, The Path to Immortality, Dark Turmoil, Dragon-Patterned Black Gold [Please Subscribe!]

Chapter 76, The Path to Immortality, Dark Turmoil, Dragon-Patterned Black Gold [Please Subscribe!]

The palace doors were pushed open from the outside.

Su Ye stepped in, the aftereffects of the Heavenly Tribulation still lingering on his clothes.

Inside the main hall, the Jade Balance Sage sat upright on a white jade cushion, his plain white palace attire spotless.

Su Ye cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Disciple Su Ye greets Ancestor."

"Please sit down."

The Sage Yuheng raised his hand, gesturing for him to sit on the futon opposite him.

The Holy Queen Mother of the West was also present, and was sitting to the side.

Su Ye sat down cross-legged.

Without exchanging pleasantries, the Sage Yuheng went straight to the point: "Does the Holy Son know why Yaochi is sparing no effort in nurturing you?"

Su Ye remained silent for a moment before speaking, "The innate Dao embryo is perfectly suited to the Western Emperor's lineage. Yaochi needs a successor who can support the future."

"This is just one of them."

The Sage Yuheng nodded slightly, then changed the subject, his voice becoming a few decibels lower.

"Since you are the Holy Son of Yaochi, have you ever heard of—the Path to Immortality?"

The Path to Immortality.

These three words are like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

Su Ye was slightly startled.

He certainly knew what the path to immortality meant.

That is the ultimate path that the great emperors of antiquity pursued throughout their entire lives.

It is the only reason why the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone severed himself to survive in this world, willingly enduring eternal loneliness, and waiting for the entrance to the Immortal Realm.

Immortal!

Immortality!

This is the ultimate pursuit on the path of cultivation, and it is also the eternal destiny that hangs over the head of every cultivator.

"I learned a little about it from the ancient books in the Yaochi Library."

Su Ye remained expressionless, his tone indifferent.

The Jade Balance Sage glanced at him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes that had witnessed thousands of years of vicissitudes.

"Since you know about it, you should also know that the path to immortality opens once every certain period of time."

She paused, her voice becoming even deeper.

"Each time it is opened, the supreme beings lurking in the forbidden zones of life will awaken from their slumber and attempt to break into the Immortal Realm."

"And the Supreme Being who cannot be overcome—"

Beside her, a rare solemnity appeared on the Queen Mother of the West's aloof and beautiful face.

She took over the conversation.

"Then a dark upheaval will ensue."

"They feed on the flesh and blood of billions of living beings to prolong their own wretched lifespan."

The air in the main hall seemed to freeze.

The Queen Mother of the West put down her teacup, and a rare solemnity appeared on her cool and beautiful face.

Su Ye felt a chill run down his spine.

Darkness and turmoil.

In the world of Shrouding the Heavens, these four words represent destruction and despair.

The weight it carries is enough to silence any ancient family or holy land in the Big Dipper that has produced a great emperor.

Every period of darkness and turmoil is a catastrophe for all races in the universe.

The Supreme Being was born, devouring all living beings, exchanging the flesh and blood of billions of lives for the ability to continue to live for tens of thousands of years.

Throughout history, countless emperors have fought and bled for this cause.

Emperor Hengyu stained the starry sky with his blood for this.

The Void Emperor spent his entire life battling the Supreme Beings of the Forbidden Zones, and ultimately died in the Void.

Before his death, he used himself as bait to lure the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone into the endless void, where they perished together.

To protect the continuation of the human race, Gai Jiuyou, in his quasi-emperor form, drew upon the immortal fire of the Fire Domain, integrating it into his immortal platform and divine soul to forcibly elevate himself to the peak. In doing so, he directly confronted the supreme being of the forbidden zone, ultimately staining the sky with his blood.

The Great Emperor Wushi, residing in Purple Mountain, used his imperial power to suppress the mortal world, preventing those supreme beings in forbidden zones from crossing the line.

The suppression forced the supreme beings of the forbidden zone to barely survive, with no hope of ever rising again. There was even one supreme being who, until his death, dared not emerge to absorb the essence of all living beings in the universe.

The rise of every great emperor comes at the cost of blood and fire.

And such a catastrophe is about to descend once again.

The voice of the Sage Yuheng broke the silence.

"The Great Emperor left behind a manuscript recording some deductions from the ancient times."

"One of the most important deductions is the approximate time when the path to immortality will open again."

She raised her head, her gaze seemingly piercing through the dome of the hall.

"In this very lifetime—"

"Perhaps hundreds of years later, perhaps thousands of years later."

"No one can pinpoint the exact time, but that point is not far off."

"And this lifetime happens to be a golden age!"

Su Ye's fingers tightened slightly.

In this golden age, geniuses rise up and vie for the throne!

The era he lived in was hailed as the most glorious era in history.

Various royal and divine bodies from ancient and modern times will reappear in the world.

The children of the ancient emperors will also awaken one after another, and the offspring of the forbidden zone will even begin to walk in the human world.

Ancient geniuses, primordial immortals, mythical prodigies, and heroes of a chaotic era will be reborn to compete with the people of the present for the path to becoming emperor.

The Sage Yuheng continued, "Beneath this magnificent exterior, those supreme beings who have slumbered for countless ages are also awaiting this moment."

"Holy Son, this is the true reason why Yaochi is sparing no effort to nurture you!"

"What Yaochi needs is not just the continuation of its Taoist tradition."

"But what is needed even more is a great emperor who can support all the races of the universe in this era."

Su Ye remained silent for a moment, then solemnly said, "This disciple understands."

The Sage Yuheng nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

At this moment, the Queen Mother of the West took over the conversation, her tone softening slightly, and said, "The Holy Son of the Yao Guang Holy Land has been in seclusion for several years, and it is said that he has traveled extremely far in the Four Extremes Secret Realm."

"Although the Ji family's Divine King Body was defeated by you, the Ji family has already started the family trial for him, and his cultivation is advancing by leaps and bounds."

"The Jiang family's divine body, the Golden-Winged Roc King, and that Western Bodhisattva from the Western Desert—"

The Queen Mother of the West paused, her gaze falling on Su Ye, and continued, "These people are all making progress, all striving to cross over."

"The Jade Pool can give you resources, but it cannot give you opportunities."

"It can provide you with shelter, but it cannot give you the true test of life and death."

"The path of spiritual practice is ultimately one you must walk yourself."

Su Ye cupped his hands in greeting once more.

"This disciple wishes to leave Yaochi and travel to the Big Dipper region to seek an opportunity to break through to the Dragon Transformation Realm."

The Queen Mother of the West and the Sage of Jade Balance exchanged a glance.

"allow."

The Sage Yuheng spoke first.

"With your current strength, you can easily overcome the Four Extremes and Four Heavens, and even the combined tribulation of the two realms. Your true combat power far surpasses that of others in the same realm."

"As long as we don't provoke those living fossil-level old monsters, we have enough power to protect ourselves."

"I will protect you from the shadows."

A cold glint appeared on the lips of the Sage Yuheng as he said, "If anyone dares to shamelessly bully the weak, I will not be polite to them."

Su Ye nodded slightly.

With his current combat strength, he is virtually invincible below Sendai.

If all your trump cards are played and your luck is unleashed, you'll be able to suppress everything, unless you're facing a top-tier powerhouse like those in the second installment of the game.

The Queen Mother of the West softened her expression, smiled gently, and said, "Since the Holy Son is going out, why don't you go to the Holy City first?"

Su Ye was slightly taken aback: "Holy City?"

Holy City.

It is the largest gathering place of cultivators in Beidou, where various forces are entrenched, and it is the most prosperous place in Beidou.

In the original novel, Ye Fan cut and gambled on stones there, and cut out immortal gold, divine source, and even an ancient goddess.

With a wave of her hand, the Queen Mother of the West unfurled a beam of spiritual light in the air, transforming it into a rough map of the Northern Region of the Big Dipper.

"The Holy City is located in the heart of the Northern Region, where major powers have established businesses."

"The stone archway in Yaochi has been operating there for many years. Recently, a batch of new stone materials arrived, and it is said that some of them come from the ancient Taigu Mine, which has an extraordinary origin."

The Queen Mother of the West looked at Su Ye, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Although the Primordial Divine Mark Tower in your hand is forged from divine mark purple gold, if you can cut out some more divine materials in the stone workshop, you will have more resources to accumulate for future weapon forging."

Su Ye's heart stirred.

Stone.

It is a creation of heaven and earth, with an ordinary stone skin on the outside, but inside it may contain divine sources, immortal gold, ancient artifacts, or even ancient beings.

The World Tree is extremely sensitive to fluctuations in fortune.

With it, gambling on stones is no longer gambling!

"This disciple will then make a trip to the Holy City."

Su Ye left the main hall and walked back to her bedchamber along the path she had come from.

Just as they turned the corner of a long corridor, they came face to face with the Holy Maiden of Yaochi.

Dressed in pure white, her face veiled by a white gauze, revealing only a pair of clear, spring-like eyes.

"Holy Son".

She called out softly, her voice clear and melodious.

"The Patriarch just transmitted a message to me, saying that the Holy Son is going on a journey."

She paused, and her eyes, visible through the veil, curved slightly.

"My master allowed me to accompany him."

Su Ye glanced at her sideways.

"The saintess herself accompanied him?"

"What's wrong, Junior Brother Holy Son? Are you unhappy?"

The voice of the Holy Maiden of Yaochi carried a faint hint of amusement.

"No, no, not at all—"

Su Ye's lips curled up slightly as he smiled faintly, "With the Holy Maiden accompanying us, the journey will be less boring."

The two walked side by side out of the mountain gate.

On the welcoming platform, Yao Jin had changed into a smart outfit and was waiting.

Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and a silver ribbon was tied around her waist, making her look completely different from her usual gentle and dignified appearance.

"I will accompany you and protect you on this journey."

Yao Jin bowed slightly to Su Ye.

The Jade Balance Saint was already following in secret, and she would not reveal herself until a life-or-death situation arose.

Su Ye cupped his hands in greeting.

"Thank you for your trouble, Elder Yaojin."

With a flick of her sleeve, Yao Jin sent out a white jade flying boat that swelled in the wind, growing to over ten zhang in length.

The boat's hull is engraved with patterns resembling the Jade Pool, shimmering with celestial light.

The three boarded the boat.

The flying boat soared into the sky and disappeared.

The flying boat pierced through the clouds and mist.

Su Ye stood on the ship's side, looking down at the vast land spread out below.

Mountains and rivers resemble dragons, streams flow like ribbons, and cities are scattered like chess pieces on a chessboard.

-

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi stood beside him, her white veil fluttering gently in the wind of the high sky.

"Has the Holy Son ever been to the Holy City before?"

She suddenly asked.

"no."

Su Ye shook his head.

"Then we should take a good look."

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi turned her head to the side, her voice still clear and melodious.

"The entire Holy City is shrouded in a restrictive array jointly set up by ancient sages."

"Anyone who makes a move within the Holy City will be suppressed by the restrictions."

"At best, their cultivation will be sealed; at worst, they will die on the spot."

"It is precisely because of this rule that the Holy City has become the most prosperous place in Beidou."

Su Ye nodded slightly.

Yao Jin added a sentence without turning her head.

"Holy Son, behave yourself in the Holy City and don't cause trouble."

"certainly."

Su Ye readily agreed.

Yao Jin remained silent for a moment, probably because she didn't quite believe it.

The flying boat flew for another half an hour.

Finally, a huge city appeared on the horizon.

It's less like a city and more like a piece of land floating above a sea of ​​clouds.

The towering pavilions and palaces stretched from one end to the other, seemingly endless.

The flying boat landed on the flying artifact docking platform outside the city.

Su Ye stepped off the flying boat and was immediately stunned by the scene before him.

If Yaochi is a serene paradise for immortals, then the Holy City is a place where prosperity is crammed into every inch of the air.

The street was wide enough for ten carriages to travel side by side, and the road surface was paved with whole white jade bricks, each brick engraved with patterns to prevent them from being shattered by the pressure.

Shops lined both sides of the street.

The aroma of medicine wafting from the alchemy shops permeated the streets and alleys, while glittering magical weapons were displayed at the entrances of the magical artifact shops.

The shop assistant at the stone shop shouted at the top of his lungs: "Newly arrived old stone from the Beiyuan Ancient Mine, cutting it open with a single stroke can be a dream come true!"

There were young noblemen riding exotic beasts through the city, wandering cultivators carrying medicine baskets and hurrying along, and several scantily clad demon women setting up stalls by the roadside to sell spiritual herbs and divine materials.

Su Ye's gaze swept around.

"It's quite lively."

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi gently tugged at the corner of his sleeve.

"This way."

Yaochi Stone Archway is located in the very center of the most bustling street in the holy city.

A three-story pavilion with flying eaves and brackets, with a plaque hanging above the door that reads "Yaochi Stone Archway".

Su Ye stood in front of the door, his gaze sweeping over the characters on the plaque.

The brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, conveying a sense of antiquity.

It was written by a sage from Yaochi himself, and every character contains the sage's Taoist wisdom. It remains as clear as ever after tens of thousands of years.

"Go in."

Yao Jin was the first to step across the threshold.

The interior of the stone archway appears much wider than the exterior.

The main hall on the first floor was filled with stones of all sizes, some as big as a fist, others taller than a person.

Each stone has a price tag attached, ranging from tens of kilograms for the cheaper ones to tens of thousands of kilograms for the more expensive ones.

Several rogue cultivators were selecting stones in the hall when they saw Su Ye and his two companions enter, and their gazes involuntarily turned towards them.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi possessed an ethereal quality; even with a white veil covering her face, her fairy-like beauty could not be concealed.

Although Yao Jin concealed her aura, the oppressive aura emanating from her every move made those rogue cultivators afraid to even breathe.

As soon as Su Ye walked in, he felt several gazes fall on him.

Although he wasn't wearing the holy son's robes, his innate Dao embryo's aura was so unique that it was hard for him not to attract attention.

Some people whispered among themselves, "Who is that? He looks unfamiliar, but he has an extraordinary air about him."

"Is that the Holy Maiden of Yaochi next to her? Her face is veiled in white, and she has an ethereal aura. There's no mistake."

At this moment, a rogue cultivator muttered under his breath, "What a handsome young Taoist priest—"

"What little Taoist priest?! Are you crazy?! That's the Holy Son of Yaochi!"

"What? The Holy Son of Yaochi? That innate Dao embryo?!"

Discussions rose and fell.

The person in charge of the stone workshop, Liu, was a middle-aged woman in her forties. She recognized Yao Jin at a glance and hurriedly came to greet her.

"Elder Yaojin! Why have you come in person?"

Yao Jin turned slightly to the side, revealing Su Ye and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi behind her.

"Elder Liu, this is His Highness the Holy Son."

Elder Liu's pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly bowed.

"Ms. Liu greets the Holy Son and the Holy Daughter!"

Su Ye nodded slightly.

"Elder Liu, I heard that a new batch of stone has arrived at the stone workshop?"

"The Holy Son is well-informed."

Elder Liu's eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice.

"A batch of new goods did arrive a few days ago. They were dug out from an ancient mine in Beiyuan. They are in excellent condition, with a faint divine light shining through the stone skin."

"It's just that it's expensive."

"The cheapest piece weighs 800 jin of raw materials, while the most expensive piece is priced at 50,000 jin of raw materials."

50,000 jin of raw materials.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi glanced at Su Ye, a hint of a smile hidden in her eyes.

"Is the Holy Son's family fortune sufficient?"

"reluctantly."

Su Ye remained unfazed.

"lead the way."

Elder Liu led the three through the hall to the backyard.

The backyard was much more exquisite than the hall, with several of the finest stones displayed on a specially made stone platform, each radiating a subtle glow.

Su Ye stopped.

Deep within the sea of ​​suffering, the World Tree sapling suddenly trembled slightly.

Two of the golden threads of energy on the leaf lit up at the same time.

Su Ye's gaze was drawn straight to the stone platform in the center of the courtyard, as if guided by an invisible hand.

The stone is about half a person's height, dark gray in color, and covered with fine cracks on its surface.

A faint golden light seeped out from deep within the cracks, like sleeping golden veins embedded in the stone skin.

Price: 50,000 jin of raw materials.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi walked to the stone and gently touched its surface with her slender fingers.

"These golden veins—could they conceal some kind of divine material?"

"not necessarily."

Elder Liu shook his head, a hint of helplessness on his face.

"This stone skin contains special minerals that can shield against divine sense detection."

"Before it's cut open, nobody knows what's inside."

"If you could see right through it at a glance, it wouldn't be gambling on jade, it would be buying vegetables."

Su Ye walked up to the stone, and within the Bitter Sea, the World Tree's tremors became increasingly pronounced.

A rich aura emanated from deep within the stone, which was clearly detected by the World Tree.

Su Ye sensed the intensity of that aura and had already made a judgment in his mind.

What's hidden inside this stone is worth far more than 50,000 jin of raw materials.

"I'll take this one."

Yao Jin frowned slightly and lowered her voice.

"Holy Son, fifty thousand catties of source energy is no small amount. If we were to destroy it—"

"If it collapses, it collapses."

Su Ye interrupted her with a faint smile.

"The path of cultivation is inherently a struggle against fate. If one dares not even gamble on a single stone, how can one even dream of conquering the imperial path?"

Yao Jin remained silent for a moment, then stopped trying to dissuade her.

Elder Liu was overjoyed and quickly instructed his two assistants to carry the stone onto the cutting platform.

"Holy Son, shall we cut it now?"

"cut."

The walls of the stone-cutting chamber are covered with array patterns to prevent the energy fluctuations generated during stone cutting from leaking out.

On the stone-cutting platform in the center of the room, Elder Liu held the stone-cutting knife with both hands, channeling his divine power into the blade.

The blade glowed with a pale blue light.

The first knife.

The stone skin fell off with a sound, revealing a grayish-white inner layer.

There was nothing there.

Elder Liu's hand was very steady, and the second slash came down immediately afterward.

The rock layer is getting thinner and thinner.

The golden veins emanating from the cracks grew brighter and brighter, more and more dazzling, as if something was slowly awakening deep within the stone.

"There's something there—"

"The Holy Maiden of Yaochi said softly."

Yao Jin narrowed her eyes slightly, and her divine sense from the second level of the Sendai Heaven quietly spread out.

The third cut.

Elder Liu gritted his teeth and made the cut.

A blinding golden light burst forth from the stone, turning the entire stone-cutting chamber into a golden sea.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi raised her hand to cover her eyes.

After the golden light faded, the object on the stone-cutting platform finally revealed its true form.

The size of a baby's fist, entirely black and gold.

The surface is covered with naturally formed runes and patterns, which were not carved on later, but were the Dao marks that were imprinted on it by the laws of the Great Dao when the world was first created.

Each line exudes a deep and ancient sense of killing intent, like the lines on dragon scales solidifying the roar of the ancient dragon race.

"Immortal Gold————"

Yao Jin's voice trembled.

"It's celestial gold! Black gold with dragon patterns!"

Elder Liu's hand trembled, and the stone-cutting knife almost fell to the ground.

She had been cutting stone for decades, and this was the first time she had ever cut out a piece of "immortal gold" by hand.

What is the concept of "immortal gold"?

Those are divine materials for refining weapons exclusively for the Great Emperor; they are extremely rare and hard to come by.

In the entire Big Dipper region, the number of people who can cut celestial gold from stone can be counted on one hand.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi took a light breath and glanced at Su Ye.

"The Holy Son's luck is truly enviable."

Su Ye remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he thanked the World Tree.

He picked up the black gold dragon patterned with dragon patterns from the stone platform; it was icy cold to the touch.

Within the Sea of ​​Bitterness, the Primordial Divine Mark Tower sensed the aura of the same-origin Immortal Gold, trembled slightly, and emitted a clear Daoist chant.

It was as if they were welcoming their companions.

Su Ye smiled and put the dragon-patterned black gold into the Sea of ​​Bitterness.

The news of the discovery of the immortal gold spread throughout the Holy City in less than half a day.

"Have you heard? The Jade Pool Stone Workshop has unearthed a black gold stone with dragon patterns!"

"Dragon-patterned black gold? One of the Nine Immortal Golds? Really?!"

"I saw it with my own eyes! That stone, which was used to transform into the Yaochi Stone Archway, was priced at 50,000 jin of raw materials, and a fist-sized piece was cut out from it!"

"50,000 catties of ore exchanged for a piece of immortal gold—this deal is incredibly profitable."

"7

"The one cutting the stone is that holy son of Yaochi, a primordial Dao embryo!"

"It's him again? He obtained the 'Taoist Scripture: Wheel Sea Chapter' from the Demon Emperor's Tomb, and now he's cut out dragon-patterned black gold. What kind of luck is this?"

"The innate Dao embryo is close to all Daos, and Heaven and Earth naturally favor it, so its fortune is naturally stronger than that of ordinary people."

A crowd had gathered at the entrance of Yaochi Stone Archway. There were independent cultivators watching the excitement, spies from various factions gathering information, and several other archway managers standing at the back of the crowd with complex expressions.

-

Su Ye stood at the second-floor window, looking down at the crowd below.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi stood beside him.

"With this cut from the Holy Son, business behind the Jade Pool Stone Archway will probably improve by 30%."

"Just a side effect."

Su Ye turned to Elder Liu, pointed to several stones radiating a faint aura of fortune, and said.

"Let's cut that last piece of newly arrived stone in the yard as well."

Elder Liu glared.

"Holy Son—those fragments combined must weigh at least seventy or eighty thousand jin of Yuan—"

"Keep accounts."

Su Ye spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Cut out the good stuff and then return it."

Elder Liu:

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi covered her mouth and laughed.

Yao Jin sighed, rubbing her forehead.

This holy son is becoming less and less like an outsider to Adam.

After half a cup of tea.

The golden light emanating from the stone-cutting chamber never stopped.

The second stone yielded a fist-sized piece of divine source, crystal clear like amber, with a drop of uncongealed life essence sealed inside, worth at least 60,000 jin of source.

"This divine source is of extremely high quality."

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi took the divine source and examined it carefully, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes.

"If the Holy Son were to take it to an auction house, 60,000 catties of Origin would only be the starting price."

The third stone yielded a palm-sized piece of Nine Heavens Azure Jade, its texture warm and smooth like water, with a sky-blue spiritual light flowing within.

"Another Saint-level divine material."

Yao Jin accepted the divine jade and nodded repeatedly.

The fourth stone —

Elder Liu stopped cutting halfway through.

The knife hovered half an inch above the stone skin, and the man froze on the spot, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

There was no golden light or primordial energy in the crack in the stone.

There was no light at all.

Yet a faint, oppressive aura emanated from the crack.

Elder Liu's hand holding the knife began to tremble.

"Holy Son—"

"There's something in here—"

Tu's lips trembled violently.

"It's alive."

Yao Jin's expression changed, and she stepped forward to block Su Ye and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi from behind her transformation.

The aura of the second level of Sendai was fully released, and the array patterns in the entire stone-cutting chamber lit up at the same time.

"Alive?"

A hint of surprise flashed in the voice of the Holy Maiden of Yaochi.

It has been sealed inside the almanac for countless millennia, yet it is still alive.

What could that be?

Su Ye's gaze passed over Yao Jin and landed on the stone that had only been cut once.

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