Chapter 26

Zhu Ganglie faintly sneered and stored away the Great Vajra Godly Technique.

Although this technique was profound, it was not a method for immortality and could only be cultivated to the level of a relic. It was of no benefit to him, and he couldn't afford to be distracted by such side techniques.

"This Green Yang Lamp is indeed a fine treasure, having been refined to the ninth level. It's just one step away from condensing its spirit and becoming a magical treasure."

Zhu Ganglie played with the ancient Green Yang Lamp. The lamp was about six inches in size, simple and unadorned. If not for using spiritual energy to investigate, one might really think it was just an ordinary green lamp in a temple.

"Pity. Although this lamp is good, it has been refined to the ninth level using Buddhist techniques, which I cannot use. Unless I break these restrictions or specialize in Buddhist techniques, it's useless. Moreover, it doesn't even have a wick, so it can't even be used as an ordinary lamp."

Zhu Ganglie sighed in regret and stored the ancient Green Yang Lamp in the Primordial Yang Ruler, then urged the Pagoda Warhorse to cross the vast grassland.

Taking advantage of the night, Zhu Ganglie pushed the Pagoda Warhorse to its limits to avoid any unexpected encounters that might disrupt his journey.

After six days of continuous travel, Zhu Ganglie left the grassland and truly entered the Thunder Marsh. Before entering the Thunder Marsh, he found a cave to fully cultivate the ninth spirit force and bring his Out-of-Body cultivation to its peak before venturing into this extremely dangerous place.

Fortunately, during these few days of full cultivation of the Great Yin Qi Refinement Technique, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, his divine soul grew stronger, and his soul power became extremely surging. After three days of full cultivation, he finally cultivated the ninth spirit force.

After cultivating the ninth spirit force, Zhu Ganglie could now calmly nourish his divine soul, continuously strengthening it until he could break through to the Manifestation Realm.

Once he reached the Manifestation Realm, his divine soul could be visible to mortals, and his spirit force would transform into magical power, allowing him to borrow the power of heaven and earth to condense a form, thus greatly increasing his combat power.

At this time, Zhu Ganglie calmly nourished his divine soul. By the sixth day, he had replenished his damaged soul power and strengthened his divine soul, then left the cave.

"Screech!"

Just as he stepped out of the cave, a black shadow suddenly pounced, opening a huge mouth to bite Zhu Ganglie, swallowing even the large cave entrance.

In an instant, Zhu Ganglie instantly entered the Sealing God Tower, which transformed into a grain-sized piece embedded in the giant beast's tooth.

"What a beast, to swallow me into its belly, damn it!"

Zhu Ganglie now understood that he had been bitten by some beast along with the cave entrance, and he was extremely angry.

At that moment, his figure flickered, and the Sealing God Tower was about to transform into a white jade demon to split open the giant beast's head and break out.

"You beast, why are you running around? The Great King of the Southern Mountain is holding a Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi Feast. Quickly take me to the Southern Mountain."

At that moment, a deep and aged voice came, and the giant beast immediately became obedient, its huge body moving quickly.

Sensing this, Zhu Ganglie calmed his mind, using the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf to hide his aura and wait for the right moment. After all, he was not very familiar with the giant beast or the sudden arrival of the Qi Cultivator, so it was better to be cautious.

After a period of rapid movement, half a day later, Zhu Ganglie felt the giant beast stop. The old man on the giant beast seemed to have disappeared.

A moment later, Zhu Ganglie sent out a spirit force to investigate and found that the giant beast was a huge fire-red scorpion.

The scorpion was as large as a mountain, its entire body a fire-red color, giving a glass-like appearance. Its huge scorpion tail gently swayed, creating a terrifying feeling.

At this moment, the giant scorpion lay at the foot of the mountain, half-asleep.

"Humph!"

At this moment, Zhu Ganglie sneered coldly. This was the perfect time to eliminate this beast and vent his anger. The Heavenly Sword Pill transformed into a sword light, directly piercing through the giant scorpion's head. Before the giant scorpion could scream, the Sealing God Tower absorbed its divine soul, turning it into a talisman.

After obtaining this talisman, Zhu Ganglie began to question the giant scorpion and soon learned the general situation.

This giant scorpion was called the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion, inheriting the bloodline of some ancient giant beast, growing to a size as large as three elephants.

Moreover, its entire body was filled with fire poison. Even a Golden Core expert would suffer unbearable pain if stung, and those with weaker power might even lose their physical body.

However, although the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion was a rare species, its intelligence was only at the level of a three-year-old child. It had been tamed by a great demon and became his mount.

As for what this great demon was, the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion did not know, only that it was called Lingxu Zi.

Other than that, it knew very little, even the little it knew was from following the great demon for a long time.

Zhu Ganglie did not abandon the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion's body. Its shell was as hard as iron and filled with fire poison, making it an excellent material for forging.

After storing the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion, Zhu Ganglie used the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf to hide his figure and quietly entered a cave in the Southern Mountain.

At the entrance of the cave, there were countless small demons that had not fully transformed, each holding an iron spear, standing straight, creating a formidable atmosphere.

Following the cave entrance, he entered a vast stone hall where a large demon with a leopard head and a human body, towering and robust, sat.

On both sides of the hall, two large demons sat, both in human form but dressed differently. One was dressed as a Taoist, and the other as a monk.

Zhu Ganglie glanced at the four of them, his eyes showing a hint of shock. These three large demons were actually at the Possession Realm, equivalent to the level of the three elders of the True Gang Sect and the old Taoist of Ma Mountain.

In shock, Zhu Ganglie looked at the old Taoist wrapped in a gray Taoist robe, with a sinister expression. This old Taoist was the owner of the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion, Lingxu Zi.

Zhu Ganglie held his breath, the leopard-headed one must be the Great King of the Southern Mountain.

If he let out even a hint of his aura, he would be discovered, and with three Possession Realm experts, he would be in grave danger.

"Brothers, I recently obtained a heavenly treasure, the Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi. This Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi grows one leaf per year, and after a thousand years, it will have a thousand leaves and slowly produce a Lingzhi.

Taking it will certainly make our cultivation more profound and purify our demon power, giving us hope to advance to the Unity Realm.

However, I want to exchange this Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi for some treasures from my brothers."

The Great King of the Southern Mountain glanced at the four people below, not beating around the bush, and said, holding a huge Lingzhi that looked like it was made of purple gold, emitting an aroma that made everyone's expressions change.

This Lingzhi had a thousand layers, each layer forming a complete Lingzhi, hence it was called the Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi.

Zhu Ganglie, smelling the aroma, felt his divine soul grow stronger, as if it had become more full. He couldn't help but think, "What a treasure. If I get this, I can easily break through the Out-of-Body Realm and reach the Manifestation Realm."

The other people's expressions also changed slightly, their eyes showing shock.

"May I ask what the Great King of the Southern Mountain wants in exchange?"

A large demon dressed as a monk stood up and smiled.

"Ha ha, we great demons have reached this point through our own luck and long lives, but we lack a complete lineage, not even as good as some minor sects.

I spent hundreds of years and accidentally swallowed a spiritual plant to reach my current realm, unlike the two of you who received guidance from immortals.

My current weapon is entirely nourished by my demon qi and doesn't even count as a magical tool."

At this point, the Great King of the Southern Mountain's eyes gleamed, and he smiled, glancing at the four people below: "I know that Scholar Te once listened to the teachings of Master Zhenkong on Wutai Mountain and learned a technique called the Iron Bone Great Hand Seal. And Daoist Lingxu Zi received a lineage from a minor immortal, not only reaching the Possession Realm but also absorbing several magical powers and learning the method to refine magical tools.

I am not greedy and am willing to exchange this Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi for the pure iron seal refined by Scholar Te using Buddhist techniques and the Small Cloud Prohibition techniques of Daoist Lingxu Zi."

"Very well!"

After a moment of contemplation, Scholar Te and Daoist Lingxu Zi nodded in agreement. The Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi was a thousand-year-old treasure. Even if it didn't increase power, consuming it could extend one's lifespan by sixty years, giving hope to reach the Golden Core Realm.

So the attraction to the three of them was significant.

Scholar Te flicked his wrist, and a palm-sized iron seal appeared, emitting a black aura. Daoist Lingxu Zi flicked his wrist, and a talisman floated in front of him.

The Great King of the Southern Mountain didn't dilly-dally, emitting a beam of light to divide the Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi into three parts, sending two parts to the two of them.

Seeing this, Zhu Ganglie's eyes heated up, thinking it was an opportunity.

This was the time to make a bold move. Once he grabbed the Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi, he would immediately hide and escape, perhaps having a chance to survive.

After all, cultivation was extremely difficult, and no one knew when they could break through to the Manifestation Realm. Some people spent decades or even several decades at this stage.

He suddenly moved, grabbing the two parts of the Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi, totaling six hundred leaves.

"Who is it?"

"Bold!"

"Despicable!"

In an instant, the three great demons roared in anger. In the midst of their roars, Zhu Ganglie flicked his wrist, and two Sealing God Talismans transformed into the Fire Cloud Poison Scorpion and a black dragon, one burrowing underground and the other flying into the sky, escaping.

This made Scholar Te and Daoist Lingxu Zi quickly retrieve their treasures and talismans and chase after him, but the Great King of the Southern Mountain smiled coldly and waved his hand, a rolling black cloud sealing the entire cave.