Chapter 185
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Chapter 185: Baxiang! Saint
Liu Feijue’s own companions had turned on him.
This outcome once again exceeded Zhang Yang’s expectations.
But soon, he understood.
It was simple.
They wanted to survive.
For outsiders, being part of the Liu Family meant being treated as mere servants and lackeys.
Zhang Yang had experienced this firsthand in Mo City, where the Liu Family saw others as less than human—a mindset that was utterly repulsive.
When Liu Feijue’s subordinates saw him captured, they had fled without hesitation, knowing that if Liu Feijue ever returned, he would surely execute them.
So, to save their own lives, they killed him.
It didn’t matter whether they framed Zhang Yang or blamed his death on the dangers of the Daybreak Phoenix Ruins—as long as they could ensure their own survival, nothing else mattered.
Zhang Yang couldn’t help but sigh.
“Life… Human nature…”
Once again, he felt the cruel truth of the world.
He picked up Liu Feijue’s storage bag and opened it to inspect its contents.
There were some valuable items, but not many.
This was clear proof that Liu Feijue’s status within the Liu Family had plummeted—he was no longer the untouchable young master he had once been.
Shaking his head, Zhang Yang casually tossed the storage bag to Flower Phantom, then turned his attention to the blood-red grove ahead.
Flower Phantom was momentarily stunned.
Although Zhang Yang seemed indifferent, Liu Feijue’s storage bag contained numerous treasures, some of considerable value—yet he had simply given it to her without a second thought.
In that moment of dazed realization, Flower Phantom felt a warm, comforting sensation rise within her.
This feeling was completely different from the cold, merciless world she had once known in the Underworld Assassin Organization.
It reminded her of who she had been before she was captured and forced into that life.
Her gaze toward Zhang Yang grew even more resolute.
But Zhang Yang had already shifted his focus to the blood-red grove.
The Liu Family had risen from merchants, and even though they had become the foremost family in the Southern Region, they could never truly abandon their mercantile nature.
Merchants prioritized profit above all else.
Anything that caught their attention would undoubtedly be of significant value.
Yet, despite this, the blood-red grove gave Zhang Yang an intensely negative feeling—almost a deep-seated loathing.
Perhaps it was due to his advancement to the Ascending to Heaven realm, or the reshaping of his body, but his senses had become sharper, especially his instincts.
After observing the grove for a moment, Zhang Yang unleashed his Baxiang Power.
In an instant, the Baxiang Divine Fire roared to life, spreading from beneath his feet and swiftly engulfing the blood-red grove.
He intended to burn it all down.
The Baxiang Divine Fire was a flame that could incinerate anything—its terrifying power was especially effective against wood.
Under the raging flames, the blood-red trees were quickly consumed.
As the trees burned away, blood-red sword energy emerged in their place.
This transformation startled both Zhang Yang and Flower Phantom.
The blade-like aura emanating from the blood-red sword energy was truly terrifying.
Moreover, the moment it appeared, it flickered and severed strands of Baxiang Divine Fire.
"How intriguing. The blood tree was merely a facade," Zhang Yang mused.
"I must see what lies hidden here."
He stomped his foot, causing the Nine Extremes True Essence to surge, unleashing the Slaughter Thunder Power at seventy percent of his strength.
With a thunderous roar, bolts of killing thunder erupted from beneath him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The killing thunder struck the sword energy but failed to shatter it. Instead, the energy became even more chaotic and wildly scattered.
"Retreat!" Zhang Yang commanded.
He and Flower Phantom swiftly withdrew more than twenty meters.
The blood-red sword energy, though unbroken, clearly weakened once it left the ground.
Flower Phantom furrowed her delicate brows and murmured, "This seems to be some kind of sword path sealing technique from the Demon Sword Forbidden Area."
"Demon Sword Forbidden Area!"
Zhang Yang recalled that in the Southern Region, the most renowned sword path was undoubtedly the one belonging to the Demon Sword Forbidden Area. Since its inception, this forbidden land had been dedicated to sword path training, possessing various profound methods far beyond ordinary capabilities.
"During the War of the Saints, the Demon Sword Forbidden Area stood alongside the Ghostly Divine Platform," he remembered.
Flower Phantom added, "The Saint-level forces that have existed in the Southern Region for over a thousand years are all affiliated with the Ghostly Divine Platform."
The two exchanged cold glances.
After a full hour, the blood-red sword energy finally dissipated.
Then, the ground gradually revealed a pattern, transitioning from blurry to clear over the course of half an hour.
When it was fully visible, Zhang Yang’s eyes lit up.
Flower Phantom exclaimed, "Baxiang Diagram!"
Baxiang, one of the Nine Offspring of the Dragon, was naturally a bearer of immense power and was recognized as one of the strongest forces among all living beings in ancient times.
Zhang Yang possessed Baxiang Power, but it was incomplete, leaving a significant gap before achieving true mastery. Even so, Baxiang Power remained one of the top ten divine abilities he controlled, surpassing even Xuanwu Soul Power, as Xuanwu was not a power-oriented divine beast.
As the Baxiang Diagram fully manifested, an overwhelming sense of desolation, grandeur, and ancientness filled the air.
An ancient voice, filled with helplessness, bitterness, and sorrow, echoed:
"A transformation in death ultimately ends in failure."
As the Baxiang Diagram began to fade, Zhang Yang immediately held his breath, cleared his mind, and steadied his heart to observe.
After reshaping his body, his Five Senses and Six Perceptions, along with his comprehension, talent, potential, and Roots, had already undergone significant evolution.
With his mastery of Baxiang Power, he found immense aid in comprehending the Baxiang Diagram.
Thus, he did not waste time and swiftly grasped the mysteries within the diagram, as if he were witnessing the true Baxiang before him.
Consequently, Baxiang Power was refined, elevated, and strengthened.
Flower Phantom watched with bated breath; it was a race against time.
Before the Baxiang Diagram vanished, how much Zhang Yang could comprehend depended entirely on his own ability to understand.
After a moment, when only a scattered third of the Baxiang Diagram remained, Zhang Yang exhaled deeply and slightly closed his eyes.
Flower Phantom was overjoyed; this signified his success.
Upon glancing at the Baxiang Diagram once more, she couldn’t help but marvel at Zhang Yang’s extraordinary comprehension ability.
After a short while, Zhang Yang opened his eyes, and a smile graced his face.
He had successfully perfected Baxiang Power.
"What a formidable and unrivaled Baxiang Power!"
"There are thousands of soul power martial arts techniques in the world, and now Baxiang Power could easily rank within the top five—perhaps even the top three—completely surpassing other divine powers."
"This enhancement of power alone will significantly boost my killing force."
"One single force can drive the combined strength of all divine powers."
How could he not be elated?
After his initial joy, he gazed toward the vanishing Baxiang Diagram, puzzled. Could it be that the sword path sealing technique from the Demon Sword Forbidden Area had only served to seal this Baxiang Diagram? That seemed rather pointless; the Daybreak Phoenix Ruins had been open to outsiders for years, yet no one from the Demon Sword Forbidden Area had come to claim anything.
The Baxiang Diagram finally disappeared completely.
Yet, streams of light began to emerge from the ground.
These lights gathered together, forming an old man with white hair and a beard, his face etched with deep, intersecting wrinkles.
The old man looked at Zhang Yang and said, "I am the Saint of the Thousand Stars Tortoise, and I am about to pass away. Do you wish to become my disciple and inherit my legacy?"
He did not inquire about Zhang Yang’s identity or conduct any tests. His direct approach revealed the urgency of his situation; he might vanish at any moment.
Although Zhang Yang had never heard of the Thousand Stars Tortoise, he recognized that this must be a Beast that had attained sainthood—its true form being the Thousand Stars Tortoise.
"Though I am a sacred beast, the holy law and path I mastered are derived from the Dragon Ancestor, Baxiang, allowing humanity to control it perfectly," the Thousand Stars Tortoise continued.
Zhang Yang shook his head.
The Thousand Stars Tortoise frowned and said, "Although I did not transform into the foundation of the Baxiang Ancestor while alive, after my passing, I achieved inner sublimation, mastering some of the wonders of the Baxiang Ancestor. If you become my disciple, you will surely become the strongest saint in the world."
Zhang Yang still shook his head.
The Thousand Stars Tortoise’s displeasure deepened. Even as he faced his impending end, the proud sacred beast felt insulted by the repeated rejections. However, remembering his dire circumstances, he swallowed his anger and spoke again: "This last fragment of my soul light can transform into Baxiang soul light, granting you a portion of the Baxiang bloodline. If you work hard, you might one day attain a complete Baxiang bloodline and become a saint. Will you become my disciple?"
Zhang Yang shook his head once more.
Now, the Thousand Stars Tortoise was furious. "Even as I am about to depart this world, I remain a saint, possessing the unparalleled wonders of Baxiang in the Southern Region. You dare to refuse me multiple times—such arrogance! Do you realize that if I had more time, I wouldn’t be seeking a mere human as my disciple? You are truly ungrateful. Tell me why!"
Zhang Yang could only reply, "I fear you will taint my bloodline. I fear you will pollute my martial arts."
The Thousand Stars Tortoise exploded with rage. "What? You dare to disrespect my saint path? Disrespect the Baxiang bloodline? Human, you have angered me!"
