Cultivating with Bragging System

Chapter 726 366: Painting Immortal in Trouble_1

Just how strong had he become?

Even Wang Xiu himself wasn't quite sure. Since his two avatars had stepped into the Earth Immortal Realm, he hadn't fought anyone with his full strength. He only knew one thing: the Demon Emperors from before hadn't posed the slightest threat to him. Although he had yet to complete the final step of the Flawless Immortal Path, the transformation from the first two steps alone had already made him terrifyingly powerful. He guessed that only an Earth Immortal Level expert who had survived at least seven or eight Heavenly Tribulations would stand a chance against him.

He collected his thoughts and looked at the slightly flustered girl before him, smiling. "They say the Painting Immortal Wu Daozong has a granddaughter as beautiful as a flower, whose stunning charm ranks within the top ten of Qingzhou's Rouge List. Seeing you today, I see your reputation is well-deserved!"

Hearing Wang Xiu's praise, Wu Lingshu's face turned slightly red. However, instead of being overly bashful, she graciously replied, "Senior, you flatter me."

Wang Xiu smiled. "What brings you here?"

"I heard of Senior's superb artistry and came to admire it, of course!" Wu Lingshu answered hastily.

Wang Xiu shook his head. "What I mean is, your grandfather's birthday is approaching. As the Painting Immortal's most beloved granddaughter, you should be at Little Cold Mountain, yet you've come all the way to this remote Huangzhou."

At his words, Wu Lingshu gently bit her lip. After a moment of thought, she said, "It was my grandfather who sent me away."

"Why?" Wang Xiu inquired.

"Not long ago, my grandfather asked me a question: 'What is the true Dao of Painting?'" Wu Lingshu said.

"And then?" Wang Xiu pressed.

Wu Lingshu sighed. "I couldn't answer. Grandfather was furious and punished me by ordering me to leave Little Cold Mountain. I must wander the world, and only when I have found the answer may I return."

Stroking his chin, Wang Xiu muttered to himself, A question like that doesn't have a single definitive answer.

He suddenly recalled something, and his gaze turned serious as he looked at Wu Lingshu. "Has the Painting Immortal always been so harsh with you?"

Wu Lingshu shook her head. "Not at all! My grandfather has doted on me since I was little; he never even raised his voice. That was the first time I had ever seen him so angry... Perhaps I'm just too disappointing. After so many years by his side, I still let him down."

"So, you came to Huangzhou because...?" Wang Xiu said thoughtfully.

"I've traveled to many places and thought of many answers," Wu Lingshu replied. "I sent them all back, but grandfather wasn't satisfied with any of them. He said my experience is still too shallow and that I need to travel even farther."

Hearing this, a look of realization dawned in Wang Xiu's eyes. He shook his head and chuckled. "Qingzhou is in the north of the Yaoguang Heavenly Realm, while Huangzhou lies at the extreme south of the Yaoguang Domain. You truly have traveled far!"

Wu Lingshu flushed with slight embarrassment. "Grandfather said even this isn't far enough. I was planning to observe the paintings of the young talents in White Jade City. If I still couldn't find the answer, I would set off for other Celestial Realms."

At that moment, Wang Xiu suddenly looked up, glancing at the old man in the Earth Immortal Realm who had been silently following Wu Lingshu. The man had maintained an impassive expression, his gaze fixed downward, showing no change in his demeanor. However, Wang Xiu had keenly caught a momentary disturbance in his aura.

He lowered his head, reached out to grab the soul remnants of the two Demon Emperors, and activated the Netherworld Soul-Reading Technique.

The next moment, the vast memories accumulated by the two Demon Emperors over tens of thousands of years flooded into Wang Xiu's mind. Fortunately, his Divine Soul was now remarkably strong. He quickly located the memories he needed and began to decipher them one by one.

...

In a world of endless twilight, an immense and boundless figure stood atop a great peak, cold and indifferent. Unapproachable. Below, countless figures knelt in reverence. They were of various forms, but each one exuded a powerful aura, every one of them at least a Demon Emperor. And in this scene, there were at least several hundred such experts.

Could this be the legendary Abyss Demon Realm? Wang Xiu absorbed the memories, confirming his suspicion. This was the deepest part of the Demon Realm. Apart from the Eighteenth Level Abyss, which no one had entered for countless years, this place held the highest concentration of experts in the entire Demon Realm. To put it another way, all the most powerful beings of the Demon Realm were gathered here.

Just then, a hoarse voice sounded.

"That old fellow, he still refuses?" The voice was muffled and indistinct, as if coming from beyond the horizon. It made one's head spin, as if they were unworthy of even hearing it.

"He refuses, no matter what!" another voice responded, equally distant.

"He's gotten old. After being revered as the Painting Immortal for so many years, he actually thinks he's a true immortal! Fine. If he won't give it to us, we'll take it!"

"The blockade from Yaoguang is very strict. It's... not easy for us to get in."

"I say we can get in!"

The conversation was brief, yet the information it contained was terrifying. Wang Xiu's heart chilled. He tried to enhance his perception to get a clearer look at the figure on the summit.

Closer! Even closer! The perspective drew closer to the figure in the shadows, its features gradually becoming clearer.

Just then, all the images suddenly shattered into nothingness.

Wang Xiu was forced out of the soul-reading state. Staring at his empty hands, a trace of bewilderment appeared in his eyes. Was a restriction placed in their Divine Souls? Does it activate the moment someone touches that part of the memory?

He couldn't help but fall into deep thought. With his current cultivation level, the condensed Origin Runes, and the power of the Ming Emperor's Soul-Reading Technique, very few methods in the world could hinder him in the slightest. Unless... that person's cultivation level was far above his own. Or, their mastery of laws had reached an extraordinary, terrifying level. Or perhaps, both.

Who on earth is that person? A tremor went through his heart as he recalled the figure. The feeling was very similar to the last time he saw that inviolable, god-like man through that fated connection, only not as intense.

The Nine Heavens are truly full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons! Wang Xiu couldn't help but marvel. Even with Dragon Emperor Ao Lie's memories, he found it difficult to fathom that person's cultivation. Above a Quasi-Emperor? Could it be a Great Emperor? Impossible! There isn't a single Great Emperor in the current Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. Besides, even if there were one, there couldn't possibly be two, could there? Something like that has never happened before!

"Senior, Senior?" Wu Lingshu's voice broke through his thoughts. "Senior, what's wrong?"

Wang Xiu shook his head and looked at her. "The Painting Immortal has truly gone to great pains for you."

Wu Lingshu started, a bad feeling rising in her heart. "Senior... what do you mean?"

Wang Xiu didn't keep her in suspense. He stated, word by word, "The Painting Immortal is in trouble!"

As soon as he spoke, Wu Lingshu's pupils contracted.

The expression of the old man beside her also changed drastically.