Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 58: Spiritual Aptitude Enhancement, Royal Selection

After a short while to sober up, Zhao Wuji was covered in sweat, and his spiritual energy core shone brightly.

The various aromas of alcohol transformed into wisps of spiritual energy, converging into a single stream.

Double induced breathing (31/100)!
Zhao Wuji sobered up a bit and was pleasantly surprised to feel the spiritual energy condensed within his body and the golden light emanating from his spine.

"A mere ounce of wine is enough to condense a strand of spiritual energy? And the intensity of that spiritual energy has even reached the highest level of golden light."

His gaze was intense as he carefully considered the situation. "How long can this so-called 'short-term' improvement last?" he frowned slightly.

Even if it's just a temporary boost, with its spiritual intensity now leaping to the golden light level, one can imagine that both its cultivation speed and spell power have been greatly improved.

The spiritual energy flowing through his meridians was like a surging river, several times smoother than before.

He suddenly looked at the hole and said, "If I drank seven catties of wine, I could break through to the third level of Qi Refining."

Without further hesitation, he took out a jade box, medicine bottle, and other containers from his bosom.

He continued to use the wooden ball to extract wine, and although it was slow, his cultivation level seemed to be steadily increasing.

Inside the Penglai Palace in the capital of Xuan Kingdom, Yu Linzi held a whisk in one hand and a golden book for summoning immortals in the other. His gaze lingered briefly on the 'superior golden light' of Consort Li Shiyu and her entourage, and he nodded slightly.

"Junior brother, you really are keeping a beauty hidden away; you've found a top-notch talent without anyone noticing."

Then the cursor moved to the second line—'Wu Sicheng's eldest son, Wu Zijing, Bai Hong [lower middle].'

He frowned inwardly, thinking it was a waste of testing resources, but when he saw the message below, his brows relaxed slightly.

"Li Nianwei, a star official of the Imperial Observatory, and Qingxia [above average]".

The fourth line reads, 'Commander Lu's two daughters, Lu Moxiang and Chi Yan [Medium].'

Yu Linzi sighed inwardly, looked at Emperor Zhaoming opposite him with a half-smile, and said, "Junior brother, this first batch of selections will be based on the average spiritual talent of Chi Yan. If one obtains the [above average] talent of Qingxia, one should go straight to the Cave Heaven."

He paused, then added, "If someone possesses the superior golden light aptitude of Li Shiyu, they could become a true disciple of the Cave Heaven!"

Emperor Zhaoming played with the jade cup in his hand and chuckled: "Senior brother, if I remember correctly, the last time the standard was relaxed to include the Crimson Flame was sixty years ago."

A hint of reminiscence flashed in his eyes, "Back then, I was just a young child."

Yu Linzi shook his head and said, "If exceptionally talented people were so common, then Junior Brother wouldn't have only had one Li Shiyu all these years."

He then changed the subject, saying, "Sixty years ago, when the Xiang King's treasure trove appeared, various grotto-heavens competed to lower their standards to recruit immortals. Now, the Tiannan Secret Realm is about to open, and it's the same thing, only now it's going from the shadows to the light."

He gave the emperor a meaningful look, “The one who stood out from my Linlang Cave back then is none other than the current Empress Yu.”

This time, my junior brother wants to establish a new queen, but I wonder if Li Shiyu can stand out from the crowd.

"Humph!"

Emperor Zhaoming looked displeased. "It's all a matter of using one's own methods."

A golden glint appeared in his eyes. "In terms of spiritual talent, Shi Yu, I, and Yu Lanxi are all roughly equal. Entering that secret realm, there is still hope."

Yu Linzi, not wanting to argue, backed down when he saw the situation was unfavorable. "Let's leave this matter aside for now. There is another matter that I need you to use the power of the dragon vein to help me investigate."

"Hmm?" Emperor Zhaoming frowned. "Senior brother, do you want to investigate Lian Yunxuan, who has been missing for a long time?"

This person was merely of average spiritual talent, with the strength of the second level of Qi Refining. Perhaps he was too badly wounded on the battlefield that day and died on his way back. Why would I need to expend the power of the Xuan Kingdom's dragon vein to find him?

“Junior brother.” Yu Linzi shook his whisk, and the golden lamps in the hall suddenly dimmed: “Nephew Lian stayed overnight at the ancestral home in Yonggui City before New Year’s Eve. According to custom, he should have entered the palace to pay his respects, but he has been missing ever since.”

His expression was solemn. "The Empress reported to Peak Master Hua that day that it was a cultivator from the Myriad Beasts Cave who rode a beast to invade the palace. In addition, the Supreme Sect has been making frequent unusual moves. Junior brother, this is no coincidence!"

Emperor Zhaoming's eyes darkened. "The Empress has committed moral failings by imprisoning the vengeful spirits of the late Emperor's concubines in the harem. She has brought disaster upon herself!"

The veins on the back of his hand, hidden beneath his dragon robe, bulged. "If she hadn't insisted on crafting that insidious object, things wouldn't have turned out this way. Peak Master Hua... is far too lenient with her."

“Junior brother!” Yu Linzi frowned.

"Fine!"

Emperor Zhaoming abruptly rose to his feet, his twelve tassels on his crown swaying violently. "I will mobilize the dragon veins once to help my senior brother investigate the situation. I hope that when Li Shiyu stands out in the future, my senior brother can also speak well of her to the Cave Master and Peak Master Hua."

"Don't worry, Junior Brother!" Yu Linzi nodded and took out Lian Yunxuan's personal belongings from his robes. Emperor Zhaoming casually took the items, walked outside the palace, and summoned the Imperial Seal of the State. His eyes suddenly emanated a powerful golden dragon aura, while his entire body fluctuated intensely with spiritual energy.

"The dragon roams the land, and the earth obeys my command! Pardon!"

Emperor Zhaoming made a hand seal and gave a low shout. The jade seal flew out, radiating brilliant light. The paving stones beneath his feet suddenly lit up with dark golden patterns, which spread out to the square outside as if they were alive.

Outside the palace, the dragon energy of the imperial city's earth veins surged, and the fortune of the mountains and rivers flowed like rivers into the sea. The dragon energy above the palace transformed into a magnificent dragon, gathering in his palm.

Emperor Zhaoming closed his eyes slightly, his imperial will spreading with the dragon energy of the dragon vein, searching for traces in his hand related to Lian Yunxuan's aura.

Mountains, rivers, cities, and villages all transformed into fleeting shadows in the dragon's aura.

The common people are like ants, and the monks are like fireflies.

Only those with spiritual energy fluctuations can leave traces in the long river of dragon energy in the earth's veins.

Suddenly, he frowned.

Above Yonggui City, a wisp of lingering energy traveled along the mountains and rivers to the cold mountains outside the capital, where it suddenly drifted away like a kite with a broken string.

That was Lian Yunxuan's last trace, but it seemed to have been abruptly severed by some force, leaving only a faint trace of blood.
"Murdered? Who would be so audacious?"

Emperor Zhaoming whispered, and suddenly dragon energy surged at his fingertips, subtly fixing a wisp of demonic energy amidst the fleeting light and shadow.

But the demonic aura quickly dissipated in the capital, leaving behind a bloody smell.

"Was it that old fox demon who did it?"

Emperor Zhaoming raised his eyebrows and continued his search, vaguely catching another aura in the cold mountains.

But that aura flew in the air, elusive and difficult to pinpoint, and even the dragon's energy could not be detected.

The aura quickly vanished into thin air, impossible to trace again.

Emperor Zhaoming was greatly surprised. "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king. As long as one has traveled through mountains and rivers within my Xuan Kingdom, I can trace them. But this aura cannot be traced. It broke through the air and disappeared. Could it be a first-class master of flying immortals who never touches the ground?"

Yu Linzi, who was standing to the side, was also astonished.

Whenever someone travels through the mountains and rivers of Xuan Kingdom, their aura will be recorded by the dragon veins.

Unless it's a predecessor who soars high in the sky, how could it be impossible to track down?
Even for senior experts, unless they fly directly out of the Xuan Kingdom's borders in one breath, they can still be tracked once they land.

Even for him, it was difficult to fly directly out of the Xuan Kingdom's borders using his own spiritual power.

How could a senior with such abilities join forces with an old demon to attack a minor character like Lian Yunxuan, who is only at the initial stage of Qi Refining?
Emperor Zhaoming dared not probe any further, immediately put away the imperial seal, and looked at Yu Linzi with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

"Senior brother, you were right. This matter is unusual. The expert who made this move is terrifying."

Yu Linzi frowned and nodded, "I'm afraid it really is related to the Myriad Beasts Cave Heaven outside Tiannan. I will report this matter to the cave master immediately."

Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji, who had not learned astrology or divination techniques like "Meng Tou," was completely unaware that the Emperor of Xuan Kingdom had gone so far as to mobilize the Dragon Vein to personally investigate the cause of Lian Yunxuan's death.

Fortunately, he was used to being cautious and meticulous. After Lian Yunxuan's soul dissipated, he used a guiding technique to disperse all his energy.

This made it impossible to trace the dragon vein, and by sheer chance, created the illusion that a senior expert had flown out of the Xuan Kingdom's borders.

Although the Emperor of Xuan Kingdom and Yu Linzi were highly skilled in cultivation, they could never have imagined the wonders of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji was already leaning against the blue stone, drinking on the Red Dragon Ridge, somewhat drunk, his cheeks flushed, and the scenery in his eyes somewhat blurred.

After filling his jade box, medicine bottle, and other personal items, he drank the remaining wine from the hole.

However, even though it was only a pound, the alcohol still made it difficult for him to resist the effects of the alcohol, and the scenery in his eyes began to overlap and sway.

Left with no other choice, he had to use the incantation to refine the churning wine in his stomach, using the incomplete "Ode to the God of Wine" to accelerate the process. Each wisp of wine vapor burned his meridians like a raging fire.

It wasn't until the moon rose above the treetops, and the cool moonlight mingled with the mountain breeze on his face, that Zhao Wuji finally dispelled the last trace of alcohol.

Ten streams of pure spiritual energy, like dragons returning to their nest, sank into his dantian, and his cultivation level quietly rose to the second level of Qi Induction (41/100), his spine shining with golden light.

At the same time, he felt a burning sensation in his throat and a stinging sensation in his stomach, making him feel an urge to vomit.
Thank you to the disciple who only seeks Peach Blossom Spring for the reward. I'll add an extra chapter if the monthly votes increase by 100 today. Currently, it's 1135. I'll add it today if it reaches 100 today, and it'll still count if it doesn't reach 100 tomorrow, but I'll add it tomorrow then. Anyway, before the book goes on sale the day after tomorrow, I'll add an extra chapter so everyone can enjoy it. Please also vote for the new book on the charts in the last few days.

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(End of this chapter)