Zhou Qiucheng’s idea to transform the Innate Spiritual Treasure into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact is truly ingenious, reminiscent of a unique creation of the world.
"Zhou Qiucheng wants to transform the Innate Spiritual Treasure, Exquisite Tower, into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact, but he probably didn’t come up with this on his own, did he? Zhou Qiucheng had never been involved with the Divine Dao before, so why would he think of using the Power of Incense to transform it into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact? It seems Zhou Qiucheng is also not simple; there must be another reason behind it," Zhang Chen pondered to himself.
"But in life, who doesn’t have secrets? Zhou Qiucheng becoming the Artifact Spirit of the Exquisite Tower is already a big secret in itself," Zhang Chen thought silently.
This Exquisite Tower existed in Jinling hundreds of thousands of years ago without ever having an owner, and yet Zhou Qiucheng could become its master and even become the Artifact Spirit of the Exquisite Tower. Who wouldn’t believe there’s a secret involved?
"Interesting." Zhang Chen sighed gently, turning to enter the Exquisite Tower to continue researching its mysteries.
By evening, Zhang Chen left the academy and arrived at the foot of the mountain, using Escape Technique to reach Jinling City. The atmosphere of the city was different; incense qi soared to the heavens, Zhou Qiucheng’s sculptures were erected around the city, and the clay statues in the temples were replaced by Zhou Qiucheng’s sculptures.
The citizens came out one after another to kneel and worship, with incense qi soaring up and pouring into Chongzheng Academy.
"Zhou Qiucheng is indeed trying to completely control Jinling City, not only to rely on the Power of Incense to repair the Exquisite Tower, but also to forge a Divine Body and step into the realm of the Divine Dao," Zhang Chen watched under the night sky for a long time, eventually returning to his own home without making a sound.
The next day
Zhang Chen entered the academy and saw the incense qi had become more prosperous; divine light flickered on the tower, and strands of divine power were beginning to nurture.
Zhang Chen felt some things needed to be discussed with Zhou Qiucheng to prevent him from inadvertently falling into a trap.
Zhang Chen walked up the tower, seeing Zhou Qiucheng sitting in the center, surrounded by divine brilliance. He appeared sacred and inexplicable, and the divine light subdued the Power of Frost, constantly dissolving the techniques left by the Innate Water God in Zhou Qiucheng’s body.
"Greetings, sir." Zhang Chen approached Zhou Qiucheng and bowed, awakening Zhou Qiucheng from his meditative state.
"What do you need?" Zhou Qiucheng opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Chen.
"There’s something I have to say," Zhang Chen replied.
"Feel free to speak," Zhou Qiucheng said, looking at Zhang Chen with warmth in his eyes.
"Sir, are you planning to follow the Divine Dao?" Zhang Chen asked.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng was silent for a moment, then bitterly smiled: "I won’t hide it from you. In my discussions with Chen Sanliang, I have no confidence. I know myself, and my odds against him are less than ten percent. If I fall, my path will be ruined, and those I have offended in the past won’t let me live in peace. I must protect my family and the citizens of Jinling City, so the Divine Dao of Incense is my only path."
Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng with surprise; he was wise enough to know he stood no chance in a philosophical debate against Chen Sanliang.
"Sir, you underestimate yourself," Zhang Chen replied.
"I have lived for decades and know myself. Chen Sanliang has reached the Eleventh Tier through his path, while I haven’t even crossed the Yang God yet. How am I supposed to compete with him in a battle of philosophies?" Zhou Qiucheng shook his head.
"Sir, while you want to follow the Divine Dao of Incense, your path is different from the ordinary Divine Dao of Incense. Ordinary divine spirits rely on absorbing incense themselves, but you use the Exquisite Tower to carry the incense, which is entirely different from the external Divine Dao of Incense. Where did you obtain your Secret Technique of the Divine Dao of Incense?" Zhang Chen asked.
Zhou Qiucheng looked at Zhang Chen in surprise: "You actually saw through it?"
"It’s no harm to tell you. My Divine Dao of Incense is different from the external path. I obtained the technique of Divine Dao Incarnation, using the Exquisite Tower to suppress fate and serve as a carrier for incense, establishing a Divine Country within and gaining eternal life. As for where I obtained the Secret Technique, it comes from an extremely ancient enigma suppressed beneath the Exquisite Tower. I merely made a transaction with it," Zhou Qiucheng said.
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng mention an extremely ancient enigma, Zhang Chen’s heart moved, recalling the Great Freedom Celestial Demon’s body suppressed below, and his heart stirred.
"Sir, you know I once stayed in Yellow Heaven Dao for a while," Zhang Chen said.
Zhou Qiucheng nodded: "I know your background."
"I once heard a secret in Yellow Heaven Dao, though the Divine Dao of Incense is good and can quickly cultivate people, but it also has a fatal flaw," Zhang Chen said.
"What flaw?" Zhou Qiucheng asked curiously.
"Incense poison," Zhang Chen said.
"Incense poison?" Zhou Qiucheng was puzzled, but somehow, upon hearing this term, his heart pounded uncontrollably, and a sense of foreboding rose within him.
Zhang Chen heard Zhou Qiucheng’s explanation: "The faith of all beings can bring about unimaginable power, but the thoughts of greed, anger, and ignorance of all beings can also attach themselves to it, entering the origin of the divine spirit. If accumulated over a long time, it will be light, resulting in capricious moods, controlled by various greedy, angry, ignorant thoughts, and heavy, dispersing consciousness directly by that vast mindset, turning into a mindless monster."
Zhou Qiucheng was shocked upon hearing this, his expression began to change: "Is it really so?"
Zhang Chen nodded.
Zhou Qiucheng contemplated for quite a while, then gave a bitter smile: "Despite the many drawbacks, I still cannot abandon this technique; it is my only hope to break through."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng once more, then stopped advising, bowed to him, and took his leave.
"Although I have Yellow Spring Water, which can wash away all beings’ greed, anger, and ignorance, its side effects are too great, gradually erasing people’s humanity, turning them into emotionless divine spirits. To help Zhou Qiucheng, I need to find another path, a suitable solution." Zhang Chen thought silently to himself.
Day by day passed, and the entire Jinling City gradually quieted under Zhou Qiucheng’s strong suppression, plunging into a rare tranquility. However, Huang Chao was nowhere in sight, and even Zhang Chen didn’t know where that crafty old man hid.
With a snap of the fingers, half a year passed. Zhang Chen came once again to the Exquisite Tower, finding it completely covered by the light of the Divine Dao, every inch of its crevice radiating a sacred aura.
At this moment, the Exquisite Tower had absorbed numerous Incense Qi, becoming very powerful, with a mighty force rolling inside, exuding a sacred, immortal, and inviolable aura.
"The Incense Qi inside Jinling City is indeed enormous; the continuous offerings by a population of millions have turned the entire Exquisite Tower into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact within just a few months." Zhang Chen sighed softly.
In normal times, an Innate Spiritual Treasure would be immune to all laws and would never agree to transform into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact. What’s a Divine Dao Magical Artifact? How could an Innate Spiritual Treasure lower its prestige?
But now things are different; the Essence Qi of the Innate Spiritual Treasure continues to dissipate, requiring large energy replenishment, and although the Power of Incense is like pig feed to an Innate Spiritual Treasure, being able to survive and be satiated is the key, they can no longer care about so much.
For an Innate Spiritual Treasure, the most important aspect is energy replenishment, to survive through this era.
"The Exquisite Tower has completely transformed into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact, actively cooperating with Zhou Qiucheng to absorb Incense, self-transforming." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon said.
"The eleventh-tier Divine Dao Magical Artifact’s power unleashed is terrifying and formidable, and now it can transcend all limitations in its extreme sublimation, caring nothing at all about energy consumption." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon said to Zhang Chen:
"Even facing a twelfth-tier powerhouse, it’s not impossible to withstand a wave."
Upon hearing these words, Zhang Chen fell silent, wordlessly not knowing what to say. In his view, the faster Zhou Qiucheng upgrades, the faster he dies.
"Enough, let’s quickly comprehend the mysteries inside the Exquisite Tower." Zhang Chen decided not to care about so much, as long as his cultivation level rises fast enough, all troubles can be easily suppressed at that time.
With the entire Exquisite Tower transformed into a Divine Dao Magical Artifact, Zhang Chen noticed the subtle changes in the tower; the Sealing Power inside became stronger, and a faint divine radiance adhered to the tower walls.
Zhang Chen carefully examined the patterns on the walls of the Exquisite Tower, eyes reflecting contemplation, and after a long time, he asked the Great Freedom Celestial Demon: "What if one could gather the incense of all under heaven, to what kind of realm would one elevate their cultivation?"
"It’s certain to surpass the twelfth tier! But if anyone actually does that, they’d probably be not far from death, for the poison of incense from all beings isn’t so easily dissolved." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon replied.
Zhang Chen thought of the Great Victory Court, which held sway over countless beings across the land, and pondered what terrifying existence could be nurtured if it could obtain the power of incense from all the realm?
"It’s not really possible; the Great Victory resembles the Zhou Dynasty of past lives, where the Emperor of Zhou ordered the world, but the various dukes would divide territories in self-governance. The Incense Qi among the various dukes is already not enough for their own use, let alone contributing to the Great Victory Court?" Zhang Chen denied this thought in his heart.
"I keep feeling something’s not right." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon whispered in Zhang Chen’s ear.
"What’s not right?" Zhang Chen asked, puzzled.
"That guy below has grown stronger." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon pointed to the Crystal Stone ground, a difficult light in his eyes.
"Grown stronger? Why has he grown stronger?" Zhang Chen’s heart was filled with confusion.
"No idea? Logically, in this era, he’s still under seal, his power should only decline, how could he grow stronger? This doesn’t make any sense." At this moment, the Great Freedom Celestial Demon was also bewildered, his eyes full of confusion.
"Could you have sensed wrong?" Zhang Chen asked again.
"Impossible! I’m so close to him, how could I sense wrong?" The Great Freedom Celestial Demon seemed affronted.