Chapter 351 - 349: Reactions from All Sides

Chapter 351: Chapter 349: Reactions from All Sides

In the Sword Pavilion on Cloud-Entering Sword Mountain.

Tang Fei was hunched over, coughing violently as he huddled close to a stove.

No one would have believed that this frail old man was the First Sword Cultivator of the Northern Domain.

"Senior Brother, I can handle the trip to the Qingfeng Sect next month. It will be a good opportunity to see how Ge Cang’s Divine Techniques have progressed since he formed his Nascent Soul."

Yann Yuanzai cradled the Xing Xuan Sword. For a cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm, communicating with a Tier Four Flying Sword was naturally effortless.

He soon achieved Heart Sword Communication, allowing him to wield it without obstruction and gain complete mastery over the Tier Four Flying Sword.

Holding a fire poker, Tang Fei prodded the charcoal in the stove, remaining silent for a long while.

Only when a few pieces of charcoal were burning did he toss the poker aside. "You stay home. I haven’t been out and about in so long, I feel like my bones are getting creaky... It’s also a perfect chance to check on that Bai Zichen, see what Realm he’s reached and what kind of surprise he has in store for me."

"Senior Brother, for you to go personally... aren’t you honoring the Qingfeng Sect a bit too much?"

Yann Yuanzai’s eye twitched. Beneath the charred soot on the poker, a hint of silver showed through. It was unmistakably the Tianhe Sword Sect’s heirloom Flying Sword, the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword.

"Attending Ge Cang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony is just one reason. Xiangg Ji sent another challenge, wanting to duel again in ten years... Heh. He wants to use me as a whetstone to reach the next level. I’d like to see if his neck is tough enough for that!"

The sword scar on Tang Fei’s face twitched, and the divine light in his eyes became almost tangible as a powerful Sword Intent erupted from him.

"The Life-Killing Demon Sword... it wants to take my life, seize the essence of the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword, and offer up Xiangg Ji’s entire lifetime of achievement in the Sword Dao Realm as a sacrifice. All to create a chance to ascend to a Tier Five Flying Sword... Such ambition. I’d like to see if Xiangg Ji, hailed as the greatest talent in the history of the Life-Killing Sword Sect, can actually pull off something so world-shaking."

The two had fought countless times.

They knew each other better than sect brothers, better than family.

Since Xiangg Ji had successfully forged the Life-Killing Demon Sword, Tang Fei had lost three matches in a row, and his disadvantage grew with each fight.

But since they were both Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators, Xiangg Ji couldn’t truly finish him off.

Tang Fei was fully aware of the insane gamble Xiangg Ji was planning, but he felt no fear in the face of his lifelong rival.

If anything, he was thrilled to meet such a powerful opponent at the twilight of his life.

"Senior Brother, why must you accept his challenge..."

Yann Yuanzai’s plea trailed off.

For a Sword Cultivator, to even consider avoiding a battle with their ultimate rival would shatter their state of mind.

For Tang Fei, who was already over eight hundred years old, it would be a repudiation of his entire path of cultivation.

"Don’t worry. It won’t be hard for Xiangg Ji to defeat me, but killing me? He couldn’t do it even if he broke through to the Late-Stage Nascent Soul Realm. I have my own plans for the next ten years. I need to witness the true power of the Life-Killing Demon Sword, and I also have to find an heir for the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword."

Tang Fei picked up the ’poker’ and blew on it gently, revealing a silver-white flying sword. With a twirl, it transformed into a Daoist hairpin that he used to secure his topknot.

「Three days later.」

An unhurried beam of Sword Light departed from Sword Mountain, heading in the direction of Liang Country.

When it passed over Burial Immortal Valley, the Sword Light paused to survey the area before ascending to a higher altitude and skimming past from afar.

Behind it, the roars of Ancient Demons emanated from the valley, echoing across the desolate wilderness.

...

「The Ten Thousand Miles Icefield, Ice Soul Palace.」

Suihan True Monarch swallowed a clump of Divine Sand. Within his Dantian Qi Sea, a miniature Nascent Soul spewed forth an ice dragon, tempering the ochre-colored Divine Sand.

’These are the last few grains of Earth God Sand. Once their refinement is complete, I can finally counteract the backlash from the lifespan I lost when my Nascent Soul manifested. Then I can truly begin cultivating Tier Four Divine Powers and start refining the Sect’s heirloom Spiritual Treasure.’

This was because after he formed his Nascent Soul, the lifespan he had gained from consuming the Crimson Immortal Grass in his youth was retroactively deducted.

As a result, not only was he unable to fully benefit from the feedback of his two great Nascent Soul Phenomena, but his Nascent Soul cultivation was also severely hampered.

Fortunately, a trade with the Qingfeng Sect had yielded enough Earth God Sand. He used the Earth Spirit within it to stabilize his Nascent Soul.

Now, in another decade or two, he would be able to refine Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi normally, allowing his cultivation—which had been stagnant since he entered the Nascent Soul Stage—to finally advance.

"Ancestor, this is an invitation from the Qingfeng Sect. They request your presence at Black Mountain in one month for a Nascent Soul Ceremony..."

"A Nascent Soul Ceremony? Is it for Ge Cang or Bai Zichen?"

Suihan True Monarch had received the invitation the moment he emerged from seclusion. He held it in his hand without a glance as he asked the question.

"Ancestor, it is for True Monarch Ge Cang..."

The young cultivator was the most talented disciple of his generation in the Ice Soul Sect. Possessing an Ice Spiritual Root in addition to a Star Frost Spiritual Body, he was the subject of his masters’ high hopes.

That was why he had been stationed here, where the dense Spiritual Qi was ideal for cultivation and where he might have the opportunity to receive guidance from a Nascent Soul Ancestor.

"Truly, the new generation outshines the old. Prepare a carriage. I will depart for Black Mountain..."

Thinking of Ge Cang’s age compared to his own, Suihan True Monarch couldn’t help but feel the weariness of his years, even though he had just formed his Nascent Soul.

His advanced age, the hundred years of life he’d coughed up, the negative side effects of the Crimson Immortal Grass, and the decades he’d wasted just to consolidate his cultivation—it all added up.

Shi Chengdong had called him a pile of dry bones in a tomb. The words were harsh, but they were true.

’I might not even have time to attempt a breakthrough to the Mid Stage after I finish refining my Nascent Soul Realm. My lifespan will be nearly exhausted by then.’

"Have Fairy Lianyu and a few of her disciples brought here. I overexerted myself during this seclusion. My back is sore... I need to relieve some tension..."

Suihan True Monarch made sure to add the instruction. After successfully forming his Nascent Soul, he had both fulfilled his personal dream and met the expectations the Ice Soul Palace had held for ten thousand years.

With little chance of breaking through to an even higher Realm, he had quickly sunk into self-indulgence, losing himself in the soft comforts of female companionship and the pleasures of the Joyful Union Secret Technique.

...

’Another Nascent Soul. Liang Country is getting interesting... When Senior Brother arrives with the Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword, we’ll have another helping of Blood Food ready for him.’

Within the Blood Pool, blood bubbles gurgled to the surface, slowly rising into the air before bursting with a spray of blood.

The low, captivating voice seemed to emanate from the entire pool, muffled and resonant.

Fang Tiancheng stood silently at the edge of the Blood Pool, his face impassive. A few more sharp wrinkles seemed to have been carved into his face, deepening the weary look in his eyes.

"Those ruins you mentioned last time, how goes the search?"

The voice of Blood God True Monarch rang out once more. Only a dark shadow could be seen swimming within the Blood Pool.

"True Monarch, I led over three hundred elite disciples to explore it. There’s a high probability it belonged to one of the Divinity Transformation Great Powers who participated in the siege against the Ancient Demons... The ruin is something like a subterranean palace or tomb. We’ve entered and confirmed that it does not connect directly to Burial Immortal Valley."

Fang Tiancheng reported with his hands clasped, his voice betraying no emotion.

"The environment inside is treacherous, making deeper excavation extremely difficult. So far, we have only managed to retrieve this Bone Tooth."

The finger-sized Bone Tooth flew out and dropped into the Blood Pool. After a long moment, Blood God True Monarch spoke again.

"It is indeed a Divinity Transformation Accessory. I can sense the Power of Void on it... I need more treasures like this. Better ones."

"I will carry out your will at once, True Monarch. However, while I can break the Forbidden seals at the current level, I may require your assistance in the deeper parts of the ruins."

Over the years, Fang Tiancheng had acted like a model subordinate, rendering distinguished service in the Blood Demon Sect’s many campaigns.

Gathering so much Blood Food each year was impossible without annihilating a couple of Core Formation Level powers.

Even among the disciples of his own Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, cumulative casualties had already surpassed a thousand.

"Rest assured. I am refining this Blood Pool to become immortal and undying. Not even a Tier Five Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure will be able to harm me easily. When the time comes, I will naturally take action and break those Forbidden seals."

Blood God True Monarch was supremely confident, yet he had no intention of ignoring the ruins left by an ancient Divinity Transformation Great Power.

Even if it wasn’t a Grotto Heaven Secret Realm formed from their death, the mere former residence of a Divinity Transformation Great Power was enough to attract countless covetous eyes.

As Fang Tiancheng left the Dragon Bone Hall, his steps suddenly felt much heavier.

’I’m almost six hundred years old. Both I and that old bastard are nearing the end of our lifespans... I’ve carried the burden of my Sect for my entire life. This path has been too exhausting.’

Fang Tiancheng walked toward his Sect’s grounds and looked at the enormous Gold-Devouring Earth Dragon Beast lying quietly on the ground. Its body was a tapestry of overlapping scars from the countless battles they had fought together.

’Whether there’s still hope for me to reach the Nascent Soul Realm or not, as long as I live, I must keep trying... Life rarely goes as planned; all one can do is strive to have a clear conscience.’

He walked out of the Blood Demon Sect, step by weary step. Seeing the disciples of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect waiting for him, he gave a slight wave, and they all fell in behind him.

’Everything is proceeding according to plan. It’s just a bit slower than I’d like, but there have been no other mishaps... I’m truly envious of Ge Cang. To have formed his Nascent Soul through his own power, changing his own fate and that of his Sect... What a glorious accomplishment.’

A strange smile touched Fang Tiancheng’s lips as he thought of Ge Cang’s successful breakthrough.

To not be from a Major Sect with a Nascent Soul Ancestor, to rely almost entirely on yourself, to receive no help from your sect in the later stages, and to stubbornly climb step by step to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Only a cultivator who had actually walked that road could know how arduous such a journey was.

’We will meet again... in the ruins of the Divinity Transformation Great Power.’

Fang Tiancheng vaulted onto his Gold-Devouring Earth Dragon Beast. Leading over a thousand disciples from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect mounted on their own Lifebound Spiritual Beasts, they rose into the air, a dark mass that blotted out the sun.

...

Far more cultivators than anticipated flocked to the Qingfeng Sect’s Nascent Soul Ceremony.

Many sects that hadn’t received an invitation still prepared congratulatory gifts and looked for any opportunity to pay their respects.

They either waited for long periods outside the Mountain Gate or tried pulling strings through various connections, hoping to be granted entry.

On the day of the ceremony itself, over a thousand cultivators were still waiting outside the Mountain Gate’s Grand Array. They came from across the Five Prefectures and Seventy-Two Commanderies, and some had even journeyed from the other three nations of the Northern Domain.

Had there been more time, guests would have undoubtedly arrived from even more distant lands.

For instance, the Qingfeng Sect’s closest ally, the Five Elements Sect, hadn’t been notified to send their Core Formation True Men due to the vast distance between them.

Besides, the two sects had a long-standing exchange of resident Foundation Establishment Cultivators, who could serve as representatives for this grand occasion.

As one of the foremost Alchemy Grandmasters in Liang Country, Master Zhu of the Danxia Sect was an incredibly popular figure wherever he went, and the Qingfeng Sect was no exception.

Before the Nascent Soul Ceremony even began, he was swarmed by Core Formation Cultivators from various sects, some of whom he knew and some he didn’t.

They were either looking to purchase Elixirs, requesting his services for Alchemy with Spiritual Materials they had prepared, or simply trying to curry favor and make themselves known to him.

He was only able to escape the throng when a cold, beautiful female cultivator approached and invited him to the inner hall, stating that Master Bai had requested his presence.