Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit

"Xiao Lan!"

"Sooner or later, she will be mine, Duan Zhengming's!"

Duan Zhengming pursed his lips, flipping through Xu Ning's miserable life while formulating strategies to win over Xiao Lan.

The harder the woman was to conquer, the greater Duan Zhengming's interest.

Flipping and thinking.

Thinking and flipping.

"Hmm?"

Duan Zhengming's hand suddenly paused, flipping back through Xu Ning's profile. His brows furrowed tightly—

"Not seen for half a year."

"Could Xu Ning have died at home?"

"Eh?"

"Huang Quan has also been absent from Golden Spear Talisman Making Workshop for half a year."

Puzzled, Duan Zhengming frowned and called someone over to command, "Check whether Xu Ning is dead or alive. Also, find out why Huang Quan hasn't visited Golden Spear Talisman Making Workshop in the past six months."

Once the orders were given.

Duan Zhengming continued examining other people's intelligence files, but his mind was elsewhere. Even the pitiful states of these individuals failed to evoke much interest.

He closed the files altogether, sat still with his eyes shut, waiting for news.

About an hour later.

Someone hurriedly came to report, "Xu Ning is not in the Talisman Making Workshop!"

"Xu Ning is missing?!"

Duan Zhengming's expression instantly darkened.

"Returning to the young master."

"The three surveillance units all reported they hadn't seen Xu Ning leave."

"Xu Ning seldom leaves his home in recent years; there were even two instances when he stayed in for half a year."

"So they didn't suspect anything."

The informant spoke in fear and trembling.

Duan Zhengming remained silent with a cold expression, still waiting for the next piece of news.

After another long while.

Another person dashed in, sweating profusely, reporting, "Huang Quan's family moved out half a year ago. This is the profile and portraits of all members of the Huang Family."

Duan Zhengming took the files without a word and slowly began to read through them.

Huang Xuan.

Huang Quan.

Huang Biao.

…

These individuals were familiar to Duan Zhengming, and now with more detailed information, his memories came flooding back.

He recalled that Huang Xuan was close to Xu Jishi, and after Xu Jishi's death, Huang Xuan had even paid off Xu Ning's sixty thousand Spirit Stone debt.

Xu Ning, practically a broken man, survived because of Huang Xuan's aid.

Duan Zhengming also knew of Huang Quan's exceptional talent.

He entered High-class University two years before Duan Zhengming and demonstrated remarkable aptitude in talisman-making. Together with Xiao Lan and Jia Ming, he was recognized as one of the "East River Three Masters."

Due to his father Huang Xuan previously paying off Xu Ning's debts, Huang Quan treated the workshop as if it were his own, frequently using it to practice talisman-making, occasionally bringing friends along.

It was said that there were several disputes between him and Xu Ning, and they had loud altercations on multiple occasions.

Duan Zhengming knew of these incidents and relished them.

Xu Ning, idling away at home, incapable of stepping out; meanwhile, a genius hovered around him — one who was even celebrated alongside his former fiancée at High-class University.

Thinking of this, Duan Zhengming felt a twisted sense of pleasure tinged with sadistic satisfaction.

But! Still!

"Were they putting on a show?!"

Duan Zhengming erupted in fury.

Xu Ning vanished, and the Huang Family, the only ones who had sustained contact with him over the years, had disappeared as well.

To say there was no connection between the two—Duan Zhengming simply wouldn't believe it.

"Urgh~"

Realizing he might have been played for a fool, Duan Zhengming clutched his stomach and bent down, dry-heaving uncontrollably.

The anger made him nauseous.

"Investigate!"

"Investigate Xu Ning!"

"Investigate Huang Quan! Investigate the Huang Family!"

"Find them at all costs!"

"And those useless fools who've been monitoring Xu Ning—kill them all!"

Duan Zhengming's eyes were bloodshot, his neck flushed red, and his chest heaved violently; he looked as though he was on the verge of exploding from rage.

After a good while.

Duan Zhengming finally calmed down.

…

The vast sea of people.

Finding seven or eight individuals amidst the sprawling Sea Continent, with its forty-eight main cities and three hundred eighty-four Guard Cities, was like searching for needles in a haystack.

A year.

Two years.

Years passed with no news.

…

Meanwhile.

Shiwu City.

Years passed as everything gradually settled into place.

Huang Xuan advanced in Qi Refinement, registering a commerce guild and establishing a demon-hunting team. He promptly arranged for Huang Quan, Huang Biao, and others to change their names, alter their appearances, and enter academies at various levels.

Among them, Huang Quan was enrolled in High-class University.

Huang Biao, now 22 years old, had yet to achieve Innate cultivation and could only attend Middle School.

By the year's end, if he still couldn't reach Innate, he wouldn't be able to advance to High-class University.

Huang Jiao, 18 years old, was also in Middle School.

Huang Dong, 23, and Huang Liang, 20, remained non-Innate; the former followed Chen Jichuan, while the latter also attended Middle School.

The children of the Huang Family had altered their names and appearances completely. Trying to trace Chen Jichuan and his group through city-wide school investigations was pure fantasy on Duan Zhengming's part.

Huang Dong often stayed by Chen Jichuan's side.

In addition to their studies, Huang Biao, Huang Jiao, and Huang Liang frequently joined their elder brother Huang Quan in cultivating under Chen Jichuan's guidance.

Under Chen Jichuan's tutelage, their cultivation progressed rapidly.

Chen Jichuan wasn't just guiding the Huang siblings.

In the second year, through Huang Quan, Huang Biao, and others' connections within their respective schools, Chen Jichuan started a "supplementary class" in Shiwu City.

The class specialized in helping students transition from Middle to High-class University, or from High-class to University.

To transition from Middle School to High-class University, one needed Innate cultivation before turning 22.

To transition from High-class University to University, one needed to reach Qi Refinement.

Chen Jichuan's teaching experience was extensive, his guidance direct and precise. The supplementary class quickly gained a reputation and positive reviews.

Chen Jichuan 'tailored his teaching to the individual.'

He inquired into the students' family backgrounds and reputations—

Those with established backgrounds who repaid kindness and showed goodwill were usually able to advance significantly under his guidance.

Those without backgrounds but with integrity and commendable character also received his help, fostering goodwill.

Those without backgrounds but resonated well with Chen Jichuan's personality were sometimes given more personalized guidance. An occasional casual remark could even inspire some students to kneel and formally become his disciples.

Through the relationships cultivated by these students, Huang Xuan quickly gained a foothold in Shiwu City and expanded his influence.

Their "White Tiger Commerce" and "White Tiger Demon Hunting Team" grew explosively.

Chen Jichuan gave Huang Xuan full freedom to manage operations.

He himself focused solely on supplying pills, magic artifacts, magical treasures, and talismans, while helping White Tiger Commerce cultivate alchemists, artifact refiners, and talisman makers.

With Chen Jichuan, a Third-order Alchemist and Artifact Refiner, as their cornerstone, even though White Tiger Commerce primarily dealt with First-order items at present, the foundation was set for future growth.

For Chen Jichuan, all of this was routine, consuming little of his time.

His main focus remained on his own cultivation.

Advancing his cultivation.

Improving his talisman-making skills.

Mastering array techniques.

Chen Jichuan often ventured outside Shiwu City into Demon Beast territories, where he laid numerous arrays, waiting for beasts to challenge them to deepen his understanding of their changes.

He also experimented with different terrains, further enhancing his understanding of array techniques.

Meanwhile, his talisman-making skills grew by leaps and bounds due to his uninhibited investment.

His cultivation also progressed steadily.

…

Time flowed like water.

Seventy-seven years passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day.

Outside Shiwu City, winds surged and clouds billowed.

Woo woo woo!

Hoo hoo hoo!

Gusts of wind roared; layers of dark clouds hung low, resembling the fall of the heavens.

"This—"

"What's going on?"

Many cultivators hunting demons outside the city looked up, some near, some far, gazing at the clouds above.

Some were puzzled, unable to recognize what was happening.

Others recognized it at a glance—

"The Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation!"

"Someone is undergoing tribulation!"

The swirling winds and gathering black clouds signaled trials descending.

Countless cultivators turned their heads, some frightened, some envious.

Others looked toward the direction where the tribulation clouds congregated, their eyes widening in surprise—

"It's Prison Mountain!"

"Could it be the one known as 'Longevity Master' undergoing tribulation?!"

"It must be that one, no doubt! Prison Mountain from the foot to the summit is filled with innumerable arrays, resembling the Nine Netherworld. Even Demon Beasts dare not approach it. Who else could it be besides Prison Mountain Xu Ning!"

Groups of cultivators formed, chatting animatedly, each with excited expressions as they discussed fervently.

Mentioning Prison Mountain.

Mentioning Xu Ning.

Every single one of them spoke with certainty.

Within Shiwu City and surrounding areas, there were many cultivators thought to have the potential ascent to Second-order—but among them, a particular individual was lauded as the foremost contender.

The ranking, nicknamed the "Ascending Immortal List," had its top spot occupied by none other than Prison Mountain Xu Ning!

…

Within Shiwu City.

Others too sensed the tribulation converging outside the city.

Two beams of light leapt out, heading to the city's outskirts.

Stopping mid-air and revealing two figures.

One wore a Star Robe with arms crossed behind his back, Shiwu City's City Lord, 'Fann Jinren.'

The other, clad in black, tall and lean, with a large black blade slung across his back, was Fann Jinren's old friend, 'Zhang Yiming.'

Also a Second-order True Person.

Zhang Yiming enjoyed solitude; a decade ago, after his city lord tenure ended, he traveled extensively.

This time, passing through Shiwu City, he had stayed with his old friend for months.

Unexpectedly, someone was undergoing a breakthrough tribulation.

"Brother Fann, do you know who is breaking through? Do you think this person has any chance?"

Zhang Yiming gazed towards the tribulation and voiced his inquiry.

The tribulation of cultivators was perilous and unpredictable.

Thus, city lords were often approached for advice prior to its onset.

Many city lords would even lend magical treasures or pills to aid in tribulation.

Recently, however, Zhang Yiming had seen no such visits while staying with Fann Jinren.

Thus, his concerns grew, wondering if he had inadvertently affected someone's critical moment.

"Brother Zhang need not worry."

"The individual undergoing tribulation is the 'Four Extremes True Person' I told you about a few days ago—Prison Mountain Xu Ning!"

Fann Jinren had initially felt a little unsettled but relaxed upon identifying the tribulation clouds' location after leaving the city.

If it were someone else undergoing tribulation, he'd worry about the chances of success.

But Xu Ning—

"Oh?"

"It's him?"

Zhang Yiming was taken aback: "Brother Fann, didn't you say Xu Ning had only just turned a hundred?"

A Second-order True Person at a hundred years of age?

Such a rarity might not even exist throughout the Galaxy Sword Sect.

"Is there truly such a prodigy?"

Zhang Yiming's curiosity intensified.

Over the past few months, he'd heard many tales about Xu Ning from Fann Jinren—

Age 23: Qi Refinement.

Age 40: Qi Refinement Middle Stage.

Age 60: Late-stage Qi Refinement.

Age 90: Qi Refining Peak.

From start to finish, only about ten years had passed since reaching Qi Refining Peak, and now he was about to break through?

...