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On the summit of Fire Persimmon Mountain.
Lava boiled, flames raged.
The Lava Immortal Palace, like an isolated island, was being overwhelmed by surging waves of demon beasts.
The spiritual energy grand hand, conjured by Meng Kui, continuously tangled with the Core Formation level Firewalker Snakes and Flame-Treading Lizards.
The Firewalker Snakes and Flame-Treading Lizards hissed incessantly, burning through or tearing apart the spiritual energy grand hand.
The Nascent Soul level Demonic Ape, however, ignored the spiritual energy grand hand and focused on attacking the Lava Immortal Palace.
Under the attacks of the Firemelt Demonic Ape, the General-Appointing Platform shattered into countless pieces.
It let out a triumphant roar, savoring the pleasure of revenge in the destruction of the Lava Immortal Palace.
Deep within the clouds and mist.
Meng Kui’s face was calm, his gaze profound.
The target points of the Firemelt Demonic Ape’s attacks were guided by him through means like the spiritual energy grand hand. Compared to the Firewalker Snakes and Flame-Treading Lizards, the Demonic Ape possessed higher intelligence. Therefore, in Fire Persimmon Mountain, the Firemelt Demonic Ape could often command other beast groups, making it royalty.
However, ultimately, they were still demon beasts, not demon cultivators.
Demon cultivators gain sentience and are no different from ordinary people.
The demon beast Demonic Ape was utterly self-satisfied, completely unaware that it had been utilized by Meng Kui.
The Nascent Soul level attacks, landing in the Lava Immortal Palace, were suppressed to the Core Formation level.
Zhu Zhen and other Core Formation level cultivators had already ascended into the air, constantly intercepting powerful attacks to ensure the safety of the mechanical structures.
However, their numbers were far fewer compared to the onslaught. Numerous attacks landed in the inner circle of the Lava Immortal Palace, causing continuous damage, and even complete collapse, to the mechanical structures.
While fighting, Zhu Zhen actively sought the Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon.
So far, he had not found any unusual defensive deployments.
However, he did discover that the demon beast tide was about to reach the Gourd Furnace Grove.
This gave him an opportunity to fulfill Zhu Xuanji’s entrustment!
Deep within the clouds and mist.
Meng Hu’s gaze penetrated the long sky, surveying the entire battlefield.
The fighting spirit in his heart, like the raging flames filling his vision, burned constantly, making him restless.
“Taiqing Palace, Taiqing Palace… Why haven’t you appeared yet?”
Rumble…
The clashes between Nascent Soul level experts shook the entire Fire Persimmon Mountain.
Each head-on collision caused the table in front of Zhu Hou to tremble slightly.
He instinctively looked in the direction of the Fire Persimmon Mountain summit, Zhu Xuanji’s image flashing through his mind: “I wonder how things are going for Xiao Ji.”
He smiled slightly, then dismissed the slight worry in his heart: “If Xiao Ji can’t succeed, who else in our Zhu royal family can?”
“The child from back then is now a pillar of our Zhu family.”
“Time flies…”
Zhu Hou couldn’t help but recall the scene of him teaching a young Zhu Xuanji.
Royal Capital.
On the table, there were sixteen enlightenment diagrams neatly arranged.
Zhu Hou pointed at them one by one, asking Zhu Xuanji to explain the content he had comprehended from each diagram.
Zhu Xuanji answered fluently.
Zhu Hou was very satisfied and praised: “Xuanji, you possess the Golden Eye talent, which is most adept at discerning the essence of things. Therefore, when comprehending enlightenment diagrams, you can often see truths that ordinary people cannot.”
“Coupled with your own intelligence and excellent comprehension, comprehending these enlightenment diagrams is the best cultivation method for you.”
The young Zhu Xuanji lifted his little face: “Uncle, my Golden Eye is so strong, why is it only a high-grade talent and not a super-grade? Super-grade talents are also called immortal talents. Are they all stronger than my Golden Eye? Hmph, I don’t believe it!”
Zhu Hou smiled: “The grades of talent are only relative. Is a super-grade talent always stronger than a low-grade talent? Not necessarily, it depends on the specific situation.”
“The so-called grades are just classifications we have summarized. Perhaps one day, we will find a better way to utilize the Golden Eye talent, allowing its grade to be promoted to super-grade.”
Zhu Xuanji pressed: “How do you develop talent? Uncle, I’ve heard that you just need to keep using it.”
Zhu Hou shook his head: “Constantly using it is not the essence of developing talent.”
“Xiao Ji, before answering this question, I want to ask you first: What does cultivation mean?”
Zhu Xuanji didn’t hesitate, blurting out: “Cultivation is learning the true principles of heaven and earth through practice.”
Zhu Hou nodded: “Exactly. The rising and setting of the sun and moon, the prosperity and decline of life and death, are the principles by which all things in heaven and earth operate and are extinguished.”
“It is precisely by learning and mastering these principles that we cultivators can break free from the shackles of the mundane world, continuously increase our lifespan, and possess extraordinary power beyond ordinary mortals.”
Speaking of this, Zhu Hou pointed to the enlightenment diagrams on the desk: “These enlightenment diagrams are records of certain principles of heaven and earth made by cultivators skilled in painting, using this method.”
“You know about true scriptures, right? Those true scriptures are records of the principles of cultivation methods understood by cultivators skilled in calligraphy, to facilitate others’ understanding.”
“In this world, all talents are actually a part of the principles.”
“Some talents contain more principles and are easier for us to apply, so we classify them as high-grade talents. Conversely, they are low-grade.”
“The reason why the Golden Eye is judged as a high-grade talent is that it contains many principles, but its application is limited to auxiliary functions.”
“Using the Golden Eye can often see through the essence of things, but the results of this ability are also severely affected by the cultivator’s own knowledge and understanding.”
Seeing Zhu Xuanji somewhat dejected, Zhu Hou comforted him: “Although talents are graded, it’s just a starting point. In the long run, it still depends on the cultivator’s own development.”
“If you can understand the principles contained in the talent and master them, you can promote the talent to a divine ability!”
“Whether it’s a divine ability or a talent, they are powerful means that can help cultivators fight above their level.”
“Of course, not only talents can be transformed into divine abilities. The essence of divine abilities is the understanding and mastery of the Dao and principles.”
“An ordinary spell can also be studied by a cultivator to reveal the principles within it, and then be promoted to a divine ability.”
“These enlightenment diagrams you see all have the potential to be promoted to divine abilities.”
“Last time, I asked you to carefully select from these enlightenment diagrams and choose your main direction of cultivation from now on. What is your choice now, Xiao Ji?”
Zhu Xuanji didn’t hesitate, pointing to two of the enlightenment diagrams: “Uncle, I choose these two.”
Zhu Hou looked closely: “Well, good.”
“If you study these two diagrams deeply, you are likely to master two martial divine abilities, namely the Golden Mountain Stance and the Jade Pillar Body.”
“Why did you choose them?”
Zhu Xuanji showed a look of longing, telling Zhu Hou that he had read many historical novels and often fantasized about becoming an unparalleled fierce general who could dominate the battlefield and devote himself to his family and country.
And the standard equipment of those fierce generals was these two divine abilities.
Zhu Xuanji: “When I was very young, I heard from my teachers that our Southern Dou Kingdom’s royal family is lacking in fierce generals. In many cases, we have to rely on the body cultivators of other families. If I can cultivate these, our Zhu family will have its own fierce general.”
“Good child, good child.” Zhu Hou praised, “To think of the bigger picture, you have awareness.”
“Since that’s the case, I might as well make a move once to acquire a royal divine ability for you, to protect you.”
Zhu Xuanji was curious.
Zhu Hou explained to him: “This is an official divine ability, named Golden Branches and Jade Leaves. It can be cultivated individually, or applied to others for protection.”
“Whether it is the cultivator themselves or the cultivator upon whom the divine ability is cast, they must be members of noble, royal, imperial, or even emperor families.”
“Our current Grand Elder of the Zhu family has mastered this divine ability.”
“Since you have chosen the Golden Mountain Stance and the Jade Pillar Body, the Golden Branches and Jade Leaves divine ability is most suitable for you.”
“In the future, if you have three divine abilities in one body, they can complement each other and their power will skyrocket.”
“If you can integrate them and merge the three divine abilities into one, you can even be promoted to a level above divine abilities!”
Lava Immortal Palace.
Turning Point Secret Chamber.
The five-element torrent submerged Zhu Xuanji, followed closely by the full-force attack of the Milk Butterfly Mother, unleashing a quasi-Core Formation level offensive.
The five-colored mysterious energy dispersed, revealing an immovable and majestic figure!
The Milk Butterfly Mother’s attack created countless spatial fragments, colorful and dazzling, dense and numerous, but not a single one intruded into Zhu Xuanji’s body.
At this moment, Zhu Xuanji’s body had expanded beyond nine feet, his muscles bulging, but wrapped in a black-edged red robe, forming a martial arts battle suit.
He stood proudly, like a pillar supporting the heavens.
Golden energy coiled around his entire body, and vaguely, mountains appeared. And at this moment, on the mountains, a forest grew.
Every tree was of golden branches and jade leaves, swaying in the wind, gold and jade colliding, producing incessant crisp sounds.
Official divine ability – Golden Branches and Jade Leaves!
“Three divine abilities?!” Ning Zhuo and the others were all greatly shocked.
Zhu Xuanji slowly turned around, his voice like a grand bell: “Ning Zhuo, you disappoint me too much!”
“I guided you onto the right path, but you still chose the wrong path, colluding with demonic cultivators.”
“You have failed Li Leifeng, failed my expectations, and even more so, failed your family.”
Speaking of this, Zhu Xuanji swept his arms horizontally, and in an instant, a strong wind roared.
Wherever his arms reached, the colorful fragments completely disintegrated and scattered in an instant.
Yang Chanyu’s pupils shrank sharply upon seeing this scene, thinking: “What kind of joke is this? This is a quasi-Core Formation level formation, yet it was so easily dissolved?!”
The Milk Butterfly Mother’s face turned pale, and she immediately said to Ning Zhuo: “Physician, let’s run quickly! This person is too fierce!”
How to run?
Ning Zhuo smiled bitterly. Once he pushed the door open and entered, he couldn’t run anymore.
He was also within the scope of the official technique’s retreat.
The more critical the situation, the calmer Ning Zhuo’s heart became.
He revealed a smile, his gaze sharp, and met Zhu Xuanji’s eyes without fear: “Lord Zhu, you have no evidence, please don’t slander me casually.”
“This time, I am competing publicly with you for the Lava Immortal Palace for the sake of my family!”
“The reason for helping the people of the Empty Sect is simply strategic alliance and horizontal and vertical maneuvers, merely a struggle for interests.”
“This is precisely my active response to the King’s decree to recruit talents.”
Zhu Xuanji’s face darkened, and he scolded: “Sharp-tongued, glib-tongued.”
(End of this chapter)