Chapter 448: Immortal Abode of Eternal Life! Heavenly Talents and Earthly Treasures! Great Emperor Zhenwu!

Compared to the pitiful sight of Long Jiu and his group, the three of them looked like they had come here purely for treasure hunting. Yet Li Yanchu had a vague question on his mind.

Logically, a Blissful Land should have been devastated by some unknown evil spirits to become dangerous. Why, then, was this divine mountain so well-preserved, with its seals still intact and operating?

His interest in the Daoist palace atop the mountain grew even stronger. Perhaps, the answers lay within that palace.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The speed of the three depended entirely on how fast Li Yanchu could use his Wallbreak. But eventually, the consumption of his internal spiritual power became too great, forcing him to pause.

The

Yellow Court Classic

he had cultivated produced particularly dense and powerful spiritual energy hardly rivaled by anyone of the same realm. Moreover, he had ingested numerous precious treasures, which caused his spiritual power to surge.

His Dao cultivation was profound; otherwise, even someone else attempting Wallbreak wouldn’t have breached the divine mountain’s seal so easily. Plus, the two tokens he carried also played a role.

In other words, he was like a loophole, a bug in a game: when his spiritual power ran low, he could simply use pills to replenish it.

Seeing this, Zhang Wei quickly offered a bottle of top-grade Qi-Booster Pills, and Xiao Ran produced a bottle of spirit medicine. A young prodigy from a major sect carried many such fine items, especially Zhang Wei who loved adventure and came from a cultivation family, with a heap of pills, artifacts, and strange items in his possession.

Li Yanchu didn’t refuse; he took the pills and consumed them, and his once-depleted spiritual power quickly recovered.

After a brief meditation and adjustment of breath, the three continued their ascent, finally reaching the mountaintop!

A grand, imposing palace stood atop the peak, radiating an extraordinary aura. Immortal music filled the air, and visible to the eye were clusters of precious treasures, emitting rich medicinal fragrances and dazzling divine light.

“Whoa, we’re rich!” Zhang Wei exclaimed as his breathing became heavy. He could hardly wait to step forward.

“Primordial Yang Fruit, Ice Lotus, Heaven-Piercing Grass, Yin-Yang Mystic Fruit, Three-Color Nether Lotus!” Zhang Wei, well-versed and experienced, felt his breath quicken as he saw the immortal herbs within the Daoist temple hall.

“Senior Cao Cao, these are all rare precious treasures!” Zhang Wei exclaimed.

Xiao Ran’s small face[1] was also flushed with excitement; there was simply no helping it. The sight before them was far too shocking!

Li Yanchu, on the other hand, was somewhat surprised. This Daoist temple hall truly lived up to the title of a celestial abode!

However... His brows knit slightly. This was a Blissful Land swallowed by the long river of time, why was it so perfectly preserved!?

“Mount Taoyuan’s Blissful Land clearly suffered an invasion by demonic forces. Otherwise, those ancient taboos wouldn’t have been sealed here, and the Dao temple wouldn’t be infested with evil spirits. If so, then why is this Daoist temple hall still in the exact state it was a thousand years ago? Could someone have used great magical power to obscure the heavens and preserve this divine mountain?”

A thoughtful look flickered in Li Yanchu’s eyes.

Divine light flashed within his gaze as he activated the Spirit Eyes and Qi Sight! Yet he found nothing abnormal.

Even so, a faint unease lingered in his heart. He activated the Clearheart Jade Pendant, expanding the range of his Daoist arts. A cool stream of energy flowed swiftly into his dantian and qi sea. The divine light in his eyes grew even stronger.

But still, this magnificent, solemn palace remained utterly peaceful. Not only was there ethereal celestial music drifting around them, there was also dense spiritual energy, likely the result of an ancient Spirit-Gathering Formation.

Great sects occupied sacred mountains precisely for their abundant qi, which nurtured the growth of sects. Of course, powerful cultivators could also arrange such formations themselves.

“Let’s go inside and take a look, but don’t touch anything lightly. Stay calm.” Li Yanchu was now the backbone of the group, so Xiao Ran and Zhang Wei had no objections. They followed Li Yanchu’s lead entirely, and Zhang Wei even acted with exaggerated deference, practically treating himself as a loyal underling.

As the three stepped through the grand entrance, the celestial music grew clearer, soothing the mind and emptying the heart, as though cleansing away all distracting thoughts.

“Eh!? I feel the power in my body has become noticeably denser!” Zhang Wei exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Ran nodded. “Me too.”

Their impression of this immortal abode rose sharply, as just stepping through the entrance could enhance their cultivation. Was there really such a wonderful place in the world!?

After entering the palace, they discovered that the ground was filled with all kinds of precious treasures and spiritual herbs. One particular immortal plant among them was the very Primordial Yang Fruit that Zhang Wei had been dreaming about.

Li Yanchu froze for a moment.

“Doesn’t this look like... an oversized goji berry?” He took a deep breath.

Good grief. No wonder it was called the Primordial Yang Fruit. This thing

had

to be insanely nourishing!

Because of Li Yanchu’s earlier warning, Zhang Wei held back his excitement and refrained from picking the fruit. There was also another reason: there were simply

too many

immortal herbs here! There were seven or eight others comparable to the Primordial Yang Fruit, leaving them dazzled.

Then, the three continued deeper inside. In the main hall stood a statue of Great Emperor Zhenwu[2], foot stepping on a tortoise and serpent, sword in hand, radiating a majestic and awe-inspiring presence.

His hair hung loose, and his feet were bare. He was clad in a dark robe, with golden armor and a jade belt, as well as a sword in hand. His eyes were stern, and he had a halo of light above his head.

Great Emperor Zhenwu, also known as the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerate, was a highly revered deity in Daoism, with an exalted status.

They bowed respectfully to the statue, then began to explore the palace. The main hall was empty, with nothing special inside, nor magical artifacts.

They then entered the side hall, where a statue of a middle-aged Daoist was enshrined. He had phoenix eyes and three strands of long beard, a peach blossom branch in hand, and a gentle smile on his face.

Needless to say, this figure must be the Land Immortal who presided over the Mount Taoyuan Blissful Land, Daoist Spiritual Master Xie. He used a peach blossom branch to slay flood dragons, and he had profound and unfathomable Daoist arts.

In the side hall stood a large incense burner, still containing a trace of divinity, but almost entirely faded away. This, at least, seemed normal; after who knows how many years had passed, it was understandable that the divinity within a magical artifact would dissipate.

The three continued exploring the vast palace. Under Li Yanchu’s insistence, they did not touch anything. They checked every room, but found no powerful artifacts, no written records, and of course, no sign of evil spirits. It was a Daoist divine temple hall, free of even the slightest trace of yin or demonic qi, spotless and clean.

“Senior Cao Cao, aren’t we being a bit too cautious? I don’t see anything wrong with this palace,” Zhang Wei said carefully, testing the waters.

If that Long Jiu broke through the barrier and came up with others, or if some old monster or prodigy from a major sect arrived, the three of them would end up just looking around without taking anything. Wouldn’t they be handing everything over for free?

Zhang Wei was honestly anxious.

What are you even anxious for? Weren’t you the one who said you only wanted a single Primordial Yang Fruit...

Li Yanchu said lightly, “Let’s look a little longer.”

He couldn’t shake a bad premonition, and the longer they stayed inside the palace, the stronger that uneasiness grew.

“Exactly! He isn’t worried, so what are you panicking for?” Xiao Ran said unhappily.

She was perfectly happy wandering around with Daoist Li.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wei’s mouth twitched.

This Xiao Ran!

When the three returned to the main hall again, they suddenly found that the statue of Great Emperor Zhenwu was now smiling quietly, cheerfully looking straight at them.

Zhang Wei’s legs instantly went weak.

Holy crap, is Great Emperor Zhenwu revealing his divine presence!?

1. In Chinese culture, a “small face” (小脸, xiǎo liǎn) is highly prized as a standard of feminine beauty, symbolizing delicacy, elegance, and refinement. Typically characterized by a narrow jawline, smooth contours, and proportionate features, a small face conveys youthfulness and gentle charm. Historically, heroines in classical literature, art, and opera were often described this way to emphasize grace and purity. Beyond aesthetics, a small face also carries cultural connotations of refinement, social poise, and subtle sophistication. This ideal continues to influence contemporary beauty standards in China and East Asia, shaping preferences in makeup, hairstyles, and even cosmetic procedures, as it embodies both physical appeal and culturally valued elegance. ☜

2. Emperor Zhenwu, also known as Zhenwu or Zhenwu Dadi, is a revered deity in Chinese religion, one of the higher-ranking deities in Daoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magic. ☜