Chapter 435: Ziyun Blocks the Way, Zhou Chen Goes First

Zhou Chen threw the Yao Core into the System space and continued forward.

According to the System prompts, the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass was located in an oasis deep within the Gobi Desert.

There was a True Immortal Realm Tenth Layer Desert Giant Python guarding it.

However, to Zhou Chen, a True Immortal Realm Tenth Layer was no different from an ant.

Three days later.

Lin Tian, leading the remaining three death soldiers, finally passed the trial of the first floor and arrived at the second floor.

His expression was terrifyingly gloomy.

In these three days, he had lost another death soldier.

That death soldier had his throat pierced by a terrifying attack that came from nowhere while he was pursuing a Yao Beast.

By the time they reacted, there was no one around.

“Young Lord, we only have two people left now.”

One death soldier said in a heavy voice, “Should we withdraw from the Secret Realm first?”

“Withdraw?”

Lin Tian sneered, “I, Lin Tian, never back down. This time, I must find an Opportunity!”

“Let’s go, to the Core Area.”

A flash of madness crossed his eyes.

The two death soldiers looked at each other and could only grit their teeth and follow.

Meanwhile, in the oasis deep within the Gobi Desert.

Zhou Chen stood by a pool of emerald-green lake water, looking at the Spiritual Plant in the center of the lake that was emitting a seven-colored light.

It was indeed the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass.

The body of the grass was crystal clear, and each leaf had nine profound patterns, radiating a dense Life Qi.

Around the Spiritual Plant, a hundred-zhang-long Desert Giant Python was coiled there, flicking its scarlet tongue and watching Zhou Chen warily.

“Beast, move aside,”

Zhou Chen said indifferently.

The giant python clearly understood his words, and a human-like look of mockery flashed in its eyes.

Roar!

It opened its bloody maw and sprayed a foul-smelling poisonous mist at Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen didn't even dodge.

When the poisonous mist reached three feet from his body, it was blocked by a layer of invisible Protective Aura.

“Stubborn.”

Zhou Chen raised a finger.

A streak of green Sword Qi shot out.

The Sword Qi seemed light and airy, yet it contained a power that could destroy heaven and earth.

The giant python's pupils constricted; it wanted to dodge, but found that the surrounding space had already been locked.

Puchi!

The Sword Qi pierced through the giant python's head.

Its massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.

Zhou Chen walked to the lakeside and reached out to pluck the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass by its roots.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for snatching Lin Tian's Opportunity!]

[Triggering Ten-Thousand-Fold Critical Hit Return!]

[Obtained Immortal King Grade High Grade Hundred-Turn Soul-Returning Grass!]

A Spiritual Plant that was Chaos-colored throughout and emitted a terrifying Life Qi appeared in Zhou Chen's hand.

On each leaf of this Spiritual Plant, there were ninety-nine patterns, making it countless times stronger than the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass.

“Good stuff.”

Without another word, Zhou Chen directly swallowed the Hundred-Turn Soul-Returning Grass.

Boom!

The terrifying medicinal power exploded within his body.

Zhou Chen's Divine Soul began to grow frantically, and his already powerful Divine Sense surged more than tenfold at this moment.

His cultivation also began to loosen.

The Bottleneck of the Fifth Layer of True Immortal Realm was easily broken under the impact of the medicinal power.

True Immortal Realm Sixth Layer!

True Immortal Realm Seventh Layer!

Zhou Chen opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.

“It's only been three days, and I've already broken through two layers.”

“At this rate, once I've finished snatching all of Lin Tian's Opportunities, I might be able to break through directly to the True Immortal Realm Tenth Layer.”

Zhou Chen was in a great mood; his figure flashed and he disappeared from the oasis.

The entrance to the Core Area was a massive stone gate.

The stone gate was a thousand zhang high, crafted entirely from an unknown black rock and inscribed with dense, ancient runes.

At this moment, hundreds of Disciples had gathered in front of the stone gate.

These were all elites who could pass the trials of the first two floors, each possessing a True Immortal Realm cultivation.

Among them were many experts at or above the Fifth Layer of True Immortal Realm.

“The Core Area is about to open!”

“I heard there's an Immortal King Legacy inside!”

“As long as one can obtain the Legacy, they can reach the heavens in a single step!”

The Disciples were all talking, their eyes filled with greed and anticipation.

Just then.

A white figure flew in from the distance.

It was Lin Tian.

Only two death soldiers remained behind him, and he looked somewhat disheveled.

“It's Senior Brother Lin!”

“Senior Brother Lin is here too!”

Many Disciples recognized Lin Tian and made way for him.

Lin Tian walked expressionlessly to the stone gate, his gaze scanning everyone present.

He was searching.

Searching for that rat hiding in the shadows.

“Senior Brother Lin, long time no see.”

A sarcastic voice rang out.

A young man dressed in purple robes walked out, a mocking smile on his face.

“Ziyun?”

Lin Tian frowned.

Ziyun was another Genius of the Zixia Sect, with a True Immortal Realm Fourth Layer cultivation, and he usually didn't get along with Lin Tian.

“I heard Senior Brother Lin encountered three True Immortal Realm Tenth Layer giant apes on the first floor?”

Ziyun said with a smile, “And even lost several Dao Protectors?”

“What a pity.”

The surrounding Disciples whispered among themselves.

Lin Tian's face became even more unsightly.

“None of your business.”

He said coldly.

“Oh, Senior Brother Lin, don't be angry.”

Ziyun spread his hands, “I'm just concerned about you, Senior Brother.”

“After all… you only have two Dao Protectors left now.”

“When you enter the Core Area, you'd better be careful.”

A flash of killing intent crossed Lin Tian's eyes.

But he suppressed it.

Now was not the time for internal strife.

Once he got the Immortal King Legacy, the first person he would kill would be this Ziyun.

Rumble!

Just then, the stone gate began to vibrate.

The runes on the gate lit up with a blinding light, and it slowly opened to both sides.

“It's open!”

“Quick, get in!”

The Disciples swarmed toward the stone gate like crazy.

Lin Tian ignored Ziyun and rushed in with his two death soldiers.

And at the very back of the crowd.

An unremarkable young man wearing a grey cloth shirt followed in leisurely.

It was indeed Zhou Chen.

He used the Divine Concealment Art throughout to mask his aura; no one present could discover his existence.

Passing through the stone gate.

Before him was a vast plain.

Countless ancient architectural ruins were scattered across the plain, each ruin emitting the aura of ages.

Seven-colored clouds floated in the sky, and the air was filled with a dense Immortal Qi.

“This is the Core Area?”

Zhou Chen's Divine Sense swept across, finding that the concentration of Immortal Qi in this space was actually a hundred times that of the outside world.

Cultivating here for one day was equivalent to a year outside.

“No wonder so many people fought their way in.”

He picked a direction at random and walked toward the depths of the plain.

According to the System prompts, the Immortal King Inheritance Hall was at the very center of the plain.

There was a complete palace there, which was where the Legacy was located.

However, to reach it, one had to pass through layers of Restrictions and traps.

These Restrictions were the work of an Immortal King level; the slightest carelessness would result in being turned to ash.

But for Zhou Chen, these were not problems.

The World Tree within his body could naturally sense the operational trajectories of various Laws and Restrictions.

As long as he followed the trajectories, he could easily avoid all dangers.

Three days later.

Zhou Chen stood before a towering palace.

The palace was crafted entirely from white jade, emitting a soft light.

Two stone statues, a hundred zhang high, stood at the entrance, lifelike as if they could come to life at any moment.

“Immortal King Inheritance Hall.”

Zhou Chen looked at the four large characters on the gate, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He raised his hand with a wave.

A streak of Sword Qi slashed out, booming against the palace gates.

Boom!

The gates did not budge in the slightest.