A 30% improvement of strength!

This was already an extremely shocking improvement. If it was in an actual battle, then not to mention an improvement of 30%, even 10% improvement was sufficient to change the situation of the battle.

For example, when Chen Xi fought Xun Yangping earlier, he was in a slightly defensive position because the Talisman Armament in his possession couldn’t compare to Xun Yangping’s Natural Spirit Treasure.

If it wasn’t for that, Chen Xi’s combat strength would have been sufficient to easily bash Xun Yangping up.

Similarly, if he refined the Talisman Armament successfully, then not to mention Xun Yangping who was ranked at the 76th position on the Domain Enlightened Chart, Chen Xi wouldn’t have a fear an even stronger opponent with a higher ranking.

...

One month later.

Clang!

A sword howl resounded like a dragon leaving its lair, and it sounded like the tune of nature rumbling through the air. It carried a peerlessly grand tune of the Dao that shook the soul.

After that, a wisp of a black colored bolt of lightning soared into the sky like a torrent. It transformed into an ordinary black colored divine sword that was completely translucent and clean.

Strands of obscure and dense talismans enshrouded it, and it caused the sword to seen even more mysterious and terrifying.

Swish! Swish!

One could clearly notice that even though the Talisman Armament was floating in the sky without moving at all, the space in its surroundings was collapsing inch by inch into pieces before transforming into ripples that surged without end.

In other words, even if Chen Xi didn’t utilize the Talisman Armament, merely its own might was sufficient to crush space and destroy the five elements!

This was the Talisman Armament after it was refined once more.

Its might was so formidable that it even exceeded Chen Xi’s expectations and could compare to a high-rank Artificial Spirit Treasure. However, when it was utilized, it wasn’t as strenuous as when one utilized a high-rank Artificial Spirit Treasure.

Om!

Chen Xi opened his mouth, and then the Talisman Armament suddenly transformed into a sword shaped talisman that was the size of an infant’s fist before it entered into his body.

When he refined the Talisman Armament this time, Chen Xi hadn’t just consumed all of those rare divine materials, he’d even utilized the Infinite Divine Talisman within his body to deduce the numerous Divine Dao Laws he possessed and transformed them into all sorts of Divine Talismans. In the end, he inscribed all of them onto the Talisman Armament.

This caused the Talisman Armament to undergo a complete and shocking transforming. It could transform into the shape of various weapons according to Chen Xi’s will, and it possessed boundless variations and unfathomable might.

Not bad. Merely based on its current might, it would be sufficient to be utilized against opponents that possess Natural Spirit Treasures. A wisp of a satisfied smile arose on the corners of Chen Xi’s mouth.

It was actually very difficult to make a distinction between Natural Spirit Treasures and Artificial Spirit Treasures, and if it was in terms of offensive ability alone, then the Talisman Armament was actually not much inferior to a Natural Spirit Treasure.

Of course, it was an entirely different story if it was compared to the Avīci Hellsword and Skyruin Sword in Empress Yu Che’s possession.

Once one attained a cultivation like Chen Xi’s, one’s own strength was regarded as most important, and the might of Divine Artifacts was merely for the sake of supporting one in battle. Moreover, one couldn’t fully rely on Divine Artifacts because this would overturn the correct order of things.

After all, even though Divine Artifacts were formidable, when compared to one’s own cultivation, comprehension of the Dao, and combat experience.... It was just an external source of strength in the end, and it could only be taken to be a means of battle.

“Oracle Mountain’s Talisman Armaments really do deserve their reputation.” Right at this moment, a clear, pleasant, and low voice suddenly sounded out from afar.

After that, Empress Yu Che who wore a red dress arrived abruptly. As usual, she wore a phoenix crown and wore a robe embroidered with phoenixes, and she had a slender and graceful figure.

“Empress.” Chen Xi stood up and cupped his hands.

“How is it? Are you prepared?” asked Empress Yu Che.

“We can take action.” Chen Xi nodded because it was already at the agreed upon time.

“This is all the information I gathered during this time. You can read through it on the way. Perhaps it’ll be of help to you when you enter the Desolate Manku Ruins.” Empress Yu Che passed a jade slip to Chen Xi, and then she walked swiftly towards the distance. “Come with me. Yun Qing has already been waiting for a long time.”

Chen Xi couldn’t be bothered to look through the jade slip in his hand, and he hurriedly followed up to her.

...

Outside Water Cloud palace.

It was covered in an expanse of silence because along with the Starhunt Meeting coming to an end, all the participating disciples had left, and this place had returned once more to its peaceful state.

At this moment, that old man, Yun Qing, was standing before Water Cloud Palace.

“No matter if you succeed or not, remember that your life is the most important. Because if anything happens to you, then the Oracle Mountain would probably not let the matter rest.” After they walked out of Water Cloud Palace, Empress Yu Che joked.

Chen Xi smiled and nodded to display that he understood.

“Yun Qing, I’ll entrust you with everything else.” Empress Yu Che looked at Yun Qing. “Remember, you must send Chen Xi over safely.”

“Yes.” Yun Qing nodded. He didn’t say much, but Chen Xi was very clearly aware that this old man’s ability to carry out his orders was absolutely assuring.

“Then both of you should leave right now. Yun Qing will wait for your victorious return from the Desolate Manku Ruins.” Empress Yu Che’s eyes were clear like water, and she stared at Chen Xi. “Take care of yourself.”

Chen Xi cupped his hands, and then he turned around and followed Yun Qing.

Swoosh!

After a short moment, a bronze carriage smashed open the clouds, tore through space, and instantly vanished into the depths of the universe.

“Little girl, let’s return.” After standing there and staring into the distance for a long time, Empress Yu Che spoke in a light voice.

Since an unknown moment in time, Tie Yunping was already standing by her side.

“Yes.” Tie Yunping lowered her head and replied, and then she didn’t make another sound.

She wasn’t willing to allow Empress Yu Che to see the sadness and sense of loss on her face.

However, Empress Yu Che was an extraordinary figure. She didn’t have to look at all before she could sense Tie Yunping’s feelings.

It was unknown what Empress Yu Che had thought off, but she suddenly sighed faintly while a wisp of a gentle expression suffused her clear eyes. She patted Tie Yunping on the shoulder and said, “Little girl, when you stop caring one day, that would be the most painful and numbing moment.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she placed her hands behind her back, and then she turned around and left while her graceful figure seemed lonely.

Tie Yunping was stunned, and then she raised her head to glance at Empress Yu Che’s figure with wonder. She said in her heart, Could it be that a great figure like her has unforgettable pain in her heart as well?

...

Swish!

Space surged as the bronze carriage passed through it, and the four Inkjade Stags that pulled the carriage were extraordinary and magnificent.

This carriage belonged to Empress Yu Che, and it was called Ink Unicorn Carriage. It was even on par with Imperial Monarch Gou Chen’s Cloud Fragrance Carriage.

This carriage could travel through over a thousand universes and traverse 10 regions in a single day. Its speed was so swift that it could be considered to be astonishing. At the very least, with Chen Xi’s current ability, he was utterly unable to compare with the speed of this carriage while relying on teleportation.

Yet for the sake of this journey, Empress Yu Che had even lent this carriage to Chen Xi, and it obviously showed how highly she valued Chen Xi.

Yun Qing’s expression was indifferent as he concentrated on steering the carriage, whereas, Chen Xi sat all by himself within the carriage and was reading through the jade slip that Empress Yu Che had given him.

The jade slip provided in introduction of the rough situation within the Desolate Manku Ruins. This allowed Chen Xi to notice to his shock that the Desolate Manku Ruins was actually at the easternmost border of the Ancient God Domain!

Strictly speaking, the Desolate Manku Ruins wasn’t part of the Ancient God Domain, and it was in a boundless ‘Unknown Region’.

An Unknown Region was a region that still hadn’t been exploded. For example, some great powers captured Godslaves and send them to these Unknown Regions for the sake of unearthing even more territories and resources.

However, Chen Xi was puzzled because since the Desolate Manku Ruins had been discovered by the cultivators of the Ancient God Domain, then why had no one taken possession of it?

In next to no time, Chen Xi obtained the answer to his question from the jade slip. The reason was that the environment within the Desolate Manku Ruins was extremely adverse, and it was filled with numerous strange and mysterious areas that were extraordinarily dangerous. Since the ancient times until now, there were numerous large powers that had tried to take possession of it, yet all of them returned empty handed. This included some ancient powers from the Imperial Region!

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

However, Chen Xi felt slightly at ease because even though the Desolate Manku Ruins was terrifying, it would enter into a ‘dormant’ period after a certain period of time. During this period of time, the dangers within it would reduce greatly, and cultivators could safely enter and explore it.

Perhaps I’ll be able to find out if the Desolate Manku Ruins is related to the ancient characters on the River Diagram fragments once I arrive there.... After a long time, Chen Xi placed the jade slip away, and he seemed to be lost in thought.

He didn’t really have much confidence towards this mission. After all, based on what Empress Yu Che said, all the people entering the Desolate Manku Ruins this time were Spirit God Exalts, and practically all of them were from ancient powers in the Imperial Region.

Under such circumstances, no one could guarantee that a conflict wouldn’t erupt between them and another after entering the Desolate Manku Ruins.

So, Chen Xi had no choice but to be extremely cautious.

Gongye Zhefu.... For no reason or rhyme, Chen Xi thought of this name once more. Now, he was finally clearly aware that the Gongye Clan which Gongye Zhefu was from had an extremely close relationship with the Sovereign Sect. It was even to the extent that many great figures from the Gongye Clan had assumed extremely important positions in the Sovereign Clan. They could be said to possess monstrous authority.

This was the reason why Empress Yu Che said that dealing with Gongye Zhefu was extremely beneficial to Chen Xi.

This also allowed Chen Xi to have a deeper understanding of exactly how formidable the forces of the Sovereign Sect within the Ancient God Domain were, and they could be said to be scattered throughout the world.

The only thing that still puzzled Chen Xi was the relationship between the three dimensions and the Ancient God Domain. No matter if it was Oracle Mountain, Nuwa’s Dao Palace, or the Sovereign Sect, they’d clearly gained a foothold in the Ancient God Domain since a long time ago, yet why did they attach such importance to the three dimensions?

If the three dimensions was like the ‘lower dimensions’ that the cultivators of the Ancient God Domain were disdainful towards, then why would it have an inseparable relationship with the three great sects?

There’s definitely a reason behind all of this!

Chen Xi was extremely sure about this. However, he was still unable to obtain an exact answer with the knowledge he currently possessed.

...

Half a month later, Chen Xi suddenly woke up from his meditation.

Right at this moment, the Ink Unicorn Carriage he resided in had suddenly stopped. At the same time, Yun Qing’s aged and indifferent voice resounded from the outside.

“Young Master Chen Xi, we’ve arrived at Phoenix Perch City.”

“We’ve arrived?” Chen Xi was stunned, and then he stood up and walked out of the carriage. Sure enough, he noticed a city standing towering extremely far away in the sky. In was brilliant, vast, and boundlessly magnificent. It was like a kingdom that was constructed in the sky.

This was Phoenix Perch City, a city that was constructed at the easternmost border of the Ancient God Domain, and it had been standing towering here for countless years.

Further east from Phoenix Perch City was the famous God Burial Ocean. The Desolate Manku Ruins was supposedly in an area within the God Burial Ocean!