Chapter 135: The Pinnacle of the World

At a hidden teleportation array on the human frontline, a giant standing ten feet tall, its body resembling polished green jade, stepped out. It then proceeded to a mysterious formation to undergo a transformation, finally taking on the appearance of Jiang Beici.

"The Green Jade clan is as simple and honest as the Golden-Armored Thunder Ox clan, but they are too loyal to the Holy Spirit Heavenly Court. They are not easy to persuade." A figure appeared beside Jiang Beici.

"Although their temperament is similar to the Golden-Armored Thunder Ox clan, their treatment under the Holy Spirit Heavenly Court is not even one-tenth of what the Oxen receive—it is like the difference between heaven and earth."

"Such a loyal race with such great potential, yet they are forced to wither away in that barren wasteland. I can hardly stand to watch it."

"If Your Highness finds a way to bring the Green Jade clan under the human banner, you might even obtain a sliver of authority from the Human Emperor Great Dao Palace."

"If only it were that easy." Jiang Beici smiled, then took his seat at the head of the main hall, deep in thought about his next move.

Just then, a courier crane descended from the sky, producing three boxes sealed with ice jade.

"Suxin Fruit?" Jiang Beici was puzzled at first, then thought of Xu Chen.

"Your Highness, three Suxin Fruits—can we overdraw our account now?" the person standing behind him asked with curiosity.

"These spiritual fruits are strictly rationed; there is no way I could overdraw them. These were bought by my brother." Jiang Beici’s expression was one of pride as he happily accepted the three ice-jade-sealed boxes.

Opening one, a basketball-sized fruit with intertwined purple and cyan colors appeared, emitting an exotic fragrance.

"Sir, someone has deposited 100 Suxin Fruits under your name. You may withdraw them at any time," the courier crane said before transforming into a beam of light and vanishing.

Hearing "100 Suxin Fruits," Jiang Beici paused, his hand halfway to the fruit. "One Suxin Fruit per human contribution point—he is truly generous. How many years has it been, and yet the situation has completely reversed?"

Looking at the basketball-sized Suxin Fruit in his hand, he realized that even as a prince of the Human Emperor Great Dao Palace, he could only eat one a year.

***

In the Human Dao Realm, atop the Floating Island Fairyland.

"The difference between a specialty store and a discount store? Human contribution points may seem plentiful, but they disappear quickly. I wonder if my good brother has received the Suxin Fruits he likes."

"I must improve my aptitude, reach the limit of the Blood Qi Realm, and then go to Shanhang City to visit my parents." With that, Xu Chen exited the Human Dao Realm.

In the cultivation room of his cave dwelling, Xu Chen placed a colorful jade slip against his forehead. He knew to pick the easiest tasks first, so he started with the Great Five Elements Body. "The cultivation method is similar to the Five Elements Body, so I will start with this."

Using the heaven-observing instrument in his cave, he saw it was already late at night and shelved his plan to visit the Thunder Province treasury. Although it was open all day, Xu Chen preferred to act during the day. He focused instead on the Great Five Elements Body, a foundational method for blood-qi cultivation.

"Later on, I also need to learn Dao scripts." He still remembered the disadvantage he suffered in the Primordial Battlefield due to his lack of knowledge in Dao scripts. "I must train hard and strive to advance to the Treasure Body Realm soon."

***

The next morning, Xu Chen took the teleportation array on Sky Cloud Island directly to the capital of Thunder Province. At the Thunder Province treasury, Yun Yue’s face lit up with joy when he saw Xu Chen.

"Uncle Yun, let's go with that set."

"I’ve had it ready for you for a long time! You don't need to run here yourself anymore. I will keep track of the time, and when your supplies run low, I will send them to you myself. Come, you left in such a rush last time that we haven't exchanged contact information yet."

Yun Yue produced a communication treasure, identical in style to the one he had given Xu Chen. Xu Chen quickly took out his own mirror-like communication treasure, and the two touched them together to record each other's information.

"Little friend, if you have any business within Thunder Province in the future, contact me directly. You are now a close friend of my Thunder Province Treasury Department," Yun Yue said, looking at Xu Chen with great warmth.

"Many thanks, Uncle Yun."

The final colorful light screen confirming payment appeared before Xu Chen. After verifying the details, he clicked confirm. Yun Yue accompanied Xu Chen all the way to the entrance before leaving, even arranging a beast-drawn carriage for him, as flying was prohibited in the capital without special permission.

Watching the carriage disappear, Yun Yue finally looked away. "My Thunder Province Treasury Department won't have to endure scolding at the year-end meeting anymore."

"Boss Yun, even if we don't get scolded, the reputation of our Treasury Department still isn't fully established."

"Hurry and find a way to clear out the other items in our warehouse; that’s the only way we’ll have an easier time," the guard at the door laughed.

"If only it were that easy. Everyone is hoarding their human contribution points, waiting to exchange them for big-ticket items that our treasury doesn't even have. What can I do? Let’s take it slow—starting with getting scolded less."

***

Back at Sky Cloud Island, Xu Chen’s cave dwelling. A courier crane landed gracefully on the practice ground outside. Xu Chen handed a written letter to the crane and watched it disappear into the horizon.

"My parents have settled in Shanhang City. Perhaps I can contact them with the communication treasure. I’ve already sent the access code, so if they can be reached, they will be."

After the crane departed, Xu Chen began practicing the Great Five Elements Body on the practice ground. Having consumed the Bodhi Dew and the Five Elements Root Spirit Pill, he had not only improved his aptitude but also gained a temporary boost in perception and altered his meridians. With his previous experience in the Five Elements Body, he achieved the basics of the Great Five Elements Body in just half a month.

In the holy white space, a massive golden gate engraved with Dao scripts appeared before Xu Chen.

"Once the Great Five Elements Body reaches the realm of Form and Intent in Unity, I should possess the strength of nine dragons and five tigers. Applied to me, that should be about six tigers' worth of power." Xu Chen calculated silently; once he reached the strength of nine dragons, further progress would become extremely slow.

He slowly pushed open the golden gate. A brilliant five-colored world appeared. His avatar stood in the center of a five-colored sea, his expression deep in thought. Xu Chen closed the door and walked over.

"You are digging a deeper and deeper hole for yourself," the avatar said, looking at Xu Chen.

"Speak plainly. How is increasing one's foundation considered digging a hole?" This was not the first time he had heard such a remark.

"You will understand once you advance." The avatar looked at him. "Come! It is a pity that the laws of this world are too rigid; otherwise, you would have no chance of standing before me."

The avatar charged toward Xu Chen, his blood-qi energy surging like ocean tides. Xu Chen just watched, a slight smile playing on his lips. This type of blood-qi foundational avatar was the easiest to deal with; as long as one didn't violate the rules, they were simple to defeat. Pure blood-qi power was exactly what Xu Chen feared the least.

A terrifying aura radiated from Xu Chen. Behind him, a sea of holy solar fire manifested, and a whale leaped over the dragon gate. Then, the Nine Nether Moon rose from within the sea of holy fire. Xu Chen’s strength had reached a new height. Although the avatar’s pure blood-qi eruption was stronger than Xu Chen's, he was suppressed throughout the entire fight.

"Boom!" The avatar flew dozens of feet away before stabilizing himself.

"Boring. I cannot win within these rules. I look forward to our meeting after you break through the Blood Qi Realm."

As the avatar spoke, the entire world began to shatter. Xu Chen’s soul was dragged into an unknown world.

Countless small worlds, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, were linked together to support a vast, boundless continent. On this continent stood a holy palace. Xu Chen now inhabited the body of a young man, standing with a group of other youths—all emanating an extreme sense of Dao—on a practice ground paved with immortal crystals.

"You have been selected from worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges to become disciples of my Holy Palace. From this life forward, you will be completely severed from those mortals and pathetic cultivators. You shall become the high and mighty Masters of the Realms."

As a voice as ethereal as the Dao itself echoed, a virtual figure appeared before the youths.

"Damn, that sounds incredibly impressive."

"Train hard. You still have a long way to go before you become Masters of the Realms. Within the Holy Palace, you will have the best resources, the best teachers, and the best cultivation environment. The laws will be laid bare before you; in the future, you will surely become the masters of these laws."

As the speech concluded, the projection vanished, and a teleportation circle appeared before each youth. They stepped into their respective circles. One area could span the entire human continent; this was the youth's practice ground.

At this moment, an old man radiating a terrifying aura—one whose every breath seemed to decide the survival of tens of thousands of worlds—stood respectfully before the youth.

"Young Master, let us begin by learning the simplest foundational method: the Great Five Elements Body, to grasp the power of the Five Elements laws."

As the old man began to lecture, the youth Xu Chen was inhabiting began to practice. Xu Chen, inhabiting the boy's body, watched his speed and felt a sense of dismay. Within a single day, the youth had mastered the Great Five Elements Body to the level of Intent Manifestation, only a step away from Form and Intent in Unity.

Xu Chen experienced everything the youth felt, and it felt as simple as a kindergartner learning "1+1." It was all effortless. The youth even slowed down his pace to carefully contemplate the entire Great Five Elements Body.

"Why is this technique so simple?" the youth asked his teacher.

The terrifyingly powerful old man bowed respectfully. "Young Master, you are the most excellent existence selected by the Holy Palace from countless small worlds. You were originally an incarnation of the Dao and the laws, merely fallen into a small world. Now that you have returned to the Holy Palace, learning these things is merely revisiting the scenery you once knew."

Even though the youth was currently only in the Blood Qi Realm, the old man, from his soul to his body, showed nothing but submission and respect.

"This foundational technique is truly boring." As the youth spoke, the Great Five Elements Body broke through to the level of Form and Intent in Unity.

Xu Chen felt a sense of detachment, and when he regained his senses, he was back in the holy white space.

"High-end. It is truly too high-end. The level is at least several times higher than the current human race. It's a pity I only stayed there for two days."

Xu Chen sat cross-legged in the holy white space, recalling everything he had seen in the Holy Palace. Just thinking about it caused his soul to tremble. A vast amount of realization flooded his mind.

Back on the practice ground outside his cave, Xu Chen sat still. His entire body became like a sponge absorbing spiritual energy, drawing in massive amounts of Five Elements spiritual energy.