Chapter 141: The Heaven-Shaking Ruler

Ye Jiuyao braved the immense pressure, step by step, as he approached the cave where the Golden-Winged Peng was suppressed. The closer he drew, the more arduous his journey became.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, Ye Jiuyao arrived. The terrifying gale and crushing pressure dissipated in an instant, as if they had never existed. Had it not been for Ye Jiuyao, drenched in sweat with his hair damp, no one would have believed he had just emerged from a life-or-death struggle.

"Why... why is it getting stronger?!" Ye Jiuyao muttered. He cast a wary glance at the other caves before quickly stepping into the one housing the Golden-Winged Peng.

Inside, things remained largely unchanged. If there was any difference, it was the presence of a stone altar, upon which the Golden-Winged Peng sat. At this moment, the "great sand sculpture" had yet to realize its error; it glared at Ye Jiuyao, teeth bared, as if it longed to devour him.

Ye Jiuyao remained unfazed. After all, he was the one who had sealed and suppressed it; he would have been surprised had it shown any other demeanor. After all, not every beast was named Sun Qigang. He found himself truly missing that little monkey, Sun Qigang. His mastery of alchemy had been taught by Sun Qigang, who was, in a way, his mentor—and Ye Jiuyao never felt the monkey was truly evil.

Ye Jiuyao walked up to the Golden-Winged Peng and looked up at the figure on the stone altar, his eyes burning with fervor. Seeing the bird as if it were a vast treasure hoard, he rubbed his hands together and extended a finger.

In an instant, a torrent of majestic power poured into his body. But that was not all; it coalesced into mysterious runes, which transformed into strings of text flowing into his sea of consciousness. As the runes entered him, the body of the foolish bird began to fade, turning into stardust before dissipating into the cave.

Overwhelmed by the influx of runes, Ye Jiuyao entered a state of cultivation, the symbols gradually knitting together to form a Yuan technique. His eyes glowed with excitement. He had too few techniques at his disposal, and as his cultivation level rose, his opponents naturally became stronger, rendering his previous techniques obsolete. The arrival of this one was a delightful surprise.

"The Heaven-Shaking Ruler!"

This was the technique gifted by the Golden-Winged Peng. The name alone carried an aura of supreme arrogance. Ye Jiuyao felt a tremor in his heart. "Perhaps this was tailor-made for me," he mused.

"The Heaven-Shaking Ruler consists of six stages, each stronger than the last. If one possesses sufficient strength upon reaching the sixth stage, one can truly use this ruler to shake the heavens!"

The description was simple yet carried an air of defiance against the world. Primordial energy surged within Ye Jiuyao's dantian, and a shadow manifested behind him, releasing a scorching heat into the atmosphere.

"Heaven-Shaking Ruler!"

Ye Jiuyao snapped his eyes open, and the shadow did the same. A long ruler, seemingly spanning the ages of antiquity, manifested in an instant and struck out!

"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"

A thunderous roar echoed, and the residual energy rippled through the cave. Ye Jiuyao regained his composure and looked at the black scorch mark left on the cave wall. He was surprised, yet understood immediately. A technique left behind by a being like the Golden-Winged Peng was naturally extraordinary. Even the things taught by Sun Qigang were heaven-defying; it stood to reason that this bird, which was even stronger, would leave behind something even more profound.

Ye Jiuyao, satisfied, prepared to exit the cave. But the moment he stood up and turned, golden light flashed upon the stone altar. He froze, his eyes fixed on the altar, waiting for the source of the light to appear.

"Screech!"

A mournful cry rang out. The bird reappeared on the altar, but as its form stabilized, it slowly transformed into a man. He had a fierce, predatory appearance, yet his eyes held a sense of world-weariness, as if he were a man with a long and troubled history.

"Brat, you think you can just walk away after taking my Heaven-Shaking Ruler? No token of gratitude?!" The man, once the bird, looked at Ye Jiuyao with a regal air, his tone dripping with overbearing arrogance.

"Oh? And how would you like me to show my gratitude? By suppressing you again?!"

The bird: "..."

*Can't we have a proper conversation? Why is it always about suppression? I'm here to talk, and I just gave you a technique! How can you be so ungrateful so quickly? Men, they're all dogs.*

The bird grumbled internally, but Ye Jiuyao remained motionless, waiting quietly. He knew that since the bird had appeared, it must have something to say.

"Fine, you win."

"I have one thing to say regarding the Heaven-Shaking Ruler: if you ever encounter someone who understands the Art of the Stars, do not use it."

"???" Ye Jiuyao was filled with confusion.

"Simply put, if you encounter those who use the power of the stars—like the things Sun Qigang taught you—do not use the Heaven-Shaking Ruler to fight them. You will find that they are far stronger than you. After all, back in the day, I tried to steal..."

"Ahem... I did that once, and this is a warning." The bird said with great gravity.

Ye Jiuyao nodded, acknowledging the advice. Though he didn't understand the connection, he knew that such a serious warning must have its reasons. Adopting the mindset that it was better to be safe than sorry, he bowed in thanks. The bird seemed pleased.

"An heir to the title of Sovereign has actually bowed to me. I have something to brag about now..." The bird muttered, though Ye Jiuyao caught every word. He didn't ask questions.

"Go back and cultivate the Heaven-Shaking Ruler well. You will find that it is connected to everything you have learned before, and perhaps even..." The bird stopped, feigning mystery.

Ye Jiuyao rolled his eyes and left the cave without another word. The moment he stepped outside, that terrifying pressure surged once more.

"Again?!" Ye Jiuyao felt bitter. He had to endure the pressure coming and going—was this some kind of package deal? He sighed, forced his way through the crushing force, and emerged to find Cang Sangsang waiting for him, her face lighting up with a smile as she hurried to greet him.