Chapter 608: White-Robed Immortal
Returning to the courtyard where he resided, Zhang Ruochen took out the message talisman and carved text onto the jade talisman. After finishing, he infused a stream of true qi into it.
"Whoosh!"
The light-attribute inscription patterns within the talisman were activated.
A ring of white light emerged on its surface, and it slowly floated upward.
"Go!"
Zhang Ruochen waved his sleeve, and the message light talisman immediately flew out, turning into a streak of light that shot toward the sky, heading in the direction of the Eastern Domain Sacred Land.
The person Zhang Ruochen intended to contact was, of course, the leader of the Silver Sky Mercenary Group, "Silver Moon Lingkong." She had once been a Star Envoy of the Black Market First Class Hall but later betrayed the Black Market, becoming its enemy.
Given what Di Yi had done back in the Silver Sky Mercenary Group, Silver Moon Lingkong likely wanted to kill Di Yi even more than Zhang Ruochen did.
If she could make it to Qingyun Commandery, she would indeed be a powerful ally.
"An enemy of my enemy is my friend. I wonder if Silver Moon Lingkong, this one friend, will actually come to Qingyun Commandery?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head gently and stopped dwelling on it. If Silver Moon Lingkong came, killing Di Yi would be somewhat easier. Even if she didn't, Zhang Ruochen was still determined to sentence Di Yi to death.
Zhang Ruochen then took out the Cosmic Divine Wood Map, slowly unrolled it, and hung it on the wall.
"Guoguo, I'm going into closed-door cultivation. For the next half-month, no one is allowed to enter this room." Zhang Ruochen glanced at the Devouring Elephant Rabbit on the table and spoke sternly.
Originally, Zhang Ruochen had planned to go outside the Red Willow Manor for seclusion to avoid any accidents.
But now that he had a legitimate reason for closed-door cultivation, there was no need to go elsewhere.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit said, "Master Chen, what if someone forces their way in and I can't beat them?"
"If that happens, swallow the Cosmic Divine Wood Map and then escape from Red Willow Manor. In short, you must never expose the Cosmic Divine Wood Map. Understand?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Understood," the Devouring Elephant Rabbit replied.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit had swallowed Di Yi's demon heart, cultivated the "Heaven-Devouring Art," and consumed a large amount of flood dragon blood, pushing its cultivation to the fifth change of the Fish-Dragon Realm.
With its strength, even if it encountered a powerhouse at the eighth change of the Fish-Dragon Realm, it could put up a fight, comparable to a human sacred body. Moreover, as long as it had heavenly treasures and earthly rarities to eat, its cultivation could grow rapidly, far surpassing the cultivation speed of human cultivators.
"Once things here are settled, I'll give you the flesh and blood of the Black Skeleton Flood Dragon King," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Devouring Elephant Rabbit's eyes immediately lit up, its spirit greatly invigorated, and it nodded vigorously, as excited as if it had been injected with chicken blood.
The flesh and blood of the Black Skeleton Flood Dragon King were stored in the Scroll World, and the Devouring Elephant Rabbit had always been coveting them. If it could swallow them, it was confident it could break through to the ninth change of the Fish-Dragon Realm.
Of course, half-saint-level flood dragon meat wasn't so easy to digest; it would take a lot of time to refine and absorb.
For now, it had to help Zhang Ruochen guard the Cosmic Divine Wood Map and had no time to consume the Flood Dragon King's flesh and blood.
"Whoosh—"
Zhang Ruochen took a step forward, and a spatial gate immediately appeared on the surface of the Cosmic Divine Wood Map, pulling his body inside.
Entering the Scroll World, Zhang Ruochen took out a drop of Black Tortoise Sacred Blood, swallowed it into his abdomen, and began to circulate the "Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture" to refine it.
No matter what, this time he had to break through to the peak of the third change of the Fish-Dragon Realm.
...
...
The Eastern Domain Evil Land was located in the northern part of the Eastern Domain, with most of its territory in a frozen zone. The further north one went, the harsher the climate became.
The legendary Extreme North was entirely covered by thick ice, stretching for countless thousands of miles, considered a human forbidden zone.
Only the Li River, originating from the Fallen God Mountain Range, flowed northward, passing through the vast and boundless Extreme North, leading to the legendary Northern Imperial Dark Sea.
The Li River was the river of life in the Eastern Domain Evil Land. Because of it, the harsh and barren Eastern Domain Evil Land could sustain human civilization, building cities one after another, becoming a paradise for evil-path martial artists to manipulate the winds and clouds and display their skills.
"Rustle, rustle."
At this moment, on the thousand-zhang-wide Li River, a hundred-zhang-long dragon-bone giant ship was sailing upstream, speeding toward the distant Fallen God Prefecture, Qingyun Commandery.
Di Yi sat inside a warmly decorated cabin of ancient elegance, holding a scroll woven from golden silk threads. Faintly, one could see the two ancient characters "Sword One" printed on the cover.
Di Yi, who was studying "Sword One," seemed to have entered a state of self-forgetfulness, where the object and self were one.
Just then, a snowman warrior, nine meters tall, walked to the outside of the cabin, knelt on one knee, and said, "Young Master, I just received a message light talisman from Hundred Battle Gate Master Changsun Lan. Would you like to see it personally?"
"No need. Hand it over to Purple Wind Star Envoy; let him handle it."
Di Yi's gaze was fixed on "Sword One," without blinking.
The snowman warrior stood up, carrying the message light talisman, and silently withdrew.
About a quarter of an hour later, Purple Wind Star Envoy and Azure Robe Star Envoy arrived together outside the cabin.
"Young Master, the message from Changsun Lan is quite important. I believe you should see it personally," Purple Wind Star Envoy said.
Di Yi frowned slightly, closed "Sword One," gently placed it on the table, and said, "Come in."
Purple Wind Star Envoy and Azure Robe Star Envoy pushed the door open and entered.
"No need for formalities. Sit down and speak," Di Yi said.
Purple Wind Star Envoy first presented the message light talisman to the table in front of Di Yi, then stepped back and sat in the seat on the left, facing Azure Robe Star Envoy, who sat on the right.
After reading the contents of the message jade talisman, Di Yi smiled. "Red Desire Star Envoy isn't bad. She's not as weak as I imagined."
Purple Wind Star Envoy said, "Red Desire Star Envoy has considerable skill. She has already recruited so many experts without anyone noticing. Young Master, you should be cautious when dealing with her."
Di Yi nodded. "Since Red Desire Star Envoy wants to have a decisive battle with me in Qingyun Commandery, I might as well grant her wish."
Purple Wind Star Envoy said coldly, "She's overestimating herself. With her meager assets, Young Master could crush them all with just one finger."
Di Yi glanced at the message light talisman again, his gaze sharpening. "However, the talisman mentions that Red Desire Star Envoy has recruited a mysterious Grand Protector, a forty-fourth-rank lightning-element spiritual power master. This person is no simple character and should be Red Desire's most formidable trump card."
"I can assassinate him," Azure Robe Star Envoy said coldly.
Purple Wind Star Envoy said, "It would be better if I made the move."
Di Yi chuckled. "No need to argue. Isn't it just a forty-fourth-rank lightning-element spiritual power master? I have a more suitable person to deal with him. Hunter, Ice Demon, come in."
"Greetings, Young Master."
Soon, two figures entered from outside and bowed to Di Yi.
The one standing on the left was called "Hunter," the number one assassin of the Blood Cloud Sect. His body was semi-transparent, like a human-shaped mass of water, barely visible without careful observation.
The one standing on the right was called "Ice Demon," the peak master of Lone Shadow Peak. He was wrapped in a black robe, even his head covered by a hood. He floated half a zhang above the ground, stepping on a white cold mist.
Seeing Hunter and Ice Demon, Purple Wind Star Envoy immediately felt relieved. Both were at the peak of the ninth change of the Fish-Dragon Realm, each with special abilities that strongly countered lightning.
With the two of them making the move, success was guaranteed.
Di Yi explained the specific details of the operation and repeatedly cautioned, "In this operation, you two must not be careless."
"Rest assured, Young Master. I am also a forty-fourth-rank spiritual power master and am well aware of the weaknesses of spiritual power masters. In fact, either Hunter or I alone could kill him," Ice Demon said in a rather hoarse voice.
"I'm sending you two ahead to Qingyun Commandery not just to kill a so-called Grand Protector appointed by Red Desire Star Envoy. I have another task for you."
Di Yi's gaze shifted to Azure Robe Star Envoy. "Azure Robe, you will go with them. You are in full charge of this operation."
Azure Robe Star Envoy asked, "Young Master, what is this other task?"
"It is said that the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect is in Qingyun Commandery. Since fate has brought us together, how could I not go and meet her? You must observe the situation clearly. Only strike if the opportunity is right. If the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect is a formidable character, do not act rashly, lest we alert the enemy," Di Yi said.
"Rest assured, Young Master. I will not fail the mission."
Azure Robe Star Envoy stood up, leading Ice Demon and Hunter out of the cabin.
Then, they transformed into three shadowy figures, flew out of the dragon-bone giant ship, stepped on the water surface, and headed toward the shore of the Li River, disappearing into the rugged mountains.
Di Yi rubbed his fingers gently and muttered to himself, "Red Desire Star Envoy, Grand Protector, Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect—all are somewhat weighty characters. I hope they don't disappoint me too much."
Just then, from outside the cabin, a distant and near zither sound arose.
The zither sound was ethereal yet exceptionally pleasing to the ear, like a heavenly melody descending from the nine heavens to the mortal world, lingering endlessly over the water surface.
The sound waves formed by the zither created a wind force that directly halted the massive dragon-bone giant ship.
Inside the cabin, Di Yi and Purple Wind Star Envoy exchanged glances.
Both were extraordinary talents of their time and could naturally feel the artistic conception within the zither sound. Even though they only heard the sound, a grand and majestic world had already formed in their minds.
In an instant, Di Yi and Purple Wind Star Envoy felt as if their hearts and minds were expanding, able to encompass everything in the world.
Purple Wind Star Envoy's palms were sweating, and he said in shock, "Such powerful spiritual power. I wonder who this could be?"
"It should be a spiritual power saint arriving. Let's go out and welcome them."
Di Yi remained quite calm, stood up, and walked outside.
The evil-path cultivators on the dragon-bone giant ship had long been alarmed, gathering at the edge of the deck, staring at a small cyan boat in the distance.
On the bow of that small boat sat a woman in white.
Her jet-black long hair and white dress cascaded down, trailing into the water. Her slender figure and a pair of snow-white hands were strumming a zither. The scene was beautiful, filled with the rhythm of the sacred path, like a Lingbo Immortal descending to the mortal world.
Just as Di Yi and Purple Wind Star Envoy stepped out of the cabin, the woman in white withdrew her fingers, raised her head, and gazed at the distant dragon-bone giant ship. Her eyes were incredibly clear and bright, like two brilliant stars.
Although she had stopped playing the zither, the sound of the zither still echoed over the water.
The woman in white was like a peerless goddess from a painting, fresh and refined, giving off a sense of being detached from the mundane world.
Her figure appeared and disappeared within the white mist, full of mystery. She spoke softly, "I heard that the Eastern Domain has produced a peerless genius who has reached the supreme extreme of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, bearing the style of the Evil Emperor of old. Today, I have come specifically to pay a visit and ask him a question."
Di Yi knew she was here for him, so he stepped forward and said, "Immortal, what advice do you have?"
"If you were to become the master of the Black Market, how would you govern it?" the woman in white asked.
Hearing this question, Di Yi's eyes narrowed, already guessing her identity.
He condensed true qi into his eyes, activated his Heavenly Demon Eye, and tried to see her true form, but he could only see a blurry, beautiful outline.
...
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(WeChat public account has updated the strength rankings of currently appearing characters, including Kong Lanyou, Xuanji Sword Saint, Wan Zhaoyi, Chen Wutian, and others. Everyone can follow and take a look. Xiaoyu's WeChat public account: p