The two dragon horns emerging from the clouds were crystal clear. Upon closer inspection, the dragon horns contained many lines, and inside, there were jade-like beads of liquid flowing.
When the dragon horns appeared, Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun began to tremble.
As the dragon's head appeared, they immediately collapsed to the ground under the pressure of the Dao's might.
Zhao Xing and Fu Mengzhen, however, managed to withstand it, standing still without moving.
The dragon's head was about 100 meters tall, and its eyes were empty. Inside, two figures could be seen. The left eye space emitted firefly-like light, and upon closer inspection, there was a miniature spherical magic formation, resembling stars in motion.
The right eye emitted a faint blue glow. Aside from the color difference, the layout was identical to the left eye.
"A mechanical dragon?"
Zhao Xing had expected a true dragon to appear, but to his surprise, it was a mechanical dragon—though not a full dragon, just its skull.
"Your Majesty, this is the Heavenly Patrol God Guardian of Yu Shen Zhou," Fu Mengzhen suddenly shifted back to her previous state, no longer bouncing around, as though she had been stimulated.
"Is Yu Shen a god of mechanisms?" Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel curious.
"I don't know," Fu Mengzhen shook her head. "Yu Shen has never revealed his Dao, nor has he ever spoken about his teachings."
Recalling that Wei Tianchen was captured by Dan Ye the Free God because he had shown his Dao through a heart-enchanting drug, Zhao Xing understood that showing one's Dao in the No Tribulation Bone God Realm might not be a good idea, unless there was absolute certainty about one's safety.
"Yu Shen Mo Yuan is already at the god level and can create his own Dao in the No Tribulation Bone God Realm, yet he keeps his Dao private. He is truly cautious," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
"But for now, I don't need to worry about this kind of danger. At least, it would take a Demigod to seek Dao enlightenment and ascension."
"Generally speaking, even weaker Demigods struggle to find their own Dao."
Thinking of Bamboo Sword Venerable, before he came to the Xuanhuang realm, he took up a bounty from the Shadow Saint Hall for a divine sword, clearly still searching for his path to godhood.
After entering the Xuanhuang realm and stepping into the Five Tribulation Bone God Realm, his true spirit realm improved, but he was still confused about achieving godhood.
Bowe was even more exaggerated—before finding his Dao, he had passed 18 tribulations!
"A strong Demigod, especially one following the Dao of Heaven and Earth, would be involved."
As Zhao Xing was thinking, the dragon skull slowly approached and eventually stopped at a safe distance.
Its head emitted a dangerous red and blue aura.
The person sitting within the eye sockets did not speak, only emitting light continuously, seemingly performing some sort of identification.
After Zhao Xing gave her permission, Fu Mengzhen revealed their identities and their purpose: "I am Fu Mengzhen, owner of the First-Stage Fire Seed Ring. I greet the Heavenly Patrol God Guardian. We wish to enter Yu Shen Zhou and reside there."
Fu Mengzhen, being a Demigod of the 13th stage, was already considered a powerful figure in the Bone Yin Realm, as long as she didn't encounter a god-level being.
Strong individuals gained respect wherever they went, and with her First-Stage Fire Seed Ring, after a soft hum, Zhao Xing noticed that the mechanical dragon skull noticeably lowered its alert level.
"Heavenly Patrol God Guardian, Yi Qing, this is a mechanical puppet I control," two figures inside the dragon skull spoke simultaneously.
"Your Majesty, this person can control powerful puppets and magical tools. They are likely a Demigod as well," Fu Mengzhen whispered to Zhao Xing.
"An expert in puppet techniques and Dao soldiers, this mechanical Demigod can stay hidden in the rear and continuously deploy powerful mechanical puppets. They are truly formidable. I cannot even determine the direction of their true body."
Zhao Xing nodded slightly, understanding. He didn't deduce this from the panel but from the Eight Directions Divine Realm left by Wei Tianchen.
In fact, the Eight Directions Divine Realm displayed fragmented "future scenes" showing what Yi Qing's true form looked like.
Although Old Wei had died, his divine artifacts were still functioning. With his legacy, Zhao Xing didn't need to equip the Snowrui Qi Luck God's bone.
"Fu Daoist, are you planning to stay in Yu Shen Zhou temporarily or permanently?" Yi Qing soon spoke up, inquiring. "Do you wish to enter the Yu Shen Cave-Heaven?"
"Just temporarily."
"If it's temporary, you just need to pay for the full set of advancement materials," Yi Qing explained.
Fu Mengzhen reluctantly provided all the necessary materials for everyone.
Yi Qing then led them as they took flight.
Along the way, Fu Mengzhen transmitted a complaint to Zhao Xing: "Your Majesty, the rules have changed. Before, entering Yu Shen Zhou only required half of the advancement materials, but now it's the full set—this must mean the rules for entering Mo Yuan City have changed too."
"What's the rule for Mo Yuan City?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Your Majesty, to evade the pursuit of Dan Ye the Free God, it's certainly safer to reside in the cities near the Yu Shen Cave-Heaven."
"Inside the Yu Shen Cave-Heaven is even safer, but it's not open to the public. Normally, one can only enter by invitation."
"In the past, Mo Yuan City also only required paying for soul crystals, bone spirit stones, or bones, but just now, Yi Qing told me that staying long-term in Mo Yuan City now requires leaving behind a Dao Stone."
"Leaving behind a Dao Stone?" Zhao Xing's brow furrowed.
A Dao Stone was a vessel used to store secret techniques and one's fundamental understanding of the Dao.
If Fu Mengzhen wanted to bring Zhao Xing, Hu Qing, Yan Jun, Bai Lanjun, and the others into Mo Yuan City, she would need to leave behind one of her learned secret techniques along with her corresponding Dao comprehension. Zhao Xing felt that this rule didn't seem to have good intentions.
However, Fu Mengzhen also mentioned that Yue Shen Zhou follows the same rules.
Yu Shen established these rules, but only a little later. The requirements are relatively not as high.
Since they traveled using magical formations the entire way, it only took half a month to travel from the border to outside Mo Yuan City.
Mo Yuan City was built on the edge of a cliff, next to a deep, bottomless chasm.
There was also a small town outside the city, called Ji Dao Palace.
Of course, the palace was built using the Dao of others. Yu Shen himself hadn't left behind any secret techniques.
To stay in Mo Yuan City for a long time, one must provide secret techniques and insights. Naturally, Fu Mengzhen provided all of them herself.
"Your Majesty, I'm inside," Fu Mengzhen turned to look at Zhao Xing.
"Mm, thank you for going through the trouble," Zhao Xing also entered the roleplay.
"Your Majesty, we five need five sets of secret techniques. I've provided one. Shouldn't you give me some reward?" Fu Mengzhen's tone was a bit coquettish.
"What do you want?" Zhao Xing became slightly cautious.
Fu Mengzhen didn't speak. Instead, she rubbed against Zhao Xing with her body, her fiery aura burning intensely in her eye sockets.
Zhao Xing's head began to tingle.
Old Wei's heart-enchanting medicine was truly incredible. What had it turned Fu Mengzhen into?
"You go ahead," Zhao Xing said dismissively.
There were too many people around, making it inconvenient to use the medicine. He'd change Fu Mengzhen's mode later when they returned to their residence.
In Old Wei's Red Jade Ring, there was a city of medicine.
Some medicines could even be continuously created. Zhao Xing had set up many medicine puppets. He didn't need to know any medical skills. He just had to find the materials and hand them to the medicine puppets, and they would produce finished products.
At this point, Zhao Xing may not have much else, but he had plenty of medicine.
"Pop!"
"Your Majesty, I'm going now~"
Fu Mengzhen received his approval and quickly attacked. She kissed Zhao Xing's bone face and then happily entered.
Zhao Xing looked back and saw Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun nearby, all seemingly disconnected, pretending they hadn't seen anything.
"To think that the red-skeleton beauty took advantage."
Zhao Xing shook his head, quietly waiting.
After leaving Ji Dao Palace, the five of them were led by the Heavenly Patrol Guards into Mo Yuan City.
As a 13th-rank Demigod, Fu Mengzhen had received the proper treatment after paying the price—she was given a manor to live in within a 500-mile radius of Mo Yuan City.
"Your Majesty, this is our new residence. You all go outside first."
Fu Mengzhen glanced at Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun.
The three members of the Divine Fire Sect immediately took the hint and left.
"Your Majesty, am I beautiful~"
After the three left, Fu Mengzhen immediately began to move her ceremonial robes and leaped toward Zhao Xing.
"Smack~"
Zhao Xing was caught off guard and felt a sharp pain. Just as Fu Mengzhen was about to forcefully engage him spiritually, he finally used the medicine.
"Woof~~"
The humanoid shadow in Fu Mengzhen's eye sockets quickly faded, and she switched to another mode.
Outside the palace, Bai Lanjun, Hu Qing, and Yan Jun, who had not walked far, heard the sound of a dog barking. They looked at each other in surprise.
The blunt Hu Qing immediately spoke out, "Senior and his Dao partner really have a unique taste—"
Although Bai Lanjun thought the same, he still reprimanded, "Junior, do you want to die? Can we discuss Lord Zhao like this?"
"How many more times will you have to die before you learn your lesson?"
"Ah." Hu Qing immediately covered his mouth.
"Junior, don't blame Brother Hu," Yan Jun said. "He's died nine times now, and his brain isn't working quite right."
"Nine times? I thought it was only seven times?"
Sigh...
Bai Lanjun sighed deeply.
"Sigh~"
In Fu Bone Ridge, an elderly figure wearing a dark green ceremonial robe sighed.
"Careless. I didn't expect that the Dao of Fortune would influence me, causing me to miss that small figure for seven years."
Dan Ye the Free God looked at the ruins below, some regret on his face. Behind him, a group of Bone Kings followed.
"One person achieves Dao, and even chickens and dogs rise to heaven. Wei Tianchen, my good disciple, why didn't you leave it for me?"
"When I prove the source, how could I possibly fail you?"
Dan Ye the Free God's gaze locked onto a ruined Soul Well. He waved his hand, and divine light poured down.
The divine light affected the space surrounding the broken Soul Well, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.
Dan Ye casually waved again, and it was as if a master healer had worked wonders. The broken Soul Well was restored.
And white bone creatures began to crawl out.
"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~"
They were collected by Dan Ye the Free God one by one, carefully examined.
"Looks like they are truly dead."
Dan Ye then began questioning the newly born bone creatures. From the memories they retained, he reviewed the great battle in Fu Bone City from half a year ago.
His mind quickly pieced together a complete scene of time and space.
It was the battle between Bamboo Sword Venerable and another Bone King.
"Mutual destruction, destroyed all souls. This move is clever, but still underestimated me," Dan Ye the Free God immediately saw where things were wrong.
He then closed his eyes and continued focusing on restoring the key points of Fu Bone City.
"Whoosh~"
A fire pit inside Fu Bone City reignited.
However, just at that moment, the fire pit suddenly contracted, forming a figure.
"Hmph!"
The fiery shadow let out a cold snort before quickly extinguishing.
Dan Ye the Free God looked thoughtful.
He is capable of curing many things, even healing Soul Wells, yet the fire pit formation bears a mark left by the Divine Fire Sect's divine realm. Even though it was just Bai Lanjun's routine prayer while setting up the formation, Dan Ye the Free God cannot invade it.
This mark is not sensitive to most things, but if Dan Ye the Free God attempts to deconstruct the fire pit formation, it would be like deconstructing the Dao of the Li Fire Divine Venerable of the Divine Fire Sect.
However, Dan Ye also realized that Zhao Xing and his group had escaped through the fire pit.
In this situation, divine power searching becomes inconvenient. So, he had to send his subordinates to investigate on the ground and look for clues.
After going around in circles, Dan Ye the Free God finally received news from his subordinates about a year later.
"Master, the target has a 70% chance of heading to Yu Shen Zhou, a 20% chance of heading to Yue Shen Zhou, and only a 10% chance of hiding in an unknown place covered by the Mist Dao Barrier." A half-god figure, riding a turtle, reported.
Dan Ye the Free God issued an order, "Ai Yisuo, go to Yu Shen Zhou and bribe or join the Heavenly Patrol Guards. Hong Wu, go to Yue Shen Zhou, bribe or join the Yue Shen Guards. Find this person and bring them back."
Dan Ye the Free God could not personally go to the territory of Yu Shen Mo Yuan, as it was considered a highly taboo matter.
"Understood."
Mo Yuan City, Eighteen Pagodas of Sophora and Willow Courtyard.
"Yù~"
Zhao Xing suddenly felt a surge of sensation, then immediately took out the Eight Directions Divine Mirror from the Red Jade Ring.
The air currents on the Eight Directions Divine Mirror dispersed, revealing a young man riding a turtle, wearing a dark-colored ceremonial robe.
The divine mirror showed a warning signal and transmitted specific causal sensations.
He even learned that this person's name was Ai Yisuo, a 13th-rank half-god, sent by Dan Ye the Free God.
The Eight Directions Divine Mirror was extremely powerful, which is why when Wei Tianchen saw Dan Ye the Free God, he immediately knew that Dan Ye was coming to take his Dao. Everything had already been foretold.
"A person with flesh and blood, yet only a half-god?" Zhao Xing observed the mirror. "It seems this is an important person under Dan Ye the Free God."
A half-god with a flesh-and-blood body was something Zhao Xing learned from Fu Mengzhen.
It was also one of the three important pieces of information Wei Tianchen had planned to reveal.
Having flesh and blood and returning to life were two stages; simply having flesh didn't make one a divine being, and being a divine being didn't mean one could return to life.
Both required corresponding secret techniques, and Fu Mengzhen had said that such techniques came from the Fire Source Divine Temple.
However, the secret techniques she had exchanged were not fully complete. So far, they only covered her lower body.
Clearly, Dan Ye the Free God had mastered this kind of technique.
Restoring flesh and blood had many benefits. Zhao Xing could use his inner world and fully exert his combat abilities.
Of course, it was also possible that Dan Ye the Free God, being the God of Medicine, possessed abilities similar to the White Bone flesh.
"The previous arrangements only dragged for a little over a year, and I was still found." Zhao Xing thought darkly. The bad news was that Dan Ye the Free God was truly coming to kill him.
The good news was that Dan Ye the Free God would not easily set foot in Yu Shen Zhou.
A 13th-rank half-god wasn't an impossible threat to avoid.
"Senior Divine Mirror, how does he plan to deal with me?"
Zhao Xing consumed his true spirit power and the magic within his bone marrow to activate the Eight Directions Divine Mirror.
Normally, the Eight Directions Divine Mirror could give early warning without using magic power and true spirit energy. But now, Zhao Xing was utilizing the Fate Master divine object's prediction function.
It required infusing his own magic power and true spirit to awaken the spiritual essence of the mirror, providing a medium for the spiritual essence to gain direction and discover more information based on the magic and true spirit.
"Yù~"
As a large amount of magic power and true spirit energy poured in, the Eight Directions Divine Mirror immediately revealed glimpses of future scenarios. Shortly after, Zhao Xing understood Ai Yisuo's movements.
"He plans to bribe or become a Heavenly Patrol Guard, then find an opportunity to capture you and take you out of Mo Yuan City."
If one wants to capture someone under the eyes of the 'officials' of Yu Shen Zhou, the only way is to become an 'official'.
This way, one gains the qualification to act legally.
After getting the answer, Zhao Xing immediately smiled.
"Is it that easy to bribe the Heavenly Patrol Guards?"
After spending a year here, Zhao Xing had learned a lot of news.
The position of the Heavenly Patrol Guards in Yu Shen Zhou, and the entire Bone Yin Realm, was very high.
After all, Yu Shen Mo Yuan was the second god realm to open a cave-heaven world, second only to Yue Shen.
Mo Yuan's opening of the cave-heaven world radiated throughout Yu Shen Zhou, enriching the Dao, law, materials, and life more than other places.
One person achieving Dao leads to others rising with him. If Yu Shen progresses further in the future, the Heavenly Patrol Guards will undoubtedly enjoy the blessings too.
They may even return to the mortal realm.
With this premise, how could the Heavenly Patrol Guards be easily bribed?
"Joining the Heavenly Patrol Guards is also very difficult. The assessment is not something ordinary people can pass."
"Senior Divine Mirror, assuming Ai Yisuo chooses to become a Heavenly Patrol Guard, how long would it take?" Zhao Xing asked again.
"At least one jiazi (sixty years), at most two jiazi."
"Senior Divine Mirror, assuming Ai Yisuo becomes a Heavenly Patrol Guard, or if he successfully bribes one of them, how likely is it that I will be captured?"
The Divine Mirror answered: "If this is the precondition, there are more than 1,600 possible outcomes. You have only a little over a hundred possibilities to escape."
Zhao Xing was stunned: "Doesn't that mean there is no more than a 10% chance of survival?"
The Divine Mirror analyzed: "You possess many divine objects, but most cannot unleash their full power."
"You are just an Eight Tribulation Emperor Lord, and your magical skills are still shallow. Your foundation has risen too quickly, but your magical power is only average."
"The other party is a 13th-rank half-god. Under the premise of becoming or bribing the Heavenly Patrol Guards, you have only a 10% chance of escaping, and that's because of my existence."
The words from the Divine Mirror's spiritual essence were discouraging, as they were very accurate.
Zhao Xing went from a First Tribulation Emperor Lord to an Eight Tribulation Emperor Lord in just 33 years, progressing entirely with the unique resources of the Bone Yin Realm.
After 33 years, no matter how much he cultivates, his magical progress can never catch up with the advancement of his true spirit and magic power. Zhao Xing's current magical abilities still remain at the level of newly entered reincarnation-grade secret techniques.
If only he could restore his flesh and blood, Zhao Xing's other techniques might be weak, but if he could use the Nine Ze Divine technique with his current foundation, combined with the Heavenly Change Divine Needle, he would certainly be at the level of a half-god!
This past year, he had been cultivating the blood-and-flesh resurrection technique that Fu Mengzhen gave him.
"Senior Divine Mirror, can you predict when I can restore my flesh and blood? And if I want to join the Heavenly Patrol Guards, what is the probability?"
Restoring his flesh and blood was just one step; it wasn't safe enough. Joining the Heavenly Patrol Guards would be double protection.
If he couldn't defeat his enemies, then joining the guards would make him safe. If he became a Heavenly Patrol Guard, he wouldn't have to worry about Ai Yisuo using such methods to harm him.
The Divine Mirror's spiritual essence responded, "If you cultivate at your current speed, it will take about 500 years to restore. As for joining the Heavenly Patrol Guards, the probability is too small; it's almost impossible."
"500 years?!" Zhao Xing froze. "Senior, are you mistaken? With my talent, does it really take 500 years?"
Zhao Xing had always been confident in his talent and had worked hard, of course, without mentioning the panel.
Could it be that the Divine Mirror didn't know about the panel's existence, and that's why it gave the conclusion of 500 years?
The Divine Mirror's spiritual essence spoke unemotionally, "Fu Mengzhen's blood-and-flesh resurrection technique is not perfect. Moreover, the Desire Dream Technique is a dual cultivation method. You've been practicing alone; how could you make progress?"
The Desire Dream Technique was the blood-and-flesh resurrection technique Fu Mengzhen practiced.
This technique involved spiritual intercourse in dreams, experiencing intense love, nourishing the soul with emotions, and using mental energy to generate flesh and blood.
In short, the summary is: being loved makes flesh grow.
But it was a dual cultivation technique. Zhao Xing's progress was slow not because of his lack of ability, but simply because he lacked a partner for dual cultivation.
"I'm not unaware, it's just that I have some secrets I don't want Fu Mengzhen or anyone else to know." Zhao Xing sighed.
This method required mutual honesty and soul merging. How could Zhao Xing be honest with Fu Mengzhen?
Moreover, Fu Mengzhen wasn't in a normal state. If she woke up halfway through, it would be a disaster.
"Then you must find another method."
"Senior, can you derive a single cultivation version of the Desire Dream Technique?"
"I am not here to make wishes."
Zhao Xing realized he was pressing the Divine Mirror too hard. The Eight Directions Divine Mirror wasn't meant for this. Only the Great Yan Divine Soldier of the Red Star Empire had such capabilities.
He put the Eight Directions Divine Mirror away and fell into deep thought.
He found Fu Mengzhen and asked her about the possibility of exchanging for another blood-and-flesh technique.
But Fu Mengzhen told him it was impossible: "Your Majesty, exchanging for the Desire Dream Technique has already consumed 150 years of my accumulated effort. If it's for another technique, the price will be even higher, and we can't exchange for it in a short time."
Zhao Xing wanted to say that he could sell a divine object to try, but the Fire Source Divine Temple didn't accept such items.
It only issued tasks, and by completing them, one could gain exchange points.
Fu Mengzhen had never been to the Fire Source Divine Temple. She received tasks through the Fire Seed Ring, accumulated points, and then used the Fire Seed Ring to request the exchange. Soon, treasures would descend, all through the Fire Seed Ring.
"Your Majesty, have you grown tired of me?" Fu Mengzhen suddenly became emotional and covered her face, sobbing.
"Huh?" Zhao Xing was taken aback.
"Why don't you want to cultivate with me?"
"This—"
Zhao Xing couldn't answer. Fu Mengzhen was being triggered and seemed to be waking up.
There was nothing he could do. Facing Fu Mengzhen, who seemed to be waking up, he had no choice but to use the medicine again, switching her to another state.
"Wang~"
After leaving Fu Mengzhen's residence, Zhao Xing sighed.
If he had known, he wouldn't have let Bamboo Sword Venerable leave so soon.
If Bamboo Sword were still here, with the help of his fate divine bone and the Eight Directions Divine Mirror, it wouldn't have been impossible to ambush Ai Yisuo.
Ai Yisuo might have a blood-and-flesh regeneration method, but now, alone, taking on a 13th-rank half-god was really too risky.
Using Fu Mengzhen? She had been affected by the Dao Heart Confusion Drug and was now at the level of a 12th-tribulation half-god, and her abilities were very unstable.
After thinking for a while, Zhao Xing realized that he didn't have many more choices left.
"Damn, is it really just left with cultivating with Fu Mengzhen?"