Book 2: Chapter 251: Shameless Is Power, the Truth of Spiritual Roots
Vol 2 Chapter 251: Shameless Is Power, the Truth of Spiritual Roots
Down below, over a hundred Nascent Souls had their eyes on the unfolded map, staring at the shaded Tai and Liang Prefectures with looks of surprise.
Zheng Fa could understand their shock—not because his merit wasn’t enough, but because Zhenren Tongming had given too much.
The Seven States and Twenty-Three Counties of the Hundred Immortals Alliance weren’t just territory—they were the spiritual mines and spiritual plant fields the Alliance had relied on for survival for years.
For Zhenren Tongming to yield four whole states all at once—that was a serious bleed:
If he’d thrown four states at the Great Freedom Demonic Sect earlier, maybe he could’ve even made friends with them, maybe even competed with the Netherworld Immortal for position.
And now, Zhenren Chengkong had thrown two states at Jiushan Sect—definitely not a light gift. Forget Liang Prefecture for now—Jiushan Sect was originally based in Tai Prefecture—Taiyang County, where the secret realm had been, was part of it too.
And even then, Jiushan Sect hadn’t controlled all of Tai Prefecture before.
Now, with just a nod from Zheng Fa, Jiushan Sect would double its land holdings!
Not to mention, Tai Prefecture wasn’t just the ancestral homeland of Jiushan Sect—it was valuable—Taiyang County had a newly emerged Spirit Cavern and a spiritual stone mine! Zhenren Chengkong smiled warmly at Zheng Fa. Clearly, he’d put a lot of thought into this.
Xie Qingxue stood nearby like she was just watching a play. She wasn’t going to get any land anyway. After all, the matter of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor’s resurrection wasn’t only the Taishang Dao’s business.
Her gaze swept over the others’ faces.
Two Soul Formation cultivators looked a bit sour—since Jiushan Sect got more, they got less—but they didn’t dare speak up. Forget challenging Zhenren Chengkong—Zheng Fa’s current strength alone was enough to shut them up.
As for the Nascent Souls, most just looked envious. Throwing tantrums? They weren’t idiots.
She even specifically looked over at the Nascent Souls of Jiushan Sect. Old Yuan and the others looked quite excited, as expected—getting Tai and Liang Prefectures meant not only reclaiming their ancestral grounds but gaining even more territory and resources.
Others looked at Zheng Fa with jealousy or envy, but Zheng Fa didn’t smile at all. Instead, he frowned in thought.
He really looked like he didn’t want the trouble!
“Zheng Fa?”
Zheng Fa asked first, “What about the Demonic Sect’s secret realm?”
He remembered well—Taiyang County didn’t just have a spiritual stone mine, but a secret realm tied to the Demonic Sect.
“Nowhere to be found.”
Zhenren Chengkong immediately knew what he was concerned about and explained, “Tongming already investigated. That location no longer has an exit to the secret realm.”
Zheng Fa suddenly recalled what the Great Sage Qingyun had once said.
The price the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor paid to get their help had been giving up his own secret realm.
Which meant, the secret realm had already been taken by the demon race?
And taken away?
From this, it seemed Zhenren Chengkong hadn’t been trying to trap him.
But the real question was—did Jiushan Sect even need that kind of land right now?
In terms of population, the Jiushan Realm had enough.
To be honest, the two prefectures of Tai and Liang weren’t nearly as useful to Jiushan Sect as outsiders thought.
Zhenren Chengkong looked a bit puzzled: “Zheng Fa, I know you have the Jiushan Realm, but those Cave-Heaven Worlds—after all—have limited spiritual materials and poor resources.” 𝙧ἈꞐỒ𝐛Ès̈
He really thought he was being generous.
Taishang Dao had their own Cave-Heaven Worlds too. Sure, they were secure, but their resources were limited and couldn’t support a whole sect’s cultivation needs.
Otherwise, why would Taishang Dao even bother with Xuanyi? They’d just stay home and mind their own business.
Who knew Zheng Fa would be so cold?
Even the Nascent Souls of Jiushan Sect seemed to snap out of their excitement, their faces growing more measured and cautious, all deep in evaluation...
That expression made everyone else even more uncomfortable:
Seeing Jiushan Sect get that much land was already painful—but they could bear it.
But now these Jiushan cultivators were acting like the two prefectures weren’t even good enough—that was really hard to watch!
They were on the verge of exploding!
What, the Jiushan Realm’s that rich?
……
Of course, the Jiushan Realm had its flaws—mostly lightning-based spiritual materials.
But the thing was—Zheng Fa had a way to solve that.
With his deepening understanding of spiritual materials, and the nearing completion of the Spirit Particle Five-Element Cycle, artificially synthesized spiritual materials were about to become a reality.
Which meant: the issue that plagued most Cave-Heaven Worlds—even the Five Sects of Xuanyi like Taishang Dao—wasn’t even a real issue for the Jiushan Realm anymore. The cost comparison between synthetic and natural spiritual materials… well, that was another matter entirely.
Zhenren Chengkong’s expression showed clear confusion:
He didn’t expect Zheng Fa to be all grateful—but he also didn’t expect someone to turn down land like this.
And in the middle of the silence, Zheng Fa glanced at Senior Sister Zhang, as if seeking her opinion.
Senior Sister Zhang seemed to understand his thoughts. She said nothing—just gave a light nod.
Zheng Fa looked down at Old Yuan. Old Yuan smiled back at him.
“These two prefectures—Jiushan Sect doesn’t want them.”
“Doesn’t want them?” Zhenren Chengkong had lived over ten thousand years. He’d seen a lot and heard even more, but he still couldn’t help but widen his eyes. “That secret realm is really gone, I swear.”
Zheng Fa shook his head.
There was only one reason he was rejecting the land—the Netherworld Immortal isn’t dead.
Maybe Zhenren Chengkong had truly let his guard down. Zheng Fa hadn’t.
With the Netherworld Immortal’s strength—and his hatred toward Zheng Fa...
They could hide inside the Jiushan Realm just fine.
But occupying Tai and Liang Prefectures would be a whole different matter.
Even if Zheng Fa never stepped outside again, managing the two prefectures and gathering resources would mean sending people out—a weakness.
The simplest scenario: if the Netherworld Immortal captured Jiushan Sect disciples, would Zheng Fa rescue them or not?
And if no one ever left the Jiushan Realm, then what was the point of owning that land?
If the synthetic spiritual material technique didn’t exist, he wouldn’t have been so decisive. But now? It was a different story.
“You’re being a bit… overly cautious.” Zhenren Chengkong looked troubled, his smile turning bitter. “You really don’t want them?”
“Don’t want them.”
Xie Qingxue gave Zheng Fa a glance, then swept her eyes across the Jiushan Sect Nascent Souls, something unreadable flickering in her gaze.
“You rendered great service in wiping out the Great Freedom Demonic Sect…” Zhenren Chengkong said, “I thought these two prefectures would be enough to repay you, but you… then tell me, is there anything Jiushan Sect wants?”
Down below, the Nascent Souls exchanged confused glances.
Even Xie Qingxue’s face looked a little twisted.
Did they swap roles or what?!
One’s dead set on giving. The other’s dead set on refusing.
She could practically hear the internal screams from the Nascent Souls—If he doesn’t want them, give them to me!
But thinking of the Taishang Dao’s style of recruiting disciples everywhere, she understood Zhenren Chengkong’s real motive.
Rewarding merit? That was the excuse. Recruiting Zheng Fa? That was the real deal.
Did anyone really think Zhenren Tongming was just that generous?
Celebrating when the Netherworld Immortal isn’t even dead—he was clearly trying to rope Zheng Fa in early.
Bottom line: he wrapped this whole feast around Jiushan Sect’s “vinegar.”
Xie Qingxue thought about it. Among the many recruitment legends of the Taishang Dao, this move… ranked among the most extravagant.
And Zheng Fa… wasn’t even tempted!
Zheng Fa hesitated, staring at Zhenren Chengkong’s sincere expression, speechless for a moment.
But then Zhenren Chengkong’s face suddenly changed—he wasn’t looking at him anymore, but at Senior Sister Zhang beside him.
Zheng Fa turned and looked at her too—only to see her staring dead at the Tranquility Bamboo on Zhenren Tongming’s Auspicious Clouds, eyes unmoving.
He nearly blurted out: You want the Tranquility Bamboo? Who wants the Tranquility Bamboo? What Tranquility Bamboo?!
But… he did want it...
They’d studied those dried branches for days—and got nothing. They were just ordinary bamboo leaves.
Senior Sister Zhang… knew him too well!
“……”
Zhenren Chengkong’s mouth twitched. He stared at Senior Sister Zhang for a while. But she remained calm and still, her gaze fixed.
Main vibe: I’m not saying anything. But you should get it.
In the end, Zhenren Chengkong lost the standoff. After a while, he actually handed the Tranquility Bamboo to Zheng Fa.
“This item… I can only lend it to you. You have to give it back!”
Zheng Fa widened his eyes slightly. This guy’s stingy!
“Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots are rare. Even if this Tranquility Bamboo is dying, I can’t just give it away. My sect will definitely try to save it... Before my Martial Uncle arrives, you have to return it.”
Hearing that, Zheng Fa understood. Based on what Wuzhi had said, this thing was tied to some Buddha’s Dao Fruit—not something ordinary.
The Taishang Dao clearly valued it. Even Zhenren Chengkong only dared to lend it.
Zheng Fa nodded, grabbing one end of the Tranquility Bamboo and giving it a tug—nothing.
“Zhenren?”
“You better return it…”
You could tell—Zhenren Chengkong was way more reluctant about this than the two whole prefectures earlier.
Of course, maybe that was because those prefectures weren’t his—but the Tranquility Bamboo was…
“Definitely, definitely!”
“Tell me—what do you even want it for?”
“Just gonna cut two slices… to take a look!”
“...Don’t kill it!”
After much effort, Zheng Fa finally held the Tranquility Bamboo in his hands.
Zhenren Chengkong sighed and suddenly confirmed again: “You really just want to borrow this thing?”
Zheng Fa nodded firmly.
“I don’t get how your mind works…” Even Zhenren Chengkong looked baffled now. Let alone the rest of the Soul Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators.
Yes, the Tranquility Bamboo was extremely rare. Taishang Dao placed great value on it—but what could Zheng Fa do with it?
What, he wouldn’t return it?
Leiyin Temple might try to steal it, but Jiushan Sect didn’t have that kind of power!
In everyone’s eyes, Zheng Fa had just thrown away a watermelon… to pick up a sesame seed.
Zheng Fa didn’t care how others saw it. He waited until the celebration banquet ended, then walked slowly out of the hall with Senior Sister Zhang, heading toward the temporary Jiushan Sect courtyard.
He wanted to say something the whole way, but didn’t open his mouth until they reached the courtyard gate.
“Senior Sister Zhang, why did you…”
That scene earlier was so unlike her—Zheng Fa knew very well how proud she was.
Put simply, she would rather fight for something than take it with that kind of borderline shameless posture.
For her to do what she did today—it was probably harder than killing her.
And besides, getting the Tranquility Bamboo wasn’t really important to Senior Sister Zhang—but it was important to Zheng Fa. Very important.
“You’re Jiushan’s Sect Master. You can’t beg. You can’t lose face. If Zhenren Chengkong had refused you, it’d have soured the relationship.”
“……”
“I’m not the Sect Master. I don’t mind losing face.”
“Senior Sister?”
Senior Sister Zhang paused at the door to her room, then said, “Didn’t you already give me your face earlier?”
Zheng Fa was stunned. He knew she meant the moment during the banquet, when they accepted everyone’s toasts together.
“Then that’s enough.”
……
Xie Qingxue also returned to her own courtyard. After thinking for a while, she called in Yan Wushuang.
“You and Zheng Fa—are you close?”
“Of course!”
Yan Wushuang immediately puffed out his chest proudly.
“Then these next few days, go visit Jiushan Sect more.”
“Senior Sister?”
Yan Wushuang was a little confused. Just a while ago, he had wanted to hang out with Zheng Fa, but Senior Sister hadn’t allowed it—
Mostly because he was a bit too obvious about betraying his own side…
“Zheng Fa of Jiushan Sect is someone worth getting close to.”
“Ha, he’s the biggest hero of the campaign! You think he’s exceptional too, don’t you, Senior Sister?” Yan Wushuang’s eyes lit up. He laughed, “I knew I had a good eye for spotting talent!”
Xie Qingxue nodded.
Truthfully, that was part of it—Zheng Fa’s performance in Chen Prefecture had been extraordinary. And considering he was just a Golden Core cultivator, it was even more shocking.
At the very least, she knew—back in the day, even the Ancestral Master probably couldn’t have pulled it off.
That was also why Zhenren Chengkong had gone all out to win Zheng Fa over.
Xie Qingxue suspected, even if she tried to borrow the Tranquility Bamboo herself, she might not succeed.
But the reason she was willing to let her junior brother go to the Jiushan Realm… was something else: “Yes, his strength is impressive. His talent is exceedingly rare. But he’s more than that.”
“Hmm?”
“When Zheng Fa said he’d give up those two prefectures today—not one of Jiushan Sect’s Nascent Souls showed a hint of objection…” Xie Qingxue’s gaze became a little unfocused. She murmured,
“The resources of two prefectures… were a fortune Jiushan Sect had never possessed before.”
“They gave it all up just because Zheng Fa said so…”
Yan Wushuang hadn’t expected his Senior Sister to value this the most—but this… was that really more important than talent or strength?
“You don’t understand. Geniuses are common. People like this, on the other hand, are rare in the entire Xuanyi Realm. I believe now—you didn’t side with him just because you were being disloyal.”
“Really?” Yan Wushuang’s face lit up with joy.
Xie Qingxue shook her head with a disgusted tone: “You’re just dumb…”
She looked at her junior brother again and said, “When you go, learn how Zheng Fa unites his whole sect into one mind.”
“Also learn what true loyalty looks like. Stop selling out your own side.”
Yan Wushuang scratched his head, thinking hard, and suddenly said:
“Senior Sister… shouldn’t my father be the one learning that?”
“……”
“If I learn it… wouldn’t that mean my father’s Sect Master seat becomes mine?”
……
In the laboratory on University Island in the Jiushan Realm, everyone gathered around, looking at the two biggest trophies from the battle:
The Tranquility Bamboo, and the Blood Fiend Banner.
Oh, actually, it should be three major trophies—the third one, Ancestor of the Blood River, was standing beside Zheng Fa, eyeing the Tranquility Bamboo and Blood Fiend Banner like he wasn’t even on their side.
“What do we do with this Blood Fiend Banner?” Old Yuan frowned and asked.
Once the banner was brought into the Jiushan Realm, it was suppressed by its rules, and its powers no longer manifested. But it was still related to the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor, and that made everyone wary.
“Destroy it?”
Martial Uncle Huang suggested.
Zheng Fa looked at the Ancestor of the Blood River, who shook his head:
“The Blood Fiend Banner is extremely powerful. Without the Tranquility Bamboo, it’s hard to destroy…”
At this point, he looked a little pained: “It’s also a unique treasure of our Holy Sect. What’s more—this item doesn’t disrupt the balance of heaven…”
Doesn’t disrupt the balance?
Oh right—Zheng Fa had taken the banner that the Netherworld Immortal had crafted using the Yin-Yang Rakshasa. That one indeed didn’t hurt heaven’s harmony—the only one who got hurt was the Rakshasa…
Might even count as earning merit.
Now that the Ancestor said this, Zheng Fa suddenly found the Blood Fiend Banner much more pleasing to the eye.
He thought about it, but left the banner alone for now, turning his attention to the Tranquility Bamboo.
“Slice a bit?”
After a long silence, Zheng Fa finally spoke.
The Netherworld Immortal wasn’t dead, and now his whereabouts were unknown—and he still had four Blood Fiend Banners.
Naturally, Zheng Fa didn’t dare go after him. He just ran fast, that’s all.
That moment when Xie Qingxue didn’t strike—had left a massive threat behind.
The Netherworld Immortal probably didn’t even know whether he hated Zheng Fa or Xie Qingxue more at this point…
Zhenren Chengkong seemed to be placing his hopes on his Martial Uncle, or perhaps had some hidden plan or backup.
After all, the Netherworld Immortal came from Taishang Dao—their entanglements, their understanding of each other—Zheng Fa didn’t know the details.
But he didn’t like leaving things to others—researching Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots, seeing whether he could cultivate a Fusang Tree—that was the most promising way he could think of to strengthen the Jiushan Realm’s defenses.
That was why he valued the Tranquility Bamboo far more than any of the other spoils.
Others didn’t understand his obsession with the bamboo, but Senior Sister Zhang did…
She understood too well.
“...If we cut it, will Zhenren Chengkong cause trouble?” Martial Uncle Pang hesitated.
To research the bamboo, they’d have to take slices.
But seeing Zhenren Chengkong’s earlier expression—if anything happened to the bamboo, he might explode.
“It won’t die. Should be fine.” Zheng Fa thought about it. He had told them he wanted to cut it. “Do it.”
A few incense sticks’ time later, Zheng Fa stared at the sliced piece of Tranquility Bamboo under the microscope formation, expression dazed, vaguely regretful, like he’d just realized something extremely simple but had failed to see it until now. He murmured:
“So that’s it… that’s it…”
Beside him, Senior Sister Zhang and the others looked at the magnified spiritual root cell image in the microscope formation, all looking blank—they clearly didn’t see any “that’s it.”
But Zheng Fa was grinning ear to ear.
He had given up two prefectures and only borrowed the Tranquility Bamboo. He’d seen the confusion in others’ eyes—he didn’t care.
Now, with just one look, he knew—it was worth it.
……
“You’re saying… Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots are a kind of lifeform, with that spiritual energy cell structure as their nucleus?”
In a modern nursing home, Teacher Tian was also showing the “so that’s it” expression.
“Yes… since wood-type spells correspond to the double-helix structure of DNA, if the spiritual energy structure includes talisman patterns that replicate cell functions, it could naturally replace the nucleus.”
“This… is probably the truth behind the so-called Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots…”