Chapter 1704: 778: Spirit Root Origins (Part 2)
Emperor Wan Shou is Emperor Jiajing of the Great Ming Dynasty; all the various experiences of this life surfaced within the ripples, even many scenes that had never been spoken of in secret, among them the scene of several palace maids strangling his neck, almost choking him to death.
As for Subtle Taoist Monarch Zhao Ji, he is Da Song Hui Zong; within the spray of waves were also his various scenes, including the scene of him falling to become a prisoner under the Jin Dynasty.
As for the others, their life experiences also surfaced within the Dao Sea.
Chen Shi’s target was not them, but Ning Zhenzi.
However, the surging waves failed to reflect Ning Zhenzi’s past.
The Ning Zhenzi reflected between the waves, from beginning to end, was always the same as he was now—there was no image of him when he was young, nor any events from his past.
He seemed to have no past.
Chen Shi raised his brows slightly, lifted his head and looked up, meeting Ning Zhenzi’s gaze head‑on.
Ning Zhenzi smiled and said, “I have come to this place several times and have never seen this so‑called Green Ship. Mr. Chen, on your very first visit you can see the Green Ship—what remarkable luck. Only, where is this Green Ship?”
The voices of the others came: “Where is there any Green Ship?” “I haven’t seen it either!” “Where is that Green Ship?” “Huh, this sea region is strange, it can actually show my past…”
Everyone hastily drew back their bodies, no longer looking at the sea surface, lest others spy on their privacy.
Chen Shi stared at Ning Zhenzi and said casually, “That Green Ship is extremely fast; most likely it has already left. Daoist Ning, you’ve been here many times? The Star Sea is so perilous that even if Daluo Immortals entered it, I fear they would find it hard to reach this place. You, a mere Treasure Hunting Immortal from Sanfu Island—how could you possess such ability?”
Pairs of eyes fell upon Ning Zhenzi. Emperor Wan Shou said, “The Star Sea is exceedingly perilous. Even with the Demon-sweeping Duster in my hand, I consider it difficult to make it this far. Ning Zhenzi, how did you get here?”
Ning Zhenzi said solemnly, “Back then I followed a senior from Sanfu Island and accidentally entered this place; it was only by luck that I managed to seek out a path to life within the Star Sea.”
His expression dimmed. “Only, the senior from Sanfu Island who shared the same boat with me was buried in this sea region; I alone survived.”
Emperor Wan Shou’s gaze turned razor‑sharp. He gently lifted the Eight Trigrams Refining Furnace and said, “Why can this sea region reflect our past, yet cannot reflect your past? Could it be that your cultivation and strength surpass mine? I truly have been discourteous.”
Behind Chen Shi, the green arrow emerged. He said faintly, “You lured us here with ill intent, and repeatedly urged us to take your Immortal Pill. Did you perhaps tamper with that Immortal Pill?”
Ning Zhenzi let out a sigh. “Since you all do not trust me, then I can only prove my sincerity with death.”
He leaped off the Black Sandalwood Ship. Without a second thought, Chen Shi urged on the green arrow; a streak of green light shot out with a whoosh, piercing into the Dao Sea below, heading straight for Ning Zhenzi!
“You two Daoist friends, still not going to act?” Chen Shi shouted in a loud voice.
Subtle Taoist Monarch raised the Eight Trigrams Refining Furnace and sneered. “Rest easy, he won’t escape!”
The Furnace descended; boundless firepower surged from within the Furnace, booming into the Dao Sea.
At the same time, Emperor Wan Shou raised the Demon-sweeping Duster; strands of silvery dust silk instantly became incomparably fine and long, shuttling through the sea, stretching out for who knows how many tens of thousands of miles, pursuing Ning Zhenzi!
𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
“I’ve long seen that something was off about you, and you still want to run?”
The three great experts almost simultaneously activated their most powerful Magical Treasures!
Within that Dao Sea, Starlight blazed. On the sea surface tens of thousands of miles away, towering waves suddenly surged up, as if a silver planet were rising from the sea surface—unspeakably magnificent!
This was the shockwave caused when Chen Shi’s green arrow caught up to Ning Zhenzi and collided with him beneath the sea!
Chen Shi staggered, his figure reeling as he looked toward the distance in astonishment.
Ning Zhenzi’s strength somewhat exceeded his expectations!
The next moment, the Pill Fire of the Eight Trigrams Refining Furnace broke through the sea surface even farther away, making that place seem as if boundless flames had been lifted up; waves of fire surged into the sky, the firelight incomparably bright, illuminating the starry firmament—so bright that even the resplendent Star Sea could not compare to the brilliance of this Pill Fire.
On the sea surface there, it was as though there stood an Alchemy Furnace composed of Pill Fire; only, this Alchemy Furnace was truly vast. Within the Furnace was an ocean formed from another kind of Dao Fire, possessing an operation pattern independent of the outside world, refining all things!
Within the Furnace, it was as though a gigantic primordial ferocious beast had been trapped, lunging left and right. With a thunderous boom, it smashed through that Pill Furnace; the Pill Fire collapsed!
Subtle Taoist Monarch let out a muffled groan, his Qi-Blood surging as he revealed a look of astonishment. After taking Chen Shi’s green arrow, Ning Zhenzi actually took another strike from the Eight Trigrams Refining Furnace, and even shook him, leaving his breath unsteady!
At this moment, the Demon-sweeping Duster had already been stretched taut. Each strand of dust silk connected the void of this Dao Sea, extending an unknown distance. Emperor Wan Shou’s face was solemn; taking the dust silk as zither strings, both hands stroking the zither, he played an Array Entrance Song, its killing intent and dominance on full display.
In the distance, above the Dao Sea, weapons and armor seemed to arise; the dust silk was like Sword Qi, sweeping and slashing in great arcs—iron cavalry and clashing arms—severing the Dao Sea and slicing it into countless sections!
Suddenly, the Demon-sweeping Duster resounded with a clanging vibration. Emperor Wan Shou’s ten fingers were covered in streaming blood as he looked toward the distance in shock.
“Could it be a Daluo Golden Immortal? No, even a Daluo Golden Immortal, facing the Demon-sweeping Duster, could not meet its edge head‑on! Moreover, his state is extremely strange—he does not possess that Daluo Great Dao Realm, he merely has a body full of brute strength!”
Yet this brute strength was too tyrannical, to the point that it even shook the Demon-sweeping Duster, injuring Emperor Wan Shou’s hands!
On the distant silver sea surface, patches of blood appeared, dyeing the sea red. Beneath the sea there seemed to be some enormous creature fleeing, raising boundless waves, layer upon layer surging off into the distance at a speed that left people dumbfounded.
Subtle Taoist Monarch suppressed his surging Qi-Blood and cried out involuntarily, “What exactly is this Ning Zhenzi?”