Dao Ancestor Hongjun held the Jade Plate of Creation, sending a streak of cyan light into it. Instantly, an abstruse rune materialized, inscribed with fragmented Dao scriptures. Dao Ancestor Hongjun stared at these scriptures, his brows deeply locked.
"The three corpses of the future have actually escaped the cage of Destiny! Just who helped him escape? Shenni? He lacks the qualifications." Dao Ancestor Hongjun's expression was grim.
Had Luohou heard Dao Ancestor Hongjun's words, he surely would have deduced certain matters—such as the future tribulation. Had Luohou not formed a sworn brotherhood with Ancestor Cangtian, Ancestor Cangtian would inevitably have fallen victim to Dao Ancestor Hongjun's schemes.
Furthermore, the three individuals who fought Luohou alongside Dao Ancestor Hongjun were all destined to be plotted against. These people were fated to become Dao Ancestor Hongjun's three corpses. Yet, rumor had it that Ancestor Yangmei would also assist Dao Ancestor Hongjun; given Ancestor Yangmei's power, Dao Ancestor Hongjun should not have been able to scheme against him.
"Could it be that anomaly?" Murderous intent flashed in Dao Ancestor Hongjun's eyes.
Dao Ancestor Hongjun once again attempted a divination to divine the anomaly, but the result remained identical to last time: a blurred void, utterly devoid of any discernible revelation.
"The ferocious beasts plunge the world into chaos and wreak havoc across Honghuang; they deserve to have their entire race exterminated. It seems I, too, must walk the world for a time." Dao Ancestor Hongjun's murderous words were bone-chilling.
Clearly, unable to pinpoint the location of the anomaly, Dao Ancestor Hongjun could only vent his wrath upon the ferocious beasts. Misfortune was about to befall them; no group of ferocious beasts could possibly withstand a supreme expert wielding the Jade Plate of Creation, suspending the Taiji Diagram above his head, and holding the Pangu Banner in his hand.
One thing Luohou had guessed correctly: Dao Ancestor Hongjun possessed far too many spiritual treasures. Every spiritual treasure he wielded was a Xiantian supreme treasure, with not even a single Top-Grade Xiantian Spirit Treasure among them. This was true wealth—he was literally armed to the teeth with Xiantian supreme treasures.
Shenni in the northern reaches of Honghuang was still oblivious that, because of Luohou, Dao Ancestor Hongjun was marching northward with boundless fury, intent on slaughtering the entire ferocious beast race.
Even Luohou himself had not anticipated this. Besides, Luohou cared nothing for such matters; his current priority was to refine the Four Swords of Immortal-Slaying and the Executing Immortal Sword array diagram.
Luohou had already announced secluded closed-door cultivation. With Mount Sumeru under the stewardship of Ancestor Cangtian, there naturally would be no major upheavals, giving Luohou complete peace of mind.
Inside the secret realm of the Zizai Palace, the Nine Nether Demonic Flames burned fiercely, their searing heat seemingly capable of scorching space itself.
In Honghuang, four types of flames reigned supreme: the True Fire of the Sun, the Nine Nether Demonic Flames, the South-Sea Astral Flame, and the Nirvana Flame. While the Nirvana Flame possessed no destructive power, it contained endless creation and could grant rebirth through nirvana.
The Nine Nether Demonic Flames were controlled entirely by Luohou. One might say they were flames born from the Primordial Demonic Scripture; anyone who cultivated the Primordial Demonic Scripture to the Daluo Golden Immortal realm would naturally engender the Nine Nether Demonic Flames.
Retrieving the crystal dragon's Dragon Pearl, Luohou inspected it. If he threw it into the Nine Nether Demonic Flames, Aozheng's future foundation would be damaged. Unless Luohou could obtain Zulong's Dragon Pearl and bestow it upon Aozheng, Aozheng's future achievements would remain capped.
Even though Aozheng cultivated a body-refining technique, it would be of no avail; his potential would still be restricted.
"I must properly scheme during the upcoming Dragon-Han Tribulation; Zulong's Dragon Pearl must be acquired." Thinking to himself, Luohou tossed the Dragon Pearl into the Nine Nether Demonic Flames.
The very instant the Dragon Pearl entered the Nine Nether Demonic Flames, Aozheng, who was inside the Zizai Palace, felt as though his entire body were being scorched by fire, bringing excruciating agony.
"Awoo..." With a miserable howl, Aozheng transformed into his true form—a thousand-zhang crystal dragon that soared out of the Zizai Palace, twisting in agony amidst the sea of clouds.
Ancestor Cangtian, Qiqing, and Liu Yu all stepped out of the Zizai Palace. Seeing Aozheng's agonizing state and the faint flames flickering across his body, they grew somewhat anxious.
Knowing that Aozheng was Luohou's mount, Ancestor Cangtian naturally could not let him come to harm. He hurriedly flew up into the clouds and looked down at Aozheng. "What has happened to you, Aozheng?"
"Ancestor, do not worry. Little dragon is attempting a breakthrough to the sixth revolution, hence my body feels as though it is being scorched by fire. It will pass shortly." Aozheng naturally knew the reason for his torment; Luohou must have been using his Dragon Pearl to refine a magical treasure.
Yet Luohou had given him a heads-up beforehand. If he could endure this trial, he would definitely break through to the sixth revolution of the Demonic Scripture of Nine Revolutions, which was the peak Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.
Ancestor Cangtian nodded and descended from the clouds. He was powerless to assist with such a breakthrough; he could only watch as Aozheng endured the ordeal.
After an unknown length of time, Aozheng let out a dragon roar. His dragonmight surged violently, and dazzling flames erupted from his body. Miraculously, his dragon form began to turn black, transforming the originally crystalline dragon into a pitch-black dragon.
Furthermore, the Nine Nether Demonic Flames emanated from Aozheng's dragon body, and even his breath carried flickers of the Nine Nether Demonic Flames.
Aozheng's body grew once more, expanding from a thousand zhang to five thousand zhang, successfully reaching the sixth revolution of the Demonic Scripture of Nine Revolutions and attaining the Peak Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.
However, Aozheng also realized that his potential was exhausted. Without obtaining a Dragon Pearl, he would have zero possibility of stepping into the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm—the seventh revolution.
Seeing Aozheng complete his breakthrough, Ancestor Cangtian, Qiqing, and Liu Yu all approached to offer their sincere congratulations.
Inside the secret realm, Luohou watched as the Dragon Pearl melted into crystal-clear liquid, a smile touching his lips. He had initially worried that the Nine Nether Demonic Flames might fail to refine the crystal dragon's Dragon Pearl, but now it appeared his worries had been entirely redundant.
"The Dragon Pearl has successfully liquefied; Aozheng must have succeeded as well," Luohou murmured to himself.
Three rare treasures of heaven and earth that existed outside the Five Elements—Four-Image Crystal, Immortal-Slaying Jade, and Five-Color Stone—appeared in Luohou's palm. Though none were large—merely the size of a palm—each was a precious Xiantian artifact.
The Four-Image Crystal would form the diagram, while the Immortal-Slaying Jade and the Five-Color Stone would fuse with the liquefied crystal dragon's Dragon Pearl to synthesize four divine swords. Such was Luohou's vision. Without delay, he tossed these treasures into the Nine Nether Demonic Flames.
This artifact refinement differed from ordinary ones. He was merely crafting the embryonic forms; as for array formations and the like, he did not need to engrave them. Even if asked, Luohou wouldn't know how, for he lacked the Executing Immortal Sword array diagram—let alone the ability to carve it.
Once the embryonic forms were successfully refined and deposited within the earth of Mount Sumeru, heaven and earth themselves would assist Luohou in nurturing them. For the Four Swords of Immortal-Slaying and the Executing Immortal Sword array diagram were supreme treasures destined to emerge in accordance with the grand trend of Honghuang.
The Five-Color Stone was the easiest to refine. In just a few years, it was completely liquefied. Meanwhile, both the Four-Image Crystal and the Immortal-Slaying Jade were hard materials—though inferior to Chaos rock, they fell only slightly short.
Luohou manipulated the Nine Nether Demonic Flames, channeling their might to focus entirely upon the Immortal-Slaying Jade and the Four-Image Crystal. Once these two treasures were refined, the embryonic forms could be synthesized, and Luohou's task would be complete.