Chapter 140: Chapter 129: Celestial Ghost, Breakthrough to the Ninth Level

With Feng Ling’s aptitude, she just needed to refine her Heart Demon every so often to remove the obstacle to her cultivation. Given enough time, she was bound to become a Yinluo True Disciple.

In the future, her promotion to the rank of Inner Sect Elder was also just a matter of time.

’She’ll be a great asset!’

Feng Ling knelt before Fang Cheng on one knee, bowing her head. "Thank you, my lord," she said, her voice soft.

Fang Cheng walked over and helped her to her feet. He looked at her fair, beautiful face and said, "Come with me. I’ll help you refine your Heart Demon."

Feng Ling nodded gently, a hint of bashful charm gracing her stunning, cold features.

...

「Netherworld Valley, Brocade Cloud Stream.」

A deep, thunderous roar echoed for miles, shaking the very earth and sending boulders tumbling down the mountainsides.

Hearing the commotion, numerous Loose Cultivators emerged from their Cave Mansions. They gathered near Brocade Cloud Stream, looking on with curiosity.

Among the crowd, Wang Daqian and Monk Po Jie, who had returned at some point, voiced their surprise. "Isn’t that Brother Chen’s Cave Mansion? What’s he doing in there?"

Just then, He Yujing, a Life Talisman Realm Cultivator, arrived on the scene, and his presence put the crowd at ease.

"It seems a rare treasure has appeared!"

He Yujing announced in a deep voice. Upon hearing this, the assembled cultivators in the valley were both shocked and delighted.

Before long, the Purple Cliff Cave where Fang Cheng had been staying completely collapsed. A broken tower burst through the cliff face and flew out of the valley.

The cultivators all stared, wide-eyed, chattering amongst themselves as they speculated about the broken tower’s origin.

The broken tower flew up into the sky, coming to a stop amongst the clouds. The restrictive glow on its surface dissipated, replaced by a dazzling, auspicious radiance.

He Yujing was the first to fly up, where he spotted a Stone Stele in front of the tower.

He then tried to enter the Broken Tower Stone Gate but failed repeatedly. In the end, he had no choice but to give up.

However, the other Loose Cultivators at the Sensing Realm who followed him entered the broken tower with ease.

Wang Daqian sidled up to He Yujing, a strange look on his face. "Chief, Mr. Chen really hides his true abilities. It looks like he knew about this tower all along."

He Yujing replied, "I knew Younger Brother Chen was no ordinary person. He must be from a top-tier family or a core disciple of a major sect. Only cultivators of their stature could get their hands on an ancient opportunity like this."

Wang Daqian pointed to the broken tower in the sky. "Then this tower...?"

He Yujing sighed. "There’s no hiding it now. You and Po Jie should go inside and try your luck. You might just find a treasure that can help you form a Life Talisman."

Wang Daqian nodded and entered the broken tower with Monk Po Jie.

He Yujing, meanwhile, headed for the Cao Family’s estate.

...

News of the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect’s ruins emerging quickly reached the Abyssal Marsh.

On this day, Fang Cheng and Feng Ling had just finished their "refinement of the Heart Demon." They were each basking in the afterglow, a tranquil silence filling the bedroom.

From within a pile of clothes scattered on the floor, a Jade Pendant suddenly floated into the air. With a flash of light, it transformed into a small, ethereal-looking cat that sat on the ground.

"Miss..."

The little cat spoke, its voice clear and pleasant. It was none other than Feng Ling’s maid, Wan’Er.

On the bed, Feng Ling sat up, clutching the blankets to her chest. Her fair, beautiful back was exposed to Fang Cheng, and the alluring curves of her full, round bottom were on display.

"What is it?" she asked. Her expression was alluring and her voice, soft and melodious with a hint of laziness, was a stark, charming contrast to her usual icy demeanor.

The little cat said, "Miss, a set of Ancient Ruins has appeared in Netherworld Valley. It’s rumored to be the Myriad Phenomena Immortal Sect’s Trial Pagoda. The legendary Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew might be inside."

Upon hearing the words "Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew," Feng Ling’s brow twitched, and her expression turned grave.

"When did it appear?" she asked immediately.

The little cat replied, "It appeared yesterday. The Clan Elders Council couldn’t find you, so they’ve already sent a few elders with some of the clan’s disciples."

Feng Ling nodded. "Tell the clan I will head there by myself today."

With that, she flicked her finger, sending out a streak of light that turned the little cat back into a Jade Pendant.

She turned to look at Fang Cheng, her face still flushed, but now with excitement. "The legendary Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew has appeared! It’s a sacred treasure for rebuilding one’s Dao Foundation. Are you going?"

Fang Cheng, still in the midst of his post-coital clarity, casually replied, "Of course. Let’s go together."

Feng Ling frowned slightly. "It’s best if outsiders don’t know about our relationship for now," she said softly. "We should go separately."

Fang Cheng smiled. "Alright."

Feng Ling didn’t linger. She quickly got out of bed, dressed, and drifted away.

A short while later, Fang Cheng also left his Cave Mansion. He flew off Yinluo Island, circled it halfway, and then headed north.

...

News of the broken tower’s appearance quickly spread throughout the Cultivation Realm of Yun Country.

The Yinluo Sect, Flame God Palace, Taihao Mountain, and prominent families and Loose Cultivators from all over caught wind of the news and flocked to Netherworld Valley.

He Yujing joined forces with the three major families of Netherworld Valley to lay down a Second-Order Grand Array around the broken tower, cloaking it in a mountain-sized mass of clouds.

Any outside cultivators who wished to enter the broken tower had to spend ten Spirit Stones to purchase a Talisman Decree, which would allow them to pass through the array safely.

Of course, when major powers arrived with Life Talisman Realm Cultivators leading their Sensing Stage juniors, He Yujing would personally offer them Array Entry Talismans free of charge, taking the opportunity to build connections.

As more and more cultivators entered the broken tower each day, Netherworld Valley grew increasingly lively.

A simple marketplace sprang up in the valley, a veritable replica of the Netherworld Grand Assembly!

Many cultivators who came out of the broken tower didn’t refine the strange stones they found, but instead started a business selling them.

Cultivators who felt they weren’t strong enough to risk entering the tower could now simply buy the strange stones at the marketplace.

Whether a stone contained an Inheritance Silk Book or the legendary Myriad Manifestations Celestial Dew was entirely a matter of luck.

In no time, the Netherworld Marketplace grew in scale, becoming more prosperous by the day.

But that is a story for another time...

After leaving the Abyssal Marsh and flying past Cloud Whale Mountain, Fang Cheng continued north. About halfway to his destination, he happened to run into an old acquaintance.

Above a mountain forest, a male and a female cultivator had joined forces to trap a second-order Demon Bird, and the battle was raging fiercely.

The duo’s style of Magic and Divine Techniques was quite distinct. They both used their Magical Power to sketch runes in the air, which then transformed into various weapons and spells for both offense and defense, allowing them to adapt fluidly to the situation.

The second-order Demon Bird rode a demonic wind, its aura savage as it tied down the two cultivators, preventing their escape.

The male cultivator appeared to be about twenty years old. He was dressed in simple clothes and had a handsome face, with a hint of a free-spirited nature in his eyes. As he fought, his techniques were more flashy than practical.

This was none other than Dongfang Xiong, the Loose Cultivator Fang Cheng had met once before at the Ye Family’s Sword Fighting Conference.

The simple-hearted Ranger had left a deep impression on Fang Cheng back then.

It looked like he had managed to reattach his severed arm, and his cultivation had broken through to the Seventh Layer of Sensing. He must have had some other fortuitous encounter.

His companion, a female cultivator of about twenty-four or twenty-five, was disguised as a frail male scholar, but her strength was by no means weak.

With a mere wave of her hand, runes flew forth, transforming into shields, blades, Fire Dragons, lightning, and hail to block the majority of the Demon Bird’s attacks.

It looked as though her combat prowess even surpassed Ye Yan’s.

Fang Cheng halted his Escape Light at a distance and called out, "Is that Brother Dongfang Xiong up ahead?"

In the midst of the hectic battle, Dongfang Xiong glanced over and recognized Fang Cheng. He was overjoyed. "It’s me! Brother Fang, it’s been too long!"

Fang Cheng laughed. "That Demon Bird is ferocious. Need a hand?"

Before Dongfang Xiong could reply, the female cultivator snapped, "If you’re going to help, then help! If not, stop dawdling and distracting us!"

Fang Cheng laughed heartily. With a point of his finger, the Dragon Abyss Sword shot from his sleeve. With a flick of his wrist, it streaked like lightning toward the Demon Bird.

The Demon Bird opened its beak and spat a blast of demonic wind to intercept the sword light.

Fang Cheng’s hand seal for his Sword Technique changed. He poured in his Magical Power, and as the sword light swerved, it abruptly vanished!

Netherworld Sword Technique—Celestial Ghost!

The sword light became formless and intangible, its aura vanishing completely. Ethereal and indistinct, it dodged the demonic wind and drifted toward the Demon Bird’s neck.

Caught off guard, the Demon Bird lost all sense of the sword light and let out a piercing shriek.

As the sound wave passed, the Demon Bird seemed to sense something. It twisted its long beak and pecked at a point in the empty air.

CLANG!

A clear ringing of a sword was heard.

A faint white slash mark appeared in mid-air!

The bird’s beak had struck the sword light.

The next moment.

The sword light twisted and weaved, neutralizing the second-order Demon Bird’s immense power with a profound technique that defied imagination.

Then, with a sudden flick, the sword light vanished again, instantly breaking the sound barrier to slash at the Demon Bird’s face!

The Demon Bird couldn’t react in time as the sword light gently brushed past its neck.

A low, rolling thunderclap followed a moment later.

The Demon Bird’s eyes went wide, filled with utter disbelief.

Time seemed to stand still.

SHHIIICK!

A faint sound, like tearing paper, was heard. Blood sprayed from the Demon Bird’s neck as its head tumbled to the ground.