Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 1526: Chapter 826: Subjugation (Part 2)

At this moment, a Green-winged Roc swiftly flew past the red clouds, dashing towards the Heavenly Rift Valley at an incredible speed.

Lord Zhao’s expression changed drastically, and he immediately stood up. His Lifebound Flying Sword instantly transformed into a brilliant sword rainbow, encompassing a range of ten feet around him.

In the blink of an eye, the Green-winged Roc flew over the Heavenly Rift Valley. Its form grew increasingly large and majestic, almost blocking out the sky.

Just as Lord Zhao’s heart sank, prepared to go down with his enemy, a tall figure suddenly floated down from the Roc’s back.

Lord Zhao’s pupils constricted to the extreme, and an incredulous look of shock appeared on his face.

"This... this..." He was so shocked he could hardly speak.

Zhao Sheng landed a dozen feet away, a warm smile on his face as he nodded slightly and clasped his hands in greeting, "Lord, are you well since we last met?"

The moment he finished speaking, a high-pitched eagle cry echoed from the sky.

The Green-winged Roc then plummeted downward, and as it descended, its body rapidly shrank.

By the time it landed near the two, it had transformed into a young man with a feather robe, narrow eyes, and an eagle nose, none other than the son of the Demon Emperor, Jun Tianxing.

Lord Zhao slightly turned his head, looking at this young man with overwhelming Devil Qi, whose face was filled with a sneaky expression, and couldn’t help but swallow nervously.

There was no need to engage in combat; just a glance assured him the opponent’s strength was far above his own.

What’s more, the Green-winged Roc was a descendant of an Ancient True Spirit, whose innate strength was a tier above human cultivators of the same realm.

"Who is this Young Master..." Lord Zhao suppressed his inner shock and asked with forced calmness.

Jun Tianxing arrogantly tilted his chin up, huffing coldly, "Hmph, I... I am the Young Master’s... mount."

Halfway through his boast, he noticed the expression on the Young Master’s face and promptly lowered his tone, immediately changing his tune.

"What? A mount!" Lord Zhao was momentarily dumbfounded, almost unable to believe his ears.

The Green-winged Roc clan had always been supremely proud, so when did they become so docile, even admitting they were a mount?

Zhao Sheng glanced at Jun Tianxing and said calmly, "Xiao Xing, don’t be rude. Go up and pay your respects to Old Clan Chief Zhao."

Jun Tianxing’s whole body trembled as he quickly bowed, "Little Demon Jun Tianxing, greets Old Clan Chief Zhao."

Upon hearing this, Lord Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately clasped his hands in return, "Good, good, old man Zhao Zhuanggong also pays respects to Taoist Jun."

After speaking, Lord Zhao looked toward Zhao Sheng with an indescribable gaze.

Zhao Sheng remained calm and said slowly, "Lord, I understand you have many questions right now. However, this is not the place to discuss them. Why don’t we find a quiet spot, where I will explain everything."

"Alright, Taoist Zhao and Young Master Jun, please follow me!" Hearing this, Lord Zhao immediately agreed.

Soon, the two men and the demon entered a hidden cave mansion beneath the Heavenly Rift Valley.

Then the cave mansion’s barrier was activated, closing the doors for a long period.

...

Years passed in a flash, and the demon beast population within the Heavenly Rift Valley dwindled rapidly year by year.

After several years of reconstruction, the Three Yin Evil Acupoints developed into a well-equipped and solid fortress.

In recent years, the smoke of life grew within the city as a large number of clansmen were continuously relocated from Yuewu Mountain, with the population exceeding a thousand.

One day, a gigantic silver-white vessel suddenly descended from the sky, hovering above the fortress.

Before long, a sword rainbow abruptly shot up from inside the city, darting towards the south.

In the southwest of Heavenly Rift Valley, a picturesque lake with rippling green waves lay still, a light mist floating above the surface, shielding it from the searing sun.

As a brilliant sword rainbow tore through the mist over the lake, a gourd-shaped island was revealed at its center.

The sword rainbow landed on the island, quickly revealing the figure of Lord Zhao.

Lord Zhao had no mind for the surrounding scenery, quickly entering a small courtyard with green tiles and red walls to find the owner, who was tending to flowers.

"Shaoling, calamity is near!" Lord Zhao shouted anxiously as soon as they met.

Zhao Sheng straightened up and cast a barrier over the young Demon God Flower before asking, "Lord, what has caused you such panic?"

Lord Zhao Zhuanggong took out a mountain-shaped jade from his sleeve, showed it briefly, and said with furrowed brows: "The Mountain and River Sect has issued the Mountain Order, requiring dispatch of one Nascent Soul cultivator and three Golden Core cultivators to report to the main camp. If they do not arrive within three months, our entire clan will be annihilated."

Zhao Sheng nodded, thoughtfully saying: "I see. It seems the first round of battle is about to commence."

Lord Zhao Zhuanggong said angrily: "Nine out of ten likely! Zhao Chongnan had previously mentioned this repeatedly. I originally thought our clan was weak and wouldn’t be selected. Who would have known the Mountain and River Sect to be so ruthless and domineering? This move clearly aims to destroy the foundation of our Zhao Family."

Zhao Sheng approached and said solemnly: "With the Mountain Order, the Zhao Family must comply. Perhaps... Zhao Chongnan offended someone on that side?"

"Uh??" Lord Zhao Zhuanggong’s heart skipped a beat, and his cheeks involuntarily trembled.

"This... is not impossible!"

The human and demon clans have been confronting each other across the Great Wilderness Swamp for years, and the battle is imminent.

Everyone knows the first face-to-face battle will be the most intense, bloody, and brutal, so very few cultivation families are willing to be cannon fodder.

For this reason, the Mountain and River Sect’s leadership not only increased the rewards but employed all sorts of threats and inducements.

Forcibly drafting the vassal forces’ leaders to the battlefield is merely a coercive measure.

As a true disciple, with his status in the Mountain and River Sect, Zhao Chongnan should not be forcibly drafted.

However, reality is the opposite, making it truly perplexing.

"Has there been any news from Chongnan?" Zhao Sheng asked again.

Lord Zhao Zhuanggong shook his head and said: "No, but during the last meeting, he assured me not to worry, saying he had already sought a decree from Master Hundred Eyes Ancestor. Who would have thought he would end up with the Mountain Order!"

"Forget it, let’s not worry about Chongnan’s side and focus on the task at hand. Zhao Zhuanggong, who do you plan to send to the front line?"

Lord Zhao Zhuanggong looked troubled and sighed: "I can’t make up my mind. Shaoling, do you have any advice?"

He pushed the problem back.

Zhao Sheng understood his intention and spoke directly: "Master Ming Yue can be one, Zhao Yongxian is not suitable, and others are also not appropriate. Previously, I casually refined a batch of Golden Core Formation Pills and Dragon Tiger Nourishing God Pills. Now they can be put to use."

Upon hearing this, Lord Zhao Zhuanggong’s expression turned serious, and after thinking for a moment, he sighed slightly: "Well, it will have to be that way."

Zhao Sheng’s gaze flashed, and suddenly he flipped his hand, revealing two pill bottles, one white and one green.

He casually tossed them over, simultaneously advising: "Each person should first take one Dragon Tiger Nourishing God Pill, then take a Golden Core Formation Pill. It should increase the chances of forming a core by fifty percent. However, whether they can survive the tribulation depends on their fate."

The "they" Zhao Sheng referred to were the seven or eight Foundation Establishment juniors in the Zhao Family who had reached the Great Perfection Realm.

After years of life and death trials, although many of the Foundation Establishment juniors perished, those who survived had reached their limit and only awaited the tribulation.

Zhao Sheng didn’t ask, and Lord Zhao Zhuanggong dared not mention, as both tacitly ignored the most critical issue.

A month later, tribulation clouds suddenly gathered over the Heavenly Rift Valley, and nature’s spiritual energy surged from all directions, soon forming a massive spiritual energy vortex.

Shortly afterward, several thigh-thick pale blue bolts of lightning descended from the sky, officially commencing the Golden Core Thunder Tribulation.

...

Autumn passed, winter came, and in the blink of an eye, it was the snowy, freezing season of winter.

Amid the snowy white mountains, a five-colored auspicious cloud suddenly flew in.

The auspicious cloud soon arrived at a towering, steep mountain, slowly descending.

Shortly after, a streak of azure flowing light appeared on the horizon, swiftly traversed most of the heavenly vault, and plummeted into the steep mountain like a meteor.

"Little one pays respects to the master!" Jun Tianxing hurriedly landed, gazing at his master who was surveying the distance, and hastily bowed.

Zhao Sheng turned around, looking at him calmly, and said lightly: "Did you bring the items?"

Jun Tianxing did not dare hesitate and immediately took out a black Sumeru Ring, holding it up with both hands:

"Reporting to the master, I have collected most of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures you requested, but the Mirage Dragon Cloud Crystal, Ten Earthly Miasma, Treasure Light Blood Crystal, Transformation Ginseng Essence, 昙光 Golden Core... nineteen treasures are too rare, and I could not gather them in time. Please forgive me, master." Jun Tianxing replied timidly.

Zhao Sheng reached out and took the Sumeru Ring, using his Divine Thought to explore its contents, seeing a total of twenty-six Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, along with over a hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones.

Among them were Pocket World Jade, Sumeru Stone, Void Nether Stone, and other treasures with space-time attributes.

This showed Jun Tianxing’s meticulous effort.