As for alchemy and artifact refining, not to mention the vast initial investment required, just mastering one of them would consume enough time and energy to deter Chu Zheng, who is eager to improve his cultivation.

This is not his area of expertise; the input-output ratio is too low, and it's not worth it.

After much contemplation, a relatively more moderate approach emerged in Chu Zheng's mind.

Find Xue Qing and borrow some cultivation resources.

Considering Xue Qing's current situation, it should be much better than his own. After all, the Martial Pavilion is a major power, and coupled with her talent, the resources she can gather are naturally far beyond what he could collect on his own through relentless scouring.

At present, time is of the essence.

From Yun Tianji, he could learn that the Heaven Burial Palace is already showing signs of opening. He must reach the Eighth Order before the palace opens to qualify for entry.

If he misses this opportunity, it will be extremely difficult for him to strive for Heavenly Fate in the Ancient Times, with all the tribes standing tall.

He needs to quickly elevate his cultivation, to return to the Daluo Golden Immortal realm, or even further, to truly gain a foothold in these Ancient Times.

Wasting precious time on petty resource gathering is no different than committing suicide.

For now, he'll borrow a portion to address the immediate urgency, and repay it a hundredfold in the future.

At the same time, Chu Zheng also plans to use this trip to verify whether Zheng Ping can find a better path on the Martial Path.

......

......

Just after leaving Dingyuan City, Chu Zheng heard some news about Xue Qing.

The name Xue Qing has now spread throughout Falling Leaves Heaven, rising like a martial sun, casting a shadow over the younger generation.

After a little inquiry, information about her flooded toward him like a tide.

The most widely spread news, without a doubt, is her triumph in the 'Falling Leaves Martial Competition' two years ago.

The Falling Leaves Martial Competition is hosted by the Martial Pavilion, held once every hundred years, widely inviting clans to engage in martial competition, to train and temper their disciples.

The sparring is also meant to hone the disciples' martial prowess. Martial arts inevitably involve competition, at least in such a grand competition, no lives are lost.

The Falling Leaves Martial Competition is a contest of the same rank. In the previous competition, Xue Qing, with her Sixth Order Perfection realm, swept through the entire Falling Leaves Heaven. Those exemplary talents in the Martial Pavilion couldn't withstand even three moves from her.

It wasn't just the Martial Pavilion; each clan sent their top experts of Sixth Order Perfection, yet she single-handedly defeated them all in succession.

Afterward, news came that following the competition, she went into retreat for three days and achieved a breakthrough. She is now undeniably a Martial Half-Saint.

Falling Leaves Martial Competition, champion, sweeping same rank, Martial Half-Saint!

Each crucial piece of information reached Chu Zheng's ears, causing slight ripples in his heart, but also making him feel it was only natural.

This perhaps should be Xue Qing's path, forging ahead without hesitation, proving the Tao with martial prowess.

Soon, Chu Zheng had already tracked down Xue Qing's whereabouts.

She is now in Sword Cloud City, seemingly honing her martial prowess.

......

......

Sword Cloud City is located in the northwestern region of Falling Leaves Heaven.

Chu Zheng traveled swiftly, crossing endless mountains, rivers, and seas. A few days later, a vastly different giant city appeared at the horizon.

Sword Cloud City, true to its name, the entire city's architecture exudes a sharp austerity, like countless gigantic swords pointing towards the sky.

The city walls are built from Black Stone, with clear ridges and angles.

The highest point in the city is not a palace or pavilion, but a majestic peak resembling a broken sword stuck obliquely into the ground, Broken Sword Peak, with its summit shrouded in mist, as a sharp sword intent faintly soared into the sky.

This giant city is a branch of a powerful Taoist Orthodoxy in the Great Universe, known as the Sword Dragon Dao, guarded by the Ancient Myths.

The city's prosperity doesn't lose out to Dingyuan City, but instead of bustling market noise, a more solemn killing aura pervades the air. The cultivators coming and going mostly carry weapons, with steady steps and sharp gazes.

Chu Zheng and his companions entered the city and quickly learned Xue Qing's location without having to inquire purposely.

Finally, they reached the edge of a wide training ground in the city's west.

This place had been cleared, the ground laid with extremely hard Mystic Iron, filled with countless new and old crisscrossing fist and blade marks.

Around the training ground stood dozens of martial cultivators, all clad in martial robes, all disciples of the Martial Pavilion.

Dozens stood outside the training ground, blocking the entrance and clearing it entirely, leaving only one figure inside.

In the center, a figure stood with her back to the entrance, tall in stature, dressed in a moon-white martial suit, with long black hair casually tied behind her head.

Her movements weren't fast, even slow, as her fists slowly struck the void one after another.

The movements seemed slow, yet each punch caused the space in front to ripple violently like water, producing a muffled thunderous roar.

Where the fist wind passed, the void was extremely compressed, exploding inch by inch, forming visible white air rings, layered and spreading outwards, dissipating slowly under the suppression of the array at a thousand feet away.

The Mystic Iron ground beneath her sank silently with each exertion, leaving clear footprints.

Martial Half-Saint, wielding the power of heavens and earth, striking punches like collapsing heavens.

An intangible might enveloped her, like a majestic Divine Mountain or a surging Star River, heavy and magnificent yet with an internal sharpness, just standing there throwing punches, she seemed to be the center of the universe, attracting everyone's attention and mind.

The Martial Pavilion disciples all held their breath, their gazes fervent and reverent, looking at the figure in the field as if in worship, not daring to speak loudly.

This opportunity to observe martial prowess up close was too precious for them, typically hard to come by.

Chu Zheng stood at the crowd's edge with Zheng Ping and Chu An, looking with steady eyes at that familiar back, his thoughts slightly stirring.

Xue Qing, indeed has grown stronger.

Compared to cultivation, this steadily condensing prowess is the real progress, a ticket to step into the Ninth Order Great Saint.

Now Xue Qing's cultivation is only at the Seventh Order Semi-Saint, but she already holds the eligibility to step into the Ninth Order.

Chu An's little face turned pale, instinctively leaning closer to Chu Zheng, gently tugging at his coat, that invisible pressure making her faintly gasp for breath.

Zheng Ping appeared slightly dazed, lost in thought as he watched Xue Qing's punching trajectory.

A moment later, Xue Qing slowly retracted her fist, the terrifying fist aura enveloping heaven and earth receded like a tide, and the suffocating pressure in the field lightened abruptly.

She turned around, her gaze like a tangible cold lightning, piercing through the crowd and landing precisely on Chu Zheng.

Clearly, she had long been aware of Chu Zheng's arrival.

Their eyes met.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

A faint ripple passed through Xue Qing's gaze, then it instantly returned to calm.

She didn't speak, her gaze lingered on Chu Zheng's face for a moment, then shifted to Zheng Ping and Chu An beside him.

After calming her breath, she passed through the crowd and left directly, transmitting her voice:

"Jade Pearl Building, third-floor private room, I'll wait for you."

She didn't converse with Chu Zheng in front of everyone, choosing another secluded place, clearly not wanting to cause any trouble for Chu Zheng.

Chu Zheng turned straight away, taking the two little ones slowly towards the south of the city.

An hour later, the three finally reached Jade Pearl Building leisurely.

The attendant before Jade Pearl Building had evidently been instructed beforehand, standing at the door to welcome them, leading the three into the third-floor private room.

In the private room, the first sight greeting them was a table of sumptuous delicacies, filled with spiritual energy.

Xue Qing sat behind the table, having started eating first, her manner of eating as usual, devouring ravenously.

"Why did you think of coming to find me?"

In between bites, Xue Qing asked a question.

Falling Leaves Heaven is so big, and Sword Cloud City so remote, Chu Zheng appearing here was clearly no coincidence.

Facing Xue Qing's calm gaze, Chu Zheng nodded slightly, feeling a subtle awkwardness in his heart for a moment.

Originally, he thought it should be nothing, but upon seeing Xue Qing, just before speaking, he found himself momentarily stuck.

After a long time, he tentatively spoke:

"Recently... are you well-off?"