Fan said, bowing.

He had long ago made a special agreement with this demon king of Tongluo Mountain regarding the frequency of his primordial spirit. If anything happened, he could send a message over a thousand miles and the other party would appear.

Moreover, Ning Xie was also in seclusion in Tongluo Mountain.

Now, he is the true guardian deity of this first blessed land.

Rumble…

Ning Xie moved swiftly, flying towards the giant black serpent coiling around the mountain. He then turned and disappeared into the deep mountains.

Looking at the vast, deep mountains under the hazy moonlight, Zhang Fan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

This trip to Xijiang was worthwhile.

He unified the scattered Taoist temples throughout the Xijiang region, established the Mortal Sect, and established himself in the First Blessed Land.

After killing Yu Xuanji and refining a second-grade inner core, he finally stepped into the ranks of the Head of the Sect.

As for the Three Corpse Gods...

Zhang Fan didn't know if he had completely destroyed it, but he felt that his primordial spirit was bright and clear, even more powerful, and he could no longer sense the existence of that thing.

"No matter what, it's finally over." Zhang Fan let out a long sigh of relief.

“It’s not over yet,” Zhang Wuming said, stepping forward.

The battle for the first blessed land has ended, but the competition for the other blessed lands continues.

There are still two or three days left before the Dan Yuan Dharma Assembly truly ends.

"Just wait for good news," Zhang Fan said softly.

At this moment, he didn't want to see anyone or care about anything. He just wanted to rest, familiarize himself with the changes, and comprehend the mysteries of the Zhaishou realm.

……

Late at night.

In Tongluo Mountain, the once-famous Lingbao Cave had long since been reduced to ruins when Ning Xie escaped.

The remaining cave was mostly covered by rubble, and the fireflies on the walls emitted a faint glow.

“This is a good place. It can be used as a Taoist temple for the mortal sect. We can build a Taoist temple there,” Zhang Wuming suggested.

"That must cost a lot of money," Zhang Fan said, sitting cross-legged inside the cave.

"Don't worry, those leaders have plenty of wealthy backers, they're not short of money," Zhang Wuming said casually.

"The gate has been established, the foundation has been laid, and I have said I would give you a great gift."

"A wonderful gift!?"

Zhang Fan was taken aback for a moment, then raised his eyes slightly. He vaguely remembered that Zhang Wuming had said that if they jointly built the Fan Sect, he would give Zhang Fan a big gift.

"What kind of gift?"

"Do you know why the Three Corpse Taoist left Longhu Mountain back then?" Zhang Wuming suddenly asked, changing the subject.

“There are many reasons,” Zhang Fan murmured.

He had seen this past event within the [Three Corpse Yuan Dan].

“Indeed, there are many reasons, but the most important one is that he did not receive the favor of the patriarch and was not granted the title of deity.” Zhang Wuming sighed softly.

"Someone like him, arrogant and proud, and the best in the world, how could he possibly submit?"

That was a great regret in the heart of the Three Corpse Daoist, and also an obsession.

Why should the patriarch not bestow upon me an empty title?

If someone like him can't be deified and have his image erected, it's either his fault or the patriarch was blind.

"Therefore, in his later years, the Three Corpse Taoist had an idea: to create a method that could rival the Investiture of the Gods!" Zhang Wuming suddenly said.

"Comparable to the Investiture of the Gods?"

“Not bad,” Zhang Wuming nodded.

"That kind of method is extremely dangerous, requiring the primordial spirit to be strong enough to withstand the tribulation of being divided into countless thoughts."

"The tribulation of being distracted by countless thoughts can only be achieved by the Three Corpses illuminating one's fate," Zhang Wuming said in a deep voice.

Even if one cultivates the Three Corpses Illumination of Fate, unless one truly achieves great success, how terrifying would it be to have one's mind divided into countless thoughts?
Only when gods die and the Tao perishes.

"In addition, one must be able to receive offerings from the mortal world while still in a mortal body," Zhang Wuming added.

"Hmm!?" Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow.

A mortal being receiving offerings of incense in the human world—that is the mystery of a divine or demonic being.

"What kind of law is this?"

"To create a god!" Zhang Wuming uttered two words as he spoke.

"Creating a god!?" Zhang Fan's brow twitched.

The conferment of gods was a matter of divine mandate, passed down through generations.

Creating gods, however, is starting from scratch, creating something out of nothing.

The Three Corpse Taoist's spirit and talent were so terrifying that he decided to abandon the methods of his predecessors, create a god in the human world, and overwhelm the ancestors of Longhu Mountain.

"The number one in the world truly lives up to its name." Zhang Fan couldn't help but exclaim, filled with awe.

Although he had achieved great success in cultivating his life force and refined his inner elixir, an achievement that would be considered brilliant even in ancient times, he was still as weak as a firefly compared to figures like the Three Corpses Daoist and Chu Chaoran, and should not be arrogant.

"It's a pity that his journey was not yet complete, leaving only a rudimentary form in the world," Zhang Wuming sighed.

That method is unprecedented in history; the mere idea itself is already groundbreaking and unparalleled, let alone...

Even if it's not a prototype, there have been almost no people throughout history who can meet the above two cultivation conditions.

"It's been a long time since we've seen such a thing, a truly rare find," Zhang Fan exclaimed.

It must be said that the Three Corpse Taoist's idea was too grand and too unbelievable.

“Such a talent is rare indeed, but you have a chance.” Zhang Wuming looked at Zhang Fan with intensely burning eyes.

"Do you know why I went to such lengths to establish the Mortal Sect?" Zhang Wuming's voice became somewhat manic.

"It's all for that method of creating gods."

"Encompassing the incense offerings of the four seas, gathering all the methods of cultivation under heaven, establishing a temple on the mountain, and erecting a shrine in the river... Only you can receive the blessings of cultivation..."

Zhang Wuming's voice became low and mysterious.

"Zhang Fan, this is the great gift I'm giving you."

As he spoke, Zhang Wuming took something out from behind his back...

It turned out to be a deity's tablet, inscribed with dragon and snake script, resembling a talisman crafted by an ancient Taoist priest.

"From this day forward..."

"Of all the sacrifices offered, only this true king is worthy of worship!!!"

Zhang Wuming's deep and mysterious voice echoed in Zhang Fan's ears.

His gaze sharpened to a single line as he looked at the name inscribed on the divine tablet; there were two large characters:
King Van!

(End of this chapter)