Chapter Thirty-Two: Weak Water Is Not Water

True Martial Grand Seal!

After devouring a true dragon, the True Martial Grand Seal grew even more powerful.

The thirty-two stone towers that emerged from the void transformed in an instant into thirty-two divine beings.

The three individuals who tried to flee were forcibly retained by him.

The might of the True Martial Grand Seal surged, causing the bodies of the three to collapse instantly, leaving only a spark of indestructible spirit and their drifting outer realms.

Within the outer realms of these three, countless rare treasures and wondrous materials shimmered, dazzling with their brilliance and fortune.

Of the eight true dragons remaining in Jiang Xuan’s seal, seven awakened and rushed into the outer realms of the three, wreaking havoc. The true dragon on his own body did likewise.

These true dragons pillaged the outer realms clean, not sparing even the ground itself, devouring innate energy and sweeping up countless treasures before returning to the seal.

“Could this be his outer realm?” Xu Zhong glanced at the seal hanging from Jiang Xuan’s waist, pondering.

“Let me see what memories you hold within.” Jiang Xuan, retracting his celestial power, held three clusters of indestructible spirit in his hand.

He reached out, plucking several luminous spheres from the spirit clusters, each resembling a glass orb.

A gentle squeeze shattered them.

Countless fragments formed scenes—these were the memories of the fallen.

The World Tree!

Their memories could not capture the entirety of the World Tree’s form.

Beneath the World Tree, palaces stood in rows and the people lived in peace.

Within the tree itself, divine beings resided.

Periodically, they would dispatch four guardians from the World Tree to seek out invading demon gods and cultivators beyond its borders, slay them, and seize their outer realms.

This group had been designated as guardians by the divine beings a century ago.

In that hundred years, they had delivered three outer realms to the World Tree.

This time, their target was Jiang Xuan’s outer realm.

As before, they first sent forth the gluttonous beast to test the waters, and then struck after gauging their opponent.

However, they had not anticipated Jiang Xuan splitting his cultivation into nine parts, keeping only one for himself.

After devouring all the true dragons, his cultivation might reach the level of the divine beings atop the World Tree.

Unfortunately, they would never witness it.

“Why kill three and leave one?” Xu Zhong eyed the young man lying motionless on the ground.

Having digested their memories, Jiang Xuan approached the youth.

A cluster of Samadhi True Fire sprang from his fingertip, pointing at the young man’s brow.

In a flash, the True Fire penetrated the youth’s body.

Moments later, his flesh and bones were completely incinerated, leaving only an intact human skin.

Jiang Xuan donned the skin, transforming into the youth’s likeness.

In the next instant, he perfectly mimicked the youth’s aura and demeanor—the lofty pride and disdain so convincing that Xu Zhong almost believed Jiang Xuan had been possessed.

“Now, we have an identity to enter the World Tree.” In his hand appeared the youth’s outer realm.

Its indestructible spirit was imprisoned within the inner sun.

Reflected in reality, it was confined within Jiang Xuan’s left eye.

The Yuan Yang Sword ultimately returned to Xu Zhong’s hand.

“Follow me!” The words were not directed to Xu Zhong.

As if receiving an imperial command, the four mounts rolled up from the ground, resuming their appointed roles.

Jiang Xuan seated himself upon the gluttonous beast.

The beast let out a muffled sound.

Jiang Xuan’s weight was far less than that of the True Martial Emperor.

Yet it had not served as anyone’s mount for thirty thousand years.

Xu Zhong took his place upon Chaos.

Chaos’s body was soft and comfortable.

“How does Chaos know which direction to go?” Xu Zhong wondered.

Chaos possessed seven orifices.

But these were mere decoration, serving no purpose.

Its eyes could not see.

Its ears could not hear.

Its nose could not smell.

Even its organs were absent, save for a single intestine and a windpipe.

Chaos’s severed wings grew anew—black, featherless, yet able to propel its massive, mountain-like body.

Xu Zhong pondered long, but found no answer.

Seated atop Chaos, he took out the blood jade of the gluttonous beast.

Jiang Xuan, seeing this, plucked a blossom of Samadhi True Fire.

“The blood jade harbors chaotic thoughts, which will take root in your body as you absorb it. Over time, you’ll become as dull as that beast.” Jiang Xuan smiled. “So, burn it in the Samadhi True Fire.”

“Cleanse its stray thoughts thoroughly before consuming it.”

Xu Zhong nodded eagerly.

Samadhi True Fire, palm-sized, burned before him.

He tossed the blood jade into the flames.

The jade, originally as large as a head, shrank to the size of a fist.

He burned a piece, then ate a piece.

On his tongue, the jade dissolved instantly, rushing down his throat as a torrent, diffusing into vast spiritual energy.

The apertures within Xu Zhong awakened, each tiny Xu Zhong manipulating the energy.

His lungs were being filled with spiritual energy.

The grinding mill within him spun ever faster.

His breathing grew ever more robust.

With a thought, the air he inhaled was stripped of moisture, forming a clear spring that flowed in his mouth.

In the next instant, the spring transformed into essence, replenishing the loss of vital energy within.

Xu Zhong achieved the art of fasting.

He had completely unlocked the Golden Solar Vault.

Now, he aspired to open the Wood Solar Vault.

His cultivation followed the path of mutual restraint.

Fire conquers metal, metal conquers wood.

Thus, it was time to unlock the Wood Solar Vault.

The Wood Solar Vault corresponds to the liver.

Vitality hides within.

Xu Zhong recalled the breathing technique from “Stellar Cycle.”

With his widening experience, his understanding of cultivation deepened rapidly.

Moments later, he had memorized the method for opening the Wood Solar Vault, even discerning its subtleties.

Xu Zhong mobilized his inner spiritual energy.

His apertures shone like stars.

Now, the stars outside the Wood Solar Vault gleamed.

Countless streams of spiritual energy poured into the Wood Solar Vault.

After consuming three pieces of blood jade, everything flowed smoothly.

Xu Zhong opened the Wood Solar Vault.

Vitality coursed through his body.

At this stage, one must integrate vitality into every part of the body.

Or rather, awaken the vitality in every part.

Thus, severed limbs can regenerate.

A drop of blood can sprout plants.

Of course, not all wounds can regrow limbs, nor can his blood nurture all plants.

Xu Zhong focused.

Above the Fire Solar Vault, his lifespan appeared.

His lifespan increased by one hundred and twenty years, totaling two hundred and forty.

In other words, even without cultivation, just by eating and drinking, he could live two hundred and forty years.

“Indeed, the Wood Solar Vault’s vitality is greatest, and the increase in lifespan is most significant.” Xu Zhong sighed.

He ceased eating.

Only when vitality permeates the entire body can he qualify to break through to the next realm.

Just as he was consolidating his cultivation, Chaos halted.

“Could it be the World Tree already?” Xu Zhong wondered, doubting it could have been so quick.

When he opened his eyes, he saw before him a shimmering expanse.

A vast lake appeared abruptly.

Boundless, endless.

In the distance, the outline of the World Tree became clearer; Xu Zhong could even glimpse the verdant crown.

“It’s Weak Water!” Azure Dragon’s voice sounded in his ear.

“Three thousand miles of Weak Water—feathers will not float, humans cannot cross!” Azure Dragon declared.

Weak Water stretched wide, three thousand miles of untraversable expanse.

This Weak Water divided the entire Dragon City Paradise in two.

“How shall we cross?” Xu Zhong asked.

“We must let the god of Weak Water ferry us across.”

Jiang Xuan leapt from the gluttonous beast.

He stood by the water, performing the art of summoning gods.

The higher the cultivation, the stronger the gods one can summon.

Three true dragons merged into Jiang Xuan’s body.

He slapped his palm downward.

Weak Water rippled, circles spreading across its surface.

From the ripples, a prow appeared.

Finally, a water turtle emerged.

The turtle carried a small boat on its back, barrel-sized eyes glancing at Jiang Xuan, speaking in a deep, muffled voice: “Please board. I shall ferry you across the Weak Water River.”

With a flourish of his sleeve, Jiang Xuan shrank the beasts to palm size, while Xu Zhong was swept onto the boat by a gust of wind.

Once steady, he found himself aboard the turtle’s boat.

The turtle began swimming steadily toward the World Tree.

“Are you two bound for Jade Capital?” the turtle asked.

Heaven’s Jade Capital—twelve towers, five cities!

This refers to the immortal realm.

But the turtle meant the World Tree.

“Yes!” Jiang Xuan nodded.

In Dragon City Paradise, all beings called the world formed by the World Tree Jade Capital.

In this ruined world, the existence of that pure land could indeed be considered immortal.

“I wish I could go to Jade Capital, but I am a demon god. Jade Capital does not welcome demon gods,” the turtle said, crestfallen.

Jiang Xuan smiled without reply.

Xu Zhong felt uneasy; it seemed they were endlessly circling, never moving forward.

He tugged Jiang Xuan’s robe.

Jiang Xuan finally stood, as if suddenly realizing.

“I’ve heard that the gods of Weak Water are all former pirates, who most love to halt their boats midriver, devour their passengers, and then sink into the water,” Jiang Xuan joked. “I trust you would not do such a thing?”

“You humans know quite a lot!” The turtle laughed, turning his head. “But you are mistaken.”

“We are not pirates,” the turtle shook his head. “Pirates love to kill and plunder. We prefer to let the passengers enter our mouths of their own accord.”

With that, it opened its mouth.

“Oh, is that so?”

Jiang Xuan had barely finished speaking when the boat began to sink.

Sinking into Weak Water was no good.

But with Jiang Xuan nearby, calm and untroubled, Xu Zhong was reassured.

“I’ve also heard, making a boat from the god of Weak Water’s shell will let you sail atop it. I’ve never known if the rumor is true.”

“Hmph!” The turtle snorted. “Human, do you think you can survive?”

“If I eat your flesh, your soul returns to the cycle. But if you enter Weak Water, your soul dissipates within, unable to reincarnate. So—”

“So!” Jiang Xuan interrupted, “So, I shall borrow your divine fate!”

He drew his treasured blade.

Moments later, blood stained the Weak Water.

Upon its surface, only a turtle shell floated.