parentshiftbook Chapter 143: The Sea God Stone Acquired
Chapter 143: The Sea God Stone Acquired
Several months have passed since the battle of the Southern Frontier Royal City. Among the Southern Frontier people who fled from the Royal City to the Western Poison Forest, many were unwilling to stay in the territory inhabited by strange beasts, so they traveled through the Western Poison Forest to settle in the Great Wei.
As these people moved about, news of the events that had occurred in the Southern Frontier spread. Upon learning that the Southern Frontier had been completely annihilated by demons, the demon-slaying bureaus in various regions were greatly alarmed and immediately sent the news back to the demon-slaying bureau headquarters in the capital.
High above the city's skyscrapers, clouds drifted past. Dao Yuanzi's wrinkled face was filled with deep astonishment.
Behind him, Mo Tianhe looked at his master's expression with curiosity.
His master, Dao Yuanzi, was an old monster who had survived since the founding of the Great Wei Dynasty. With hundreds of years of experience and his status as the head of the Great Wei Demon Extermination Bureau, very few things could move his master.
But seeing his master's expression change so drastically after reading the message from below, Mo Tianhe couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, "Master, what exactly happened?"
Chu Hanwei, who was standing to the side, was holding a long sword. Recently, her cultivation progress had been slow, and she had been spending most of her time outside instead of in seclusion. Coincidentally, she had recently received a letter from her close friend Xiao Ling'er, who was coming to the capital. With nothing else to do, she was summoned by Dao Yuanzi.
"Alas, I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse!"
"Take a look at them all!"
Dao Yuanzi sighed with a complicated expression, then slammed the letter on the table. Mo Tianhe, puzzled, picked it up and quickly scanned it, his expression becoming incredibly complex.
"This...this can't be right?!"
His mouth dropped open, his eyes wide with disbelief: "Zhang Ping single-handedly fought the Demon Lord in the Southern Frontier, and also a three-headed demon king?!"
How is that possible!
Leaving aside the extremely mysterious Demon Lord, just consider the Demon King—what kind of existence is he?
He is a top-tier powerhouse among demons! In each generation, only the most skilled human experts can suppress him.
The previous generation of demon king, Shan Ze, possessed the heaven-defying power to control water, able to command raging floods, which nearly split the entire Great Wei in two!
Even if the other demon kings are not as terrifying as Shan Ze, they are by no means easy to deal with!
How could Zhang Ping possibly take on three opponents at once?
Mo Tianhe was completely unconvinced: "The lower-level demon-slaying bureau is truly absurd! How dare they spread such false information!" He immediately judged the message to be fake.
He admitted that Zhang Ping was a prodigy, but he only thought that the other party was on par with him. How could he have done such a thing?
Even if his master, Dao Yuanzi, were to fight the three-headed demon king alone, it would be uncertain whether he could succeed.
Chu Hanwei, who had been holding her sword with her eyes closed, quietly feeling the breeze passing by high above, was indifferent to her surroundings. But when she heard Zhang Ping's name, her heart suddenly stirred, and she reached out to take the letter that Mo Tianhe had put back on the table.
After reading the above content, her first reaction was the same as Mo Tianhe's: she also thought it was fake news coming from below.
Dao Yuanzi, standing ahead, shook his head, his tone slightly heavy: "The urgent messages have all been verified through multiple layers. Even if there are exaggerations in the accounts of the refugees in the Southern Frontier, it is true that Zhang Ping possesses strength comparable to a demon king."
"I called you two up here today not only to inform you of this news, but also to remind you of something."
Upon hearing this, Mo Tianhe quickly replied, "Please speak, Master."
Dao Yuanzi's expression grew even more serious: "Zhang Ping's appearance is too strange. According to the latest investigation by the Demon Extermination Bureau, this person was just a brothel customer two years ago!"
Yet, to possess such immense power in just two years suggests that its source is likely illegitimate! If you ever encounter such a person in the future, try your best not to provoke them; if you have the opportunity, observe their words and actions to see if they are still human.
"Master, what do you mean by that?" Mo Tianhe was taken aback, and a guess flashed through his mind.
"A demon slayer?"
Chu Hanwei, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke up and gave the answer first.
"Yes, that's right." Dao Yuanzi nodded.
The title "Demon Slayer" was known to very few people in the entire Wei-Zhao region. Even the Demon Extermination Bureau did not know much about it, and all the information came from the oral accounts of Wang Tiandao.
However, the records clearly describe the dangers posed by demon slayers.
Although demon slayers can quickly gain power, as time goes by, their ultimate fate can only be to become the resurrected form of demons!
The stronger Zhang Ping becomes, the more terrifying the demon sealed within him becomes. If he cannot be restrained, and the demon within him revives, the world will surely gain another terrifying monster!
Dao Yuanzi turned his gaze to Chu Hanwei: "Junior Nephew Chu, you know Zhang Ping. Can you deduce the characteristics of the demon within him?"
Faced with Dao Yuanzi's question, Chu Hanwei was unable to answer for a moment, feeling only a tangled mess of emotions.
She had actually suspected this before, but she always convinced herself that Zhang Ping had saved Ling Chuan's breakout team because he had done so. Perhaps the other party had obtained the same inheritance as her?
Even if the possibility is extremely small.
"Junior Sister Chu?"
Seeing Chu Hanwei's strange expression, Mo Tianhe's heart skipped a beat: Could it be that Junior Sister Chu has something to do with Zhang Ping?
Chu Han pursed his lips slightly and slowly spoke, "His swordsmanship is highly skilled, and his abilities... seem to be related to water. We once crossed the Ghost Heaven River, and there were some anomalies at that time. However, Uncle-Master, perhaps we cannot draw a conclusion yet. I have been in contact with Zhang Ping for quite some time, and he doesn't seem like a Demon Slayer. It's also possible..."
"Sigh." Dao Yuanzi interrupted her.
"I heard that Zhang Ping is currently at the Southern Prince's Mansion? Nephew, could you please invite him to the capital? If he is truly well, we can ask him to serve as the deputy director of the Demon Extermination Bureau, and he can use all the resources within the bureau at his disposal."
Chu Han hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
……
Inside the Southern King's Palace in Chu King City.
Zhang Ping visited again today and finally met Miao Caiyan.
Chu Batian remained between the two, silently drinking his tea.
"Here is the Poseidon Stone you requested."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Zhang Ping stood up excitedly and took a black rectangular patterned wooden box from Miao Caiyan's hands.
He eagerly opened the box and saw that it was wrapped in cotton cloth, with a blue crystal in the center.
The crystal is about the size of a palm. When viewed from above, it looks somewhat like a six-pointed star, but the center is elliptical and raised. It feels incredibly cool to the touch.
Zhang Ping brought the crystal closer, and his expression suddenly turned to astonishment. He heard a strange song coming from the crystal, the language of which was extremely strange and he had never heard it before.
Miao Caiyan explained, "According to reports from our subordinates, this Sea God Stone is a legendary item belonging to the mermaid race. Only fleets venturing into the deep sea have a tiny chance of receiving a gift from the mermaids. This Sea God Stone was something they acquired by chance from a couple."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping secretly marveled at his good fortune. With this Sea God Stone, he could now imprint the mysterious beast pattern "Yin Yang Divine Union Heavenly Capital Ferry".
Throughout, the animal markings on his body were either derived from ordinary animals or strange beasts, or from demons.
Although the Yin-Yang Divine Union Heavenly Capital Fate Crossing was also obtained from the Poison Dragon, its panel shows that its original source was an item called "Yin-Yang Pearl".
Having obtained the Sea God Stone, Zhang Ping could no longer contain his excitement. He hurriedly bid farewell to the King of Chu and his wife and returned to his residence to prepare to begin imprinting animal patterns.
"Madam, I need to go into seclusion to cultivate. Unless it is urgent, please do not disturb me."
This branding of animal patterns was of great importance, and before entering the secret chamber, Zhang Ping gave Fu Huiying a special instruction.
Fu Huiying was reading in the pavilion when she saw Zhang Ping's serious expression. Without hesitation, she nodded and said, "Go ahead. There's no danger in the city."
Zhang Ping nodded, entered the secret room, and closed the door.
He took a deep breath and took out the Sea God Stone, the Essence Gu, and the coffin. Each of these three materials was a rare treasure in the world.
His gaze lingered on the spirit gu for a while, and for some reason, he thought of Miao Caixin. Strictly speaking, this spirit gu was created by Miao Caixin through the sacrifice of her own life. Its creation method was very different from that of ancient spirit gu, and he wasn't sure if it would affect the branded beast pattern.
Zhang Ping shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions. He gathered the materials together and began to call out to the panel: "Imprint, Yin Yang Divine Union Heavenly Capital Fate Crossing."
The familiar scene of materials fusing appeared before his eyes, but unlike before, the fusing process was not fast this time. Zhang Ping estimated that the material fusing process alone would take two days.
"Why is it so slow?" Zhang Ping frowned, but there was nothing he could do. He had plenty of time, so he figured he might as well let it be slow.
At the same time, within the spirit worm, a sleeping soul suddenly began to fluctuate, and the power of the Sea God Stone was slowly permeating into the soul.
......
The imprinting of the beast pattern was faster than Zhang Ping had expected. He had thought that only the material fusion would take time, but he hadn't anticipated that the subsequent body fusion would also require a considerable amount of time.
On the fifth day of Zhang Ping's seclusion, an urgent report spread throughout the Great Wei: Southern demons were advancing northward with fierce attacks!
On the front lines of Lanjiang City, in the Ghost Sky Mountains, the martial arts alliance had long since occupied the area, and their battle lines had advanced further south. Yet, within just a few days, the alliance was driven back by the demons!
"Master, are you alright?"
On the desolate side of the Ghost Sky Mountains, tents were haphazardly erected everywhere. Warriors, their clothes wrapped in strips of cloth and stained with blood, moved among them, exchanging supplies. In the last few days, the price of healing medicine had increased several times over!
On the high ground, Xu Rulin stood with a long sword at his waist, his left arm wrapped in bandages that almost completely covered it. In front of him, Wen Gaoyang looked listless, his spirits visibly low.
Hearing his disciple's concern, Wen Gaoyang sighed, his voice aged, "I'm fine, just that my energy and blood have been depleted. I'll recover after some rest. But I'm afraid Lanjiang City cannot be defended..."
Wen Gaoyang's face was somber, his eyes devoid of their usual resolve, only a bewildered gaze fixed on the south. The sky there had been stained black by endless demonic energy.
Xu Rulin saw through his master's thoughts and gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, suppressing his anger: "The demons in the south have inexplicably increased in strength. You reported this to the Demon Extermination Bureau headquarters half a month ago, requesting reinforcements, but the higher-ups have ignored it. It's outrageous!"
Since defeating Sha Kui at Gui Tianhe, they have supported Taiwu Prefecture, assembled an allied force to advance the battle line, and recovered the land occupied by demons, from which they obtained a large amount of medicinal herbs, ores and demon materials.
However, many of the good items among these resources must be handed over to the Demon Extermination Bureau headquarters.
Half a month ago, Wen Gaoyang noticed unusual activity from the demons and went to investigate personally. He discovered that the demons had multiplied and their strength had greatly increased, and he immediately sensed something was wrong. He reminded the surrounding prefectures to strengthen their defenses while sending a message to the Demon Extermination Bureau headquarters requesting support, but the message went unanswered!
This made Xu Rulin furious.
They were more eager than anyone to extract resources, but now that support is needed, they've been slow to respond, causing the battle line to be pushed back to the Ghost Sky Mountains. The situation in other prefectures is probably not good either.
"It's not the fault of those above. The demons this time are just too strange; their power has increased so drastically for some unknown reason." Wen Gaoyang's brow, slightly obscured by his graying hair, furrowed tightly, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
"Has the healing medicine for the rest of the patients not been delivered yet?"
"It will take at least two days. All the healing medicines we had stockpiled have been urgently transferred over the past few days. In addition, the families in the city sold off a large amount of materials, so there aren't many materials left in the city to refine healing medicines. We have to urgently transfer them from other cities," Xu Rulin replied.
Wen Gaoyang pondered for a moment, then said, "Send word to the lower-level martial artists of Lanjiang City to evacuate in advance. Also, issue a mandatory conscription order: all martial artists above the Refining Realm must join the Martial Alliance to fight against the demons! Whether they are rogue cultivators or heads of large families, anyone who disobeys will be considered an enemy of the Demon Extermination Bureau!"
Xu Rulin was startled. To be an enemy of the Demon Extermination Bureau was more than just a crime; it was a blatant threat. Given his master's position within the Bureau, dealing with those families would be a piece of cake. This was forcing them to confront the demons!
This further confirms the severity of this demonic counterattack; even during the previous stalemate, it had never reached this point. He immediately responded, "Yes!"
Demonic clouds swept in from the south, and the overwhelming demons, abandoning their previous retreat, launched a frenzied attack on the Great Wei! Not only Lanjiang City, but several other battlefronts were also subjected to fierce attacks.
Thanks to Wen Gaoyang's advance warning, all defense lines were prepared in advance, but even so, they still suffered a defeat in one battle!
"The demons have gone mad!"
Looking at the intelligence reports from various prefectures, Lie Yunshan's face showed a hint of fear, and even the hand holding the intelligence report trembled slightly: "Quickly, request reinforcements!"
Half a month later, the Black Tiger King defeated Wen Gaoyang in the Ghost Sky Mountains and occupied the area. Lanjiang City lost its natural defenses and began a large-scale retreat.
Three days later, Taiwu Mansion was attacked by a joint attack from Sha Kui and Yan Wang. The Marrow Infusion Realm warriors guarding the front line died on the spot while covering the retreat of the main force of the allied army!
Further east, Phosphorescent Palace, though not breached by demons, is also in grave danger under the siege of a large number of demons.
News spread like wildfire throughout the Great Wei, shaking the Demon Extermination Bureau in the capital! They immediately summoned back the powerful warriors who had been dispatched to search for a way out of the old Wei-Zhao territory, and at the same time ordered all the rear prefectures to support the front lines.
After this reorganization, another month passed before the battle line was barely stabilized. However, the number of martial artists killed or wounded surged in this battle, and the front lines suffered heavy losses.
"Zhang Di hasn't come out for over a month. Should we tell him?" Lu Wanrou hesitated, looking towards the secret room, her heart filled with worry.
"No rush," Fu Huiying said after a moment's thought. "Right now, the Angry Dragon Mansion is still in the way, so the Southern Prince's Mansion won't be affected for the time being. We're still safe. As for Zhang Ping..."
She hesitated, her tone uncertain, "He must have reached a crucial point in his cultivation."
Lu Wanrou nodded in agreement upon hearing this reason.
Unbeknownst to them, Zhang Ping was staring in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him in the secret chamber.