Chapter 870: The Five-Color Divine Stone

In the Boundless Sea, at the Purple Heaven Daoist Temple's encampment, Cheng Baiyi returned triumphantly after exterminating the Sea Shark Clan.

"Congratulations, Daoist Lord, for your great display of power. The Sea Shark Clan has been reduced to ashes!" a disciple of the Purple Heaven Daoist Temple flattered immediately.

"Did you complete the task I assigned to you?" Cheng Baiyi asked indifferently.

"Yes, Daoist Lord. I found some records about Zhong Shan that the Purple Heaven Daoist Temple had previously collected. It wasn't difficult to locate them," the disciple reported.

"Hmm?"

"It turns out that the saintess and Zhong Shan knew each other before. When Zhong Shan joined the Da Luo Heavenly Dynasty as an official, it was the saintess who introduced him. They even came from the same sect, the Kaiyang Sect!"

"Oh?" Cheng Baiyi's pupils contracted, and his expression turned sour.

"It's true. The detailed accounts of the Kaiyang Sect and the Da Luo Heavenly Dynasty were all found in the records," the disciple explained thoroughly.

After hearing this, Cheng Baiyi's face grew darker and darker. Nodding, he said, "Understood. You may leave now."

"Yes, Daoist Lord!" The disciple quickly retreated.

Cheng Baiyi was left alone in the hall, pacing back and forth.

"No wonder Zi Xun is so indifferent to me. It's because of this Zhong Shan?" Cheng Baiyi's expression grew cold.

"Zhong Shan? Hmph!"---

In the Boundless Sea, on an island, in a vast valley.

Thousands of people knelt on one knee, each with a solemn and cold expression.

At the forefront of these thousands of people, standing on a large rock, was a man in a yellow robe, the "Human Sovereign" Zhong Shan had seen before.

Human Sovereign looked at the thousands of kneeling strong men. After a moment of silence, he said calmly, "The grand enterprise of the Divine Emperor must not fail. This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity in the Boundless Sea. You are only allowed success, not failure!"

"Yes!" thousands of people responded in unison.

"Your lives belong to the Divine Emperor. Even if you are asked to offer your souls to the Divine Emperor, you shall not hesitate!" Human Sovereign said solemnly.

"Shall not hesitate!" the crowd shouted in unison, as if they had been brainwashed, their hearts filled with loyalty to the Divine Emperor.

"Good. It's time. Begin your tasks!" Human Sovereign ordered.

"Yes!" the crowd responded, then they soared into the sky, shooting off in all directions---

Zhong Shan continuously analyzed a large amount of information on the island. Over time, he became more certain that the treasure mentioned by Su Daji would appear on the seventh day of the sixth month.

However, countless people must have searched for the treasure at noon on the seventh day of the sixth month before, without finding anything special. What is the secret hidden in the Boundless Sea?

"I found it! The treasure of Nuwa has appeared!" Su Afo rushed into the hall in excitement.

"What?" Zhong Shan was slightly taken aback.

"Nuwa's treasure? It's been found?" Princess Nine-Tails was also surprised.

"Yes, it's true! Now, the entire place is buzzing with the news. More and more strong men are rushing there!" Su Afo said.

"What's going on?" Zhong Shan frowned. There's still a long time before the seventh day of the sixth month!

"It's on an island to the east of the Boundless Sea. That area has always belonged to the Taiyi Sacred Court for a long time..." Su Afo said.

"Ghost Island? That extremely yin and evil place?" Zhong Shan's mind immediately conjured up an image of the location.

"Yes, that's the place. That island is heavily tainted with demonic energy or perhaps carries a great burden of karmic retribution. Ordinary people don't dare to linger there. Before I left, my old man instructed me that while other places were fair game, that Ghost Island should be avoided! But the treasure is right there on that island," Su Afo sighed.

"How are you so sure?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.

"Do you know what's on that island?" Su Afo asked.

"What?"

"A nine-zhang tall boulder."

"What kind of boulder?"

"A Five-Color Divine Stone! The same kind that only Goddess Nuwa possessed in ancient times. It can mend space, stop the flow of time, and patch holes in the heavens," Su Afo said excitedly.

"Five-Color Divine Stone?" Princess Nine-Tails' eyes shone brightly.

"Is it certain?" Zhong Shan asked, still skeptical.

"Absolutely. Many people have seen it with their own eyes. Half a month ago, a multicolored light shot into the sky. The strongmen of the Taiyi Sacred Court immediately set up a powerful formation to protect everything within. But word still got out, and memory crystals capturing the event were leaked. Now, the entire Boundless Sea is buzzing with the news of the Five-Color Divine Stone," Su Afo said, brimming with excitement.

"But...," Zhong Shan furrowed his brows.

"No buts, this is it. The Boundless Sea, the Boundless Sea... I finally understand Goddess Nuwa's hint," Su Afo said, his eyes gleaming.

"A hint?" Princess Nine-Tails asked, puzzled.

"Yes, remember the legend of the stone monkey that took shape? In the Boundless Country to the east of the Boundless Sea, on a mountain called Flower Fruit Mountain, a stone monkey emerged. Isn't that exactly Goddess Nuwa's Five-Color Divine Stone? The Boundless Country, the Boundless Sea, Goddess Nuwa was hinting to us. This is the treasure!" Su Afo explained.

"Indeed. And this Five-Color Divine Stone is nine zhang tall?" Princess Nine-Tails said excitedly.

"Yes, the one on Flower Fruit Mountain was only about three zhang tall. This one is nine zhang? It's much bigger. The word has already spread. The Five-Color Divine Stone can be used to forge an external avatar. Once successfully created, the avatar's strength would be equivalent to an ancient immortal!" Su Afo's eyes sparkled.

"An ancient immortal?" Princess Nine-Tails was equally thrilled.

"No, something's not right," Zhong Shan said, still frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"Ghost Island is within the territory of the Taiyi Sacred Court. If they knew it was the Five-Color Divine Stone, they would have taken it long ago. Why would they leave it there?" Zhong Shan shook his head.

"They can't take it away. More and more strongmen are converging there; they can't just leave now. The Five-Color Divine Stone is such a heavenly treasure that it can't be stored in a storage space," Su Afo explained.

"Then why not before?"

"Uh, before? Maybe the Taiyi Sacred Court... uh..." Su Afo was stumped.

"Yes, if they had known it was the Five-Color Divine Stone, they would have taken it long ago. Why wait until now? The area around Ghost Island has always been under the Taiyi Sacred Court's control. Besides, many saints have visited the Boundless Sea. Could they have overlooked such a significant Five-Color Divine Stone?" Zhong Shan pondered.

"I know!" Princess Nine-Tails suddenly exclaimed.

"Uh?"

"Didn't you say before that only the fox clan can take this treasure, and others simply can't? There must be a saint's restriction or something that requires the presence of the fox clan!" Princess Nine-Tails said excitedly.

"Maybe," Zhong Shan said, still frowning.

"Let's go take a look first!" Princess Nine-Tails suggested.

Zhong Shan, Su Afo, and Princess Nine-Tails quickly set off towards Ghost Island, their hearts filled with anticipation and a tinge of apprehension. The allure of the Five-Color Divine Stone was too great to ignore, but Zhong Shan's cautious nature kept him wary of what might lie ahead.

"Mm!" Zhong Shan nodded. Despite his doubts, it was best to go and see for himself. The Five-Colored Divine Stone? Zhong Shan, Su Afo, Nine-Tailed Princess, and Hong Xiao, the four of them, headed straight for the so-called Ghost Island Sea Region. The Ghost Island Sea Region was covered by dark clouds even before they reached it. It had always been overcast, filled with an incredibly fierce and evil aura. Many powerful cultivators were converging from all directions. The nearby islands were barren and desolate, making the scene even more striking. "This is the Ghost Island Sea Region, a peculiar area in the Ao Lai Sea. Its origin is unknown, but it existed even before Nuwa's demise. Therefore, no one associated it with anything significant. After all, this environment isn't unique in the Ao Lai Sea!" Hong Xiao explained. "Mm!" Zhong Shan nodded, continuing to fly eastward. After another incense stick of time, they stopped. The powerful cultivators ahead were densely packed, with the sea surface filled with arriving strongmen. However, everyone had stopped, frowning as they looked at the gigantic Ghost Island, or rather, the terrifying formation around it. The interior was shrouded in mist, while the exterior was surrounded by countless black holes spinning around the massive island. Black holes? Zhong Shan was all too familiar with them. In the Small Thousand World, spatial stability was weak, and a Sky Extreme Realm cultivator could shatter space, creating black holes. But in the Great Thousand World, even Zhong Shan couldn't break space, not even causing a ripple. Yet around the Ghost Island, countless black holes were rotating, making it dangerous for anyone to approach. These black holes not only spun but also appeared and disappeared unpredictably. No one knew where a black hole might appear next. Through these black holes, Zhong Shan felt an awe-inspiring force, sending a chill down his spine. A sense of extreme danger suddenly arose. The black holes in the Great Thousand World were far more formidable than those in the Small Thousand World. Even an Ancient Immortal would struggle to escape unscathed. This formation blocked everyone, and no one dared to challenge its might. The vast Ghost Island was enormous; even Zhong Shan couldn't see its entirety with his cultivation. Zhong Shan didn't rush forward but instead observed the surrounding strongmen. There were at least thirty million cultivators, drawn by the lure of a Sage's treasure. Indeed, an Ancient Immortal-level avatar was far more valuable than an Ancient Immortal weapon. Who wouldn't want it? More strongmen kept arriving, making the area unusually crowded. "Zhong Shan!" Suddenly, a loud shout rang out, startling everyone. All eyes focused on Zhong Shan. Turning around, Zhong Shan saw Cheng Baiyi, whom he had encountered half a month ago. Cheng Baiyi had a smile on his face, but it sent a chill down Zhong Shan's spine. Cheng Baiyi? What does he want with me? "Cheng Baiyi?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled. "I've heard that King Zhong's palm technique is astounding. Recently, you supposedly shattered a 'world' with one palm and crushed a Great Immortal? I, Cheng Baiyi, am also a practitioner of palm techniques. I wish to verify the truth of these rumors through a duel!" Cheng Baiyi challenged. Cheng Baiyi's words sent shockwaves through the crowd. Everyone knew him; he was one of the most famous figures in the Zixiao Daochang, with boundless power. Some said he was close to becoming an Ancient Immortal, while others claimed he already was one. What is he doing? Challenging me? And in front of millions of cultivators? "Don't worry, it's just a friendly match. I won't take your life!" Cheng Baiyi sneered.