Chapter 932: Expansive Foundation

Zhong Shan frowned as he looked at the powerful Reverse Flow Beast. While his Yang aspect was the main body and the Yin aspect was a shadow form, this reversal ability would be no threat to the shadow form, which could regain its cultivation instantly. But what about his main body?

Zhong Shan's cultivation had not come easily, but fearing the Reverse Flow Beast was an overstatement. He had more than one way to eliminate it.

"Did you set up this array? You've put in quite some effort to deal with me!" Zhong Shan sneered.

"Array?" The white-robed man looked slightly puzzled.

In the distance, there was indeed a massive formation shrouded in mist, looking extremely mysterious.

Seeing the man's expression, Zhong Shan's face changed as he glanced at Sima Zongheng. Although Zhong Shan had never seen this formation before, having spent so much time with Ni Bodhisattva and the others, he could recognize it as a feng shui array.

A feng shui array? Did Sima Zongheng set it up?

"Where is the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail?" the white-robed man demanded coldly.

"In deference to the Snow Plum Patriarch, I'll let you leave now if you go. I won't pursue this matter," Zhong Shan said calmly.

The Snow Plum Patriarch was a Grand Immortal, and Zhong Shan didn't want to provoke him unnecessarily. There was no need to make enemies everywhere.

"Hmph! If that's the case, I'll subdue you first and then interrogate you slowly!" the white-robed man retorted coldly.

Without further ado, the white-robed man gave the Reverse Flow Beast the command. Its forehead emitted a large amount of green light, which shot rapidly towards Zhong Shan and his companions.

"Move!"

Zhong Shan placed his palms on the Nine-Tailed Princess and Su Afo, sending them flying out of the green light's range. However, they were still hit by a flash of the light.

"My cultivation... I've reverted to the Heavenly Immortal stage!" Su Afo exclaimed.

"So have I!" the Nine-Tailed Princess echoed.

They managed to evade most of the green light, but their cultivation levels still dropped by one stage. Zhong Shan, however, was at the forefront.

Zhong Shan summoned his Emperor Map, and the green light was reflected back. But the Reverse Flow Beast controlled it again, directing it back towards Zhong Shan. The Emperor Map seemed ineffective, as the green light circled back to envelop Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan's expression changed. The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail was about to emerge, but he suddenly stopped and retracted the Emperor Map. He had noticed something peculiar: the green light wasn't as terrifying as he had imagined. Although a large amount of energy was being emitted from his body, his cultivation level hadn't dropped.

Or rather, Zhong Shan's cultivation was declining very slowly.

Zhong Shan was slightly taken aback. His cultivation had advanced slowly, but could it be that it also regressed slowly?

"Zhong Shan!" Su Afo and the Nine-Tailed Princess cried out in alarm from a distance. Zhong Shan was fully enveloped in the green light.

Seeing Sima Zongheng's miserable state and then looking at Zhong Shan, the two were extremely worried.

A "zzz zzz" sound emanated from Zhong Shan's body, but his cultivation remained at the tenth level of the Heavenly Immortal stage.

"What is this? Why is it so slow?" the white-robed man exclaimed in shock.

He still couldn't see through Zhong Shan's cultivation, which meant Zhong Shan was still at the Heavenly Immortal stage or above. Could there be a problem with the green light? But that couldn't be right; the cultivation of the two people Zhong Shan had thrown out of the green light's range had indeed decreased.

The white-robed man grew tense. Su Afo and the Nine-Tailed Princess were both surprised, while Sima Zongheng, on the other hand, wore a cold smile. Zhong Shan? You're like me, aren't you? My cultivation will recover in less than a hundred years; what about you?

Zhong Shan's cultivation hadn't decreased at all! The one most frustrated wasn't the white-robed man, but the Reverse Flow Beast. The beast could feel it most acutely—was this person made of stone? His cultivation hadn't changed at all. The Reverse Flow Beast, now in a humanoid form, was sweating coldly.

Putting in more effort, an increasing amount of green light surged towards Zhong Shan, enveloping him completely. Zhong Shan, at this moment, seemed to be conducting an experiment.

Foundation? Was this the so-called rusty bronze foundation he had? The Heavenly God Child once remarked, "What a vast foundation." Was this what he meant?

The green light in the Reverse Flow Beast's single eye continued to shine. After a whole incense stick's time, the beast's face showed deep fatigue. Yet, Zhong Shan still seemed unaffected, his cultivation unaltered.

The white-robed man realized something was amiss. Was Zhong Shan truly unharmed? Faced with the Reverse Flow Beast's green light, he seemed completely unaffected.

In an instant, fear gripped the white-robed man. His strongest card was the Reverse Flow Beast. If it couldn't harm Zhong Shan, he was doomed.

Two months ago, Zhong Shan had single-handedly annihilated thousands of Confucian disciples, including several Grand Immortals.

Not far away, Sima Zongheng spat out another mouthful of reverse blood. An entire incense stick's time, and still no visible effect on Zhong Shan? He might as well die.

Why, why was Zhong Shan unharmed while he had reverted to the Golden Core stage?

Sima Zongheng's eyes flashed with deep hatred. Why was Zhong Shan unaffected? Why had he reverted to the Golden Core stage?

Glaring at Zhong Shan with venomous hatred, Sima Zongheng whispered something to the gluttonous beast beneath him.

Nearby, the Reverse Flow Beast felt its supernatural energy depleting. Yet, Zhong Shan remained unscathed. How could this be?

Having seemingly finished examining his body, Zhong Shan coldly looked at the white-robed man.

"Don't come any closer. You said you wouldn't pursue this!" the white-robed man said, fear evident in his voice.

"That was if you hadn't provoked me. Today, if I were harmed by you, who would I beg for mercy from?" Zhong Shan replied coldly.

"Boom!"

A thunderous sound erupted from within Zhong Shan's body, making everyone's ears ring painfully. No one knew what had happened.

Zhong Shan looked surprised as his cultivation finally decreased to the ninth level of the Heavenly Immortal stage. It had dropped by one level?

The Reverse Flow Beast felt a surge of excitement, but it quickly turned to frustration. Even at the ninth level, Zhong Shan's cultivation was still slow to decrease.

Would Zhong Shan wait another incense stick's time?

"Hmph!" Zhong Shan snorted coldly.

Behind the Reverse Flow Beast, a colossal figure, five hundred zhang tall, suddenly appeared.

The white-robed man turned around, only to see a gigantic mouth.

"Ah-woo!"

The Reverse Flow Beast and the white-robed man disappeared into the mouth of the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail. The green light vanished as the beast had another hearty meal.

"Ah-woo!"

Another thunderous sound followed.

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail vanished, replaced by a thousand-zhang gluttonous beast.

The gluttonous beast swallowed the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail in one gulp.

"Hahaha...!" Sima Zongheng laughed maniacally from a distance. Like a mantis catching a cicada, only to be caught by the oriole behind, the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail devoured the Reverse Flow Beast, and the gluttonous beast devoured the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail. Now, everything was within the belly of the gluttonous beast.

"Sima Zongheng, you despicable person!" the Nine-Tailed Princess shouted angrily.

"Sima Zongheng, you shouldn't have done this," Zhong Shan said, shaking his head.

"Hmph, Zhong Shan, without that divine beast, let's see how you manage. Once inside the belly of the gluttonous beast, no one can get out! With the gluttonous beast protecting me, you can't kill me, hahahaha!" Sima Zongheng laughed arrogantly.

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail had been swallowed by the gluttonous beast, but the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail was linked to Zhong Shan's divine consciousness. It was just a matter of a thought for it to reappear. However, Zhong Shan didn't immediately summon it back. Instead, he said something that left everyone bewildered.

"Reverse the swallow," Zhong Shan said with a cold smile.

Reverse the swallow? What did that mean? The Nine-Tailed Princess, Su Afo, and Sima Zongheng were all confused. What was this reverse swallowing?

Inside the belly of the gluttonous beast, the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail curled up. Suddenly, it opened its mouth wide, seemingly adhering to the body of the gluttonous beast. With a massive force, the gluttonous beast's mouth opened wider and wider until, in an eerie twist, its insides seemed to be turned inside out from its mouth. In a flash, the gluttonous beast disappeared, leaving only the colossal Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail.

Su Afo, the Nine-Tailed Princess, and Sima Zongheng all winced. The scene reminded them of turning a glove inside out. The gluttonous beast had just been turned inside out and devoured by the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail?

"No!" Sima Zongheng cried out in despair.

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail vanished, rapidly breaking down the energy of the Reverse Flow Beast and the gluttonous beast, transferring most of it to Zhong Shan.

The immense influx of energy caused Zhong Shan's cultivation to rise again, quickly regaining the level he had lost.

Heavenly Immortal Tenth Stage, Heavenly Immortal Great Perfection.

Everything returned to normal as Zhong Shan looked at Sima Zongheng, now reduced to the Golden Core stage.

Sima Zongheng backed away, his face a mix of despair and fear.

"Can I still kill you now?" Zhong Shan asked coldly.

Sima Zongheng glared at Zhong Shan with deep hatred. But what could he do? As a mere Golden Core stage cultivator, he was no different from an ant.

"Tell me, what is the purpose of this feng shui array? I can spare your life," Zhong Shan said coldly.

"I don't believe you. You would let me go? If I have to die, we'll die together!" Sima Zongheng said, reaching for something.

"Boom!"

Zhong Shan struck with his palm. For someone like Sima Zongheng, he had no interest in further conversation.

Sima Zongheng fell, writhing in pain.

"Zhong Shan, you crippled his cultivation?"

"Only by crippling him can I be at ease," Zhong Shan replied, nodding.

Turning his gaze to the feng shui array, Zhong Shan unleashed several strikes, shattering it. Although he didn't know its purpose, he instinctively felt it should be destroyed.

"No! No!" Sima Zongheng cried out in agony, but Zhong Shan paid no heed, completely destroying the feng shui array.

Turning back to Sima Zongheng, Zhong Shan said, "Considering your position in the Taichu Holy Court, I've only crippled your cultivation. Your life or death is now in your own hands."

With that, Zhong Shan took to the sky. Su Afo and the Nine-Tailed Princess followed closely.

"Zhong Shan, you could have killed him," Su Afo remarked.

"Before formally leaving the Taichu Holy Court, I'll avoid killing their important officials if I can," Zhong Shan replied, shaking his head.

Not kill? If Sima Zongheng had heard this, he would have undoubtedly spewed three more mouthfuls of blood. Being rendered a cripple and having the feng shui array destroyed, thus ruining his family's plans, was no different from being killed.

This disaster brought unparalleled misery to Sima Zongheng.