Daqin Zhentiansi

In an instant, the top of Xuanyu Cliff fell into a deathly silence.

All the garrison commanders, including Qing Xuanzi, were frozen in place.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the kneeling carp boy, their minds blank, only boundless shock echoing wildly in the depths of their souls!
The carp transformed into human form and bowed down, calling the master "Master!"
This...this is simply a miracle!

Zhang Yuan raised his hand and waved it, then drifted away.

……

The news of the sermons at Xuanyu Cliff spread like wildfire throughout every corner of Xuanyu Temple.

The name of Zhang Yuanzhi, the garrison commander, is no longer just that of a capable official who solved the problem of tribute, subdued the giant ape, and seized the Blood Bodhi; he is also given the honorific title of "Taoist Master".

When he walked through the temple, whether it was a newly promoted Grandmaster-level guardian, a senior Grandmaster, or even a few half-saint colleagues, they would all stop and bow respectfully when they saw him from afar, addressing him as "Senior Brother Zhang" or "Master Zhang".

Some of his disciples, who had benefited from his sermons and broken through years of bottlenecks, had eyes filled with heartfelt gratitude and admiration.

However, not everyone was convinced.

The face of the acting abbot, Zhao Kun, grew darker day by day, and Li Xuan could hardly hide the jealousy and resentment in his eyes.

They watched as Zhang Yuan's reputation grew daily, and he even had close ties with powerful demon races like the Giant Ape Clan and the Demon Eagle Clan, which made them feel a strong threat.

Zhao Kun's thoughts grew increasingly somber: This boy was so powerful, and with the help of the demon race, if the abbot relied on him even more after his return, perhaps even...

His position as the abbot of this temple is probably in grave danger.

Before his foundation is completely secure, we must find a "legitimate" opportunity to send him away, preferably... so that he never returns.

Zhang Yuan was fully aware of this, but he didn't care at all.

He returned to his quiet room and continued to organize his insights from the sermon.

On the Xuanyu Cliff, everyone listened and resonated with the Great Dao, which made the essence of basic cultivation methods such as "Xuanyu Guizhen Jue", "Tiangang Lianxing Fa" and "Yinqi Tongxuan Pian" even more clear and complete in his heart.

Furthermore, it has created a wonderful confirmation and sublimation with his own Great Qin heritage (such as the "Zhenyue Hantian Fist" and the "Hunyuan Poshan Stick" variant "Potian Battle Method", as well as the "Origin Dao Scripture" which contains the true meaning of chaos).

Using the deductive power of the "Golden Pearl of the Great Dao" in his sea of ​​consciousness, he clearly divided the subsequent realms of these cultivation techniques, classifying them all into thirteen levels:
The first nine levels of the "Mysterious Jade Returning to Truth Technique" correspond to the peak of the mortal to saintly realm, the Time Realm, which is far superior to the original Heavenly Palace version, which was cut down to the fifth level.

As for the tenth level, the "Return to Origin Realm," after the ninth level, one condenses the rudimentary form of the Chaos Ancestral Aperture, transforms true essence into liquid, and generates the "Mysterious Jade Protective Divine Light," which can withstand the sharp claws of divine beasts.

The eleventh level, the "Profound Realm," grants profound spiritual awareness and keen insight into the subtle details. It allows the user to unleash the "Mysterious Jade Breaking Finger," specifically designed to break through supernatural defenses.

The twelfth level of the "Creation Realm" reverses the course of creation, briefly reversing one's own injuries. The supernatural power "Mysterious Jade Handprint" has the power to seal off space.

The thirteenth level, the "Heavenly Realm," allows one to initially communicate with the laws of heaven and earth, draw upon the power of the stars, transform into a Xuan Yu Dao Body, and imbue every gesture with the great power of heaven and earth, capable of briefly opening small spatial passages.

This realm has already touched the threshold of the Heavenly Realm.

The Heavenly Gang Refining Form Method has been deduced to its thirteenth level.

The ten-layered "罡煞体" (罡煞体) draws in the earthly and heavenly evil spirits, making the physical body as strong as a top-tier defensive magic weapon, and capable of uprooting mountains.

The eleventh level of "Dharma of Heaven and Earth" briefly manifested a hundred-foot-tall Dharma body, shattering mountains and rivers with its fist.

The twelve layers of "indestructible" body possess an indestructible nature, capable of regenerating severed limbs and impervious to ordinary poisons and curses.

The thirteenth level, "The Ultimate Realm of Power," allows one to grasp a trace of the fundamental source of power. The intent of the fist can shatter the void, tear apart the true form of divine beasts, and shake the foundation of the laws of heaven and earth.

The Thirteen Levels of the "Guiding Qi to Profound Mystery Chapter" have been completed.

The tenth layer of "Chaotic Ancestral Aperture" transforms the Ancestral Aperture of Consciousness into a chaotic vortex, increasing the efficiency of absorbing and expelling spiritual energy a hundredfold, the source of all laws.

The eleventh layer, "Profound Spiritual Sense," possesses spiritual awareness that covers thousands of miles, offering keen insight and the ability to predict attacks and probe array nodes.

The twelve levels of "All Laws Return to Their Source" analyze the essence of all laws, enabling you to quickly learn and imitate the supernatural abilities of others and find their flaws.

The thirteenth level, "Dao Evolves Heaven and Earth," allows one's spiritual consciousness to merge with heaven and earth, influencing celestial phenomena with a single thought, and briefly borrowing the power of the laws of heaven and earth to empower oneself.

Moreover, Zhang Yuan also specially deduced his own cultivation technique and condensed the "Great Qin Origin Dao Scripture".

This is the core inheritance of the Great Qin Dynasty, with thirteen layers, integrating chaos, will, and the true meaning of martial arts.

Each level possesses powerful divine abilities, such as the sword intents of Absolute Immortal, Slay Immortal, and Trapped Immortal, which are actually external manifestations of these abilities.

Upon reaching the thirteenth level of perfection, one can transform into chaos, with one's will permeating all the heavens, opening up one's own heavenly path, and manifesting the will of the Great Qin Dynasty in the primordial world, which is the foundation of one's existence.

This technique also marked the beginning of Zhang Yuan's quiet integration into the Great Qin Heavenly Dao in the primordial world.

On this day, the temple welcomed a special visitor.

Elder Tieyi of the Demon Eagle Clan arrived quietly and requested an audience with Zhang Yuan.

The two had a private conversation in Zhang Yuan's side hall.

Tie Yi respectfully presented the various rare auxiliary materials he had prepared beforehand, which were needed to refine the "Blood Marrow Returning Pill," with a humble attitude.

Zhang Yuan scanned the area with his divine sense and confirmed that everything was correct. He then told the person to return first, explaining that he would take some time to go to the vicinity of Black Wind Gorge to start refining pills once the auxiliary materials were processed.

Although this scene was kept secret, Elder Tieyi's powerful aura as a peak half-saint and his respectful demeanor, as well as the fact that he entered Zhang Yuan's meditation room, were still noticed and spread by those with ulterior motives.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the audience was shocked, and their awe of Zhang Yuan deepened even further.

It was already a strange story that the Giant Ape Clan worshipped him as their master, but now even the infamous Iron Feather Eagle Clan elders were so respectful to him. Zhang Yuan's methods and influence were simply unfathomable!
The closeness shown to Zhang Yuan by the two major demon clan forces was like adding fuel to the fire, completely igniting Zhao Kun's fear and killing intent.

He realized he couldn't wait any longer.

Soon, he "carefully selected" an "excellent" task.

Inside the council hall, Zhao Kun sat in the main seat and solemnly announced: "Recently, we have received accusations from the 'Black Water Serpent' clan in the lower reaches of the Chensha River."

“An elder of its subordinate tribe, the ‘Ghost-Faced Spider Clan,’ slaughtered a human caravan that was passing through its territory on its way to the upper reaches of the Sunken Sand River three years ago. The method was extremely cruel, and dozens of people were killed.”

"This is a serious provocation against the dignity of our human garrison commander!"

"The Ghost-Faced Spider Clan is vicious and venomous, dwelling deep within the 'Dark Swamp.' Its elder, 'Poison Fang,' is at the peak of the Half-Saint realm, skilled in poison techniques and stealthy assassinations, and capable of fighting against Saints."

"Moreover, its lair is surrounded by poisonous miasma and has a complex terrain, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. I have observed that we have sent people to besiege it several times, but all of them have failed and suffered losses."

His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Zhang Yuan, carrying an undeniable air of "high regard": "Junior Brother Zhang Yuan! Your cultivation is profound, you possess both wisdom and courage, and you even turned the tide in Black Wind Gorge." "This weighty responsibility of avenging our clan and upholding the prestige of our Xuan Yu Temple is none other than yours! I hereby order you to immediately proceed to the Dark Swamp, and you must capture or kill the Ghost-Faced Spider Clan elder 'Poison Fang,' bringing his head back as a warning to others!"

"This mission is dangerous, junior brother... please be extra careful."

He deliberately emphasized the words "dangerous" and "be careful," a barely perceptible hint of coldness flashing deep in his eyes.

On the surface, this mission is about revenge and establishing authority, but in reality, it's about using someone else to do the dirty work.

The elder of the Ghost-Faced Spider Clan was incredibly powerful, and his lair was an extremely dangerous place. Zhao Kun was certain that Zhang Yuan's journey there would be extremely risky.

Zhang Yuan remained calm, seemingly unaware of the malice within, and simply cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "I will obey the orders of the acting abbot."

This calmness, however, made Zhao Kun's heart skip a beat.

After accepting the task, Zhang Yuan did not set off immediately.

He first visited Qing Xuanzi, who was recovering from his injuries but had also received a mission to go to the chaotic area to investigate the movements of the demon race.

Upon hearing the details of Zhang Yuan's mission, Qing Xuanzi frowned, looking worried: "Junior Brother Zhang, that Dark Swamp... Alas, Zhao Kun's heart is truly despicable!"

"My journey is fraught with danger. There may be celestial beings behind the conflict among the demon races, and the situation is unpredictable. I don't know if we will ever meet again after this parting."

He patted Zhang Yuan on the shoulder, his expression a mixture of worldly wisdom and melancholy.

"If I perish this time, my life's cultivation—subduing demons and protecting this land—will be... fulfilled. Junior brother, take care!"

Zhang Yuan looked at him and said solemnly, "Senior brother, you are blessed with good fortune and will surely return safely. Take care."

Subsequently, Zhang Yuan sought out Dr. Zhou Xian, a scholar who lectures on Buddhist scriptures.

The two exchanged some insights into the deeper meridian circulation of the "Mysterious Jade Returning to Truth Technique".

Zhang Yuan asked casually, "Senior Brother Zhou, do you know the details about the Ghost-Faced Spider Clan elder 'Poison Fang'? His supernatural abilities and the specific reasons for the massacre of the merchant caravan back then?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xian's expression changed, and he hurriedly flipped through relevant ancient texts, explaining in detail: "Junior Brother Zhang! That 'Poison Fang' is no easy opponent!"

"Its true form is a thousand-year-old ghost-faced poisonous spider, with extraordinary talents. Its venom can corrode the true essence shield, and it will collapse upon contact. Its 'Poison Shadow Escape' movement technique is unpredictable and can perfectly hide in poisonous miasma, making it impossible to defend against. Furthermore, it has a 'Ten Thousand Poisons Devouring Heart Curse,' which causes those who are afflicted with unbearable pain and makes them wish they were dead!"

"Back then, the caravan was slaughtered for a rare treasure called 'Insect-Attracting Incense,' which the caravan had acquired by chance and which could attract poisonous insects. This fiend has been entrenched in the 'Spider Demon Cave,' the core of the Dark Swamp, for many years. Relying on its advantageous location, even ordinary beginner-level Saint Realm cultivators dare not easily enter its lair!"

"I have observed that the repeated failures of the encirclement and suppression efforts are all due to the fact that the terrain and the poisonous techniques are too difficult to deal with, and it seems that... it is connected with some terrifying entity deeper inside."

He put down the book and anxiously advised, "Junior Brother Zhang! This mission is far too dangerous, practically a death sentence! Abbot Zhao is clearly... Junior Brother, why don't we abandon this mission, avoid the limelight for now, and wait for the Abbot to return before discussing it further?"

After listening, Zhang Yuan's eyes remained unchanged. He simply looked out calmly, as if he had pierced through space and seen the distant, dark swamp.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet carrying a resolute and unquestionable power, as if containing some indestructible will and belief:

"Those who kill my human race shall be punished, no matter how far away they are."

Zhou Xian was violently shaken, as if struck by lightning!
These eight short words struck his heart like a heavy hammer.

Looking at Zhang Yuan's fearless and resolute back, an indescribable sense of awe and admiration welled up within him. His lips trembled, and he could only murmur, "Though far away, we will surely punish... Though far away, we will surely punish... What a powerful 'Though far away, we will surely punish'! Junior brother... you..."

He couldn't say anything more; all that remained was a heart full of excitement and worry.

The next morning, Zhang Yuan arrived alone at the gate of Xuanyu Temple.

Many disciples came spontaneously to see him off upon hearing the news, their eyes filled with complex emotions of admiration, worry, and reluctance.

Li Xuan was also mixed in with the crowd. Seeing that Zhang Yuan was really about to leave, he was overjoyed and deliberately raised his voice, shouting in a sharp tone, "Oh, isn't this Junior Brother Zhang Yuan? I heard you're going to that Dark Swamp to capture Elder Ghost-Faced Spider? Tsk tsk tsk, what a heroic spirit!"

“But junior brother, listen to your senior brother’s advice. Even the Holy Realm has a headache over that place. If you go there… you might never come back! What a pity for a Daoist Master in the temple! Hahaha!”

The atmosphere froze instantly upon hearing this.

Many disciples glared angrily at Li Xuan, but dared not speak out.

Many others lowered their heads sadly or bowed deeply to Zhang Yuan, their eyes slightly red.

Zhao Kun stood atop a distant pavilion, coldly observing everything, a chilling smile playing on his lips.

Despite Li Xuan's curse and everyone's worries, Zhang Yuan remained calm.

He didn't look at Li Xuan again, but instead let out a clear and passionate roar that shook the surrounding area and pierced through the clouds and split rocks!

With a whistle, he took a step forward, his figure already in mid-air.

A flash of light appeared in his hand; it was not the Azure Dragon Mace or Finger Sword he usually used, but an ancient and heavy longsword with dragon patterns hidden on its blade.

The legendary weapon of a hundred battles, the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow!

The blade pointed towards the dark swamp, and a chilling killing intent and a powerful humanitarian will soared into the sky!

The next moment, he stepped into the air, his body transforming into a streak of light, and sped towards the perilous place fraught with danger.

Only that resolute, heroic, yet tragically resolute voice echoed like thunder throughout the Xuanyu Temple, imprinted on the hearts of everyone present:
"For the sake of the flourishing of humanity, if I go and never return—then I shall go and never return!"

The sound was deafening and lingered for a long time.

The entire Xuanyu Temple, from the acting abbots Zhao Kun and Li Xuan to the ordinary servants and disciples, all paled and were terrified!
Those disciples who had bowed to see him off suddenly raised their heads, looking at the resolute departing figure. Tears welled up in their eyes, turning into deep respect and indignation.

Zhou Xian stood there, repeating the phrases "Though far away, we will surely punish them" and "Once gone, never to return" over and over again. His body trembled slightly, and his eyes shone with an unprecedented light.

The mocking smile on Li Xuan's face froze completely, as if he had been slapped hard across the face. The curse of "never to return" seemed so despicable and laughable in the face of the other party's frank and bold declaration, making him turn pale and dumbfounded.

The cold smile on Zhao Kun's face, which was sitting on the palace, had vanished without a trace, replaced by extreme gloom and a trace of... fear that even he himself did not notice.

The will and momentum contained in Zhang Yuan's last words made him feel unprecedented pressure.

He suddenly realized that he might have underestimated his opponent.

A chill crept up his spine.

At the top of Xuanyu Cliff, in the deep pool, the golden-red carp that had once taken human form to become a disciple once again surfaced, gazing in the direction Zhang Yuan had left, its eyes revealing a human-like worry and reverence.

The Xuanyu Temple was completely shaken by a single person's words. (End of Chapter)