Chapter 1367 - 995: Homeward Journey

Zhang Chen saw the visitor and froze for a moment, his eyes full of disbelief. Before he could speak, the person opposite began to reproach him, saying, "Since you wanted to leave Kyoto, why didn’t you give me a heads-up?"

"Sir enjoys endless wealth and prosperity in Kyoto; how could you think of going with me to the remote countryside, living a precarious existence?" Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng opposite him, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Mr. Da has passed away, the pathway to the new world within the Academy has collapsed, and countless oddities in the underground palace suddenly vanished overnight. Kyoto no longer holds any appeal for me, so why not take this opportunity to depart? Besides, with the great change in the heavens and earth approaching, Great Victory is at the heart of it. This place is a gathering ground of storms and clouds, yet it holds no attraction for me." Zhou Qiucheng looked at Zhang Chen: "Are you perhaps not welcoming me?"

"It is my honor that you wish to return to the Northern Land with me, sir. You are more than welcome; how could I not welcome you?" Zhang Chen said to Dugu Qiu, smiling. "However, the foundation in the Northern Land has just been established. If you come with me, sir, you won’t have the wealth and prosperity of Kyoto. Instead, you’ll have to join me in enduring hardship for a while."

"I’ve already endured bitter days for a jiazi in the Northern Land, long accustomed to every blade of grass and tree there." Zhou Qiucheng replied, unruffled by Zhang Chen’s remark.

Zhang Chen smiled at this, welcoming Zhou Qiucheng to join his party, and then the group left Kyoto, heading towards the Northern Land.

When Zhang Chen entered Kyoto, he traveled by water route, and upon returning to the Northern Land, he chose the water route again.

As for the ships needed for the northern journey?

It is known that years ago, the Shen Family controlled seventy percent of the nation’s shipping. The Zhang Family, being the prominent family behind the Shen Family, would find it manageable to allocate some large ships.

Along with the Zhang Family members boarding the large ships, once Zhang Gaqi gave the order, the fleet set forth grandly.

"On the way back, we can’t exclude encountering water demons, so we need to prepare early." Zhang Gaqi commanded the fleet to head north, and upon the ships’ departure, he went to Zhang Chen’s room, speaking earnestly: "Previously, innumerable demon beasts besieged Kyoto; now, with the sudden great change in heaven and earth, who knows how many demon beasts remain trapped in the mountains and marshes, unable to depart. We will surely face numerous obstacles along our way."

Zhang Chen responded with a gentle smile, reassuring Zhang Gaqi: "It’s alright, I’ve prepared in advance."

At this point, Zhang Chen pulled out a tuft of white hair from his sleeve and handed it to Zhang Gaqi: "Stick three strands of white hair on each ship; all demon races will certainly not dare to offend."

Zhang Gaqi received the white hair with surprise, noticing the hairs were like steel needles, radiating sharp energy, seeming to tear at his skin.

"What kind of hair has such capability?" Zhang Gaqi asked curiously, looking at the white hair in his hand. He did not doubt Zhang Chen’s words but was purely intrigued by the white hair.

"The hair from Hu Li the Immortal." Zhang Chen replied.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaqi’s pupils constricted, his eyes widened with disbelief, staring at Zhang Chen: "Hu Li the Immortal’s hair? How do you have it?"

"Naturally, I plucked it from Hu Li the Immortal myself." Zhang Chen said leisurely.

Zhang Gaqi’s face was filled with shock as he looked at Zhang Chen, his gaze full of astonishment, momentarily at a loss for words. Zhang Chen had too many secrets, from the Yellow Spring Water to now the hair of Hu Li the Immortal; it was simply miraculous.

Zhang Gaqi did not continue to inquire, for probing further would touch upon Zhang Chen’s secrets. He took Hu Li the Immortal’s hair outside, personally going onboard each large ship to attach the hair.

Just as Zhang Gaqi stepped out, Zhang Chen’s room flashed with a beam of golden light, and Hu Li the Immortal appeared in the room: "Calamity! Calamity!"

Hu Li the Immortal’s Origin kept dissipating, making him look very languid, his face filled with anxiety.

"You’re not escorting the demon race to evacuate; how come you have the time to seek me out?" Zhang Chen looked at the spiritually exhausted Hu Li the Immortal and asked.

"I can scarcely look after myself; how can I care for the demon race?" Hu Li the Immortal replied with a voice full of bitterness; he intended to say more but seeing the Essence, Qi, and Spirit radiating from Zhang Chen, he knew words were unnecessary.

Hu Li the Immortal initially wanted to inquire if Zhang Chen had a method to evade the tribulation. After all, in his understanding, Zhang Chen was not just ordinarily ’eccentric.’ Yet, upon arriving, seeing Zhang Chen’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit Origins also leaking, he realized he’d made a wrong assumption. If Zhang Chen had a way to suppress Essence, Qi, and Spirit, surely he wouldn’t allow them to dissipate.

"The End of Dharma Tribulation is more devastating to the demon race, an utter calamity." Zhang Chen lamented, pouring a cup of tea for Hu Li the Immortal.

"Is there truly no way to avoid the tribulation?" Hu Li the Immortal asked Zhang Chen.

"Doesn’t your demon race have a profound Peacock Ancestor? Isn’t this an issue you ought to consult him about?" Zhang Chen raised his head, assessing the Peacock Ancestor.

Hu Li the Immortal heard this and smiled bitterly, "If Peacock Ancestor had a way to avoid the calamity, why would I come to you? Peacock Ancestor only mentioned seeking a Feng Shui Grand Array built by Ancient Gods and Demons, digging out that Ancient Divine Demon, and burying oneself there. Whether one can survive depends entirely on destiny as the End of Dharma Tribulation evolves."

"Peacock Ancestor has gone to seek the Ancient Divine Demon Tomb and can’t concern themselves with me. After thinking it over, I find this method unreliable, so I came to ask you if there’s a way to overcome the calamity." Hu Li the Immortal’s eyes were filled with helplessness.

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Chen pondered slightly. Seeing Zhang Chen ponder, Hu Li the Immortal’s eyes brightened immediately, "Could it be that you’ve indeed found hope to break the calamity?"

"I do have an idea," Zhang Chen looked at Hu Li the Immortal, not hiding anything, "If the End of Dharma really reaches a point where everything extraordinary dissipates, perhaps we can create a cultivation technique that binds our souls to reincarnate continuously without losing memory. While we can’t ensure the body survives, we can guarantee a glimmer of hope for the soul."

"Create a reincarnation technique where the soul’s consciousness remains immortal?" Upon hearing this, Hu Li the Immortal was initially stunned but then shook his head, "It’s too late! The End of Dharma Tribulation starts, leaving us no time to create a cultivation technique; the most critical part is how difficult it is to establish a technique. With our means, it’s simply unrealistic."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen also fell into silence. Hu Li the Immortal’s words weren’t without reason; trying to create a technique for continuous reincarnation, how is it different from direct reincarnation?

As long as one dies, they can reincarnate, is creating such a technique necessary?

Accurately speaking, creating a technique that can sustain the soul’s consciousness from dispersing is more appropriate; if a technique for eternal consciousness can be created, it’s truly an alternative rebirth.

Hu Li the Immortal found this idea unrealistic, why? Because it’s too difficult!

"Besides this, there’s no other way," Zhang Chen shook his head.

Hu Li the Immortal doesn’t have the opportunity to deduce a technique for consciousness preservation in reincarnation, but that doesn’t mean he can’t create it. He not only possesses the Six Paths of Reincarnation but also has two Primordial Daluo Golden Immortals, the Queen Mother of the West and Corpse Ancestor. If he requests their help, it might be possible to deduce this divine technique.

Hu Li the Immortal heard this and fell silent, staring fixedly at Zhang Chen, eyes filled with sorrow, "Tell me, if one day I lose my intellect and degenerate into a beast with no wisdom, what would happen?"

"Perhaps you’ll roam proudly among the forests, dying of old age within your territory, or perhaps you’ll fall at the hands of a hunter," Zhang Chen said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Hu Li the Immortal fell silent, then after a long time, finally said, "With our friendship, if I truly degenerate and lose intelligence, you should be able to care for me till I die, right?"

"You want me to take care of you in old age? Dream on!" Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen glared at Hu Li the Immortal.

Hu Li the Immortal chuckled bitterly, wanting to say more, but ultimately didn’t.

"If that day truly comes, you can seek me in Prince Pingbian’s territory, as I’ve completely mastered it. Protecting you for a lifetime is still feasible." Zhang Chen said to Hu Li the Immortal.

"Thank you!" Hu Li the Immortal solemnly performed a bow toward Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen didn’t mention having a Middle Thousand World, after all, such a world concerns significant matters. Inside, already resides a Queen Mother of the West, and the innate spiritual qi generated from the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu can hardly satisfy her consumption. The Queen Mother of the West also restrains her intake. If the Great Thousand Worlds can give him another thirty to fifty years, adding more time onto the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu, perhaps he can then send Hu Li the Immortal inside.

Zhang Chen increases the time of a day for the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu to three jiazi. A year equals sixty-four thousand eight hundred years, and ten years equals six hundred forty-eight thousand years, sufficient for the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu to evolve from a sapling to a small tree. At that time, the daily intake of innate qi will be a vast amount, not enough to support Primordial Saints, but sufficient to ensure everyone survives.

The Middle Thousand World also has a lifespan and consumes Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. As long as enough innate qi is obtained, the spiritual qi of the small world won’t deplete and will continuously persist. Thus, the major consumer of innate spiritual qi is the Middle Thousand World itself, and Zhang Chen plans to use most of the Heaven and Earth spiritual qi to maintain the Middle Thousand World’s operation.

"Do you need me to do anything for you? Consider it an advance investment," Hu Li the Immortal looked at Zhang Chen, revealing a fierce gaze, "Including a showdown with those old folks of the Great Victory royal family, venting your rage."

"There’s no need!" Zhang Chen tilted his head, looking at Hu Li the Immortal, "If you truly want to help me, how about gathering some spiritual objects for me? Hurry and send them while they still retain spiritual qi."

For Zhang Chen, the evolution and development of the Middle Thousand World require a vast amount of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects. The more such spiritual objects are sent in, the faster the Middle Thousand World’s development will be.

Upon hearing this, Hu Li the Immortal was stunned, "Now the spiritual qi of everything in Heaven and Earth is dissipating and soon will turn into useless dirt; why would you collect these things?"

Now, amid the End of Dharma Tribulation, what is affected is only the Twelfth Tier. For spiritual objects below the Tenth Tier, they haven’t been affected yet. For Zhang Chen, it’s not too late to collect Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects now.

The reason he made this request of Hu Li the Immortal is that he considered Hu Li the Immortal holds sway over the whole Demon Race, gathering the Creation of the Great Wilderness, and scouring the Divine Land thoroughly. The tribe surely possesses a vast amount of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, and if those spiritual objects can be sent into his Middle Thousand World, it will surely assist its evolution.