"This cultivation base is comparable...to the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm? You have to be kidding me. Immortals have joined the scramble? For what?" Zhenwu Shenquan clutched at his chest, blood dripping from his eyes and lips as he wobbled in the sky, facing the two Corpse Demons.
Had Zhenwu Shenquan been an Earth Immortal, then he would have had no problem dealing with these demons. But as an early-stage Supreme Clarity expert, he had no hope to defeat the enemy.
"Fleeing is the only sensible option. However..." The Zhenwu clan had just pacified the spiritual aristocracy and taken over the East. If after the first battle, Zhenwu Shenquan returned in such disastrous defeat, all the prestige that he'd accumulated would go down the drain.
This in turn would make the spirit nobles, and even some human nobles grow restless. Add to that his grievous internal injuries, and rebellions were doomed to break out. With billions of Mysterious Beasts united under one sovereign and a genuine demonic infestation to suppress, the Eastern Spirit Empire couldn't afford this kind of instability.
Regardless of the cost, Zhenwu Shenquan needed a victory.
"If you can't be heartless to yourself, how dare you rule the world with an iron fist?" Zhenwu Shenquan rhetorically asked, and as his lips curled up, the Human King raised his right fist. Blinding divine light surged from all his pores, becoming bright burning flames that wrapped the Human King in a resplendent fireball.
Without a care for the consequences, Zhenwu Shenquan ignited his soul, unleashing vast Divine Power that'd put many False Gods to shame. The Corpse Demons' eyes narrowed at him, but as both sides prepared to make their move, a column of divine light descended from the sky, splitting the two sides.
"Why go so far for such a trivial war. Zhenwu Shenquan, My Divine Self isn't willing to see you ruined here. If you're willing to receive my assistance, then My Divine Self will help you secure the victory you need," Zhen-Xinzi's voice echoed forcing the two sides to halt their moves.
"Who...are you?" Zhenwu Shenquan's eyes narrowed at this manifestation of divine might, but though the newcomer seemed favorable to him, the Human King stay wary of the interference.
"Does it matter? Shenquan, didn't you always want to find the origins of your birth? Who are your parents? Who are you? And more importantly...what are you?" Due to Zhenwu Shenquan's golden eyes and hair, many believed that he was connected to the Taiyang clan. However, those were the product of his Perfected Warrior Scripture, not a natural trait.
Raised by a pair of mortal villagers, it wasn't long before Zhenwu Shenquan realized that he was born to be extraordinary. What others took months to understand, he could see through in a second. Talents, looks, he had it all from the start, and as he grew, his potential only grew more astonishing. At times, Zhenwu Shenquan would stare at the stars, and they'd shine in response, as if to tell him...that he was born to rank among the greatest.
It was due to this limitless potential that Taiyang Yuan was willing to invest in Zhenwu Shenquan's future. Zhen-Xinzi's words piqued the Human King's curiosity, making him consider questions that he'd already given up on.
"Zhenwu Shenquan, My Divine Self knows the answer to all the questions that have been torturing you. All across the heavens may try to harm you, but I never will. As a token of goodwill, I will tell you this. Your biological mother is dead—tortured incessantly, then butchered like a pig by your enemies. But your father...your father is still alive. He has never forgotten about you, but can't reach you at the moment. Have faith in me, and I guarantee that...one day, I will reunite you," Zhen-Xinzi said, causing Zhenwu Shenquan's body to shake continuously.
A rollercoaster of emotions swept through the Human King, and his eyes turned red.
"But Shenquan, this reunion will never occur if you perish here. Use this." Following these words, a golden pagoda emerged from the divine column, landing in Zhenwu Shenquan's hands. From the energy fluctuations alone, the Human King knew that this item far exceeded the limits of his cultivation base.
"This is the Demon Sealing Pagoda, an ancient divine artifact that, as the name implies, will give you the ability to seal demons. I altered it so that, even with your insufficient cultivation base, you can use its powers. Seal this undead kingdom, and though you will not have a complete victory, you will be able to prevent the spread of the demonic infestation.
But Shenquan, only Divine Spirits can use this artifact. Even with my help, you being able to summon its powers will be proof...of your illustrious lineage," Xinzi said, and after Zhenwu Shenquan inspected the artifact with his Spiritual Sense, the divine column vanished.
"Wait, how can I find you?" Alarmed, the Human King glanced left and right, seeking his benefactor.
"When the time is right, I will find you. Try to get enlightenment in the artifact. It will become a huge boost to your cultivation. Also, be careful of Taiyang Yuan. If he ever finds out your true background, he will be the first to kill you. And I wouldn't be surprised if he already suspected the truth." Leaving those words behind, Xinzi left the scene.
Zhenwu Shenquan didn't believe half of what he just heard. But the fact was that without this mysterious divine's assistance, he would have had to sacrifice his future just for a minuscule shot at victory.
But with this artifact, the situation changed entirely. True, Shenquan couldn't regain the Yaozhou resources, but the suppression of a Heavenly Immortal level demon would be enough to secure his position.
Without hesitation, Zhenwu Shenquan raised the Demon Sealing Pagoda. Its divine glow spread out, summoning a translucent dome that put the whole of the Yellow Spring Undead Kingdom on lockdown.
Afterward, Zhenwu Shenquan recorded the situation in a silver mirror, then vanished from the scene.
Later, the news that undead demon armies led by a Heavenly Immortal tier Corpse Demon had turned the Yaozhou Province into an undead kingdom spread through the Eastern Continent. Zhenwu Shenquan's prompt suppression of this scourge, a calamity that even the Central Domain wouldn't have been able to handle easily, spread as well, making his prestige skyrocket.
In the Evernight Palace, Xinzi's Divine Soul left the Zhen-body, returning to the Xinzi-shell. Multi-colored rays surged from his flesh, rising alongside a tide of Divine Power as all his attributes experienced a massive qualitative leap.
A rainbow apparition formed at Xinzi's back, and as the Supreme and Unfeeling Grand Dao settled in him, his skin took a lustrous white shade, with his facial features shifting to reach transcendent beauty and divine perfection.
The Pulse defects vanished entirely. One long lilac bead bracelet formed around Xinzi's wrist, with 108 stones that gleamed with colossal reserves of mystical power.
"How disappointing...Heaven's vanity is even worse than a mortal noble's. With that said, Supreme and Unfeeling Grand Dao sounds so long. We should just call it...the Dao of Heaven. Don't you agree...Heaven?"
