Zhang Chen knew that he was never a naturally gifted player; otherwise, his Primordial Spirit’s comprehension of the Laws of Heaven and Earth wouldn’t be so slow.
Looking at the enormous ravine before him, Zhang Chen was troubled. If he wanted to comprehend something, wouldn’t it take until who knows when?
So, a thought sparked in Zhang Chen’s mind: "I wonder if I can use my Golden Finger to directly grind out some Divine Techniques?"
After a brief contemplation, Zhang Chen thought this plan was feasible.
He had the Ice Domain, an Immortal body, and countless opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them, so giving it a try wasn’t a big issue.
The next moment, Zhang Chen slightly adjusted the Solar True Fire that protected his Primordial Spirit, and then he saw a gleam pierce through the Solar True Fire, directly stabbing into his Primordial Spirit. In the next moment, Zhang Chen’s Golden Finger interface quickly popped up:
"New skill discovered, do you want to pick it up?"
The strand of Innate Geng Metal Power that touched Zhang Chen fell to the ground and transformed into a golden yellow, entity-like bead resembling gold.
"Pick it up!"
Seeing it succeed directly, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but be overjoyed and quickly gave the mental command.
The next moment, the Golden Finger interface flickered, and Zhang Chen’s Golden Finger interface had an additional new skill:
[New Skill (Unranked): Authority of Gold Element (10000000)]
[Note 1: You can master all Gold Elemental Laws]
Then Zhang Chen’s Golden Finger interface refreshed again:
[Skill 26 (Unranked): Authority of Gold Element (10000000)]
[Note 1: You can master all Gold Elemental Laws]
[Note 2: Range of ten meters]
Looking at the introduction on the Golden Finger interface, Zhang Chen suddenly had a notion. Now that he had gathered the Authorities of Wood, Earth, Water, and Gold, if he also collected the Authority of Fire, would something happen once he collected all Five Element Authorities?
As soon as this thought circulated, the inspiration deep within Zhang Chen’s Primordial Spirit began to pulse uncontrollably. An inexplicable intuition surged in his heart, giving him the sense that if he were to collect the Authority of Fire, he would certainly receive an incredible boon and possess incredible power.
"This has potential!" Countless thoughts swirled in Zhang Chen’s mind: "Really good! Really good! The Authority of Fire can be both difficult and easy. As long as I find a peculiar flame between Heaven and Earth, I have a very high chance of grinding out the Authority of Fire."
But Zhang Chen soon looked at his own Solar True Fire and immediately dismissed this idea in his heart because the Solar True Fire bore his aura, and he couldn’t grind out a skill belonging to him from it.
"The Qilin Flame from that kid Zhong Xiang seems to be of a very high level. Should I use Zhong Xiang’s Qilin Flame to grind out the Authority of Fire?" Zhang Chen had an idea, then collected his scattered thoughts and focused his gaze on the overwhelming Qi of Geng Metal around him. The next moment, he directly withdrew the Solar True Fire that protected his body.
"Damn, are you crazy, looking to die?" The Great Freedom Celestial Demon shouted urgently upon seeing this scene.
As the shout echoed, the surrounding Innate Geng Metal Power flashed with a cold gleam, aiming to pierce Zhang Chen’s heart and slice him to pieces. But as all the Innate Geng Metal Power approached within five meters of Zhang Chen, they all transformed into golden dust particles, falling to the ground like flour.
"Interesting!" Zhang Chen muttered to himself.
If he collected the golden sand from the ground, perhaps he could gather a piece of Innate Geng Metal, but to Zhang Chen, even with Innate Geng Metal, it wasn’t of much use.
What could he do with Innate Geng Metal?
Refine a weapon? Not necessary, right? He already had half of an Immortal Slaying Sword. Is there any weapon better than the Immortal Slaying Sword in the world?
As for collecting Innate Geng Metal to refine a treasure? He couldn’t do that either!
Once the God-Beating Whip is refined, it would count as Zhang Chen’s weapon. To refine another weapon with this Innate Geng Metal would be overly complicated.
Zhang Chen pondered this in his heart, but didn’t let it show. Instead, he let the mysterious power flow around his body and continued to shuttle through the Qi of Geng Metal: "Too bad no experience points dropped, otherwise I’d certainly get a huge gain."
As all the Qi of Geng Metal came within five meters of Zhang Chen, they transformed into streams of golden sand falling to the ground. Zhang Chen regretted that no experience points had fallen here, and he roughly guessed that this place had no mysterious body; what remained was just some mysterious power.
"I say, Zhang Chen, when did you gain such an ability?" The Great Freedom Celestial Demon looked at Zhang Chen strolling amidst the Qi of Geng Metal, disbelief evident in his eyes.
"No, no! If you had such an ability before, you should have used it long ago, instead of using the Sun True Flame to resist the Innate Geng Metal Qi. So... did you comprehend the Divine Techniques to control the Innate Geng Metal Qi in an instant upon seeing those marks?" The Great Freedom Celestial Demon was a smart person; he immediately connected the dots and was nearly dumbfounded by his own speculation.
Utterly astonishing!
Comprehending the Divine Techniques to control Innate Geng Metal in just one glance, what kind of concept is that?
What kind of perception is this?
Even the legendary Innate Divine can’t compare!
"Back then, Mr. Wu’s five flying swords were merely forged from Acquired Geng Metal, yet they allowed him to be undefeated under the Yang God. Here, all is Innate Geng Metal; who knows what effect the condensation of flying swords from Innate Geng Metal Qi would have." Zhang Chen walked within the storm of Geng Metal, observing the endless cascade of Golden Sand from the heavens, and recalled Xie Lingyun and the three little ones. Though he himself had no use for the Golden Sand, it didn’t mean his family couldn’t use it.
"I should collect some Golden Sand!" Zhang Chen decided in his heart, beginning to manoeuvre the Golden Sand to converge towards him.
However, those sand particles were extremely fine, and it was difficult to gather them in scale.
Zhang Chen casually held a grain of Golden Sand, and saw each particle was the size of dust, emanating a sharp, hard, invincible Qi mechanism, truly extraordinary.
"A flying sword forged from these can be said to be invincible, possessing the power to pierce all things. If refined through Secret Techniques, the flying sword made would be no worse than an Innate Spiritual Treasure." Zhang Chen pondered for a moment before putting away the Golden Sand, and then continued towards the mountain peak.
As for upgrading the Authority of Gold Element, Zhang Chen chose to give it up; he didn’t plan to upgrade the authority now, because he only wanted to first cultivate a Twelfth Tier Divine Technique. As for other skills, unless necessary, they must be deferred.
"The power of incense from the Great Victory Dynasty is explosively growing, and soon there will likely be a large number of Eleventh Tier Divine Spirits born. Though I now master the Eleventh Tier Sun True Flame, my means of confrontation are too singular. To gain an absolute advantage, I must attain higher realms and possess overwhelming strength." Zhang Chen was clear about his goal, and he continued striving towards it.
Time quietly passed; seven days soon went by, and Zhang Chen had yet to reach the highest peak of the Heaven-Supporting Pillar, nor collected enough Golden Sand, while the Material Realm had already begun to stir trouble once again.
One morning, Zhang Chen awoke from meditation to see a figure sitting in his courtyard, leisurely munching on sunflower seeds.
Upon seeing the visitor, Zhang Chen’s pupils narrowed: Bai Cang.
Today’s Bai Cang was different from before; his aura was now exceedingly obscure, likely having stepped into the Tenth Tier.
After swallowing the fate of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, Bai Cang’s cultivation had finally experienced a qualitative change.
"Why are you here?" Zhang Chen frowned upon seeing Bai Cang.
"Of course, I have something to ask of you," Bai Cang replied sullenly, displaying no politeness: "I’ve heard that you have a Sealing Rune and came to ask for one."
"Heard someone say?" Zhang Chen scrutinized Bai Cang, wondering who could have told him about the rune. Apart from Bai Cang himself, who knew?
"Tushan Qing said so," Bai Cang replied irritably.
Zhang Chen stood in the courtyard without speaking, merely looking at Bai Cang with a calm gaze. While he indeed had the rune, why give it to him?
"Once I enter the Great Victory Royal Palace and confuse the Great Victory Human King’s mind, I will grant you wealth and glory," Bai Cang said.
Zhang Chen remained silent, showing no interest in Bai Cang’s words, until Bai Cang proposed another condition: "I can mobilize the power of the Great Victory Dynasty to assist you against the Yellow Heaven Dao."
"Deal!" Finally moved by Bai Cang’s condition, Zhang Chen knew Yellow Heaven Dao was formidable, and it was unrealistic to shake it alone, unless he mastered the legendary Clone Technique.
"What’s the situation with Chen Sanliang?" Zhang Chen asked casually.
"That guy thinks highly of himself and wouldn’t listen to our words, and now he finally stumbled. He almost had his neck severed; if Hu Li the Immortal hadn’t arrived at the crucial moment, he’d have been killed by the opponent’s Forbidden Artifact," Bai Cang remarked.
"Forbidden Artifact? What is the Forbidden Artifact?" Zhang Chen perked up upon hearing Bai Cang’s words, eagerly asking about the mystery. Ever since he heard of Forbidden Artifacts, he was apprehensive, and now finally hearing about them again, he seized the opportunity to clear his doubts.
"So-called Forbidden Artifacts are special items passed down from ancient times, like a drop of blood from some unknown creature, a strand of hair left by a being, or the hide of a peculiar species, even depicting the laws of Heaven and Earth observed by ancient existences... These various things embody unimaginable power, thus called Forbidden Artifacts."
"These Forbidden Artifacts are extremely sinister; even a Twelfth Tier expert could be killed if inadvertently caught in one’s trap. So, when traversing the world, never be arrogant; the oddities of power are numerous, and carelessness can lead to disaster. No one can guarantee they will survive every calamity," Bai Cang advised.