Chapter 307 - 1: First Immortal City, Immortal Martial City
Chapter 307: Chapter 1: First Immortal City, Immortal Martial City
That was enough to convince Zhong Ming. Prince Qinghe’s solemn request for him to display his strength made it clear that this Array Master was an extremely crucial figure.
Prince Qinghe’s next words confirmed Zhong Ming’s suspicions.
"That Array Master’s name is Luo Zhiwei. Her personal strength and Talent are formidable. You should know that of the myriad paths of Cultivation, the Array Dao is the broadest and most knowledge-intensive, but also the most difficult to master. Its difficulty surpasses even that of a Sword Cultivator."
Zhong Ming couldn’t argue with that.
A Sword Cultivator is like a warrior. Even someone without Talent, if their life is on the line, can manage a move or two.
Cultivating the Array Dao, however, is like mathematics. If you don’t understand it, you simply don’t. No amount of brute force will help you succeed.
While Zhong Ming was lost in thought, Prince Qinghe continued to speak:
"Luo Zhiwei is a natural genius. She advanced to the rank of Array Master at the age of thirty-three, becoming an honored guest in many powerful and prestigious houses."
"If I can secure her help, my chances of becoming a Vice Military Commander will increase by a full thirty percent."
"As for the power behind her, it’s a bit special... Once we get there, I’ll have Qingyue and Qinglian tell you about it."
"All you need to know is that if we can win her over, my position as Vice Military Commander is halfway secured."
His cultivation path depended on the Wind Fiend Qi of the Celestial Spirits. If the Prince became a Vice Military Commander, it meant Zhong Ming could obtain a vast amount of Celestial Level Wind Fiend Qi. Therefore, he was taking this matter very seriously.
"Rest assured, Prince. I will do everything in my power."
After receiving the Dragon Vein Essence and taking his leave, Zhong Ming returned once more to the Starry Courtyard.
This time, however, he didn’t cultivate. Instead, he sat cross-legged and turned his focus inward, observing his Dantian.
HUMMM...
As his consciousness sank within, Zhong Ming saw that the Planetary System he was simulating had stabilized.
The Star Core - Great Sun, which he understood most deeply, acted as an anchor, firmly occupying the very center of his Dantian.
Orbiting the Great Sun were several other stars.
There was Taibai Jinxing, which nurtured his Sword Heart; Jupiter, born from the life force of the Demon Star Tai Sui; and the water-aspected Morning Star (Mercury).
This was the horizontal plane. Above the Star Core - Great Sun floated an ethereal, shimmering purple star. It was a manifestation of the Power of Dreams, which Zhong Ming had derived using Great Dream of Thousand Years.
Zhong Ming hoped it would one day become the vessel for the Ziwei Emperor Star.
Currently, under the pull of gravity, all these stars orbited the Great Sun.
Because they were in harmony with the Celestial Dao, the orbiting stars continuously absorbed their corresponding types of Spiritual Qi. This qi then formed swirling, star-lit clouds—a radiant nebula—within Zhong Ming’s Dantian.
As the Star Cores absorbed this Xinghui Yun, they would gradually grow larger and more solid.
The wealthy Prince Qinghe provided Zhong Ming with a virtually infinite supply of common resources, and Zhong Ming, in turn, could use his Purifying Flame to incinerate the toxic residue from Elixir Pills.
As a result, despite having cultivated for only a month, his internal Star Cores already possessed considerable combat strength.
’These Star Cores can already support a Divine Monarch Dharma Aspect, or at least be used to augment it with Divine Techniques.’
Yet, the immense Magical Power surging through his body and the sense of approaching fulfillment brought Zhong Ming no joy.
On the contrary, his face held a trace of frustration.
’If I just keep cultivating by the book, I’ll never achieve a true Breakthrough.’
From the Six Extremes Demon Sect, Zhong Ming had learned that there was an Extreme Realm within the Qi Refining Stage of cultivation.
And by relying on Heaven Rewards Diligence to continuously comprehend several Dao Rhymes and fuse them within his Sword Seed, he had discovered that the Extreme Realm wasn’t the most important part of the Qi Refining Stage—Breaking the Norms was.
His Intent-Rhyme was the first to Break the Norms.
His Divine Soul followed, and then his physical body.
Having Broken the Norms in three areas, Zhong Ming naturally aimed for perfection. He wanted his Magical Power to Break the Norms as well, allowing him to forge the most perfect Supreme Dao Foundation. But alas...
’Breaking the Norms is no easy feat. Even a Celestial Level Cultivation Technique can only get me to the Extreme Realm.’
’Breaking the Norms is about transcending convention. A Celestial Level Cultivation Technique, by its nature, cannot achieve that.’
Looking back at his norm-breaking achievements, his Intent-Rhyme was achieved through the stacked comprehension granted by Heaven Rewards Diligence, plus his understanding of the "Great Sun: Heaven and Earth, Only I am Supreme" Dao Rhyme.
His Divine Soul was a result of the Supreme Sword Heart he forged by single-handedly suppressing an entire prefecture—a legendary feat not seen in a millennium.
As for Breaking the Norms with his physical body, that was an even greater feat, requiring the combination of the major Divine Technique "Daoist Canon - Celestial Derivation," the divine object known as the Origin Fruit, and the Power of Origin from the Forbidden Demon Object, Demon Star Tai Sui.
’The Star Core Creation Secret Manual is powerful, but it ultimately hasn’t transcended the boundaries of a Celestial Level Cultivation Technique. Cultivating by the book won’t be enough for me to Break the Norms.’
Fortunately, Zhong Ming wasn’t completely without a plan.
His purpose in acquiring the Dragon Vein Essence and preparing to study under the Array Master was precisely to make his Magical Power Break the Norms.
Moreover, this time, Zhong Ming was also drawing inspiration from the abilities of Divine Heir Wu Yu.
—Even though Zhong Ming had swallowed the Divine Heir whole, the way Wu Yu had relied on the Five Elements Reincarnation to multiply his Magical Power more than ten times in an instant, transforming the Star Secret Vault into a Scorched Earth Purgatory, had still left a profound impact on Zhong Ming.
’Right now, my internal Star Cores already include Metal (Taibai Jinxing), Wood (Jupiter), Water (Morning Star), and Fire (Great Sun). With the Dragon Vein Essence and the True Intent Map of the Mountain and River Dragon Veins I’m about to obtain, I can quickly condense the final Earth Star Core.’
’At that point, I will have all Five Elements within my Dantian. With the Five Elements in Place, I can then use an Array to make them rotate and reinforce each other. Breaking the Norms with my Magical Power will no longer be an obstacle for me.’
’And the day my Magical Power Breaks the Norms will also be the day I advance to Foundation Establishment... With Mind Reading, Immersion, and Great Dream of Thousand Years, it shouldn’t take long.’
’With any luck, in just three to five days, my Magical Power will achieve its Breakthrough.’
Envisioning the blueprint for his Supreme Dao Foundation, Zhong Ming slowly closed his eyes.
The next morning, hundreds of the Prince Mansion’s Forbidden Guards and Honored Guest Elders flanked a massive, luxurious Flying Ship as it soared into the sky.
Zhong Ming stood tall at the prow of the Flying Ship. Beside him, Ji Qingyue, Ji Qinglian, and Yi Yunya stood shoulder to shoulder.
"Lift off—!"
At the command, the Flying Ship instantly broke through the clouds, racing toward Immortal Martial City.
’Immortal Martial City is said to be the foremost Immortal City in the Frost Moon Dynasty’s eastern Four Continents. It’s a constant convergence of prodigies and heroes, a stage for countless epic clashes...’ As this thought crossed his mind, Zhong Ming gazed toward the distant horizon, a sharp smile touching his lips. ’But that’s what makes it interesting. Immortal Martial City, here I come!’