“This is Dragon Tooth Rice!” Jiang Liu said casually, his hands behind his back.
"Dragon Tooth Rice?" Everyone was surprised. The name Dragon Tooth Rice was known to anyone with even a little knowledge of its origins.
As for the legend that the Heavenly Dragons eat meat, that is a far-fetched embellishment by later generations. Even if they did eat meat, they would only consume the flesh of monsters, which are extremely high in energy.
As the Lord of the Heavenly Dragon Clan, Ao Luan was extremely familiar with the secrets of the ancient Heavenly Dragon Clan. She had been somewhat suspicious when she first saw the bowl of rice, but Jiang Liu's explanation immediately made her realize that it was Dragon Tooth Rice. This was because the two of them had just emerged from the Dragon Graveyard and looted all the treasures of that world. She twitched her small nose, straightened her posture, and, with impeccable manners, picked up the bowl and took a bite.
Dragon Tooth Rice is a rare delicacy that even ancient emperors could not afford to eat, so it is naturally treated with utmost care.
As Ao Luan swallowed a mouthful of Dragon Tooth Rice, her eyes gleamed with golden light. She savored the flavors, slowly absorbing them. From her tongue to her stomach, and then to her small intestine, it was a feast for both the taste buds and the soul. She immediately noticed the difference. The Dragon Tooth Rice melted in her mouth, sweet and delicious, like the sweet essence that arises from the bone marrow after cultivating to the level of a Martial Saint. After swallowing it, a wave of heat instantly spread throughout her body.
Once inside the stomach and intestines, the Dragon Tooth Rice is completely free of impurities, transforming into a faint fragrance that nourishes the stomach and intestines, relieving their fatigue.
After being ingested, it doesn't require digestion at all; it transforms into the purest vital energy, which merges with the blood and bone marrow, slowly improving a person's constitution.
Then I savored it slowly, taking small sips and lingering over each bite. The fatigue from the trip to the Dragon's Graveyard was instantly washed away.
As for the monk Jingren, well, in the past six months, his strength has risen to the peak of the Martial Saint realm, just one step away from breaking through the barrier of the Human Immortal realm. He is very clear about the changes in the human internal organs. After drinking half a bowl in one gulp, he immediately felt that there were no impurities in his intestines, which means that he did not need to urinate or defecate at all.
"Truly a rare treasure, a secret food of the ancient dragon race, unlike anything human could eat. If the Great Zen Temple had possessed such food back then, my uncle wouldn't have had to worry about daily meals. If it were cultivated on a large scale and everyone consumed it, how many immortal beings would have been created!" Monk Jingren finished a bowl of "Dragon Tooth Rice," filled with emotion. Back then, Monk Yinyue of the Great Zen Temple, with his immortal-level strength, could only satisfy the energy expenditure of an immortal by "consuming an elephant's worth of food daily and excreting a large amount every two hours."
Ordinary food contains insufficient energy to satisfy the needs of immortals; it can only be accumulated through quantity. Only celestial food, Heavenly Dragon Grain, can replenish the energy of immortals. The Mighty Vajra Divine Ape clan's ability to become divine beasts and possess formidable strength is largely due to their mastery of the "Seven-Aperture Peach."
Although the "Seven-Aperture Peaches" cannot compare with "Dragon Tooth Rice," they are not bad either, and are much stronger than ordinary grains, which is why they can meet the daily needs of martial arts practitioners.
Actually, the biggest problem after cultivating to become an immortal is the food.
Human immortals possess immense power, yet they are troubled by the lack of food. This is probably a balancing constraint imposed by the laws of heaven and earth on powerful individuals.
Jiang Liu had been consuming "Seven-Aperture Peaches," but since his physical breakthrough, he felt that the "Seven-Aperture Peaches" no longer had much effect on nourishing his body.
Now that we have "Dragon Tooth Rice", we no longer have to worry about food.
“Master, you obtained this Dragon Tooth Rice from the Dragon Graveyard. You didn’t eat it all, did you? If you can slowly find a way to cultivate it, plant and harvest it, and make a steady profit, then the benefits of Dragon Tooth Rice will be realized! I know some great families that have been passed down from ancient times and cultivate some foods similar to Dragon Tooth Rice. I can ask them for their advice.”
After finishing his food, Ao Luan, the Lord of the Heavenly Dragon Sect, licked the bowl clean and then urged others to finish their food.
The demon ape smacked its lips and said in a deep voice, "I've eaten the grains from those great families, and they're no better than the Seven-Aperture Peaches from the Demon God Cave. This rice is truly amazing! It's several times better than the Seven-Aperture Peaches."
"You underestimate me too much!" The Azure Emperor was overjoyed. He was originally a peach wood cultivator who had attained enlightenment and received the spiritual roots of heaven and earth, which greatly helped his cultivation.
Everyone looked at Jiang Liu and Qing Di. Qing Di chuckled and took out a sword that was three feet, three inches, and three li long, and looked exactly like the Panhuang Life Sword, which surprised everyone again.
Having absorbed the memories of the Wang family patriarch, Jiang Liu knew some of the secrets of aristocratic families. He said, "The spiritual roots of heaven and earth are rare even among the six holy lands. Only one or two descendants of the ancient philosophers have passed them down, keeping them a closely guarded secret. But any great family or sect values its core food seeds more than their own lives. This is their foundation, the very basis for their enduring legacy for thousands of years. These Dragon Tooth Rice seeds are a food that even the Pan Emperor would fight over! If I couldn't cultivate them on a large scale, why would I offer them to you?"
Hearing Jiang Liu's words, and seeing Qingdi holding a sword and smiling faintly as he cultivated grains, Chan Yinsha smiled and said, "Congratulations, Abbot, congratulations, Qingdi. The Way of Millet is the Way of Cultivating Grains. Qingdi's confidence must mean he will reap great rewards."
"Indeed." The Azure Emperor nodded, then the "Limitless Dragon Ring" between his fingers flashed, and countless swords spewed out from it. These were none other than "Dragon Tooth Rice"!
Everyone was stunned, even the old demon "Ba" was momentarily stunned, then grinned.
Looking at the "Dragon Tooth Rice" that was almost piled up like a mountain, Jiang Liu said, "From today onwards, this Dragon Tooth Rice will be our regular food. Although the Azure Emperor's ability can forcefully stimulate its production to ensure our consumption, it is still beyond the capacity to manage all martial arts practitioners. We need to prepare for large-scale planting. Zen Silver Gauze, I'm leaving this to you!"
"Yes, Abbot!" The weight of the task was immense; not only humans, but even ancient celestial dragons would feel the same way. To protect such a treasure required immense strength, and the slightest lapse in strength would result in its theft. This was a heavy responsibility, and Chan Yinsha immediately felt a heavy burden pressing down on her, but she was also extremely excited. If she could accomplish this well, it would surely be a great achievement.
Jiang Liu turned to look in the direction of the Great Qian Empire and said in a low voice, "My cheap disciple, I will help you out."
Then he turned to look at the Heavenly Dragon Dao Master and said, "Ao Luan, I need to trouble you with something. Take a thousand of these Dragon Tooth Rice seeds and bring them back to the Heavenly Dragon Dao to plant. Also, take another thousand seeds and bring them to the Great Qian Empire and give them to 'Sub-Saint' Hong Yi."
"Such precious Heavenly Dragon food, you don't keep it for yourself?" Ao Luan asked in surprise. When others obtain such treasures, they all hide them away. Even if they give them away, they give away grains that cannot be grown.
"Such a treasure cannot be kept secret; anyone who tries to possess it alone will be attacked by all. You can take it with you and convey my message: 'Everyone is like a dragon.' He will understand!"
"Everyone is like a dragon?!" Ao Luan was naturally extremely clever. After a little thought, she figured it out and exclaimed in shock, "You want to use him to get this Dragon Tooth Rice... Fine, since that's the case, I'll send it over and get a favor in return!"
Chapter 337 Crisis Arrives
As the dragon maiden Ao Luan left with the dragon tooth rice, Jiang Liu suddenly felt a surge of immense crisis. He abruptly looked up and saw that a spatial rift in the void had already been healed, clearly indicating that someone had just torn open the void there.
They exchanged a glance with the Azure Emperor, both their eyes filled with a profound sense of crisis. A master who had undergone five tribulations of lightning could subtly connect their every thought with the celestial bodies, foreseeing impending doom. In the event of danger, inexplicable emotions would surge within their thoughts, almost impulsively. After five tribulations, each thought could absorb the power of the stars, gradually growing stronger. Finally, during the sixth tribulation, by using the power of lightning to completely fuse and refine the power of the stars, the power of the soul would reach its limit, achieving a state capable of tearing through the void.
Although Jiang Liu did not cultivate the Divine Soul Path of the "Yang God" world, he still survived the tribulation of lightning and comprehended the Heavenly Dao rules within it, thus possessing corresponding abilities. The Azure Emperor, on the other hand, could foresee the future and perceive some of the crises lurking in the shadows.
"Just now, someone was spying on us!"
"It has the aura of a primordial spirit, but it's not his true form!"
"The Primordial Spirit has finally reached the level of the Creator, Master. With the Death Star in hand, you can withstand his attacks, but you may still be no match for him."
Jiang Liu remained silent for a moment, then decisively said, "Let's retreat! Preserve our strength and move everyone to the Nine Palaces Formation. With the Death Star here, no one can do anything to us!"
"I foresee destruction, this entire island will be destroyed..." The Azure Emperor's face was solemn, and then a vast power erupted from his weak body. Countless beams of light flickered, and then many warriors and ghost immortals swarmed in from near and far.
"The abbot, the Azure Emperor, twelve Grandmasters, seventy-eight Innate Martial Masters, three Ghost Immortals, and the remaining thirty-six cultivators are all present."
Within three minutes, over a hundred people had gathered in the plaza in front of Qianlong Temple, all clad in armor and wielding sharp blades, clearly never leaving their weapons unattended. These were fanatical followers of Qianlong Temple, endowed with divine power seeds by the Azure Emperor. Although none of them had reached the level of Thunder Tribulation, if it came to a life-or-death struggle, three of them working together could easily kill a master at the first level of Thunder Tribulation.
This is only a small group, and the most elite group. The remaining 70% of believers are preaching on overseas islands.
"There's no time to evacuate the other islands; evacuate Izumo first!"
There wasn't much that actually needed to be evacuated. Jiang Liu had a storage space, and the Azure Emperor also had the Limitless Dragon Ring. Most of the treasures were carried with them. What they really needed to take away were the people—the talents they had painstakingly cultivated. These were the foundation of the Azure Emperor's cultivation of the "Incense Offering to Become a God" path.
Believers are important, but fanatics are naturally even more important.
As Jiang Liu activated the Nine Palaces Formation within the "Death Star," a piece of land vaguely appeared. The Azure Emperor's control over the Izumo Kingdom had reached its peak, and with the assistance of Princess Chan Yinsha of Izumo, in less than an hour, tens of thousands of people on the capital island had been evacuated into the Nine Palaces Formation.
Above the "Death Star," covered by the shell of a crocodile dragon, although it has not yet reached an environment suitable for human survival, the existence of the Nine Palaces Grand Array allows for temporary survival.
Even if it encounters a fierce attack, it will not harm the people inside; at most, it will cause the ground to shake.
"Master, are you sure your Yuanqi Spirit has reached the level of a Creator?" The demon ape "Ba" was also a master of the sixth level of lightning tribulation, and he knew how difficult it was to cross the veil of the Creator.
Jiang Liu felt an increasing sense of crisis, a feeling akin to a mortal having a gun pointed at their head, about to be shot in the head at any moment. He said, "As the sole deity of Western beliefs, the Primordial Spirit God has achieved enlightenment after six thousand years of cultivation. His power of faith has reached its peak. I've heard that he has condensed nine 'Primordial Chaos Relics,' possessing boundless power. The power of a single relic is far stronger than the Vacuum Great Handprint of the Ninefold Light Ring of the 'Future Unborn Scripture'! I had already foreseen that he would break away from the body formed by his faith, cultivate a physical body, and reach the realm of a creator, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. It seems he has reached some kind of deal with Meng Shenji!"
After saying that, he pointed to the entrance of the Nine Palaces Formation and asked, "Are you going in or not?"
The demonic ape laughed heartily, wisps of black energy emanating from its body. This was the divine power of "Heavenly Demon Slayer," immensely powerful. It sneered, "I still have some confidence in my strength. Even if the Primordial Spirit God reaches the strength of a Creator, can he really kill me with a single blow? If that's the case, then my thousand years of cultivation have been wasted, and I deserve to die. I'll accompany the Abbot to see what he's capable of!"
The Azure Emperor wanted to stay, but Jiang Liu kicked him into the Nine Palaces Formation. Then, the Death Star was retracted and landed in Jiang Liu's palm.
At the same time, a beam of white light shot straight down from the void. Jiang Liu felt the hairs on his body stand on end. He met the beam head-on with the "Death Star" in his hand, and it exploded. First, a thousand kinds of shattering sounds rang out, followed by the desperate howls of countless living beings. Then came a desolate sense of destruction. Finally, the entire "Death Star" was enveloped by a vast white light.
Amidst the white light, the continuous booming of cannons echoed – these were none other than the Three Realms Primordial Energy Cannon.
The Three Realms Qi Cannon collided with the Death Star, and after an explosion, it vanished without a trace. The Death Star shuddered violently and quickly fell back into Jiang Liu's palm.
Inside the Nine Palaces Formation, the world was turned upside down, mountains collapsed and the earth cracked. Fortunately, the formation protected the outside and the Azure Emperor protected the inside, so there was no major harm, except that many people suffered cuts and bruises.
The demonic ape "Ba" had just been tempted to fight the Yuanqi God, but when it looked up at the impact and the empty space in the center of the explosion, it was a state of complete annihilation, a state of chaos, where everything had returned to nothingness.
It sent chills down my spine.
"Is this the power of the Creator?!" The demon ape couldn't help but swallow hard.
The Death Star blocked the Three Realms Primordial Energy Cannon, and then two more beams of white light tore through the void and chased after Jiang Liu again.
It's still the "Three Realms Primal Energy Cannon"!
Although Yang Pan's "Ark of Creation" was powerful, the person controlling it was not strong. The "Death Star" withstood the attack of the "Ark of Creation," and Jiang Liu's true form was not afraid of the remaining attacks.
Now, this primordial spirit has become a creator, and its attacks are ever-changing. Jiang Liu can use "Death Star" to block one attack, but he can hardly block the second attack that comes at the same time.
Instantly, the Nine Palaces Formation enveloped him and the demon ape. As they swiftly fled into the "Death Star," Jiang Liu also personally experienced the terror of the "Three Realms Yuan Qi Cannon" unleashed by the "Yuan Qi God." Even with a physical body that had reached the level of a Human Immortal, such an attack would still cause injury.
Only a physical body at the peak of human immortality, like that of the Stone Buddha, can be fearless.
Chapter 338 Yuanqi Shen
Having escaped into the "Death Star," Jiang Liu sat firmly in the central palace, surrounded by rolling thunderclouds and five roaring thunder dragons. The demonic ape "Ba" stood in the void, looking at this small world. The sense of crisis under the "Three Realms Yuanqi Cannon" finally eased.
The attack from the "Three Realms Primordial Energy Cannon" was no weaker than a violent impact from the "Ark of Creation." If it were an ordinary asteroid, it would have been shattered by the blast. Even a sixth-level tribulation expert like "Ba" wouldn't dare say he could withstand that attack unscathed.
The Death Star is not afraid. The Dark Star, a divine treasure of the ancient powerhouse Xuan, along with the ruins of Sky City and the Yanfu Formation, a supreme treasure of the Primordial Heavenly Dragon Clan, cannot even withstand the attack of the Creator. If that is the case, then there is no point in Jiang Liu creating such a supreme treasure.
Two consecutive "Three Realms Primordial Energy Cannons" struck the "Death Star," and even Jiang Liu, standing in the innermost central palace, felt an immense crisis. Within the Qian Palace, the earth shook violently, and a hundred-zhang-deep abyss split open in the vast land, dividing it in two.
The people of Izumo fell to the ground in droves, their heads bleeding. Fortunately, they were all followers of the Azure Emperor, and many warriors were there to keep them from collapsing in the face of this world-ending scene.
Jiang Liu looked down upon the earth from within the thunderclouds, like a god who ruled over heaven and earth. On this vast star, all things flourished, and billions of lives were created. But one day, suddenly, the apocalypse arrived. There were raging floods, earthquakes, and spewing lava. All living beings cried out in despair, their hearts shrouded in the thick atmosphere of the apocalypse, filled with utter despair. Finally, the entire star disintegrated and exploded, and everything turned to ashes.
"Is this the true meaning of the Three Realms Primordial Energy Cannon? To destroy a star with a single shot..."
The demonic ape "Ba" also took a deep breath, clenched his fists tightly, and said, "Is this the power of the Creator? It is indeed something to aspire to. I want to reach the level of the Creator, to use the Heavenly Demon to slay gods, and to use the Great Millstone of Heaven and Earth. I will definitely not be weaker than the Primordial God. However... the gate to the creation of the void is really too difficult to break!"
"A great era is about to begin. Within three years, heroes will rise up, and you will have your chance!"
Jiang Liu looked up at the sky again, his eyes narrowing as he peered through the void. The power of the Three Realms Yuanqi Cannon, personally unleashed by the Yuanqi God, was terrifying. Seven tribulations of lightning, and the destructive power of a master above the Creator Realm was terrifying. The overflowing aftershocks had blasted the entire island, the capital of the Izumo Kingdom, into pieces.
A large island, spanning hundreds of miles, was almost entirely submerged.
Fortunately, there was the "Death Star," otherwise, with any of Jiang Liu's Taoist techniques, he would probably have been unable to escape a direct attack unless he tore through space and escaped into the void turbulence. He alone could escape, the demonic ape "Ba" could escape, and the Azure Emperor could escape, but these believers could not escape.
"Yuanqi God, you destroyed my country. Aren't you afraid I'll go to the Western Regions and destroy your Yuanqi Temple? You should know that although your Three Realms Yuanqi Cannon is terrifying, it can't protect your subordinates. Do you really think you can kill me with just a few shots?"
Jiang Liu's voice was like rolling thunder, spreading into the void.
"Haha... I'll make you die here today. You can't escape. If I want you dead, you'll die!"
In an instant, a vast and boundless aura appeared from the void, and the "Ancient Rashomon" appeared. This gate, which was originally a point of light, rapidly expanded to a size of several dozen feet and stood tall in the void.
Above the gate, the heads of ferocious divine beasts were coiled and biting, and under the distortion of the powerful aura, they seemed to be coming to life. Their eyes emitted a faint light, but they did not roar. Instead, they coldly looked at every living being in the world.
Within this "Ancient Rashomon," chaotic energy swirled and collided, as if connecting to another world. Those "Three Realms Primordial Energy Cannons" were fired from within the gate, and now, a series of powerful voices echoed from within it.
This gate is like a portal imprisoning ancient demons. Now that the gate is wide open, the ancient demons are about to escape and destroy all of humanity.
Indeed, the massive island of Izumo had collapsed and been destroyed with just one blow!
"Jiang Liu, Meng Shenji personally came to me and made a deal with me. He wants to kill you, and you'll seek revenge after you become a ghost! You humans have a saying, 'If you take someone's money, you have to solve their problems.' Don't blame me..."
A powerful sound emanated in concentric circles, carrying boundless divine might.
The voice, piercing through the barrier of the great formation, traveled straight into the "Death Star" and reached Jiang Liu's ears. Within that voice lay an irresistible emotion; the boundless primordial energy of heaven and earth seemed to be born because of this person, and to perish because of him.
This person is the Spirit of Vitality!
It is the primordial spirit that has completely transformed into living beings, no longer a human form formed by faith.
After the sound resounded, there was silence. Then, the Primordial Spirit emerged from the ancient Rashomon Gate, which was ten feet high.