Purple Mist Dao Master-Chapter 818 - 525: The Age of Dharma’s End?

Cheng Fengxiao only knew that this natural disaster came unexpectedly, covering the entire Lishan, with Divine Generals constantly going out to investigate and report back, expanding the affected area repeatedly—

Golden Talisman City!

Dongye City!

Zixiong City!

Even the southernmost Nanxiong City and Hunxi Royal City were within the disaster range. When the news came back, some speculated whether the entire Hunxi Territory was covered by the calamity.

But, how vast is Hunxi Territory?

Spanning over ten thousand miles!

On normal days, different regions and cities even have varied weather patterns; what kind of calamity could cover such a vast area?

The Lishan Sect is as solid as a fortress.

Yet the disciples within the sect are all fearful.

Watching the fiery streams in the sky bloom like fireworks.

Feeling the magma beneath the earth surge with a slight tremor.

Facing such a calamity, even with Lishan Sect's great formation protecting, the low-rank disciples are still anxious and uneasy, including Cheng Fengxiao.

"At this critical moment, the 'Star Stone' is no longer effective."

Cheng Fengxiao sighed.

A gentleman does not stand under a perilous wall.

He had the 'Star Stone', initially could return to Great Yan to avoid disaster, yet now he's forced to stay.

Even so!

But the 'Star Stone' was also used by him for other purposes—

"Using the 'Star Stone' to return to Guangling County, and then entering the Mountain and Sea Realm from another place in Guangling County, I can appear at another location outside Lishan."

"With the help of the 'Star Stone', using Great Yan as a springboard, I can travel back and forth inside and outside Lishan every day."

"By diluting the 'Spiritual Liquid' accumulated daily in the 'Little Green Bottle' and watering my private herb garden opened in the Lishan Sect, the herbs grow exceptionally well, a day equals a year, and the quality is extremely high."

"It's by taking advantage of a large number of high-quality one-year herbs that I don't need to worry about costs; others might be able to refine pills once every ten days, but I do it ten times a day."

A hundredfold practical experience!

Naturally, his alchemy skills advance rapidly!

But all this is based on the foundation of the 'Star Stone'. Without the 'Star Stone' to jump, Cheng Fengxiao wouldn't dare to cultivate herbs so recklessly within the Lishan Sect.

Therefore.

This time, not only is Cheng Fengxiao's way back cut off, but even his path is temporarily blocked, his previously swift advancements in alchemy abruptly halted.

"It accumulates only seven days' worth of Spiritual Liquid at most," Cheng Fengxiao touched the 'Little Green Bottle' in his arms, then looked up at the sky, "Can this calamity end within seven days?"

Even the high ranks of the Lishan Sect aren't certain about this, thus Cheng Fengxiao certainly can't be sure either.

"Forget it!"

"Just bury oneself in cultivation before the calamity ends!"

But even cultivation is hard; the calamity makes the world's Qi chaotic and Primordial Qi turbulent. Although the Postnatal Realm can't absorb Primordial Qi, being in such an environment inevitably makes one's heart restless, increasing the difficulty of cultivation and drastically lowering its efficiency.

Oh!

Is this the apocalypse?

Or is it leading to the 'Era of Diminished Magic'?

Cheng Fengxiao barely managed to sit and practice for only a quarter of an hour before he had to stop to calm his mental state and the turbulence of his Inner Strength—

Cultivation!

Even harder!

Just at this moment—

"Someone outside the mountain claims to be Senior Cheng's disciple, called 'Cheng Guangling'."

Cheng Guangling?

Yan Chuan!

Cheng Fengxiao was taken aback; this is the name he agreed upon with Yan Chuan. Despite the prevalent calamity in the Danhu Realm, his disciple managed to find him here!

...

"..." Cheng Fengxiao looked at 'Lu Qing' before him, feeling a bit dumbfounded.

"Master." Yan Chuan, transformed into 'Lu Qing' and under the name 'Cheng Guangling', successfully met his master. Seeing his elder safe and sound, he felt relieved. Meanwhile, 'Lu Yuru' from the 'North Mansion' screamed: "Ah! My eyes!"

"..."

Yan Chuan glanced towards the North Mansion only to see Lu Yuru clutching her eyes in agony, tears of blood streaming down, and he hurriedly transmitted, "What's going on?"

"Senior Cheng!" Lu Yuru clutched one eye with one hand and pointed outside with the other, looking horrified, "Senior Cheng carries a Treasure, emitting celestial light, stabbing my 'Wisdom Eye', I'm going blind!"

Lu Yuru panicked.

'Wisdom Eye' was her talent; her future growth relied entirely on her eyes, yet a casual glance at Cheng Fengxiao resulted in the treasure light and celestial light as if blinding her.

Blood tears streamed down.

Lu Yuru was frightened and at a loss.

"You should rest first." Yan Chuan comforted Lu Yuru, not rushing to confirm the treasure matter with his master, he followed Cheng Fengxiao back to the residence under the face of 'Lu Qing', then looked around, Cheng Fengxiao understood: "This is my abode, if I don't open the door, no one will intrude."

Yan Chuan, hearing this, changed his appearance and form back to his true self: "Master, this skill is called '72 Transformations', it's a method I've recently devised, specializing in transformation."

After speaking.

He transformed back into the appearance of 'Lu Qing'.

"Skillful beyond measure!"

Cheng Fengxiao personally watched Yan Chuan change back and forth, and even though he saw the entire process repeatedly, he still couldn't spot any flaw. This disguise technique and transformation were simply magical.

But now isn't the time to discuss the "72 Transformations", Yan Chuan hurriedly said: "Not only Danhu Realm, but even my Tan Valley Realm, the entire Jinze Region, and even the Lanhua Region corresponding to Taikang Academy have all been struck by disaster. This heavenly calamity has spread across unknown domains, covering countless areas, even the 'Earth Gate' and 'Heavenly Ladder' in the King City have vanished, the disaster might not be small." Yan Chuan looked at Cheng Fengxiao: "Master, it's better if you return to Great Yan first!"

"I wish I could, but the Star Stones don't work, the distance to where the Academy Star Gate is located in Guangling Academy is far, outside, the Heavenly Fire and Earth Fire are rampant, and the road is difficult." Cheng Fengxiao smiled bitterly.

"I have a way to send Master back." But there was another problem: "Once you leave, Master, will you return to Lishan Sect?"

If he doesn't come back, then it's simple, just leave.

If he is to come back, it's a bit troublesome, need to find a proper excuse, then report and record it in Lishan Sect, only then can he leave, it will take some time.

"It would be best to return." Cheng Fengxiao explained to Yan Chuan: "I've been studying alchemy in the past six months, Lishan Sect offers an excellent environment for me to improve my alchemy skills. There are classics to read, an alchemy room to practice, pill masters to seek advice from. I have already settled here, and after the heavenly calamity passes, I will continue my deep study."

Cheng Fengxiao is self-aware, he may have the 'Little Green Bottle', producing batches of annual herbs daily, with extremely high quality, allowing him to practice excessively.

However, alchemy skills involve practical exercises as just the foundation. Cheng Fengxiao can quickly advance his alchemy skills in the past six months, apart from this, the alchemy-related classics in Lishan Sect and the help from those pill masters in Chunjiang Courtyard's Alchemy Hall were also very important.

Wealth, Companion, Method, Place!

Cheng Fengxiao has the 'Little Green Bottle', lacking in wealth, but 'Companion·Pill Master', 'Method·Classics', 'Place·Earth Fire Alchemy Room', these are things Cheng Fengxiao can't quickly gather in the short term. Only in Lishan Sect can he better and faster grow.

"Then like this—"

Yan Chuan understood, he said: "Master can say the disciple sought you to return to save the clan and clansmen, go out first, and return after the heavenly calamity ends. If it takes a long time, say it was blocked by the calamity and couldn't return."

"Excellent!"

Cheng Fengxiao nodded.

...

Chunjiang Courtyard, Inner Courtyard.

Zhou Shun was trimming flowers and plants when the senior disciple Shangguan Ji suddenly came to report: "Master, Cheng Fengxiao is leaving the mountain!"

Zhou Shun looked up at the sky, wondering: "The heavenly calamity hasn't ended, what's he doing going out at this time?"

"Cheng Fengxiao's disciple Cheng Guangling came to seek him, Cheng Fengxiao said he's worried that the tribe has suffered from the disaster and wants to return to lead his people to Lishan to avoid it." Shangguan Ji had inquired.

"Nonsense!"

Zhou Shun's face darkened: "The whole Hunxi Territory is covered by the calamity, even the Divine Generals outside are unstable, he's just a Postnatal Realm and he's going out now, is he courting death?"

"He's already gone." Shangguan Ji was helpless: "Master has already shown the utmost kindness towards Cheng Fengxiao, he wants to go out seeking death himself, who can stop him?"

Shangguan Ji felt that the master was overly concerned about Cheng Fengxiao, even letting him, the senior disciple, to personally attend to him, regularly report Cheng Fengxiao's cultivation situation, and even keep an eye on Cheng Fengxiao's outings, all needing to be monitored and reported.

Those who know obviously know this is because Cheng Fengxiao helped Zhuo Shun's elder brother with tomb building and monument setting, those who don't might think Cheng Fengxiao is Zhou Shun's illegitimate child outside!

Too concerned!

Shangguan Ji was silently brooding inside, casually replied, but before his words fell, he suddenly saw Zhou Shun's face change: "Gone? When did he leave? Why wasn't it reported immediately?!"

"I—"

"Disciple—"

It was the first time Shangguan Ji saw his master so furious, he trembled within, stammered, quickly explained: "The heavenly calamity descended, Lishan was too chaotic, disciple neglected; please forgive me, Master!"

"When did he leave?"

"Which direction did he go?"

Zhou Shun, after a moment of fury, regained calmness, asked coldly.

Although the tone was calm, Shangguan Ji felt even colder and terrified, quickly said: "Left about an hour ago, heading south, according to foot pace, now should be about to leave the mountain."

Boom!

Before the voice finished, Zhou Shun leaped into the air, rushed straight to the southern mountain gate of Lishan.

Leaving Shangguan Ji alone, his back soaked in cold sweat long before.

...

"Out, Master be careful." Yan Chuan and Cheng Fengxiao walked out of Lishan Sect, picked up speed, moved further, just waiting to get out of sight of the mountain gate, and then he would use the Monkey King Avatar's Soul Channel to send Cheng Fengxiao out first, after which Yan Chuan would transfer alone, ensuring absolute safety.

But, as the two just crossed a mountain.

"Someone's coming!"

Yan Chuan's eyebrows knitted slightly, ears moved faintly, but it wasn't judging from sound, the person's speed surpassed sonic speed, even breaking through the sound couldn't catch up to this person.

Person running ahead.

Sound chasing behind.

Yan Chuan purely relied on vague senses.

"Speed of a Fourth-Rank Divine General!"

The speed limit of Third-Rank Divine Generals is roughly capped at 340 meters/second, unless they mastered Fourth-Rank Absolute Skill, True Skill Innate Chapter Fourth Form, or a High-Rank Speed Type Treasure, or Life and Death, otherwise, Third-Rank Divine Generals at full speed could hardly surpass sonic speed.

The one coming!

Eighty percent likely a Fourth-Rank!

"Who is it?" Yan Chuan turned back, saw one person moving with such speed as if appearing directly before him, when stationary he stirred up a whirlwind, causing all plants and trees in the mountains to fall flat.

"Elder Zhou?!"

Cheng Fengxiao recognized the person.

Zhou Shun!

Yan Chuan furrowed his brow inwardly, a dignified Fourth-Rank Divine General, moreover one from the Ten Elders in Jiujiang Institute, one of the Nine Courtyards, how comes he would hastily rush here to find Cheng Fengxiao?

...