Chapter 113: Crisis Arises, Power to Move Forward

Hearing Feng Tiancheng's shout, the green-robed Daoist, still possessing Lu Chen's body, said, "What could I use to suppress the east gate? Something ancient, huh? Let me see what I can find..."

His gaze fell on the Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree at the center of the Heavenly Pool. "The Green Sovereign Divine Tree?"

He shook his head. "No. This rift is far too dangerous. That tree is the foundation of my cultivation. I can't risk it. I'll need something else."

He looked around and noticed the fragment of a stone tablet tangled among the roots of the Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree. He touched the fragment with his divine sense, and ancient energy stirred within it. "The Cloud Register of Seven Seals, you'll do."

The Cloud Register of Seven Seals was something Lu Chen had found in the Demonic Beast Forest. Feng Tiancheng had said its markings were impossibly old. As Lu Chen had never been able to unlock its secrets, he had simply let the tree carry it into the Heavenly Pool.

The green-robed Daoist conveyed his request to the Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree. Its roots tightened, holding the stone fragment firmly.

Seeing the tree's reluctance, he said softly, "Don't worry, I'm only borrowing it. I promise I'll find you the rest of the tablet one day."

At his words, the Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree swayed its leaves gently, as if tempted by his promise.

He stroked its trunk. "Alright, hand it over. Once I find all the fragments of the stone tablet, I'll return it to you right away."

The Green Sovereign Divine Tree brushed against his hand, then, with evident reluctance, extended its branches to caress the fragment before finally placing it at the east gate of the imperial city.

The fragment blocked the gate, its engravings merging directly with the city walls, cutting off the flow of spirit qi from the Heavenly Pool.

The Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree kept glancing back at the fragment of the stone tablet, unwilling to part with it. It looked just like a child losing its most precious toy, turning away and burying itself into Lu Chen's arms, trembling lightly.

Seeing how the Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree was acting, the green-robed Daoist mocked, "It's only a stone tablet, not a farewell for life. These trees truly reflect the person they follow. Both the innate one and the acquired one are the same."

The Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree didn't understand what he meant. It brushed at him with its leaves, then grabbed the black and white twin fish, as well as the little planet with its vines, and swayed them gently in the Heavenly Pool.

The green-robed Daoist sighed. "You were born with this greed; it's in your bones. There's no point telling you otherwise."

He turned his gaze back to the Eternal Twilight Imperial City. With the east gate sealed, more than half of the violent clash of spirit qi had subsided. All that remained was the faint turbulence that still leaked through tiny fissures.

The green-robed Daoist let out a low cry, "Just a little more to seal it!"

Spirit qi surged through his hands as he controlled both Green Sovereign Divine Trees to direct the remaining violent spirit qi into the surroundings.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Deep beneath the ground, the roots of the Innate and Acquired Divine Trees intertwined. Together, they channeled the chaotic outflow of spirit qi to reinforce the stability of space in both worlds.

The Eternal Twilight Imperial City slowly settled. A subtle resonance spread between the two worlds. It seemed like a secret exchange between the two Green Sovereign Divine Trees, a deeper form of communication binding the two worlds closely together.

"Boy, I'm giving the body back to you."

The green-robed Daoist released his control, reclining lazily atop the divine chamber as he sneered, "But honestly, this body is far too weak. It can't even hold a ten-thousandth of my power. You'd better hurry and cultivate."

Lu Chen rolled his eyes at the Daoist's fading silhouette. "You think strength comes that easily? I've only been cultivating for half a year."

"

Hmph

. Regardless, you'd best grow stronger fast. Don't expect me to keep saving you."

His voice gradually faded as he disappeared. "Take this as rent. Next time you want me to save you, you'll have to accept my terms—carry the burden of the countless heavens and myriad worlds for me."

After all these encounters, Lu Chen had long since lowered his guard around the green-robed Daoist. With a teasing edge, he bantered back, "If you want me to agree, then give me a reason. Don't expect me to promise otherwise. My life isn't worth much. If I die, so be it. But think carefully. Once I'm gone, there'll be no one left to shoulder your terms."

"

Heh,

keep acting tough. Retribution is our nature. I'll just wait for the day you come begging."

With a cold snort, the green-robed Daoist vanished completely.

Wind Dragon looked toward the imperial city that had finally settled in place. "This is a decent outcome. The passage between the two worlds remains, and the violent spirit qi can even be put to use."

Bai Ze's eyes glowed with white light. "The Eternal Twilight Imperial City, anchored above the rift, seems to have additional functions as well."

Feng Tiancheng nodded. "Let's take a look."

He drifted toward the west gate and bowed to Elder Ling Jun, who promptly opened it.

Bai Ze said, "Could it be... we can pass between the Heavenly Pool and the small world through the eastern and western gates?"

He sent a clone through the open gate to test his theory.

Seeing the west gate open, Lu Chen said, "If that's the case, open the east gate as well."

He controlled the stone tablet and activated the east gate.

In the central palace, the roots of the Innate and Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Trees intertwined, forming a circular basin. Spirit qi from both worlds now flowed freely, and faint strands of black qi began condensing within it.

Lu Chen peered into the basin. "What is this? The energy here is immense..."

Feng Tiancheng placed a hand on the throne and explained, "If I'm not mistaken, this is chaos spirit qi, a higher form of energy that only appears at the birth of a new world. There isn't much of it yet, so it can't be used for now. Let it accumulate; one day, it may prove invaluable."

"Right, take this."

Feng Tiancheng channeled a bit of spirit qi in his hand and swiftly retrieved a black stone from the throne. "This is the spirit stone used to control the Eternal Twilight Imperial City. With it, you can command the city itself."

Lu Chen gazed at the stone in his hand and said softly, "Grandpa Feng, you're entrusting the Eternal Twilight Imperial City to me?"

"

Hehe

, the Eternal Twilight Imperial City is a defensive artifact. You've already seen its power. From now on, it's yours."

Feng Tiancheng turned and left the central palace, walking toward the east gate. "You are my disciple after all. It's only natural that I pass on my inheritance to you."

"

Hahaha

, thank you, Grandpa Feng!"

Lu Chen quickly stored away the control stone and followed him toward the east gate.

The group pushed open the east gate and stepped directly into Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool.

Twenty-three beast leaders flew through the air. Each of them had green marks of the Acquired Green Sovereign Divine Tree flashing on their foreheads, while their core power was connected directly with the Innate Green Sovereign Divine Tree.

Feng Tiancheng carefully recorded the readings within the Heavenly Pool. The scenes matched perfectly with the murals inside the Ruins of the Ancient Void. This was a cultivation path he had never known.

Golden Dragon turned to Bai Ze and sent a private voice transmission. "

This place... It's the scene from my memories. The birth of a new world.

"

Bai Ze looked back at Golden Dragon and returned the transmission, "

It seems we made the right choice. Lu Chen's small world has already taken shape. What it lacks now are primordial elements. We need to push harder.

"

While Bai Ze and Golden Dragon conversed, the core power of the twenty-three beast leaders had condensed onto the Innate Green Sovereign Divine Tree. Strange little flowers bloomed among its branches.

The Nine Cycles Heaven-Devouring Mouse rushed forward, staring at a purple flower shaped like a tiny mouse. "Is this... our Dao Fruit?"

"It's indeed a Dao Fruit..."

The crowd gazed at the Green Sovereign Divine Tree bearing the Dao Fruit of a new world, and surged forward with almost uncontrollable excitement.

However, Lu Chen's face grew pale. He suddenly collapsed onto the city wall.

Nantian Wan'er caught him and quickly fed him a Heaven Restoration Pill. "Lu-gege, what's wrong? Wake up!"

The beast leaders noticed Lu Chen's condition and hurried back through the east gate. Without their core power, the strange blossoms on the Innate Green Sovereign Divine Tree slowly closed.

Due to their symbiosis, Wind Dragon also gradually lost its color, going back inside the Hunyuan Greatsword. "My lord, what's happening? Little Lu's spirit qi is draining fast."

"I know the reason." White light gleamed in Bai Ze's eyes as he scanned the surroundings. "It's because we opened the passage between the two worlds and entered the Heavenly Pool with our true bodies."

"The spirit qi has split into two parts. One has flowed into the Innate Green Sovereign Divine Tree to form the Dao Fruit, while the other has flowed into the Eternal Twilight Imperial City to create the chaos spirit qi. It could have been a great opportunity, but the king's cultivation is too low. The Heavenly Pool doesn't have enough spirit qi to sustain it, which led to this situation."

Bai Ze deactivated his divine ability and turned to Feng Tiancheng with a grave expression. "We must seal the passage between the two worlds with the Eternal Twilight Imperial City. And under no circumstances can our true bodies enter this place again."

Feng Tiancheng gave the Heavenly Pool and the small world one last glance, then carried Lu Chen out of the passage. "Let's leave at once."

***

Once Feng Tiancheng returned to the west gate, he raised his hands and quickly unleashed his spirit qi to seal both the east and west gates.

Lu Chen coughed lightly and slowly opened his eyes. "Grandpa Feng, what's wrong with me? My spirit qi is still leaking."

"Still leaking? That shouldn't be the case."

Feng Tiancheng quickly channeled his spirit qi into Lu Chen's body to examine his condition.

Minutes passed, and his brow furrowed tighter and tighter as he repeatedly inspected Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool and meridians.

Lu Chen looked up at him, then coughed out a mouthful of black blood. "Grandpa Feng, is something wrong?"

Feng Tiancheng propped him up. "We underestimated the impact of that violent spirit qi."

He then used the laws of the small world to seal off the Imperial City completely. With a wave of his right hand, he set a seal on Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool. "I've cut off the connection between the two worlds. You must find the fourth fragment of the Yuanyang Twin-Fish Disk within two months. Otherwise, as more violent spirit qi gathers, the seal will eventually break.

"The fourth fragment is called the Sea-Suppressing Magnetstone, and it is the key to fusing and dividing Yin and Yang energies. Once it's found, the spirit qi across the two worlds will flow separately, and the two types will no longer clash."

Feng Tiancheng pressed his right finger to Lu Chen's forehead, transmitting the information about the fourth fragment into his mind. "Your next destination is the Heavenly Mandate Hall. The fourth fragment lies in the area around it."

Lu Chen let out a weary sigh. "He's right... This really is karmic retribution."

And then, he fainted.