Chapter 279: Heavenly Monarch Token

Outside the simulation, Zhou Qing quietly watched the shifting illusory text.

In reality, he had to account for numerous variables and unforeseen events.

He had to tread carefully.

He exercised extreme caution.

But inside the simulation? Naturally, there was no need for that.

First, the simulation offered the chance to start over, providing an infinite margin for error.

Second, Zhou Qing was already invincible in the Human Realm, not to mention he could take control of Heavenly Sword Peak at any time.

There was no need to continue watching his parents and brothers live out their lives as ordinary mortals.

For Zhou Qing in the simulation, merely letting a few resources slip through his fingers was enough to easily set his parents and brothers on the path of cultivation and grant them the power of cultivators.

Of course, the most important point was this.

Zhou Qing's current actions in the simulation were limited to the Taiyuan Region, or at most, the few large domains surrounding it.

They would have absolutely no impact on the Human Realm—or rather, the Eastern Wilderness Domain.

Zhou Qing would also suppress any information regarding the Zhou Family. As a Fourth Tier High Grade Divination Great Grandmaster, a Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch, and the holder of several great heavenly master titles, he possessed the ability to do so.

'This simulation is the perfect chance to see just how far Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, and Second Brother can go.'

Zhou Qing pondered. With his means, he could mold acquired spiritual roots for mortals if he so wished. Their quality would roughly fall between a high-grade spirit root and an earth spirit root.

This was the limit for acquired spiritual roots.

Once they cultivated to the Nascent Soul Stage, the usefulness of a spiritual root would drastically decrease.

【The massive floating island spanned hundreds of li across.】

【It encompassed the Zhou Family estate and the surrounding area.】

【You looked at your shocked parents, Eldest Brother, and Second Brother. With a stir of your thoughts, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth continuously gathered and merged into their bodies.】

【In just a short moment, spiritual roots formed within your parents and brothers, their quality approaching that of an earth spirit root.】

【"I feel like my body..."】

【"I think I can feel spiritual energy..."】

【Zhou Wen and Zhou Wu were full of disbelief. They had not yet recovered from what you had just told them.】

【You looked at your four family members and directly imparted some cultivation legacies to them through the divine soul.】

【"Ah Qing... this is..."】

【Zhou Shizhong swallowed hard. Looking at you, he could not help but speak.】

【Your mother, Madam Zhou, along with Zhou Wen and Zhou Wu, all looked at you. It was obvious that everything happening right now was your doing.】

【"You can cultivate now."】

【You smiled and said, "Just cultivate according to the methods in your minds. As for specific cultivation resources..."】

【You pondered for a moment.】

【As a Heavenly Monarch, even the most insignificant resources you pulled out would be enough for your parents and brothers to cultivate for ten lifetimes.】

【But taking out so many resources at once might not be a good thing.】

【"Wait for me a moment."】

【With that, your figure vanished from the spot.】

【A few breaths later, you reappeared.】

【Seven or eight other figures appeared alongside you.】

【They were the Nascent Soul Stage true lords from the surrounding large domains.】

【"Where is this?"】

【True Monarch Zixu was somewhat bewildered. He had been cultivating in seclusion in Taiyuan Palace when he suddenly sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy within his domain. Before he could react, he found himself here.】

【"Spatial teleportation? A Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarch?"】

【True Monarch Zixu's mind trembled. He looked at the figure in green robes not far away, filled with fear.】

【A Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch was nothing but a legend to him. He never imagined he would actually meet one, much less be abducted and brought here by them.】

【True Monarch Zixu glanced around out of the corner of his eye and found that he was not alone; several other true lords were also present. These true lords were all from nearby large domains, such as True Monarch Shangxiao of the Zixiao Domain. At this moment, their expressions were quite similar to his.】

【No true lord who could cultivate to the Nascent Soul Stage was a fool. Even if they were far from a match for a Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator, both sides were ultimately in the same major realm. Even if they died, they would at least know how it happened.】

【Yet against a Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch... they had been dragged here without the slightest ability to resist. After all, the farthest true lord among them had been millions of li away.】

【"If you have any questions from now on, just ask them."】

【You looked at your parents and brothers, then finally glanced at True Monarch Zixu and the other true lords.】

【While capturing True Monarch Zixu and the others, you had planted restrictions deep within their divine souls. These were soul-level restrictions; although they retained their independent thought, they would obey your every command.】

【"Yes, we obey the Heavenly Monarch's command."】

【True Monarch Zixu, True Monarch Shangxiao, and the other true lords immediately bowed, while carefully glancing at Zhou Shizhong and the rest.】

【Although they did not know why a Heavenly Monarch would place so much importance on mere mortals, a Heavenly Monarch's command could not be defied. Being able to work for one was an opportunity for them.】

【"Alright..."】

【Zhou Shizhong steadied his mind. He realized that this son of his had likely become an existence beyond his wildest imagination. Whether it was turning the Zhou Family estate and the surrounding hundreds of li of land into a floating island, or bringing over these individuals—every one of them emanated an aura that he could not bear to look at directly, yet they were entirely deferential toward you.】

【'Mhm, that should be about it.'】

【You glanced at your parents and family members, thinking to yourself.】

【The matters here in the Taiyuan Region were basically settled. With this giant island and spiritual vein dao arena you left for the Zhou Family, along with the bestowed cultivation legacies and the various true lords you had captured from the surrounding large domains to serve them...】

【You could now leave in peace.】

【"It didn't cause too much of an impact..."】

【You performed a quick divination on your fingers. Currently, the Zhou Family's existence was only known within the Taiyuan Region and the few surrounding large domains.】

【As for further away? Unless the true lords exchanged information among themselves, it would not spread at all.】

【And now that True Monarch Zixu, True Monarch Shangxiao, and the others were all under your control, the matter of the Zhou Family and your existence could not possibly be known to the outside world for hundreds or even thousands of years.】

【What you said to your parents and brothers—that the Zhou Family would become the strongest cultivation family in the Eastern Wilderness and even the entire Human Realm—was completely true.】

【As long as you were here, and as long as you acknowledged yourself as a member of the Zhou Family, they would be the strongest cultivation family in the Human Realm.】

【For the better half of the next day, you chatted a bit more with your parents and brothers while instructing True Monarch Zixu, True Monarch Shangxiao, and the other true lords on what they needed to do.】

【Then you drifted away.】

【Myriad Beast Mountain Range】

【Your figure appeared in front of the valley in the deepest reaches. Extending your right hand, the Blood Roc appeared on your palm.】

【As for the fourth-order Eagle King guarding nearby, it lay prostrate to the side, shivering in fear and not even daring to look at you.】

【'I'll nurture you one more time.'】

【You swept a glance over the Blood Roc, thinking to yourself.】

【In the previous simulation, this Blood Roc had smoothly grown to the Fourth-Order Late Stage under your nurturing. Later, during the Demon Abyss Realm's invasion, it had attempted to break through to Rank 5.】

【Unfortunately, it failed in the end, its body dying and its Dao perishing.】

【However, through that failure, you had roughly gauged where the Blood Roc's weaknesses lay. With the experience from last time, your hopes of smoothly advancing it to Rank 5 in this second round of nurturing were definitely higher.】

【You were quite curious. If the Blood Roc stepped into Rank 5, relying on the Heavenly Roc bloodline within its body, just what level would its speed reach?】

【It was said that the True Spirit Heavenly Roc could cross a major realm with a single flap of its wings, representing the absolute pinnacle of speed.】

【Wujian Region】

【Your figure silently appeared in the depths of Wujian Hall, right in front of the Reincarnation Stone.】

【The Wujian Hall Master and the true lords seemed to sense something. They appeared one after another not far away, looking at you in complete shock.】

【As the ruler-level faction of a super large domain, Wujian Hall's guardian grand array had reached Rank 4 Middle Grade. Even a Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator could not break through it in a short amount of time, let alone appear silently in the depths of the array.】

【"Senior..."】

【The Wujian Hall Master's brow twitched. He controlled Wujian Hall's guardian grand array, yet he could not sense the slightest trace of your aura, much less lock onto you with the power of the array.】

【What was going on?】

【The Wujian Hall Master broke out in a cold sweat. An unbelievable thought faintly surfaced in his mind.】

【Beside him, True Monarch Qingtian was much the same. As a Divination Grandmaster peering through the vast net of heavenly secrets, he vaguely sensed your existence, as if you had transcended the restrictions of the heavenly net itself.】

【"I am taking this Reincarnation Stone."】

【You glanced at the Wujian Hall Master and the other true lords, casually taking out a Token.】

【There were no words or patterns on the Token; it was just an ordinary Token. However, it faintly contained a wisp of an aura.】

【"In exchange, I will give you this Token. In the future, you can rely on it to avert one major disaster."】

【You said casually. Leaving the Token behind, you vanished from the spot.】

【In the fifth simulation, Wujian Hall had gotten along quite well with you, so you had no intention of taking the Reincarnation Stone for nothing.】

【That Token was the compensation you gave them, intended to fend off the expedition of the Dazhou Immortal Dynasty.】

【As a ruler-level faction, the Dazhou Immortal Dynasty possessed keen judgment. When facing the invasion of the immortal dynasty's army, the Wujian Hall Master would only need to take out this Token to make them retreat.】

【The wisp of aura on the Token belonged to a Heavenly Monarch. Through the providence of the immortal dynasty, Prince Zhennan of the Dazhou Immortal Dynasty would be able to see through a portion of its true nature. Once he realized that the Wujian Region was connected to a living Heavenly Monarch, even if you gave Prince Zhennan ten times the courage, he would not dare continue the expedition. The emperor of the Dazhou Immortal Dynasty would also inevitably choose to withdraw the army.】

【The Dazhou Immortal Dynasty used external conquests to expand its territory and gather more immortal dynasty providence. The Wujian Region was merely one direction of their expansion.】

【There was no need to forge a grudge with a living Heavenly Monarch for the sake of this one direction.】

【Furthermore, the Dazhou Immortal Dynasty could not bear the cost of offending a living Heavenly Monarch.】

【"Avert one major disaster?"】

【It was not until you had been gone for a long time that the Wujian Hall Master carefully approached the Token and picked it up.】

【"Hall Master..."】

【True Monarch Qingtian also leaned closer, traces of shock still lingering on his face.】

【"Qingtian, was that person just now..."】

【The Wujian Hall Master took a deep breath. He looked at True Monarch Qingtian, unable to voice those two words.】

【"Yes."】

【True Monarch Qingtian nodded slightly, his heart still trembling in fear. He had never dreamed that he would be able to get this close to a Heavenly Monarch in his lifetime.】

【"Hall Master, you absolutely must keep this Token safe."】

【True Monarch Qingtian could not help but speak, then looked back at the other true lords behind him, his gaze turning cold. "What happened today must not spread. Otherwise, you will be making an enemy of Wujian Hall!"】

【"Understood."】

【The true lords of Wujian Hall nodded. They also had their suspicions and naturally would not speak carelessly. After all, this involved a Heavenly Monarch...】

【"There really is a connection."】

【After obtaining the Reincarnation Stone, you took out that Mysterious Black Jade and found that the two items faintly resonated with each other.】

【"Now I'm just missing that Purple Eye Jade Stone."】

【Your mind settled. When you saw the Mysterious Black Jade resonating with the Reincarnation Stone, you knew you hadn't made the wrong choice.】

【"Heavenly Sword Peak."】

【You put away the Mysterious Black Jade and the Reincarnation Stone, looking toward the direction of Heavenly Sword Peak.】

【Now that everything was settled, it was time to go to Heavenly Sword Peak.】

【Heavenly Sword Peak possessed the only Fifth Tier Middle Grade spiritual vein cave dwelling in the Human Realm. There, your daily cultivation efficiency would be maintained at its absolute peak.】

【"The Heavenly Sword Seed... has also been condensed..."】

【You raised your right hand. Wisps of divine soul power intertwined and fused, condensing into a sword-shaped imprint that faintly radiated a sharpness capable of suppressing all things.】

【Central Continent Territory, Heavenly Sword Peak】

【Your figure silently appeared.】

【At the same time, you actively released the aura of the Heavenly Sword Seed.】

【In an instant, the Heavenly Sword Peak Master, who cultivated the 《Sword Canon》, and the slumbering Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword looked toward your location simultaneously.】

【Whoosh!】

【Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword walked out from the depths of Heavenly Sword Peak, standing not far away to look at you with extreme solemnity.】

【"Sword Lord..."】

【Feeling the vibration of his own Sword Seed and recalling the iron law recorded in the 《Sword Canon》, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, fellow Daoist."】

【Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword examined you closely, quite curious.】

【Your body carried an aura that made the Sword Seed vibrate. According to the iron law of the 《Sword Canon》, Heavenly Sword Peak needed to submit to you.】

【This was the command left behind by the Sword Lord in the past.】

【In addition, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword also sensed that you were a Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch.】

【With all five Heavenly Monarchs of the Human Realm currently alive, an extra Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch had suddenly appeared? If you had not caused the Sword Seed to vibrate, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword probably would have attacked to test your strength.】

【"Fellow Daoist Extreme Sword."】

【You also revealed a smile. In the previous simulation, you had gotten along quite well with Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword. He had even helped you test the Flower of Myriad Thoughts given to you by the Purgatory Demon Sovereign in the end.】

【Under Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword's guidance, you entered Heavenly Sword Peak.】

【"I will immediately announce to the public that fellow Daoist is the master of Heavenly Sword Peak, taking charge of all matters inside and out..."】

【Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword said directly. This was exactly the same as the last simulation, immediately declaring to the outside world that you had taken control of Heavenly Sword Peak.】

【"There's no need."】

【You shook your head slightly. In the previous simulation, you were only at the Nascent Soul Stage. Even if your ascension to Heavenly Sword Peak shook the Human Realm, it would not provoke much of a reaction from the Demon Abyss Realm.】

【But in this simulation, you were already a Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarch, the sixth Deity Transformation Stage Heavenly Monarch in the Human Realm.】

【Once it was made public, it might draw a different reaction from the Demon Abyss Realm.】

【This was also the reason why, back in the Taiyuan Region, you suppressed the scope of the Zhou Family's influence to the few surrounding large domains.】

【Merely a few remote large domains in the Eastern Wilderness Domain? To the entire Human Realm, that scope was far too small.】