Chapter 197

Chapter 197: The Saint’s Power Manuscript

Return to one’s roots?

Yuluan felt no real sense of belonging to the cursed land of Langya. If she had never awakened the chi dragon royal bloodline, she likely wouldn’t have cared about any of this. Even when she had been in Mo City, where she had learned more about her origins, she had remained entirely untempted.

"I don’t know."

But now, the truth of her lineage stood before her, and she couldn’t ignore it. She felt a rare sense of confusion.

Zhang Yang pulled her into his arms and murmured, "No matter what you choose, I will support you."

"Mm."

Yuluan’s restless heart slowly calmed.

No one knew that beneath her seemingly carefree exterior, she had a delicate and overly sensitive heart. At the same time, she had always needed someone to rely on.

In the past, that person had been Xue Feishuang.

Now, it was Zhang Yang.

Whenever she faced uncertainty, her first instinct was to seek Zhang Yang’s guidance.

With his reassurance, she finally felt at ease, and her carefree nature resurfaced.

"Forget it. I won’t think about it anymore. Whatever happens, happens. As long as I’m happy now, everything else is irrelevant. As long as you’re by my side, that’s all that matters," Yuluan laughed.

Zhang Yang looked at her—beyond her playful indifference, he could still see the hidden sensitivity in her eyes. He smiled.

"Alright, let’s go swimming and clear our minds."

Yuluan’s eyes sparkled. "Sounds great!"

Zhang Yang smirked. "I remember there’s a place with a lake nearby."

Yuluan sighed, pressing her forehead. She knew this directionally challenged man would definitely get lost.

At that moment, the Flower Phantom appeared out of nowhere, guiding them.

Zhang Yang grinned and wrapped an arm around Yuluan’s waist. Even through her clothes, he could feel her soft warmth. And what stood out the most was that, with just one arm, he felt as if he could completely envelop her.

The Three Steps of Mountains and Rivers activated, making the world around them seem as though it were flowing away.

In mere moments, they arrived at their destination.

Towering mountains surrounded them.

A small lake stretched before them, its water crystal clear. Beneath the surface, fish swam in shimmering schools.

The surrounding trees cast their reflections over the water, creating a picture-perfect scene of tranquility.

The sky belonged to the Daybreak Phoenix Luan, casting its radiant light across the heavens, while the water shimmered with scattered reflections.

This place was serene and peaceful.

Zhang Yang glanced around—there was no one within dozens of miles. The reason was simple: there were no opportunities here.

Yuluan, having mastered the forbidden laws, casually cast a forbidden spell.

The spell took form, enclosing the small lake and isolating it from the outside world. In the process, Zhang Yang was also pushed outside.

Inside the barrier, Yuluan’s silvery laughter rang out.

Zhang Yang attempted to break through the forbidden spell, but before he could make any progress, the Flower Phantom appeared once again. She had hurried over, her smooth forehead glistening with fine sweat from the effort of catching up.

"Master, I have something to report," she said.

Zhang Yang suppressed a peculiar impulse within him, took a deep breath, and responded, "Go ahead."

Flower Phantom pretended not to notice his momentary distraction and continued, "First, Yi Ren Zui sent a message regarding her investigation of Moonview Tower’s stance on the cursed land of Langya. She believes that those from Langya must be approached with extreme caution."

"I spoke with her directly, and she specifically warned that the Langya Divine Jade must also be handled carefully."

Zhang Yang’s earlier thoughts instantly dissipated, replaced by an overwhelming calm.

Having endured trials of the heart and unique encounters on Green Mountain, he had long mastered the art of inner tranquility.

Now that his mind was clear, he realized one crucial detail: Yi Ren Zui was not the type to make careless claims. If she had spoken so decisively, then she must have been certain.

If the cursed land of Langya harbored ill intentions, then Vast Forest would truly become an enemy of the entire Southern Region, left without a single ally.

Even if Yi Ren Zui was an exception within Moonview Tower, she alone could not change the tower’s stance.

The newly established holy ground now stood alone against the Top Ten Saint-level Forces of the Southern Region.

This was the challenge that lay ahead.

Zhang Yang couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.

What did it matter if they stood against the entire Southern Region? Or even the vast world itself?

He truly felt no fear—fighting was the only answer.

"Continue," he said.

Flower Phantom went on, "Second, the Seventh Prince has left Phoenix City. According to Dark Phantom’s observations, he has undergone a drastic transformation, and his strength has increased significantly. Even though Dark Phantom is confident that he remained undetected, merely being glanced at by the Seventh Prince sent a chilling sensation through his body. The Seventh Prince now resembles… a walking demon."

A demon?

Zhang Yang’s past encounters with the Seventh Prince flashed through his mind.

They had clashed three times.

With each battle, the Seventh Prince had grown darker, more sinister.

Now, hearing this, Zhang Yang felt a sudden realization.

The title "demon" seemed to fit him perfectly.

What was the source of the Seventh Prince’s immense power?

Zhang Yang had gained his strength from the crimson lightning.

What had he obtained?

"Continue."

Having Flower Phantom as his intelligence gatherer brought Zhang Yang great comfort. He could now stay informed instantly rather than acting blindly.

Flower Phantom said, "Third, Ghost Asura and Wind Phantom collaborated to investigate a secret location. They retrieved this."

She pulled an item from her storage bag and handed it to him.

Zhang Yang took it, glanced at it, and his face lit up with excitement. He quickly flipped through it, his breath quickening.

"A reward! A generous reward! A substantial reward!"

He was genuinely thrilled.

For in his hands was none other than the Saint’s Handbook—the legacy of a saint who had pursued power.

This handbook contained detailed studies, insights, and even deductions on holy power, along with personal cultivation records.

To Zhang Yang, this was more valuable than any holy treasure.

He had already crossed the threshold of understanding the path of a saint, but elevating soul power martial arts to holy power martial arts had still felt out of reach.

He had always sensed that something was missing.

The path of a saint was not an easy one.

To have stood at the pinnacle of martial arts for tens of thousands of years, even through the Eternal Night and the no-immortal era, meant that the saint’s path had been refined to its utmost limits.

Zhang Yang knew that the saint’s realm might not be perfect, but if its flaws could be addressed, then saints who stepped onto the immortal path could far surpass the immortals of old.

The Eternal Night had brought an era without immortals—yet it had also illuminated the path of the saint.

He was instantly captivated by the Saint’s Handbook.

Flower Phantom smiled faintly, knowing that Zhang Yang would react this way. That was why she had saved this piece of news for last.

She quietly withdrew, fading into the shadows to guard him.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang immersed himself completely.

With his foundational understanding of the path of a saint and the detailed records in the handbook, his comprehension of holy power advanced rapidly.

As he read, it felt as if his consciousness had split into two.

One part of him delved into the Saint’s Handbook.

The other part, almost instinctively, began to deduce holy power—and what surfaced in his mind was…

Diamond Dragon Divine Power.

Why had he chosen this?

Even he didn’t know.

It was pure instinct.

And instinct—Zhang Yang always followed it.

Had he been in his normal state, he would have chosen Ultimate Baxiang Power first.

Naturally, it was the stronger path, meant for the stronger.

But Ultimate Baxiang Power was undoubtedly the most challenging, filled with deeper mysteries. Especially after witnessing the Baxiang Roaring Picture, choosing this divine power first seemed impractical.

Instead, Diamond Dragon Divine Power felt like the wiser choice.

Upon careful reflection, what was Baxiang?

It was one of the dragon’s nine offspring, belonging to the ancestral lineage of dragons.

With this foundation, deepening Diamond Dragon Divine Power was undoubtedly feasible.

He poured his entire being into it.

Drawing constant insights from the Saint’s Handbook, he infused them into Diamond Dragon Divine Power, as if dismantling and then refining its very essence. This was a wondrous sublimation, where martial arts techniques became as tangible as flesh and blood. A dragon was deconstructed, reshaped, transformed, and ultimately strengthened. Unknowingly, as he finished reading the Saint’s Handbook, Zhang Yang became wholly absorbed.

His understanding from the Saint’s Handbook, his knowledge of the path of a saint, and his complete mastery of soul power martial arts techniques accelerated his progress toward elevating soul power martial arts to holy power martial arts.

As a result, his aura began to shift subtly.

Once resembling that of a dragon, it now carried a faint trace of…

Holy Might!