Who exactly is Yang Zhenshan?

He actually triggered a backlash against the divination arts of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.

The divination arts of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion aren’t invincible. Under normal circumstances, it’s easier for them to divine those without deep roots. If they divine individuals with deeper roots, like those involving Golden Core cultivators, they’ll need to pay a price.

Additionally, there are many methods in this world that can obscure the divination arts of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.

As for causing a backlash from heaven and earth, there’s only one possibility: divining someone of a higher level than oneself.

For instance, a Foundation Establishment cultivator divining a Golden Core cultivator would definitely be courting death.

But even if Master Cangji was divining the fate of a Golden Core cultivator, he wouldn’t be subjected to such severe backlash.

Body shattering, divine soul annihilated!

Such a backlash is roughly equivalent to Master Cangji divining a Golden Core Great Power, or a Golden Core Peak existence.

Is Yang Zhenshan a Golden Core Great Power?

Clearly not!

But Yang Zhenshan’s divine soul is fused with the essence of the Spirit Source Land.

What is a grotto heaven?

A small world!

The current Spirit Source Land is actually more vast than the Sun Cave Heaven from ancient times!

On the surface, the Spirit Source Land seems inferior to the Sun Cave Heaven.

That’s because the former Sun True Sect had a heritage that the Spirit Source Land cannot rival now.

In terms of the scale and potential of the grotto heaven, the Spirit Source Land surpasses the Sun Cave Heaven.

Master Cangji wasn’t divining Yang Zhenshan himself, but the roots of the Spirit Source Land.

If he could divine that, it would be bizarre!

Old Ghost Tian Ye, upon seeing Master Cangji shatter into ash, jumped in fright and immediately fled.

"Good heavens, what is going on?"

He was unclear of the situation, but he knew it definitely wasn’t good; it was better to run first!

Zhang Mo saw him run and subtly reacted, "Chase!"

If he couldn’t snatch the Divine Pill, then he would seize this old ghost!

Previously, his objective was to capture this old ghost, but due to Yun Ge breaking the array, he had temporarily given up.

Now there’s nothing to snatch, so he naturally wants to proceed with his earlier goal.

Seeing Zhang Mo and the old ghost leaving one after another, others also quickly distanced themselves, leaving only the Heavenly Mechanism Envoys of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion in the air after a moment.

Actually, the fastest to slip away were Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu; they quietly left the battlefield as soon as Yang Zhenshan and Yun Xiao vanished.

And when Yang Zhenshan returned, only the Heavenly Mechanism Envoys of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion remained at the scene.

Yang Zhenshan looked around at the empty surroundings in surprise, somewhat confused.

He initially thought, after he left, these people would engage in a fierce battle, which is why he hurried back to prevent Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu from being besieged.

Scanning the area and noticing the absence of Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu, he furrowed his brow slightly.

"Have any of you seen my two friends?"

Yang Zhenshan directed his question to the few Heavenly Mechanism Envoys standing not far away.

Actually, he wanted to inquire whether Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu had been attacked, and what their current situation was.

However, the Heavenly Mechanism Envoys reacted very strangely, watching Yang Zhenshan as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Who exactly are you?" Master Shouyi asked sternly.

At that moment, Master Shouyi’s emotions were extremely complex, filled with panic, dread, unease, and some inexplicable reverence.

He was also part of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, so he naturally understood the divine skills and magic of the Pavilion.

"Yang Zhenshan of the illustrious Yang family, I believe we have no grievances with you. There’s no need to be so hostile towards me!" Yang Zhenshan spoke softly.

In Yang Zhenshan’s view, he had no enmity with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.

Although they were all competing for the Nine Tripod Divine Pill earlier, that didn’t count as enmity, only as conflict and contradiction.

Everyone only relied on their capabilities.

Now that things were over, there was no need for everyone to continue fighting so fiercely!

He had no idea of Master Cangji’s desire for the Nine Tripod Divine Pill, nor did he know of Master Cangji’s hatred for him, and was unaware of Master Cangji’s divine soul’s recent annihilation because of him.

Master Shouyi looked at the earnest Yang Zhenshan, unsure of what to say.

Surround and kill Yang Zhenshan?

He dared not!

Master Cangji died due to backlash from the Heavenly Dao, indicating Yang Zhenshan’s identity wasn’t simple.

Thus, he had a degree of reverence toward Yang Zhenshan.

"Your friends should have headed downwards!" Shouyi hesitated for a moment before pointing to the palace ruins below.

Yang Zhenshan sighed in relief upon hearing that.

It sounded like Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu should be fine.

"Thank you for informing me!"

Yang Zhenshan expressed his gratitude with a bow and then flew towards the palace ruins below.

Watching him leave, Shouyi also sighed in relief.

"Are we just going to let him go?" his companion asked in a low voice.

"What else can we do? Could we possibly keep him here?" Shouyi replied.

"But the Pavilion Master is dead, how will we explain this to the True Monarch?"

Shouyi took a deep breath, "We must be honest, it’s not something we can be blamed for!"

"What if the True Monarch holds us accountable?"

"The True Monarch likely won’t blame us." Shouyi’s eyes turned ink black, "His fate isn’t ordinary; it’s not something we should interfere with!"

The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion reveres fate, yet they are the ones who least believe in fate.

They believe in knowing fate and then doing what needs to be done.

However, they also understand one principle: act according to circumstances.

They can snatch others’ opportunities, they can alter others’ destinies, but once fate becomes a certainty, they must not act rashly.

The Nine Tripod Divine Pill already has its owner, and the situation involves Yang Zhenshan, whose existence cannot be divined.

Shouyi knows very well that faced with someone like Yang Zhenshan, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion most likely wishes to avoid provocation.

...

Yang Zhenshan, unaware of Shouyi’s thoughts, soon found Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu after reaching the palace ruins.

"Are you alright?"

"We’re fine!" Kou Ta shook his head.

Yang Zhenshan scrutinized them briefly, noticing they didn’t have serious injuries, and felt relieved.

"How is Yun Xiao, the senior?" Hong Fuxiu asked.

Yang Zhenshan sighed, "He’s safe for now, but whether he succeeds depends on his fate!"

"I hope Yun Xiao succeeds!" Hong Fuxiu said, filled with anticipation.

She truly hoped Yun Xiao would succeed.

If Yun Xiao succeeded, it would be a great benefit to them.

Even a Fake Pill is a Golden Core; if Yun Xiao could form it, it’d be equivalent to having a Golden Core cultivator.

They helped Yun Xiao this time, so if he appreciated it, it’d mean they’d have a Golden Core cultivator backing them in the future.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, "Let’s hope so!"

Then he said, "We should leave this place first!"

The palace ruins were still a chaotic battleground, with many residual arrays and rare resources left, so there were still many people fighting over them.

They had just experienced a great battle, and their current condition wasn’t good.

Especially for Yang Zhenshan, as he had been pulled into the Void multiple times earlier, the brief stay there had worn down parts of his mana.

Now his mana was nearly depleted, not just mana, many of his trump cards were used.

Many talismans were expended.

Arrays were also deployed.

Even his Qinghua Thunder Pearls were completely used up.

One could say he barely had enough strength to fight.

The three cautiously left the palace ruins and later found a relatively concealed spot to create a hiding place.

Hong Fuxiu dug a large hole on the ground, leading directly below the lava river, and sealed the entrance.

With this, the three had a hiding place.

Sitting in the rather stifling underground hole, Yang Zhenshan practiced diligently for seven days until his mana was gradually restored.

The problem was that the wood attribute spiritual energy here was too scarce; he had to resort to elixirs to replenish his mana.

In contrast, Hong Fuxiu was at an advantage here, recovering mana several times faster than outside.

"Yang Pill Master, please keep this." Hong Fuxiu saw Yang Zhenshan awaken from his meditation and handed him a jade box.

"What is this?"

Yang Zhenshan asked.

"Heart Burning Fruit! We only managed to get two!" Hong Fuxiu said softly.

Yang Zhenshan was taken aback, opened the jade box, and saw two thumb-sized red fruits inside.

Heart Burning Fruit, a third-order Spirit Fruit, can burn the heart and refine the spirit, suppress heart demons, break through obsessions, and stabilize the Dao Heart, with effects similar to Forget River Dew, but even better.