Chapter 288 : The Gaze of All Kings

Chapter 288: The Gaze of All Kings

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

No words were needed. At the instant the barrier dissipated, dozens of escape lights streaked across the sky like meteors chasing the moon, racing one another toward the mist-veiled mountain path.

Among the river of lights, the one that shone brightest and carried the greatest might was a sword light in the lead.

‘Sword cultivator Mo Qingshuang of Azure-Mystic Sect?’

With just a glance at Mo Qingshuang stepping on her flying sword and vanishing in an instant, Chen Beiwu took a step forward and activated Wave-Stepping Through the Tide, rushing toward the misty mountain path.

“Buzz—”

The mountain mist surged, quickly swallowing all the figures of the Immortal Sect prodigies.

At the peak of the sea of clouds, five Nascent Soul True Monarchs hovered in the air, ignoring the biting astral winds of the heavens as they gazed deep into the Yuqing Mountains.

“The Five Qi Vine is an innate spiritual root, a branch born from the Primordial Five-Elements Ancestral Tree. I wonder which disciple of this generation will earn its recognition,” said True Monarch Yueshan of Mount-Moving Sect with a sigh.

Back in his day, he too had used the Yuqing Token to brave the Yuqing Mountains, but he had failed to win the Five Qi Vine's approval.

Instead, by sheer coincidence, he had gained the loyalty of a Fifth-Tier Origin Beast—the Prison-Suppressing Yue Turtle—and thus laid the foundation for his Heavenly-Gang Nascent Soul.

“Hard to say. The temperament of this generation’s Five Qi Vine seems a bit peculiar.”

A miniature old turtle suddenly appeared—it was none other than the mountain spirit of Yuqing Mountain.

“Elder Yu, you’ve come as well.” The five True Monarchs bowed slightly, their tone respectful.

The Yuqing Mountains were the foremost blessed land of the Immortal Alliance, its spiritual veins of such high grade that they stood unrivaled even across the Sky Abyss Star.

As the mountain spirit of Yuqing, this tiny old turtle, though comical in appearance, had long reached the realm of True Venerable. Even Nascent Soul True Monarchs paid junior respects before him, not daring the slightest insolence.

The old turtle nodded slightly, casting a glance in the direction where Chen Beiwu and the others had disappeared—as though watching a show.

“May I ask, Elder Yu, in what way is this generation’s Five Qi Vine peculiar?” asked True Monarch Jiang Chuan.

At that, the old turtle shook his head, saying no more.

Seeing this, the True Monarchs exchanged glances and did not press further. Instead, they extended their divine senses toward the Immortal Sect prodigies they each favored.

To subdue a suitable Companion Beast within the Yuqing Mountains was no easy feat.

To avoid their descendants bonding with the wrong people, the Fourth-Realm Beast Kings and Fifth-Realm Beast Sovereigns of Yuqing Mountain might personally appear to test the candidates.

If they happened to encounter a promising prodigy, they could recommend them to their own masters—or take them in as disciples themselves.

...

Outer region of the Yuqing Mountains.

The clouds parted, the mist scattered, and heaven and earth were revealed in full clarity.

Before Chen Beiwu stretched mountain after mountain, peaks rising and falling in layers, a breathtaking scene.

‘As expected of the foremost blessed land of the Immortal Alliance!’

Chen Beiwu took a deep breath, quietly attuning himself to the immense spiritual essence and faint, near-imperceptible Dao Rhythms permeating the Yuqing Mountains.

One must be strong oneself to forge ahead.

Instead of activating any escape technique to catch up with his fellow sect members, Chen Beiwu maintained a calm mindset, venturing deeper into the mountains one step at a time.

He passed cascading waterfalls and flowing springs, paused beneath ancient pines and rugged cliffs, lifted his gaze to the ever-shifting clouds, and sought to comprehend the mysteries of the spiritual essence within the Yuqing Mountains.

In this way, Chen Beiwu seemed to forget his purpose and simply wandered, enjoying the mountains and waters.

An hour later, midway through comprehending the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon, Chen Beiwu felt a surge of insight and drank a drop of Purple Mansion Phase-Congealing Nectar, which greatly enhanced his perception.

With each movement, he seemed to resonate more deeply with heaven and earth, and soon slipped into a state of enlightenment.

“Splash...”

A mighty river surged ahead, with muddy waves roaring.

As Chen Beiwu walked on, a torrential river blocked his path.

His eyes half-closed, still immersed in Dao comprehension, he did not activate any technique to fly but continued forward as if unaware of the river ahead.

“Boom!”

The moment he stepped forward, the rushing waves abruptly stilled.

The turbulent waters, drawn by some unseen force, parted on their own and flowed to either side, revealing a stone path about a zhang wide.

The moss-covered stone path gleamed faintly. Fish and shrimp lay dormant upon it, forming a stark contrast with the surging river on either side.

Chen Beiwu’s robes remained dry, his feet untouched by water, as he walked across the river via the path.

‘Yip!’

Witnessing this, a snow-white fox on the riverbank froze in place. Its round eyes bulged wide in shock, questioning its very beastly existence.

Absurd. Had it fallen into an illusion?

To split the waters without using a shred of mana—what sort of divine being was this!

After a long moment, the fox snapped out of its daze and gave its head a firm knock. With a gust of wind beneath its paws, it turned into a streak of light, shooting toward the depths of the Yuqing Mountains.

Though only a Second-Realm Lesser Beast, this white fox had sharp spiritual senses and exceptional cleverness. It instantly understood why a human cultivator would suddenly appear in Yuqing Mountain.

‘Letting such fortune go to outsiders? Not on my watch! A being like this must belong to us beasts!’

As it darted ahead, the fox calculated rapidly in its heart.

Though it was of the lower ranks in Yuqing Mountain, it knew full well that not only were the prodigies of Yuqing Immortal Sect seeking to contract suitable Companion Beasts...

But deep within the Yuqing Mountains, many offspring of Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts and Fortune-Origin Beasts were also hoping to bond with unmatched prodigies of the Immortal Alliance—to reclaim their ancestral bloodlines, or even surpass them.

Yet such once-in-a-generation prodigies were exceedingly rare, and these mystical beast scions had lofty standards, often looking down upon the ordinary true disciples of Yuqing Immortal Sect.

But today’s blue-robed cultivator was different. Not only was his bearing exceptional and his appearance outstanding, but the Dao Rhythms wafting around him were enough to shake even the hearts of beasts.

Frankly, if not for knowing its own meager bloodline and limited talent, unworthy to become such a prodigy’s Companion Beast, the white fox would have rushed out itself.

Still, it had a way to benefit.

If it could report in time and help facilitate a contract, the credit it earned would surely bring great rewards—enough to promote it to a Third-Realm Beast General.

At that thought, the white fox couldn’t help but activate its mana and pick up speed.

“Whoosh!”

As the white streak zipped past, several Lesser Beasts picking spiritual fruit tilted their heads, puzzled.

Strange—what could have happened?

The white fox charged into a mist-shrouded cave dwelling. Before it could speak, a cool voice echoed forth:

“Panicking like that—what sort of manners are those?”

Sensing the disapproval in the monarch’s tone, the white fox skidded to a halt before the jade steps, rolling into a ball of snow. It immediately bowed low, voice quivering with excitement.

“Reporting to Your Majesty—an unmatched human prodigy has appeared on the mountain!”

“Oh? What sort of unmatched prodigy? Speak.”

The figure upon the throne shifted lazily, her voice still cool and aloof.

A Second-Realm Lesser Beast had little worldly knowledge—how could it understand what truly made one a peerless prodigy?

The Beast King sitting atop the throne only asked out of boredom and didn’t take the fox’s words seriously.

After all, how many “unmatched prodigies” could the world really have?

“That person wore blue robes and entered Dao comprehension within the Yuqing Mountains. Without using any mana, he split the waters of the Northchuan River five zhang wide, revealing the riverbed,” the white fox said, barely able to contain its excitement.

“To make the spirit of Northchuan River part the waters of its own accord... now that’s quite interesting.”

The figure on the throne chuckled lightly, sitting up straighter and revealing her true form.

Her long black hair flowed like a waterfall, its ends tinged with pale violet. Atop her head, a pair of fluffy, pale-violet fox ears twitched gently.

The cave’s glow illuminated her snow-white skin and enchanting features, as well as a lotus-shaped silver ornament hanging at her neck.

Yet what awed the white fox more than anything was the seven pale-violet tails glowing softly behind the monarch.

In the next instant, a bare foot extended from beneath her gauzy robe, its crescent-shaped toes stepping forward—stopping three inches above the ground without touching even a speck of dust.

“Where is this person now? Still by the Northchuan River?” the Beast King Ziyao asked with interest.

As the overlord of Violet Hill, queen of the Mystic Beast race Seven-Tailed Violet Fox, she had a daughter of her own.

If this human prodigy was truly as extraordinary as the white fox claimed, she wouldn’t mind having her daughter contract with him—or even gaining a peerless son-in-law.

Of course, not every Immortal Alliance cultivator was open to human-beast romance.

Should he pass the trial successfully yet reject a marital bond, Beast King Ziyao wouldn’t force the matter but would let it happen naturally.

At her question, the white fox froze.

Damn—it had rushed to report and claim credit, completely forgetting to keep track of the man’s whereabouts.

Seeing the white fox’s expression, Beast King Ziyao felt rather speechless, though she didn’t reprimand her subordinate.

Her territory wasn’t far from the Northchuan River; finding that prodigy would be a simple task.

Thus, the Beast King extended her fingertip and tapped through the air toward the white fox, using it to trace Chen Beiwu’s aura.

“‘I’ve found you.’”

Ziyao’s eyes lit up slightly. Taking her daughter with her, she vanished.

...

The terrain of the Yuqing Mountains was treacherous, with many cliffs and precipices.

Chen Beiwu walked with his eyes half-closed, comprehending the true essence of the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon as he ventured deeper into the mountains.

Before long, yet another ten-thousand-zhang-high cliff blocked his path.

To a Foundation Establishment cultivator, such a cliff was no different from flat ground. Even without using a flying artifact, they could easily soar across with mere Foundation Establishment mana—let alone Chen Beiwu, whose aura rivaled that of a Golden Core True Person.

Yet Chen Beiwu didn’t use a shred of mana. Unaware, he simply took a few steps forward.

“Step!”

“Step!”

“Step!”

The moment his foot was about to plunge into the abyss, clouds and mist descended from the heavens, congealing of their own accord into heavenly steps to aid his path forward.

“‘Clouds and mist pave the way, Dao-sense forms the steps.’”

Witnessing this, many gathered Beast Kings felt their hearts stir.

To draw forth such Dao Rhythms—this youth’s comprehension was simply unimaginable to beasts. To say he had the potential for Divine Transformation was no exaggeration.

Suddenly, a breeze drifted by.

The expressions of the Beast Kings shifted slightly. They turned around, each murmuring inwardly, This is trouble...

“‘Why are all of you gathered here today? Quite the lively scene, isn’t it?’”

Beast King Ziyao smiled gracefully. Her voice, though cool, lacked the seductive charm typical of the fox race—yet it caused the pupils of the gathered Beast Kings to constrict.

In the Yuqing Mountains, a Fourth-Realm Beast King wasn’t considered a major figure.

But this woman’s background was anything but ordinary—even the Fifth-Realm Beast Sovereigns deep within the mountains wouldn’t lightly provoke her.

Under the gazes of the many Beast Kings, a Thunder Roc Beast King gave a light cough and spoke solemnly: “‘My youngest son is about to come of age. It’s time to find him a suitable Companion Contract partner.’”

Beast King Ziyao had backing—but so did he, though slightly inferior. Still, he wouldn’t go so far as to shy away from competing for a fitting partner for his own child.

“‘What a coincidence.’” Ziyao’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the Thunder Roc Beast King, her seven fox tails swaying gently. “‘My Ah Zhi just turned eighteen. She’s at the critical stage of awakening her Seven-Tail bloodline. Yet the girl is picky—unless it’s a peerless prodigy of the Immortal Alliance, with both exceptional talent and appearance, she refuses to form a contract.’”

Upon hearing this, all the Beast Kings except the Thunder Roc quietly stepped back a few paces, hiding their own unremarkable cubs.

The Seven-Tailed Violet Fox and the Golden-Winged Thunder Roc were both renowned Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts.

Compared to the offspring of these two lineages, their own foolish children indeed couldn’t compare.

Still, the matter of forming a Companion Contract depended on fate. If their children caught the right eye, snatching food from a tiger’s mouth wasn’t entirely impossible.

“‘Since that’s the case, why don’t we each rely on our own means?’”

The Thunder Roc Beast King didn’t back down, speaking in a deep voice.

“‘Perfectly suits me.’”

At Ziyao’s reply, all the Beast Kings present exhaled in relief.

To love one’s child is to plan for them far ahead.

These days, peerless prodigies with exceptional temperament, capable of helping their child break through the shackles of bloodline, were exceedingly rare.

Having finally encountered one, how could they resign without trying?

If it truly didn’t work out, there were still other outstanding Immortal Sect prodigies within the Yuqing Mountains to choose from.

As their discussion concluded, not far from where the Beast Kings stood, a ginseng spirit with a silly appearance suddenly vanished.

Only Beast King Ziyao and the Thunder Roc Beast King noticed this anomaly. The two exchanged glances, each showing a hint of surprise.

Given their cultivation, they could naturally tell—the ginseng spirit was not a living being, but a lifeless puppet.

In their minds, the name Thousand-Forms Five Qi Vine surfaced.

“‘Huh?’”

Deep within the Yuqing Mountains, the Five Qi Vine tilted its head, eyes filled with confusion.

So strange—it had thought the gathering of so many Beast Kings meant a rare and precious heavenly treasure had emerged. Who would’ve guessed it was all for a single Immortal Alliance cultivator?

What’s so great about Immortal Alliance cultivators anyway?

Still, this wasn’t bad. Since those Beast Kings had left their territories, it could openly take a few Fourth-Tier Mystic Herbs.

What’s that? You say taking without asking counts as stealing, not “openly”?

But it did ask—there were no beasts around, no one to answer, so it wasn’t stealing. It was... borrowing!

Thinking this, the Five Qi Vine sheepishly sank into the earth and vanished.

To be safe, it decided to start with the territory closest—belonging to the Golden-Winged Thunder Roc Beast King.

...

Crossing rivers and mountains, the deeper Chen Beiwu ventured into the Yuqing Mountains, the more he grasped the profound mysteries of the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon.

Yet immortal arts were hard to master. Even with the boost in perception from drinking a Fourth-Tier Mystic Wine, Chen Beiwu still hadn’t fully comprehended the seemingly tangible yet ever-distant realm of perfection.

“Hu—”

Chen Beiwu exhaled a breath of turbid air and slowly emerged from his state of enlightenment.

The effects of Dao Comprehension varied from person to person.

Some, upon attaining enlightenment, could establish sects and create new arts. Others could rapidly progress in cultivation and break through realms.

This time, Chen Beiwu’s Dao Comprehension leaned toward the former. Though he hadn’t fully understood the Yuqing Nine Revolutions Yuanshi Pill Canon, he had nearly perfected the Taiyi Pill Forging Method of the Five Great Emperors of the Five Directions.

Not to boast, but with a mere thought, he could now condense a Taiyi Golden Core—of extremely high grade and in essence very close to the Yuanshi Golden Core.

But as the saying went: “A hair’s breadth apart could mean a lifetime’s difference.”

Chen Beiwu aspired toward the Dao itself. What he pursued was nothing less than perfection.

‘As expected, they came.’

Chen Beiwu opened his eyes and swept his gaze around, letting it briefly brush past the resplendent aura of fortune up ahead.

Those who carried such great fortune were either already Nascent Soul True Monarchs, or had the potential to become one.

Chen Beiwu’s expression remained calm—he knew his plan had succeeded.

The true hunter often appeared in the guise of prey.

Once he revealed sufficient talent, aptitude, and brilliance, he wouldn’t need to seek the mountain—the mountain would come to him.