Rise of Humanity

by <unknown>

  He also walked past a river and witnessed a Qi Practitioner who was trying to tread across the river corroded by waters when their feet came in contact with the river.

  Even the Qi Practitioner’s divine weapon was no exception as it fell into the waters and was corroded away as well.

  The river was most probably made from a kind of demonic water, left behind by a strong demon god from the olden days. The demonic water’s level was so high that it could vanquish ordinary divine weapons just like that.

  Such demonic water and godly fire, there was no chance that Zhong Yue would be able to claim them. He didn’t have any divine weapons that could withstand their powers, and thus, Zhong Yue could only lament as he walked past them.

  However, the most dangerous threat in the Returning Ruins was actually a peculiar wind that drove the mist. The mist went wherever it blew, and they could literally air-dry everything in the Returning Ruins.

  Along the way, Zhong Yue hadn’t been able to find any divine herb. Although, there were a lot of the attractive but deadly Innocent Soul Fruits scattered all over the place.

  They must have hidden themselves knowing that many Qi Practitioners would be searching for them. If it weren’t for Husan Weng who led the way, I wouldn’t be able to find the other five divine herbs either, Zhong Yue then thought.

  The divine herbs were smart, they possessed the same intelligence as cultivators, and in addition to that, they lived in the Returning Ruins and were familiar with the terrain. Thus, it came as no surprise that they would hide.

  However, the most important thing here for the Qi Practitioners wasn’t the divine herbs, but the Peaches of Immortality that could extend their lives. These peaches were countless times more valuable than the other divine herbs!

  Furthermore, there are also the divine herbs in the God's Land, there is no need to search around on the outside, Zhong Yue thought.

  He had walked for over 10,000 miles, and soon, a strong gale began to blow. Zhong Yue could feel his muscles exerting more strength as he began to fight against the force of the wind. But the further he went, the heavier his body became and the slower his pace was. It felt like he was walking while a mountain was carried on his back.

  “We are close, very close.”

  Husan Weng then said anxiously, “We need to be extremely careful, it was thousands of times more dangerous here than the outside.”

  Zhong Yue looked forth, and his heart shuddered. A gate with unimaginable height stood tall before him, it was grand and saintly, and although half of its side was destroyed, one could still tell just how spectacular and majestic it was!

  “Southern Heaven…” Zhong Yue squinted his eyes and read the words carved on the gate, he shook his head as he could only read two of the godly words while the others were destroyed.

  “This gate, it feels… strange….”

  Zhong Yue stopped, he raised his head and looked up to it. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as he found that it looked similar to the Swords Gate that the humans visualized in the【Swords Gate Visualization Art】! But this gate seemed to be a grander version.

  Looking at the door, Zhong Yue couldn’t help but feel the urge to rush into it.

  Zhong Yue had created a better version of the【Swords Gate Visualization Art】which replaced the old one. But now, it all seemed inconsequential in the face of this Southern Heaven Gate.

  Although his【Swords Gate Visualization Art】was marvelous, it didn’t share this gate innate aura of grandness. Watching this gate alone could cause one’s soul to leap out from their body and be embraced by the heaven and earth!

  “If this Southern Heaven Gate can be included into the【Swords Gate Visualization Art】, it will be much easier for the disciples to achieve soul liberation!” Zhong Yue stared at it and mumbled to himself.

  “The full name of this gate is the Southern Heaven Gate,” Husan Weng looked at it and said, “It still looked fine years ago, but as time passed, it became more dilapidated. This Southern Heaven Gate is too high, it had suffered significant damage from when the Returning Ruins was sucked into the black hole. I presume that after a few more thousand years, this whole thing will only be left with its base. You’ll be in the God's Land after the Southern Heaven Gate!”

  Zhong Yue was still staring at the gate. He visualized it in his mind and carved it deeply in his memories. He visualized the Southern Heaven Gate in his psyche ocean and prepared to further improve the【Swords Gate Visualization Art】once he had gone back to Swords Gate.

  He walked into the Southern Heaven Gate, the God's Land was different from the other places. There were many godly palaces and ruined temples. Broken stones scattered around and dried blood painted the floor. There were also some sky-high statues, some of their heads were missing and some were the limbs, while there was still some other that were so shabby they couldn’t be seen of their original images already.

  Other than that, there were still the greenish leaves, verdant grass, blooming flowers and towering trees filling around the places; different than the deserted images of the other places outside.

  While the pressure in here was also stronger, growing heavier with every step he takes walking further in.

  In this God's Land, there wasn’t a single flying skill that could lift you up from the ground, nor were defensive and attacking skills able to have half of their usual coverage!

  The God's Land had many godly rays swaying in the sky, moving around and looked incredibly marvelous.

  Suddenly, Zhong Yue sneered, and six light wheels emerged behind him. A demon sword was suddenly slashed at his back, and as the light wheels emerged, the Golden Peng Sword appeared and blocked the demon sword.

  Zhong Yue didn’t even turn his head as he slapped his hand back, and the demon Qi Practitioner slapped back.

  Krong——

  A loud blunt sound blasted in their ears, and the demon Qi Practitioner fell backward.

  Zhong Yue then lunged forward a bit before quickly turning back. The demon Qi Practitioner could be seen regaining his balance, there was a demon sword moving above his head while a demon god appeared to be wielding the demon sword. It was an image formed by the demon sword itself. From that, one could infer how strong this demon divine weapon was!

  What a strong Kun Lun Qi Practitioner, to be able to block my Heaven Sword!”, The demon Qi Practitioner’s arm was numb. His body turned into a plume of black smoke and disappeared into the woods. He then laughed, “I’ll leave you just this once!”

  Zhong Yue furrowed his brows but didn’t chase after the demon Qi Practitioner.

  This demon Qi Practitioner’s prowess proved that he was a young god, and an expert of the demon race that was no weaker than Zhong Yue.

  He snuck up from behind me, and I wasn’t even able to detect his presence. Two of the A’thoer Qi Practitioners I’ve met were also this strong. The Kun Lun and A’thoer Qi Practitioners really shouldn’t be underestimated at all!

  Zhong Yue then continued walking forward. It wasn’t long before he sensed a battle going on in front of him. Zhong Yue picked up the senses of skills and Qi Practitioners battling together, and he rushed over in interest.

  From the level of skills he had picked up, the combatants were incredibly strong, being the top-leveled Heavenly Dharma Qi Practitioners and at least two of them were as strong as Yan Zhen!

  The battle started quick and ended even faster. Before Zhong Yue could get to see the battle, it had already finished.

  “Ah, it’s Senior Martial Brother Zhong.”

  Shang Qing stood beside the corpse of a demon Qi Practitioner while beside him was another two Qi Practitioners who were searching through the dead’s Yuan Shen secret realms. Shang Qing looked at Zhong Yue with a warm smile as he said, “Senior Martial Brother Zhong has found this place as well? How surprising. Do you still remember the conversation we had on the Cloud Stage?”

  Zhong Yue looked at the dead demon Qi Practitioner and startled, it was the
same demon Qi Practitioner that attempted to ambush him just moments before!

  Zhong Yue couldn’t help but squint his eyes as he thought, This demon Qi Practitioner was strong, but Shang Qing just killed him. This Shang Qing, he is strong….

  The other two Qi Practitioners around Shang Qing were also the Heavenly Dharma Qi Practitioners, but their strengths were not that outstanding. This only left Shang Qing as the culprit that killed the demon Qi Practitioner!

  “I wonder what Senior Martial Brother Zhong thinks about it?” Shang Qing walked forward, his hands were hidden in the sleeves, and he held the same old smile.

  Zhong Yue, however, shook his head and answered, “Not interested.”

  “Is Senior Martial Brother Zhong really rejecting my offer?” Shang Qing’s smile was even brighter than ever.

  Zhong Yue smiled back, his tone still placid as he replied, “Then what?”

  The two Qi Practitioners had just finished plundering the demon Qi Practitioner’s Yuan Shen secret realms as they walked over. One of them said happily, “Senior Martial Brother Shang Qing, there are three divine herbs and two divine weapons, of which one is a divine demon weapon! Shall we kill him as well?”

  Shang Qing then looked at Zhong Yue and smiled, “That depends on how many divine herbs Senior Martial Brother Zhong has.”

  Zhong Yue lips curled slightly as he answered, “Nine, more than enough for Brother Shang Qing to be interested?” He then opened his Yuan Shen secret realms to reveal the other divine herbs glimmering in with dazzling radiances while effusing marvelous fragrances.

  Chapter 449: I Don't Go Back On My Words |

  Shang Qing and his other two Qi Practitioners were stunned. They stared at the eight shining divine herbs in Zhong Yue’s secret realms as well as the little white carrot beside him that was also a divine herb!

  There was a total of nine divine herbs!

  All this time they spent hunting for the divine herbs… and here is a man who had nine!

  But this was the Returning Ruins, there was no laws, no rules, no restrictions. The only law that was followed here was the law of the jungle. The strong deserved the best while the weak could only blame themselves for their weakness!

  Along the way, the three of them worked together and took down many Qi Practitioners, most of whom were poor like beggars. On the other hand, the demon Qi Practitioner they just killed had three divine herbs on him. He was already their wealthiest victim.

  But now, Zhong Yue just blinded their eyes with the sight of nine divine herbs!

  Shang Qing’s face turned solemn, and one of the Qi Practitioner’s breath grew heavier, and he whispered softly, “Mister Shang Qing, we…”

  While another Qi Practitioner in his prime ages smiled and said, “If he had nothing, we could have still let him go and gone after him once he acquired divine herbs. But now, since he has nine of them already, it is more than enough for us to rob him now!’

  Shang Qing was still hesitating, and he whispered lowly, “This is not one or two, but nine divine herbs…”

  The two Qi Practitioners were puzzled, but anyhow, the younger Qi Practitioner stepped forward and said laughingly, “I know you are a friend of our mister, leave your divine herbs on the ground, and you may leave safely!”

  “No rush, I still have divine weapons.” Zhong Yue smiled.

  The Kui Long Divine Drum, Golden Peng Sword, and the Xuan Yin Hundred Demon Banners all flew out as he said, “These three divine weapons, are senior martial brothers not interested in them?”

  The eyes of the two Qi Practitioners widened even further, and their breaths turned to heavy pants. They exchanged a look and saw the same greed in each other’s eyes.

  Shang Qing had the divine weapon, it was given to him by his mother Sheng Zhen God. But they weren’t strong enough to be given such weapons. Even the divine weapon and demon divine weapon they had was plundered from the demon expert they had just killed, Shang Qing might not still be willing to give it to them.

  However, if they could take down Zhong Yue and steal his divine weapons, then there would be no reason for Shang Qing to not distribute one to them each.

  The divine weapons are the most valuable treasures a Qi Practitioner could ever hope to obtain!

  “Mister!” Now, even the middle-age Qi Practitioner was pleading.

  Shang Qing was still hesitating. Nine divine herbs, it really scared him a lot. If Zhong Yue had one or two divine herbs, he would have already taken action!

  But nine divine herbs…

  Just how many Kun Lun and A’thoer Qi Practitioners has he killed to get so many?

  The hesitating Shang Qing raised his brows as he thought, He has divine demons weapons, which means he had to have killed at least one demon Qi Practitioner. Then there is the Kui Long Divine Drum which belonged to the young god of Kui Long Celestial Race, Kui Longzi. This means that he’s also killed Kui Longzi…

  The other two Qi Practitioners couldn’t hold themselves back any longer, and the young Qi Practitioner stepped forward and raised his hand toward Husan Weng. He smiled as he said, “Since you are so cooperative, planning to offer your divine weapons to us. Then we shall gladly accept them…”

  The huge carrot attacked back, it shouted in rage, “How dare you touch me? Do you not know who I am? Why don’t you go around and ask in Returning Ruins, who doesn’t know me Husan Weng…”

  Boom——

  The young Qi Practitioner spurted out a mouth of blood and was sent flying back, crashing back on the ground. Sounds of bones cracking could be heard, and by the sounds alone, Zhong Yue had determined that at least three rib bones were broken!

  The middle-age Qi Practitioner was shocked, he surged out his soul weapon and said frigidly, “How dare you fight back, you bastard!”

  “I didn’t.” Zhong Yue smiled and answered placidly.

  He said, “I’ve just shown you the nine divine herbs and three divine weapons I have, but never once did I say that I would give it to you. I’m guessing that the three of you have gotten quite a harvest from others as well? Why don’t you all take them out and show me as well, sounds good?”

  The middle-age Qi Practitioner’s face changed drastically, he chided, “You…”

  “I am robbing you,” Zhong Yue interrupted him and finished the sentence. He said apologetically to Shang Qing, “Brother Shang Qing, I’m sorry, but please take your treasures out now. I’m in a hurry.”

  Shang Qing’s hesitation was quickly wiped away, and he laughed in reply, “Senior Martial Brother Zhong, you really are a unique man. I’ve three men, and you are only one. Do you think you can win against us?”

  “No. In my eyes, there is you and you only.”

  Zhong Yue reached out and clenched on the Golden Peng Sword, the Kui Long Divine Drum flew out and revolved behind within his light wheels. He said placidly, “The two of them are just weaklings I can kill with a swing of my arm. They are already dead men walking, but if you hand your treasures over now, you may still live. Else, death will also be your end.”

  “Presumptuous!”

  The middle-age Qi Practitioner turned gloomy, just as he was going to step out, Shang Qing stopped raised a hand and stopped the Qi Practitioner. Shang Qing then bowed down and said laughingly, “Senior Martial Brother Zhong, I’m sorry for disturbing you, I hope we can have your forgiveness…”

  Seeing Shang Qing conceding to Zhong Yue, the other two Qi Practitioners were stunned. They knew very well of Shang Qing’s arrogant and self-conceited personality. Although he always seemed like a perfect gentleman, deep down, he had always viewed himself as superior to everyone else around him. Yet… he was bowing to this man and seeking his forgiveness.

  A slit emerged on Zhong Yue’s forehead and widened as he activated out the divine third eye just when Shang Qing was coming up from the bow, and his hands came out of his sleeves. Shang Qing saw Zhong Yue’s divine eye emerging, and he dared not to continue taking his bow out.

  He ma
intained his body stance, curling his body at the waist and retreating back slowly just like that, all the while, laughing, “I’m sorry, we never intended to offend you.”

  He took tens of steps back, and as soon as he thought that he was far enough from Zhong Yue, he had then straightened his body and grabbed the other two Qi Practitioners with one hand each while shooting out at the drop of a hat.

  “What a strong guy…” Zhong Yue’s face was solemn as he watched them disappear from his sight.

  Shang Qing speed and movement patterns carried a strange rhythm. His movements were flawless to the point that Zhong Yue was unable to a chance to strike. And if Zhong Yue had attacked recklessly, he would be able to block it easily and retaliate with a counterattack.

  For even Zhong Yue to be unable to discern any flaws... one could tell how magnificent Shang Qing’s skills were.

  Shang Qing brought the two Qi Practitioners away from Zhong Yue at a great speed. Suddenly, a loud laughter came rushing into his ears, saying, “Brother Shang Qing, what a surprise to also see you here!”

  Shang Qing raised his head up, and his eyes brightened up and saw a horse-faced young man with two Tian Si Qi Practitioners strode toward them. He then smiled and replied, “Brother Shaojun! I heard that Ma Wang God has taken in two Kun Peng magnates, where are they?”

  The horse-faced young man’s name was Ma Shaojun, a disciple of the Ma Wang God and also a young god, he replied, “We’ve gone our separate ways. Peng Qianqiu and Peng Jinyi are heading toward the Peaches of Immortality.”

  The middle-aged Qi Practitioner couldn’t hold himself and said, “Senior Martial Brother Shaojun, there is a fortune in front of us. We’ve just met with a man, he had nine divine herbs and three divine weapons. My mister was worried about his followers’ safety, so we let him go. But if Senior Martial Brother Shaojun can cooperate with our mister, we will be able to capture him easily!”

  “Nine divine herbs and three divine weapons? Is he like a divine shopkeeper or something?”