He sat cross-legged in the river, his body surrounded by blue flowing light that flickered like flames, appearing as if he was recovering his mana and injuries.
"All efforts wasted," Guanyin said, "Tang Seng was rescued, and all your plans have failed."
"Interesting," Li Changzhou chuckled, his laughter tinged with contemplation, "Is it the Great King of Numinous Power? Or that old turtle?"
"It's not the Great King of Numinous Power; it must be the old turtle."
"No matter who it was, what we need to think about next is how to get Tang Seng back into our hands."
But before that, Li Changzhou recalled his battle with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, his body exuding a ghostly yet majestic aura.
"Saint Master - Shura Path"
Divine Power surged mightily.
"Divine Body - Low Level Omniscience"
For a moment, he had already mastered all the moves of Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. Moreover, if they did not adapt their strategies, he would be able to defeat them in just a few moves next time.
At this time, Sun Wukong, after much persuasion, finally helped Zhu Bajie up.
Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing once again entered the Heavenly River.
Now was not the time to capture them; Li Changzhou still pretended to be evenly matched, spending most of his attention on plotting and a small part on the 'White Rabbit' in his pocket.
The 'White Rabbit' could sense danger, and although it was not as omnipotent as the "Avoid Death and Prolong Life" of the small radishes, it was sufficient for defense against sneak attacks—he feared that in the midst of fighting, a group of immortals would throw weapons to attack him from above.
Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing used all their strength, but his attention was not on them at all.
Having fought Li Changzhou once without any improvement, especially in martial arts, it was almost impossible to win against him... Hmm, magic was difficult too.
The outcome of this battle remained "inconclusive," and Li Changzhou sustained "new injuries."
He perfectly played the part of only knowing tricks in the water and not being strong even there.
This gave Sun Wukong a headache. If he were stronger, he would have gone directly to the Heavenly Palace for help, but being this weak, it would be too embarrassing to seek help.
Yang Qinglan not only became an Earth Immortal in the second trial, acquiring a lifespan equal to that of the earth, but also was the first fairy to complete the second trial, faster than Nine Heavens Mystic Goddess and other Earth Immortals.
This was both a talent and Yang Qinglan's experience in dealing with unfamiliar powers, far surpassing those steeped in the Magical Power System like the Nine Heavens Mystic Goddess.
Yang Qinglan emerged from the Mountain and River Map, sitting with closed eyes on a lotus leaf in Turquoise Pool, appearing like a forsaken immortal.
There were fallen flowers and celestial music, True Words chanted, signifying the complete aura of an Earth Immortal, representing 'Constant Sand' as the seed of a world.
Constant Sand came in various types, and even if they were both top-grade Immortals, the manifested Constant Sand varied in quality.
The lowest could only evolve into a mountain, a lake, or several mountains and lakes.
The medium could be a Grotto Heaven, containing mountains and waters and even evolving a couple of mortal kingdoms.
A complete Earth Immortal was like a planet.
Not a real planet, but in terms of area, ecological cycles, and species variety, equivalent to a life planet which could resemble 'Honey Pot World' with just one giant tree and one large lake.
Accumulating mana was not just about solidifying mana into luminescence and storing it like gold in the Constant Sand World, but about evolving the world.
The more prosperous the Constant Sand World, the more abundant the vital essence represented, and this essence was the mana accumulated by the Earth Immortal.
Vital essence that couldn't be solidified in a life form couldn't be stored because, without a proper cycle, it would naturally dissipate.
Thus, the cultivation of an Earth Immortal was both about accumulating mana and managing a small world, the better managed, the deeper the accumulated mana.
Moreover, unlike just entering the fourth level of Visualization that could become an Immortal, and second-grade Immortals having the chance to become Earth Immortals, to become a Heavenly Immortal, one must be a complete Earth Immortal.
Because only a complete world could nurture the Heavenly Will, and an Earth Immortal merging with the Heavenly Will becomes a Heavenly Immortal.
Of course, now compared to when Yang Qinglan was an Immortal, aside from being able to continue growing her mana, none of her abilities had increased, including hiding in the Constant Sand World.
The world was still too small, just a grain of sand; how could she possibly hide inside it?
Just as Yang Qinglan opened her eyes, a green-clothed fairy was about to offer a Flat Peach of six thousand years, when the Queen Mother said:
"Send another six thousand-year Flat Peach, grant a pot of Jade Liquid, a pot of Jade Brew, a jug of Top-grade Immortal Brew, one Vestment robe, and a table of Hundred Flavors Eight Treasures."
A six thousand-year Flat Peach equals a thousand years of lifespan:
A pot of Jade Liquid is roughly equivalent to three blocks of luminescence;
A pot of Jade Brew is about four blocks of luminescence;
A jug of Top-grade Immortal Brew equals about five blocks of luminescence;
A Vestment robe, woven by fairies under the Weaver Girl's command from luminescence, rainbows, auroras, etc., lovely to look at and dirt-resistant, could also be absorbed as luminescence, equivalent to about eight blocks of luminescence;
A table of Hundred Flavors Eight Treasures, with various ingredients combined with luminescence cooked, is about twenty blocks of luminescence.
Totaling a thousand years of lifespan, forty blocks of luminescence.
Jade Liquid, Jade Brew, Top-grade Immortal Brew, and Hundred Flavors Eight Treasures don't need refining, just enjoy them directly to increase mana, many times faster than absorbing luminescence.
Li Changzhou needs a whole night to absorb a block of luminescence, while with Jade Liquid, Jade Brew, etc., all can be absorbed within the time of enjoying a meal.
The initial cultivation of an Earth Immortal is relatively simple, not needing to create life, just expanding the land base suffices, so eating these, wouldn't be wasted, able to instantly solidify within the Constant Sand World.