Longevity Chronicles
Chapter 440 - 304: Jade Demon Conception, Ancestor Dragon Secret Society

Tao Qian's recent words carried an intention to conceal something by overtly displaying it.

Yet, they were also true statements, and at that moment, he was using his will to resist the strong impulses and desires aroused by the treasure in his hand.

In his spirit, a demon thought surged:

"Quick, find someone quickly. It must be a living person. Then, with a single strike of the Wa Dang, the soul feels exhilarated, and there will surely be benefits."

Tao Qian believed there were benefits, but the person before him was from the Taishang Dao lineage.

If he were to suddenly strike the back of someone's head with the Wa Dang, when Zhong Ziyang woke up, Tao Qian, as the True Master, would have to face the terrifying power of the Sixty-four Thousand Yin Yang White Eyebrow Needles.

As he suppressed this impulse, detailed records also burst forth in Tao Qian's mind:

[Name: Toad God Tile.]

[Type: Magical Treasure.]

[Record: This item is a tile from the eaves of the Toad God Palace in the Outer Realm, Great Abyss. Cast from the stone of the Great Abyss, it is not only indestructible but, after years of exposure to the Toad God's divinity, has mutated into a treasure artifact. However, because this tile has never been ritualized, there are no Forbidden Techniques within, thus its utility is minimal and consequently priced low.]

[Note 1: This treasure can be thrown or struck. However, it only becomes effective when 'striking a living creature.' If one can hit pivotal areas such as the back of the head, face, or knee, the effect can be doubled. Whether it's the dharma body or the Divine Soul, once struck by this tile, they will fall immediately into a daze, with life and death unpredictable.]

[Note 2: As this treasure contains the Toad God's qi, it has a nourishing and beneficial effect on cultivators and treasures within the Nine Toad Sect.]

[Note 3: This treasure can serve as a medium, allowing the user to establish a connection with the Toad God from the Outer Realm by striking one's own skull with the tile, causing fresh blood to burst forth. This method yields the best results and may allow the Toad God to bestow Secret Techniques or even treasures... Unlimited use; each strike guarantees a gain.]

[Note 4: Possessing or using this treasure generates some impulses, such as striking the back of the heads of living beings or one's own skull, partial exemptions are permissible.]

…

"What a… strange treasure!"

After going through the record, Tao Qian felt both joy and helplessness in his heart.

Without a doubt!

This Toad God Tile was an excellent treasure.

Not to mention its powerful attack capabilities, the fact that striking oneself even once could gain benefits from the Toad God was extraordinarily rare and valuable.

Tao Qian could imagine that if the cultivators of the Nine Toad Sect knew about this, they would stop at nothing to seize it.

Having it fall into his hands felt like casting pearls before swine.

After all, Tao Qian didn't have the preference to strike his own head, at least not currently.

He was quite skeptical that the so-called benefit of striking one's skull could just be a performance at the Toad God's place, with the reward being mere money.

"A lazy, fat, homely Outer Realm God who loves performances and rewarding!"

Holding the tile, Tao Qian muttered in his heart.

Although he was still reluctant to smash his own skull for some reward, he couldn't deny the Toad God Tile was an Exotic Treasure.

From this, he could also deduce that he was currently in a period of harvest, whether it be the Nine States' Twelve Treasures or this tile; they were almost all picked up by Tao Qian himself.

Even if it were truly an inheritance of the Nine Toad Sect, such good fortune was incredible.

After all, these two treasures were not ordinary artifacts.

Just by observing Zhong Ziyang's envious gaze, one could understand a thing or two.

"Not to mention treasures like the Vajra Demon-suppressing Stick and the Red Dust Sin Sword, which seem incredibly rare to ordinary cultivators, let's talk about the Buddha Bird Relics, the Nine Toad Bead, the Holy Embryo Bag, the Valley God Gui, and the Toad God Tile… Each of these five treasures could be used as Protecting Dao Treasures, and the Buddha Bird Relics could even be used to establish a new lineage."

"My identity as the sole true inheritor of the Duobao Lineage finally seems somewhat justified."

"The slightly irritating part is, these treasures weren't given by my master; I gained them through my own hard work."

"I see, is this the true essence of the Duobao Lineage?"

Tao Qian was internally criticizing his own master.

Suddenly, Zhong Ziyang let out an exclamation, raising his hand to point towards another part of Changliu Mountain, and sneered:

"Mr. Lin Daoist, look over there. Gao Zhan still refuses to give up, it seems he wants to use some Secret Technique to bypass his physical body's limitations to provoke the Outer Realm Divine Corpse and continue pursuing us."

"In this manner, he resembles a sticking-out turtle. Where is the dignity of a True Master from the Ultimate Happiness Realm? A filthy and fallen devil, worse than a beast, hardly even a human."

Although Zhong Ziyang was only a Cavernous Mystery Realm cultivator, his background was extraordinary.

Such ridicule of Gao Zhan, who has reached the Ultimate Happiness Realm and called "Jade Demon True Monarch Gao Zhan," didn't seem inappropriate to Tao Qian.

Following the pointed direction, the distaste and criticism in his heart exceeded even that of Zhong Ziyang.

In the gray-white cloud barrier of Changliu Mountain, an abnormal sight suddenly appeared.

First, a thick meat pillar could be seen burrowing into the mountain.

At the front, embedded with dense eyeballs, large mouth, and thick red tongue.

The eyes full of lust, the mouth full of tusks, dripping saliva from the red tongue.

Perhaps because the Divine Corpse of the Outer Realm remained undisturbed by not moving the principal body and only inserting one meat pillar.

In an instant, its eyes locked onto Tao Qian and the other.

Despite the effects of the Dun Yi Talisman, Gao Zhan had not directly seen Tao Qian.

But as there was a blood feud between them and the qi was linked, it was not difficult to vaguely locate his foe.

Without making any noise, the next moment, a slight puffing sound was heard.

Its tail, a large mess of maggots, flesh spikes, and densely haired pus-ridden flesh penetrated into the cloud fog, the tip cracked open with a hiss, throbbing as it began to lay eggs.

The first giant egg, milky white and shining like jade, hit the ground.

The thin membrane-like shell subsequently shattered, and from the sticky pus, a creature writhing like a mix of Human Clan and Alien Species, making one's scalp tingle with its breathing sounds, was eager to be born.

"Not good, Gao Zhan, this beast, has indeed abandoned the body of the Human Clan."

"This is the 'Jade Demon Childbirth Secret Method,' consuming some mana, he can breed useful descendants. This person is now hermaphrodite, confusing yin and yang, truly deserves to be killed."

"If we could let him live, we truly might circumvent…"

As Zhong Ziyang spoke, he was about to make a move.

But before that, Tao Qian made his move first.

Impeccably smooth, no hesitation.

Almost subconsciously, he poured some mana into the Wa Dang in his hand and tossed it toward the barrier.

That Wa Dang, an object of the Toad God from the Outer Realm.

Though it lacks an Artifact Spirit, it possesses its own mysteries.

Once it left Tao Qian's hand, it instantly transformed into an invisible divine light undetectable by anyone.

In a flash, it struck the "meat pillar head" of Gao Zhan reaching into the mountain.

With a crisp snap, an ugly head burst open like a shattered watermelon.

The yet unborn "Jade Demon" inside the enormous egg also met its doom, instantly turning into a mess of rotten flesh; dead within the egg.

But that was not all!

Unsatisfied, the Toad God Wa Dang, cutting through the clouds and fog, slapped onto the actual head of Gao Zhan.

Had it been any other treasure, even something as precious as the Nine Toad Bead, this Ultimate Happiness Realm powerhouse would have instantly noticed it and cast spells to seize it.

However, the Toad God Wa Dang was extremely crafty, leaving not a trace of its presence.

The next instant, Tao Qian and Zhong Ziyang just heard a loud "clang" sound coming from outside Changliu Mountain.

When the Wa Dang flew back to Tao Qian's hands, Gao Zhan, who had been stealthily attacked, let out a miserable wail. Numerous crystal spikes, each tens of meters long, involuntarily pierced into the mountain.

A Cavernous Mystery Realm cultivator hit by the Wa Dang would be instantly knocked unconscious.

While an Ultimate Happiness Realm powerhouse couldn't be knocked unconscious, a slap could still tear flesh and break skin, causing minor yet extremely painful injury.

Gao Zhan's wailing and rolling, his screaming outbursts, eventually drew the attention of a lingering thread of True Spirit Will from the Divine Corpses.

The Corpse Slaves and Demon Servants paused, then simultaneously turned their heads to look towards Gao Zhan.

A conflict was about to erupt.

At that moment, Tao Qian tucked the Wa Dang into his robes and, with a smile, said to Zhong Ziyang,

"Daoist Zhong, the timing is perfect."

"This demonic corpse will block Gao Zhan for us. If Gao Zhan stubbornly persists, once our masters arrive, we might just end him in one fell swoop."

"Brilliant, brilliant, let's go."

Zhong Ziyang was also delighted. The two of them each sent messages to summon others.

The former invited an elder from Taishang Dao.

Tao Qian, less honest, led others to believe he had invited a powerhouse from the Nine Toad Sect.

Nevertheless, there was no mistake. As Yuan Gong mentioned, when it came to sharing the spoils, Duobao was exceptionally skilled. Whether it involved disguises or other tactics, he could easily cover Tao Qian's origins and still secure the most valuable treasures.

Even if someone from Taishang Dao arrived, they wouldn't be able to outmatch him.

"Once my master gains a benefit, as a guide and messenger, it'd be perfectly reasonable for me to share in the profit,"

"Though I already have many treasures on me, who would ever spurn a few more?"

Muttering this to himself, Tao Qian followed Zhong Ziyang away from Changliu Mountain.

They circled around and immediately headed toward Shangyang City in the New Moon Province, the capital city.

With the supernatural powers of the two, and without an enemy like Gao Zhan chasing them, they were bound to encounter no further trouble along the way.

During the journey, Zhong Ziyang took the opportunity to introduce Tao Qian to New Moon Province, and the secret society he belonged to, the Ancestor Dragon Society.

"Daoist Lin, given your aspiration to travel the world, you cannot miss the land of New Moon."

"Among the provinces of the Northern Land, regardless of comparison, New Moon Province is undoubtedly among the top three."

"Speaking of heritage, this is where the ancestors of the Human Clan began their rises by wresting the world from indescribable mysteries and abnormalities, starting right from the heartlands of New Moon. The deeds of the Ancestor Emperor, who swept across the wastelands, also began from 'Shangyang City.' Subsequent new dynasties have all chosen Shangyang as their Imperial City, not at all inferior to places like Xiajing, Divine Capital, or Wu City."

"Speaking of the Mortal World, New Moon Province boasts a vast territory with hundreds to thousands of large and small cities, with a population nearing hundreds of millions. Any prosperous scene or luxurious enjoyment found elsewhere in the world can also be seen in New Moon Province, unmatched by Demon City and even surpassing Imperial City."

"Speaking of the Cultivation World, famed mountains and great rivers, Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, and even ancient relics and mysterious, strange secret realms abound in New Moon Province. It gathers Daoist, Buddhist, demonic, and devilish beings, heresies, heterodoxies, as well as millennium-old clans and prominent families."

...

Hearing this, Tao Qian assessed that Daoist Zhong was about to make a critical turn.

Sure enough, a voice full of rage soon followed:

"After the Ancestor Emperor's demise, the reigns of the Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, including New Moon Province among its seventy-two provinces, fell into the hands of Alchemists, that group of old fools poisoned us all."

"Gao Zhan and his ilk are from among the Alchemists, his ancestors being one of their leaders who reached the Daoist Transformation Realm. But looking at the Gao family, regardless of how high their cultivation, they are neither human nor beast, just demonic beasts."

"The land of Shen Zhou was originally abundant with spiritual energy, which if well managed could promise an unlimited future... But those old beasts piled atop billions, sucking blood, have utterly ruined this era, and since the Ancestor God Forbidden Techniques crumbled, it has only added insult to injury for the people of this world."

"But as they say, when things reach an extreme, they can only move in the opposite direction. In chaotic times like these, heroes emerge."

"Daoist Lin, you must have heard about the recent upheaval in Demon City and the 'Yang Sui Uprising.'"

"The Daoist Tao from Spirit Treasure Sect, truly a heroic figure."

"With his own might, he manipulated many decaying powers and even managed a severe blow to those Alchemists; truly a disciple of Duobao True Monarch, even my master said, Daoist Tao has immeasurable merit."

"Though this drastic measure alone cannot save the world in a short time, it's an incredibly significant beginning, abolishing the imperial system and state designations, effectively pulling the rug out from under the Alchemists, severing their foundations. I heard that the Southern Provinces have already started this; we too cannot lag behind too much."

"Daoist Lin, I wouldn't hide from you that I, Zhong Ziyang, along with a group of fellows, have formed the 'Ancestor Dragon Society.'"

"Recently, we plan to rally around Daoist Ying Qingdi, a descendant of the Ancestor Emperor, to initiate an uprising within Shangyang City, to completely seize New Moon Province from those decaying powers and fallen warlords."

"If Daoist Lin has a heart to save the world, would you like to join us?"

"If you dislike slaughter, you could discuss it with our fellows, perhaps serve as a Grain and Grass Officer. With the Ancestor God Treasure in your possession that can refine the essence of the Five Grains, saving disaster victims would also be an extremely meritorious deed, how about it?"