Chapter 226: 208 Dust Settles, Part 2

’This… on the key, it should be a map….’

After deciphering the meaning, Zhang Rongfang dampened the gray cloth with water, then spread it out and gently pressed the front half of the key onto one end of the gray cloth.

Then, he let the key roll.

Soon, fine gold threads were imprinted from the key.

On the gray cloth, a special map emerged clearly, and behind the map were lines of twisted symbols.

This is the Golden Wing Pavilion’s secret script, which, when translated, explains the meaning of the map.

’Is everything she intends to give me here?’ Zhang Rongfang quickly scanned the map and then put it away.

He put the key into his waist pouch.

The collapse and demise of the Eastern Sect had left the Celestial Maiden to use her last bit of strength, quietly handing this over to him in such a manner, clearly indicating its extreme importance.

Zhang Rongfang picked up a cup of black-red mare’s milk wine, raised it to his lips, but did not drink.

He recalled the time he arrived in the Great Capital.

Outside, things were tumultuous and ever-changing. Although under the protection of Great Dao Teaching’s Celestial Treasure Palace, he could still feel the danger of the turbulent waves.

’This place… is too dangerous for me right now.’

He disliked the feeling of being protected.

Despite being safe, he felt uneasy.

’I must find a way to quickly improve my strength… the Golden Toad Skill must be raised as much as possible. And the spiritual veins…’

The ultimate goal of Great Dao Teaching was still to hope for his spiritualization, to become a Spirit General.

Zhang Rongfang had never forgotten this fact, so it was something he would inevitably face in the future.

’How to deal with spiritual veins….’

If he did not wish for spiritualization, then dealing with the presence of spiritualization was a dilemma he must consider in the future.

For a moment, holding his wine glass, he gradually fell into deep thought.

He waited here for a long time until nightfall, yet still no one arrived.

Zhang Rongfang knew he had likely been stood up.

He didn’t mind, stood up, paid his bill, and left the downstairs.

Before leaving, he noticed the attendant responsible for his private room seemed hesitant to speak.

“Is there something you want to say?” he asked directly.

The attendant smiled, his smile as precise as a knife etching, standard and orderly.

“I just wanted to tell you, sir, that this place is actually part of the Celestial Treasure Palace’s enterprises. With your status, you don’t need to pay for those expenses.”

“This place is part of the Celestial Treasure Palace?” Zhang Rongfang was slightly puzzled before understanding.

Indeed, with Celestial Treasure Palace’s vast wealth and substantial palace group, claiming it had no enterprises was impossible.

“Thank you.” He nodded to the attendant and left.

Next, he wandered around Hushan Town, inquiring about the prices of herbs. Unfortunately, only one pharmacy was open, providing little price reference.

So Zhang Rongfang had to return to the Dao Palace.

*

*

*

1185, August 9th morning.

Three black-ranked masters suddenly attacked Ming Zen Palace. Celestial Maiden Tong Zhang, together with Wandering Sword and Zheng Qiu’Er, attempted to rescue the Imperial Tutor. They were severely besieged and retreated in all directions.

Wandering Sword was beheaded, Zheng Qiu’Er went missing.

The Celestial Maiden was severely injured and fled.

Snow Rainbow Pavilion dispatched masters to pursue relentlessly.

Yet the Spirit Court never issued a full-scale wanted order.

It was as if the incident never happened.

Several hundred miles outside the Great Capital, amidst a stretch of undulating mountains.

A slender and petite figure in white clothing was swiftly darting through at an exaggerated speed.

Dense trees, roots, weeds, poisonous insects—all were effortlessly avoided as if it was her own backyard.

It was as if she had lived in this forest for many years.

Suddenly.

The white figure abruptly halted, looking forward, revealing a stiff and pale female face.

It was none other than Celestial Maiden Tong Zhang, who had taken the Emperor Flow Pill.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

A black shadow descended, thrusting a cane into the ground to block her way.

The newcomer was an imposing figure with white hair and beard, dressed in a black python robe—it was King Yan Yan Xi from the Sensing Sect.

At his side, a graceful figure stepped forward—a woman with an extremely tantalizing physique.

Although her figure was seductive, her beautiful and charming face revealed a hint of pristine purity, creating an unusual contradiction.

If Zhang Rongfang were here, he would recognize the woman instantly.

She was Gong Shuyin, who previously taught him the secret script.

Gong Shuyin wore a tight-fitting black leather outfit, accentuating her figure with perfection.

Her face was covered with a black gauze mask, hiding the lower half.

Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, and she held a pair of bronze short knives in each hand, teaming with Yan Xi to block Tong Zhang’s path.

“Long time no see. I’ve settled my old debts with you. Now, it’s just a matter of camps, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” Gong Shuyin smiled.

Celestial Maiden Tong Zhang’s expression was calm, or rather, she simply couldn’t show any emotion.

“It seems you’ve already found out?”

After taking the medicine, she could feel her memory deteriorating daily.

Many things from the past became increasingly blurred.

This was the inevitable price of entering the Extreme Realm.

The Extreme Realm had many paths, and the one she chose is the most fitting for her, and the easiest to step into.

Now, while she still remembers certain things, she needs to handle her final affairs.

“These days, you’ve deceived us thoroughly, even your close friends recently. Indeed…. Tong Zhang, you are a selfish person, only caring for your own benefit!”

Gong Shuyin softly shook her head.

“What do you want?” Tong Zhang asked coldly. “If it’s nothing important, don’t block my way.”

“Played with people and think you can run? Is there such a good deal in this world??” Yan Xi said coldly.

“Those three golden rings were fake, right? The three races were also fake goods you arranged in advance! It seems everyone underestimated you!

This is all just a facade for your safe escape!”

“You all…”

The Celestial Maiden lightly tapped her foot, and her figure floated forward.

“Very boring.”

Swish!

She suddenly flashed to the left, accurately evading Yan Xi’s surprise attack with the cane.

Her body technique was like autumn wind brushing against falling leaves, moving with the wind, clearly just a hair’s breadth away, yet always unreachable.

“Did you really think that entering the Extreme Realm could let you cross a realm and spar with me?? Naive!” Yan Xi snorted coldly, and the cane suddenly accelerated.

In an instant, he swung dozens of strange cane shadows in front of him.

But these cane shadows, though menacing, seemed like they were cooperating with a performance; each time they missed Tong Zhang by just a bit.

Until the end, he couldn’t even touch Tong Zhang’s clothing.

“Everyone move!” Yan Xi suddenly shouted lowly.

His body quickly swelled, countless blood vessels protruded, muscles enlarged, and thick air was exhaled from both his mouth and nose.

Beside him, Gong Shuyin’s skin gradually turned silvery-gray.

The short knife she held gradually became encased in this silvery-gray color.

At the same time, both seemed to be using a certain special secret technique together.

“Hand over the hidden treasure, spare your life!” Yan Xi said coldly.

The Celestial Maiden remained silent, suddenly raised both hands, and a shower of golden needles flew out like raindrops but was easily evaded by the two.

Rumor has it that the hidden treasure might contain tests and experiments for spiritualization done under the guise of the Celestial Maiden over the years by the Imperial Tutor.

By now, many forces have responded, realizing that a single Celestial Maiden could not keep such secrets hidden so well.

There must be the Imperial Tutor’s involvement.

In an instant, the figures of the three intertwined, creating numerous afterimages.

The Extreme Realm greatly enhanced the Celestial Maiden’s actual strength.

This is a very mysterious realm.

Tong Zhang focused all her mind and body on attacking, defending, and evading; she forgot everything, imprinting the surroundings into her mind.

Every possible movement around her was uncovered by her intensive mental calculations.

This kind of forgetful concentration allowed her, despite being not as strong as Yan Xi, to stalemate with him.

Soon, the forest exploded with a loud noise.

Then, a figure in white staggered, with bloodstains on her body, swiftly moving away into the distance.

Behind her, two figures holding their chests and throats were rapidly healing their injuries, standing up and chasing forward.

*

*

*

The affair of the Eastern Sect ended.

Now everyone was hotly discussing the case prescribed by the Celestial Robe Pavilion.

After obtaining the mysterious key, Zhang Rongfang received no further information.

He cared for Xiaohong while rigorously practicing the Golden Toad Skill and Supreme Bright Void Skill.

Meanwhile, he also began to settle down quietly, constantly reading the materials and classics in the Wuyun Pavilion within the Celestial Treasure Palace.

Time passed gradually, and in the blink of an eye, a week went by.

The newly appointed Western Sect was busy fighting for power and profit, while the Great Dao Teaching and Zhenyi Sect were mutually contending, with neither yielding.

The power vacuum left by the Eastern Sect was thoroughly filled by these three forces.

Zhang Rongfang also frequently couldn’t see his master Chongxuan.

Beside him, the Daoist child Chui Xi who learned alchemy with him at Daoist Qingyou’s place also mysteriously went missing.

No one knows where she went.

Even Daoist Qingyou was unclear.

It was known that Chui Xi abruptly returned home on the day Zhang Rongfang went out, whereupon her whole family disappeared.

A new Daoist child filled Chui Xi’s position.

Everything returned to the way it was, seemingly without much change.

Zhang Rongfang devoted his entire mind and body to improving the Golden Toad Skill.

“How about it? The herbs you were responsible for, any problems now? Where are they?”

In the cafeteria.

Zhang Rongfang and Zhang Qingzhi were eating and chatting leisurely.

Zhang Qingzhi seemed a bit helpless.

“Most of the herbs have arrived, but the hundred-year Red Reishi you wanted is not old enough…I haven’t found other sources, sorry.”

His personality was gentle and humble, feeling as if it was his fault for failing to help.

“If you really can’t find it, never mind, I’ll think of another way.” Zhang Rongfang frowned slightly.

The hundred-year Red Reishi was originally accessible through Chui Xi, but with her family’s mysterious disappearance.

Now Zhang Qingzhi could only find ones up to sixty years old, which was troublesome.

The second layer of Hidden Moon in Golden Toad Skill required a large variety of herbs for assistance.

Among them, the hundred-year Red Reishi was the primary herb.

This is still the Hidden Moon realm; later stages require even rarer herbs. Where will he get them by then?

These days, he happened to have also accrued two attribute points again.

Perhaps he could wait until he had three points to try directly pointing them.

Seeing if the attribute bar might directly bypass these requirements to enhance the Golden Toad Skill.

Although Zhang Rongfang felt this possibility was small.

After all, this was the auxiliary medication for the first cultivation of the technique, and unlikely to be exempted.

“Perhaps you could directly go to the Alchemy Hall and find an alchemist; Daoist Qingyou will surely get a hundred-year Red Reishi.” Zhang Qingzhi suggested.

“Indeed. I’ll go ask later. Even if Alchemist Qingyou can’t manage, direct purchase within the Alchemy Hall will ultimately find it.” Zhang Rongfang nodded.

Once the main ingredient is found, and the elixir is made, the second layer of the Hidden Moon Golden Toad Skill should be attainable.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep