Chapter 132: The Passage Opens, Collecting Tolls

The dust settles. You return to the palace and look at Aotian before you, slowly extending your right hand.

On your right hand, the mark of the Law of Lightning appears. You ask Aotian, "Senior, this thing belongs to you, doesn't it?"

"Indeed." Aotian nods. "This thing is the reward I left on the steps. It is what you deserve."

"Study it well. As long as you can fully master this law, your future will at the very least be that of a Great Vehicle stage cultivator!"

"With just a single mark, one can nurture a Great Vehicle stage cultivator?" You find it somewhat absurd. If that were the case, what would all your previous efforts amount to?

As if seeing through your thoughts, Aotian speaks again. "Not everyone can comprehend it thoroughly! Comprehension is a hard thing to pin down."

"Moreover, there are differences even among Great Vehicle stage cultivators!"

"Once you cultivate to the Great Vehicle stage, you will understand."

"Do all seniors of profound cultivation like to speak only half a sentence?" Your face darkens as you think this.

Aofeng has yet to leave seclusion, so you continue cultivating within the palace. Whatever you do not understand, you ask Aotian directly, without the slightest courtesy.

A year later, Aofeng leaves seclusion, her cultivation restored to its peak.

"It is time to go." Aofeng looks at Aotian and speaks in a low voice.

"Go. Do what you wish to do. If you encounter danger, come find me. Though I am dead, protecting your life is no problem at all!" Aotian steps forward and reaches out to stroke Aofeng's head.

"Mm. Do not worry. Feng'er has grown up and can protect herself!"

After the father and daughter bid farewell, Aofeng looks at you and says, "You should go. Do not follow me. It will be dangerous."

You nod in silence. You know that with your current cultivation, you cannot help with anything. Delivering your life-bound treasure into Aofeng's hands is the only thing you can do right now.

"Sorry to trouble you, Senior." You bow to Aotian. These past days, Aotian has taught you many things about cultivation.

"Mm. Cultivate well. The future of the Profound Heaven Continent rests on you!" Aotian nods, raises his hand, and your figure vanishes.

You open your eyes and find yourself at the exit of the golden steps, where you see numerous cultivators.

You look at the familiar crowd before you and know that the flow of time within the golden steps is different from the outside world.

Though you spent decades inside, only a few days have actually passed outside.

Aotian, as an existence akin to an immortal, mastering some time laws is only reasonable, no?

"Master, you have come out too?" Upon seeing you emerge, Xiao Long is the first to step forward and ask.

"Fellow Daoist, how many steps did you pass?" Lan Shang follows close behind.

Jiang Qing also directly surrounds you. As your defeated opponent, he too wants to know exactly what height you could climb to.

Surrounded by two Spirit Transformation Consummation cultivators, you instantly attract the attention of the surrounding cultivators.

With so many people and prying eyes, you do not wish to cause trouble, so you do not answer, leading everyone away.

With two Spirit Transformation Consummation cultivators serving as bodyguards, no one dares to mock you. No one wants to make enemies for no reason.

"Fellow Daoist, where are we going?" Lan Shang follows you in confusion, completely unaware of what you intend to do.

"The exit to the Dragon Fall Lands is about to open. It is time to leave!" From Aotian and Aofeng's mouths, you learned that outside the Dragon Fall Lands right now, many cultivation experts are already lying in ambush for Aofeng.

When that time comes, it will surely trigger a heaven-shaking battle. That kind of battle is clearly not something a mere Spirit Transformation cultivator like you can participate in.

To avoid being caught up in it, you plan to flee this place the moment the passage opens. Preserving your life is what matters most.

"It is opening so soon? I remember there should still be half a year, right?" Jiang Qing asks in confusion.

You do not explain, riding Xiao Long at full speed.

A week later, you arrive at the central region of the Dragon Fall Lands, right beside the passage you entered through.

"See, it hasn't even opened yet, has it?" Jiang Qing looks at the tightly shut gate and complains.

You glance at Jiang Qing and say nothing.

Meeting your gaze, Jiang Qing trembles all over, only then remembering that his life is still in your hands.

You take out the voice-transmission jade talisman and summon all thirteen of the original Spirit Transformation Great Perfection cultivators, stationing them at the exit of the Dragon Fall Lands.

Since you are about to leave the Purple Firmament Immortal Dynasty anyway, it is time to reap a big haul!

A week passes. The thirteen Spirit Transformation Great Perfection cultivators from before arrive one after another.

Your gaze sweeps across the crowd. Though quite a few are deeply displeased with you and even wish you dead here, none dare defy your orders.

"Fellow Daoist, you urgently summoned us here. What is the matter?"

"Indeed. I was just about to enter seclusion to break through to the Return-to-Void realm!"

"Ah, my True Dragon inheritance!"

Looking at the complaining crowd, your Return-to-Void realm physical body power erupts in full, pressing down until everyone present can barely breathe.

"This aura is… the Return-to-Void realm!"

"How could that possibly be!"

"It's over. I'm afraid I will never regain my freedom in this lifetime!"

"Master has gotten stronger again!!!"

Before you can even speak, the passage behind you suddenly erupts with a surge of energy that shoots straight into the clouds. Every cultivator in the Dragon Fall Lands can see it.

"The passage is open. The trip to the Dragon Fall Lands is about to end!"

The cultivators kneeling before you flash with delight. If not for you blocking the exit, they would have long since rushed into the passage and left this place.

"Want to leave the Dragon Fall Lands? Then do one last thing for me!" You look at the kneeling crowd and slowly speak.

"Fellow Daoist, please say it. We will surely handle it beautifully for you!"

"Yes, yes! Even if it means climbing a mountain of blades or crossing a sea of fire, we will not refuse!" The Spirit Transformation Great Perfection cultivators all chime in. As long as they leave this place, they will never have to obey your orders again.

"What I want you to do is very simple. Collect a toll!"

"Every cultivator who wishes to leave the Dragon Fall Lands must hand over seventy percent of their resources!"

"What?"

"This… is this not making enemies of every cultivator?"

"We cannot! Once we do this, after we leave, we will not get off lightly!"

"Indeed, Fellow Daoist. Besides, with over a thousand Spirit Transformation cultivators, even you would find it hard to hold them off."

You shake your head and slowly say, "You are wrong. The ones collecting the toll are you, not me!"