Undying Life

Chapter 718: Chapter 718: Ying vs. Tian Shenzi

Tian Shenzi looked at Tian Ling'er, the current head of the Tian family. He gently tossed the Tian Order back to her. Tian Ling'er clutched it tightly, as if afraid Tian Shenzi might take it again. Seeing her simple and innocent demeanor, Tian Shenzi shook his head, then took a deep breath and turned his gaze to Zhong Shan.

Although this current family head was not very strong, her husband was clearly a formidable figure. Zhong Shan patiently waited as Tian Shenzi observed him, then shook his head and sighed, "Too little, too little!"

"Too little of what?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled.

By now, Zhao Suoxiang had withdrawn the surrounding troops, leaving only Tian Shenzi, Tian Lao, Tian Ling'er, Zhong Shan, Mud Buddha, and Yin Luori.

"The fortune you have gathered is too little, and the merit you have accumulated is still too little," Tian Shenzi said plainly.

"Too little?" Zhong Shan frowned slightly.

Yin Luori stood by, speechless. This was considered little? The fortune of the Da Yung Empire rivaled that of the heavenly realms in the underworld, and its merit was comparable to that of a holy land.

"You have managed to comprehend both fortune and merit, which is no small feat. Even in the Grand World, only a few know about this," Tian Shenzi said.

"Then, senior, may I ask, can fortune and merit be compatible?" Zhong Shan asked solemnly.

"Of course they can be compatible. However, the order is: fate first, then fortune, followed by Feng Shui, accumulated yin virtue, and fame. All five are indispensable," Tian Shenzi replied.

Zhong Shan's eyes lit up. He bowed respectfully, "I humbly request the senior to instruct me."

"What is the greatest thing in the heavens and earth?" Tian Shenzi asked.

"The Dao?" Zhong Shan guessed.

Tian Shenzi shook his head.

"Fate?" Zhong Shan guessed again.

"Half correct," Tian Shenzi nodded approvingly.

"Oh?"

"What is fate?" Tian Shenzi asked.

"I don't know," Zhong Shan admitted honestly. He only had a vague concept of fate.

"One's fate is a combination of the latter four elements: fortune, Feng Shui, accumulated yin virtue, and fame. To cultivate fate is to understand and integrate these four elements. They must be united into one; none can be missing," Tian Shenzi explained.

"Integrating the four elements means cultivating fate? Then what happens when fortune and merit are combined?" Zhong Shan asked.

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"It becomes qi," Tian Shenzi said.

"Qi?" Zhong Shan's brow furrowed.

"Yes, qi. Qi is the essence of cultivating fate," Tian Shenzi said calmly.

"Qi? What is its function?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.

"For a cultivator of fate, qi is everything. If one's qi is exhausted, even a saint will perish," Tian Shenzi said, with a hint of sorrow.

"That's only half. What about the other half?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.

Tian Shenzi seemed wistful and expectant. "The other half, if mastered, would grant true immortality. Even in the Grand World, no saint has mastered it. It's incredibly difficult."

"Immortality? What is the other half?" Zhong Shan's eyes brightened.

Tian Shenzi looked down, staring deeply at Zhong Shan. "Boy, don't reach too far too quickly. The other half is beyond your current grasp. First, condense tangible qi."

Zhong Shan nodded, absorbing the wisdom of Tian Shenzi's words. This conversation had revealed profound insights into the mysteries of fate and cultivation, setting a new path for his ambitions.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. But how does one condense tangible qi?" Zhong Shan asked earnestly.

"Forming tangible qi, unique to oneself, varies from person to person. I cannot teach you that. You must comprehend it on your own," Tian Shenzi replied calmly.

"Understood," Zhong Shan nodded solemnly.

Tian Ling'er blinked her beautiful eyes, clearly not understanding Tian Shenzi's words.

After a deep look at Tian Ling'er, Tian Shenzi spoke, "Head of the Tian Family!"

Tian Ling'er, not fully grasping the situation, was nudged gently by Zhong Shan.

"Huh? Are you talking to me?" Tian Ling'er asked.

Seeing her innocent demeanor, Tian Shenzi chuckled bitterly. "If the Fate Lineage of the Tian Family wasn't reduced to just you, I would definitely choose someone else as the family head!"

Tian Ling'er pouted, clearly unhappy with his remark.

"I have strayed from the ancestral path, and the Tian Order is useless to me now. You are the family head. Follow me into the hall, and I will pass on the leadership to you," Tian Shenzi said, frowning at Zhong Shan. Tian Ling'er looked at Zhong Shan as if seeking his approval, as if Tian Shenzi were a big bad wolf.

Just as Zhong Shan was about to respond, Tian Shenzi suddenly looked up into the distance.

Everyone turned to see a flash of black light. A figure in a dragon robe suddenly appeared above them.

It was the Emperor of Da Qin, Ying!

Ying had arrived in just about a day, despite the distance being several times farther than Sima Ce's journey. Even though Sima Ce had set off earlier, Ying arrived first.

The mysterious and unfathomable Ying.

Zhong Shan turned to look at Ying, who looked back at him and nodded slightly. It was clear that in Ying's eyes, Zhong Shan was a person of significance, not just a minor figure to be ignored.

Zhong Shan nodded in return.

Ying stared at Tian Shenzi. Their gazes locked, both showing a hint of confusion.

Then, a flash of shock passed through both of their eyes.

"Who are you?" Tian Shenzi asked, astonished, as he looked at Ying.

Ying was equally surprised, his eyes fixed on the small, sun-like gem on Tian Shenzi's forehead.

"The Da Qin Empire, Ying. Eighty thousand years ago, the foremost person in the world. Returned to the mortal realm two hundred years ago," Zhong Shan explained.

Eighty thousand years ago, the foremost person in the world?

The implication was profound. At that time, if Ying claimed to be the second most powerful, no one would dare claim the first. At least publicly, he was unrivaled.

This information came from Zhong Shan's extensive research into ancient texts over the years.

Every era had its most illustrious figures, those who stood tall in Shenzhou. Ying was the foremost person of his era, eighty thousand years ago.

Gu Shentong was the foremost person of the previous era, but compared to Ying, he fell slightly short. After all, Gu Shentong did not survive past the limit of ten thousand years, whereas Ying had lived for eighty thousand years.

The Zombie Emperor, Ying!

Ying took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the sun-like gem on Tian Shenzi's forehead.

"Such a ruthless decision, such immense courage. To forcefully integrate the 'qi' of a cycle into a mortal body. No wonder this realm doesn't reject you. A mortal? Such a powerful mortal!" Ying gave high praise.

"Neither living nor dead, a Jiangshi body. You have great courage! I did not expect such a formidable talent to emerge in Shenzhou during my 'transcendence' years," Tian Shenzi remarked, taking a deep breath.

"Ten thousand years ago, the foremost person in Shenzhou, the last head of the Tian family, Tian Shenzi?" Ying asked.

"Indeed," Tian Shenzi nodded.

One was the foremost person in Shenzhou ten thousand years ago, and the other was the foremost person eight thousand years ago.

The two stood facing each other, the others not daring to interrupt. Both men regarded each other with gravity.

"The illustrious Tian family would not be easily extinguished. To integrate 'qi' into a mortal body is unprecedented. Even in the Grand World, no one dares tread this path," Ying said calmly.

"To cultivate a Jiangshi body using a mortal form, and successfully so, is also unprecedented. Even in the Grand World, no one dares tread this path," Tian Shenzi replied equally calmly.

"The illustrious Tian family, known throughout Shenzhou even after two thousand years. Each of the five branches was the best in Shenzhou, with the strongest celestial dynasty, the strongest holy land, the strongest Feng Shui masters, and the strongest fortune masters. And you, the strongest family head! Holding one of the twelve ancient treasures, the 'Unyielding Mountain Staff,' which you now wield?" Ying asked.

The Unyielding Mountain Staff?

Everyone's gaze shifted to the purple staff in Tian Shenzi's hand. It looked ordinary, without any special aura, just like Tian Shenzi—unassuming. Was this really one of the twelve ancient treasures?

"Good eye. The foremost person in Shenzhou from eight thousand years ago, I assume you also possess one of the twelve ancient treasures?" Tian Shenzi inquired.

"It's been a long time since anyone has dared to challenge my treasure. Do you accept the challenge?" Ying's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"As you wish," Tian Shenzi said solemnly.

Both men, being the foremost in Shenzhou in their respective eras, admired each other's strength and treasures. A duel was not just a test of their treasures but also a means to gauge each other's strength and position.

"Please," Tian Shenzi said.

The surrounding people stepped back.

Ying extended his palm towards the sky and pulled down a colossal bronze coffin from the stars. The coffin exuded a dense aura of killing intent, mixed with a faint noble purple glow, making it even more terrifying.

Seeing this treasure, everyone felt a shiver of fear. It was a fear from deep within their souls, as if their bodies were being sealed by the coffin.

"The 'World-Suppressing Bronze Coffin' among the twelve ancient treasures," Zhong Shan muttered in awe.

So the World-Suppressing Bronze Coffin was in Ying's possession.

As the bronze coffin descended from the sky, the surrounding area suddenly became extraordinarily clear.

Extraordinarily clear? Zhong Shan's pupils contracted. It was as if something had changed, yet also seemed unchanged.

Tian Shenzi lightly tossed the Unyielding Mountain Staff, which then embedded itself into the ground. Suddenly, a massive mountain sprouted, charging towards the World-Suppressing Bronze Coffin.

The two colossal objects collided with a deafening silence.

"..."

There was no sound, not even a whisper. It was not that there was no sound; it was too loud, causing everyone to go momentarily deaf.

"Ring..."

After the initial deafness, a ringing sound filled everyone's ears. Yet, no external sound could be heard.

When the Unyielding Mountain Staff and the World-Suppressing Bronze Coffin collided, the surrounding space did not shatter. Instead, only a slight ripple appeared where they met.

Two ancient treasures colliding, causing only a small spatial ripple? Impossible.

Zhong Shan couldn't believe it. It was absolutely impossible. Judging by the fact that everyone was still deafened, this collision was more powerful than anything Zhong Shan had ever witnessed.

At that moment, a white figure flashed by in the distance. Di Xuansha arrived just as the duel between these powerful beings was taking place.