Eternal Tale

Chapter 288: Xiao Chi’s Breakthrough Opportunity

Chen Xun unintentionally let out a muffled groan; his divine aperture was still causing some backlash.

“Damn... This improvement in divine sense is quite intense.”

He felt shocked. A new divine aperture was forming, yet it hadn't mutated. "If I could open up to 20 divine apertures, wouldn't the next stage be effortless?"

Chen Xun’s eyes sparkled with excitement. The progression at the Deity Transformation stage was such that the synergy between the Five Elements’ energy and divine sense enabled rapid advancement, far surpassing any other stage.

Even though he currently lacked the method to further his cultivation stage, he could still enhance his divine apertures and absorb the mutated Extinguishing Spirit Force as a defense mechanism.

When he eventually opened 20 divine apertures, he might even be capable of extinguishing the divine sense of a late Deity Transformation stage cultivator with one step.

"I never expected that advancing at the Deity Transformation stage would be faster than at the Nascent Soul stage."

Chen Xun exhaled deeply, gazing upon the vast black soil... affectionately murmuring, “Heh, corrupted beings truly are my good companions.”

However, for cultivators, it was indeed a calamity. Reducing lifespan was worse than death; it felt like cultivating in vain, and the torment on one’s Dao heart was unbearable for most.

Brother Ox was mooing excitedly, while Xiao Chi was in immense pain—seemingly tinkering with the Extinguishing Spirit Stone again.

“Brother Ox... The chilling aura of this Black Mountain is so concentrated! It’s different from the one in the air!”

“Moo!”

Brother Ox stared intently at a piece of Extinguishing Spirit Stone. The chilling aura of the Black Mountain could actually be harnessed, which explained why these corrupted beings cultivated here.

Wasn’t this simply another form of a ‘spiritual vein’?!

The entire Extinguishing Spirit Wind was being suppressed by Xiao Chi to prevent damage to the meridians and destruction of the Extinguishing Spirit Stone.

Brother Ox activated a formation, sealing the escaping chilling aura of the Black Mountain and forcibly channeling it in, following a method similar to using the Five Elements Stones.

The meridians of the Extinguishing Spirit Stone began mutating, and even the previously translucent stone became dense black, absorbing the darkness until it was no longer transparent.

When Xiao Chi's divine sense made contact, a mutation occurred instantly!

“Moo?!”

“Brother Ox, it works, it works!”

Xiao Chi shouted excitedly, clinging onto Brother Ox and repeatedly exclaiming, “Brother Ox, this Black Mountain’s chilling aura can be used to enhance my divine sense!”

“Moo moo!” Brother Ox, equally thrilled, hugged Xiao Chi. It was effective—Xiao Chi could now progress to the Deity Transformation stage!

“Brother Xun!!”

“Moo moo!!”

“What now?!”

Chen Xun raised an eyebrow, a slight smile forming on his lips. “Found a solution?”

“Moo!”

Brother Ox let out a loud call from afar, his breath sounding like thunder. As a Deity Transformation stage Black Ox, nothing in this world could pose a challenge to him.

Xiao Chi held onto Brother Ox tightly, his gaze still on Chen Xun’s smiling face, his expression complex.

Ever since leaving the Heaven's End Plains and following his two big brothers, journeying far and wide, he felt content.

What made him happy wasn’t the possibility of breaking through, but the fact that he could accompany them a little longer…

“Brother Xun, Brother Ox...”

“Moo?”

Brother Ox looked puzzled at Xiao Chi, who seemed to be struggling with his emotions.

“If I can reach the Deity Transformation stage, should we return to the Heaven's End…”

“Damn it, Old Ox, hit him!”

Before Xiao Chi could finish, a thunderous shout erupted from the distance, and a massive hand loomed over his head, filled with killing intent.

“Ah!!!”

Xiao Chi let out an agonizing scream that echoed through the heavens, his eyes rolling back as he passed out. Brother Ox, still motionless, was left stunned—he hadn't even acted yet!

Soon after, the commotion died down.

Brother Ox and Xiao Chi resumed their work as if nothing had happened, chatting and crafting the stone in perfect harmony.

Above them.

Chen Xun sat cross-legged, jotting down notes in his small booklet. Now that he had reached the Deity Transformation stage, it was time to prepare the upgrade of the Mountain Splitting Axe infused with deathly energy.

He estimated that the maximum capacity of the deathly energy could reach up to four hundred thousand years. Coupled with the suppression of the Water Spirit Art, there wouldn’t be any issues.

He had studied the fourth layer of the Water Spirit Art but couldn’t make sense of it. Since that incident, he didn’t dare to cultivate it casually. The authenticity of this technique remained uncertain, and there were no references.

Now that he had ascended to the Deity Transformation stage, the Water Spirit Art was within reach. It was time to settle scores with the Yu Family.

The primary reason for confronting this Deity Transformation corrupted being was to test his current battle strength. He didn’t want any surprises, as he had little experience in combat.

But this corrupted being disappointed him—it seemed to have secluded itself in the Black Mountain for over a thousand years, devoid of any sense of humanity. Its only instincts were self-destruction and killing living beings.

Its intelligence was abnormally low, akin to the newly emerged Wei Xun of the Five Elements Sect from years ago.

"The main issue was getting lost. Hunting corrupted beings led us in circles; from that coast all the way to this black land, we have no idea where we are."

Chen Xun sighed deeply. Back when they left the Qian Nation, there was a reference point, knowing they were headed in the opposite direction. But they had no clue where this coastline led. "By the Celestial River, at the Bai Li Clan’s territory, we’ll have to pay them a visit eventually."

He suddenly shouted towards the distance, “Old Ox, find a place to set up a teleportation array; it’s time to deal with that Long Guan.”

“Moo moo~~”

Brother Ox responded loudly. Although it was sudden, whatever the big brother said went.

Xiao Chi’s pupils contracted upon hearing this, but he quickly recalled Chen Xun’s formidable power. His elder brother never acted without certainty, so he suppressed his racing heart.

*Shua!*

In an instant, a vast river of tainted blood surged through the land. The blood of the fallen Deity Transformation corrupted being was being drawn by Chen Xun, a scene of raw brutality.

Within a thousand-mile radius, the area was littered with Seated Oblivion Talismans, corrupted beings' remains piled high, casting a silent shadow.

These talismans, soaked in tainted blood, reacted intensely to the blood, even extracting lifespan during attacks. The corrupted beings suffered an agonizing death, with the Nascent Soul corrupted beings’ blood proving most effective.

However, the severed lifespan karma of those fallen beings continued to linger in the space around Chen Xun. As he triggered it, it naturally enhanced his divine sense.

The karma from the corrupted beings crushed by the giant ship transferred to Brother Ox, as he was the one who triggered it... unavoidable.

The massive corpse within the deathly energy-filled trench gradually withered, its flesh dissolving inch by inch until only a terrifying skeleton remained.

The skeleton, tainted and corrupted by deathly energy, was slowly restored by the black soil, forming a strange balance.

“Black soil land, Black Mountain, what a mysterious place. The wonders of heaven and earth are beyond the reach of a cultivator’s lifetime.”

Chen Xun chuckled in delight, feeling this was truly an enjoyment. “I wonder what the next stage after Deity Transformation is. Our region is considered backward, not part of the true cultivation lineage.”

His eyes grew dreamy, recalling the night sky and his past fantasies.

Once everything was resolved, he hoped to find a path and live a peaceful life with his brothers, no longer engaging in conflicts or fighting over treasures.

Chen Xun’s eyes softened. Although Brother Ox never said it, his obsession with the teleportation array revealed his desire to open a route for Qian Nation.

After all, their home was there. If they could pave a way, it might bring peace to their homeland.

"Brothers, this is as far as I can take you. If we can’t find a path, we’ll settle down and live a quiet life here, haha."

Chen Xun laughed heartily, reminiscing about the Five Elements Sect and the young ones. “I’ll go back and check on you guys, then reason with the Northern Territory's Spiritual Beasts.”

His excitement grew. Compared to fighting corrupted beings, these were the things that truly mattered to him.