Chapter 355 - 353: Nascent Soul Ceremony

Chapter 355: Chapter 353: Nascent Soul Ceremony

’Divine Inference... if one truly cultivates it to its depths, it becomes the Destiny Path. Even Upper Realm Immortals wouldn’t dare call that a minor path.’

Bai Zichen watched Wang Huacun’s departing figure, the Cyan Green Copper Coin in his hand as cool as ice.

He hadn’t expected this object to not only store inherited knowledge but also enhance the use of the Copper Plate Divine Calculation.

A Cultivator like Wang Huacun had spent his entire life on the Copper Plate Divine Calculation, only to end up calling it a minor path.

It wasn’t necessarily due to a lack of insight; it was more likely a helpless, self-deprecating jest.

No matter how ignorant one was, anyone who had dealings with Core Formation Sects like the Celestial Secret Sect or the Divine Number Sect would know that cultivating divination-type magic to its depths would inevitably touch upon a Great Dao’s True Intent.

It was just that ninety-nine percent of Cultivators could only use divination and scrying magic as a tool.

Just like Wang Huacun, who had practiced the Copper Plate Divine Calculation since his first day of Foundation Establishment, yet was more than the Ninefold Heaven away from touching the True Intent of the Destiny Path.

’I already have the Path of Time waiting for me to climb. I can’t handle another top-tier Great Dao of similar standing like the Destiny Path... Even among Divinity Transformation Great Powers, I’ve never heard of anyone successfully cultivating two top-tier Great Daos at the same time.’

Bai Zichen put away the Cyan Green Copper Coin, deciding for now to practice with it only as a tool.

The Destiny Path was inscrutable and undefinable. It was normal for one to become engrossed in it for centuries.

A Core Formation True Man’s five-hundred-year lifespan couldn’t withstand being used up like that.

...

Inside and outside the Mountain Gate, lanterns and colorful banners had long been hung, creating an atmosphere brimming with immortal energy.

No fewer than a thousand lush, hundred-zhang-tall Spirit Trees had been arranged, transplanted all the way from the Mountain Gate’s entrance to the sides of the Cloud Platform at the summit.

The entire path was covered with a long carpet woven from the most precious Silk, stretching for an unknown number of miles.

According to the guests’ status, the seating was divided into three types: jade meditation mats below the Cloud Platform, inkstone meditation mats on the mountain peak, and Spirit Grass Meditation Mats at the base of the mountain.

All the Qingfeng Sect disciples wore brand-new Magical Robes that had been rushed to completion over the past few months. With joyful expressions, they enthusiastically led the guests to their seats.

Yingge had only joined the sect a few years ago. As an Outer Sect Disciple, he should have been waiting for orders on the periphery.

But a Steward, seeing he was clever and willing to work, selected him for the inner area, responsible for guiding the important figures to their exclusive seats.

’So many Core Formation True Men!’

Yingge came from a Cultivation Family in Hejian County and had grown up under the jurisdiction of the Qingfeng Sect since birth.

His loyalty to the sect was much stronger than that of the older generation of Cultivators.

After his Spiritual Root was detected, he took the initiative to join the Qingfeng Sect and was assigned to the main mountain after the unified sect entrance.

As a native Cultivator of Hejian County, he had only heard of the Black Mountain Range from the stories of his elders. This was his first time here after joining the sect.

Just a few years after joining the sect, he encountered a world-shaking first for the sect: changing its name after being promoted from a Core Formation Sect to a Nascent Soul Major Sect.

Young disciples like him, filled with hope, aspiration, and love for the sect, constituted the absolute majority now.

"Master Zhu of the Danxia Sect has arrived!"

"Master Guo of the Shennong Sect has arrived!"

"The Golden Sun Wanderer has arrived!"

...

As the names of one Core Formation True Man after another were announced, bells and drums sounded. Musicians struck chime-bells, creating a grand and magnificent scene.

’There are three seats in front of me. Besides that representative from the Five Elements Sect, are two other major figures coming?’

After landing, Master Zhu glanced at the seating arrangement below the Cloud Platform and noticed something profound.

The Five Elements Sect’s seat and the Danxia Sect’s seat were on the left and right, with their meditation mats separated by only an inch, which could be considered the same tier.

But the remaining two meditation mats were positioned high up, separated on the left and right of the Cloud Platform.

Furthermore, their material was not ordinary Spirit Jade, but was instead interwoven with threads of gold, with Purple Qi contained within.

Such an arrangement indicated that these two guests were qualitatively different from the other Core Formation True Men. They could only be Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

’To think that two Nascent Soul True Monarchs would attend. Could it be the Sect Leader of the Celestial Principle Sect?’

Just as Master Zhu was secretly speculating, a loud, clear announcement came from outside the Mountain Gate.

"True Monarch Suihan of the Ice Soul Sect has arrived!"

A luxurious chariot flew before the Cloud Platform, and two Cultivators, a man and a woman, alighted. They were none other than True Monarch Suihan and Fairy Lianyu.

True Monarch Suihan, who had used the Earth Spirit to eliminate the hidden dangers in his body, no longer had that terrifying face. However, due to the backlash on his lifespan, he had lost the chance to reconstruct his physical body after reaching Nascent Soul. He was forced to maintain the appearance of an old man on the verge of death.

Fairy Lianyu, originally famous far and wide for her beauty, was now dressed in a dignified and virtuous manner, standing quietly behind him.

"True Monarch Suihan, you’ve graced us with your presence. Please forgive us for not welcoming you from afar."

With a Nascent Soul True Monarch present, ordinary greeters were naturally not qualified. Wei Dao personally stepped forward to receive him.

"My seat is on the right. Who is the person honored above me? As I recall, among the several Nascent Soul Sects, you only invited my Ice Soul Sect."

In the Cultivation Realm, the custom was to honor the left.

When True Monarch Suihan saw the position of the meditation mat, his expression turned sour.

True Monarch Suihan’s jade meditation mat was not only on the right, but it was also set back an inch from the mat on the left.

"I’ve taken this seat. Do you have a problem with that?"

A leisurely Sword Light descended from the Cloud Platform and settled directly onto the meditation mat. Apparently, he had arrived long ago.

True Monarch Suihan took one look at the other person and sucked in a sharp breath.

"True Monarch Tang Fei of the Tianhe Sword Sect has arrived!"

The belated announcement rang out, confirming the old man’s identity.

This unassuming old man was the legendary First Sword Cultivator of the Northern Domain, the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul, Tang Fei.

"So it is Elder Tang. Suihan pays his respects to the True Monarch."

True Monarch Suihan immediately backed down and sat, not daring to say another word.

’It’s truly incredible. How did he manage to slay a Nascent Soul while at that Sword Dao Realm...’

Tang Fei had arrived at Black Mountain yesterday and had been in secret talks with Ge Cang, Bai Zichen, and the others until now, mainly to satisfy his own curiosity.

As the strongest Sword Cultivator in the Northern Domain, he had always been thinking about this junior from the Qingfeng Sect who had taken away his sect’s Tier Four Flying Sword.

He had suppressed his cultivation to the Late-Stage Core Formation Realm and sparred with Bai Zichen using only swordsmanship.

With their cultivation at the same level and both using Tier Four Flying Swords, Tang Fei held the absolute upper hand for the first ten moves with his Sword Dao Realm of One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws.

If not for Bai Zichen’s exquisite swordsmanship, which often featured unconventional and unrestrained sword paths, he would have been defeated long ago.

But after ten moves, Tang Fei, who was only maintaining the True Essence level of a Late-Stage Core Formation cultivator, found himself being bizarrely dominated.

Bai Zichen, while wielding the Tier Four Flying Sword, surprisingly showed no signs of insufficient True Essence or difficulty in sustaining his Sword Light.

Instead, it was the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Tang Fei who, with his realm restricted, could no longer maintain his Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword and had to proactively withdraw it.

’His Sword Dao has only reached Refining Sword into Silk. He’s a long way from One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws, let alone Sword Light Division... I really don’t know what method he used to wield the Tier Four Flying Sword as if it were an extension of his own arm, showing no strain at all.’

Tang Fei sat on his meditation mat. On the Cloud Platform, Ge Cang had already arrived and was beginning to share some of his insights on reaching the Nascent Soul realm.

Given the strength Bai Zichen displayed in their duel, slaying True Monarch Jiulian with a single sword strike seemed like an impossible fantasy.

He must have some unknown trump card that was unsuitable to use during a practice duel.

The Nascent Soul Ceremony lasted for three full days.

Besides True Monarch Ge Cang’s brief sharing of his experience in breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm, Bai Zichen also took the stage to explain swordsmanship.

Towards the end, even Core Formation True Men who were not from the Qingfeng Sect went on stage to impart their skills.

Over the three days, both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Whether they were Core Formation True Men or ordinary disciples, everyone gained something from the Nascent Soul Ceremony.

After sending off the guests one by one, those who had ultimately become vassal powers of the Qingfeng Sect after comprehensive consideration stayed behind for a little longer.

"The seal in Burial Immortal Valley seems to be acting up. I took a look around on my way here, and the concentration of Demonic Qi is even greater than before... For an Ancient Demon to reappear in the world, there must be a Nascent Soul True Monarch manipulating things from behind the scenes. They’re just hidden very well, and I haven’t found any clues. Your Qingfeng Sect isn’t far from there, so you should be prepared."

There were only three people in the secret chamber. Tang Fei let out a long sigh.

Once the Ancient Demon breaks free, it will immediately recover its strength to the Divinity Transformation Realm. It will be a catastrophe for the entire Human World.

The Northern Domain will bear the brunt of it, and the apocalyptic scenes from Ancient Times will reappear: a demon descending upon the world, vast stretches of scorched earth, and corpses measured by the marshful.

"In ten years, I will have my final battle with Xiang Ji of the Life-Killing Sword Sect... If you have the time, you can come and watch."

Tang Fei then turned to Bai Zichen, his expression free and easy as he spoke.

"Elder, you’re going to duel Xiang Ji again? I will definitely be there to witness the supreme sword techniques of you two True Monarchs."

Bai Zichen was startled and hurriedly agreed, naturally unwilling to miss such a world-class battle.

Both were top-tier Sword Cultivators who had been famous for hundreds of years. The Life-Killing Sword Sect used killing to stop killing, comprehending the Slaughter True Intent. It could be said that every disciple of the Life-Killing Sword Sect was a potential Demon who could fill the fields with corpses.

As the most outstanding disciple of the Life-Killing Sword Sect in the last three thousand years, Xiang Ji was hailed as having talent and aptitude comparable to the sect’s Divinity Transformation Ancestor from ten thousand years ago. He had also pioneered the forging of the Life-Killing Demon Sword.

Normal demon swords are immensely powerful but also extremely easy to lose control of, ultimately resulting in the sword controlling its wielder.

The Life-Killing Demon Sword, however, used his own hand bones as its material and his Sword Dao Realm as fuel for its growth. It didn’t rely solely on slaughter to grow, which allowed Xiang Ji to keep it firmly under his control.

As for Tang Fei, just from their earlier duel, Bai Zichen had felt the gap between their Sword Dao Realms.

In the Refining Sword into Silk Realm, Tang Fei had already reached the Transformation Realm, truly demonstrating the meaning of One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws.

With the same kind of Sword Silk, he could pierce Bai Zichen’s Moonlight Sword Threads in just a few exchanges. No matter how much Bai Zichen used his Decomposition Technique, he could only delay the inevitable for a moment.

Witnessing such a peak-level duel would be of great benefit to the growth of his own Sword Dao.

...

After the Nascent Soul Ceremony, the Qingfeng Sect did not use the prestige of having a Nascent Soul True Monarch to expand its territory.

Aside from confirming relationships with several Vassal Sects, they focused most of their energy on developing Flame Mountain.

As a Tier Four Spirit Vein, Flame Mountain was far more difficult to develop than any of the sect’s previous Tier Three Spirit Veins. Flames soared across the mountain, and a single touch could melt stone and liquefy gold.

Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators had to be extremely cautious on it, keeping their Defense Spiritual Artifacts deployed at all times.

The vast number of Qi Refining Disciples could only gather at the foot of the mountain to do auxiliary work, so the overall progress was naturally slow.

"Junior Sister Zhou, is there a way to regulate the flames on the mountain through the All Heaven Fiery Array? Otherwise, if it stays like this, even if we build palaces with Fireproof Materials, few disciples will be able to stay on Flame Mountain for long."

Bai Zichen watched helplessly as dozens of Foundation Establishment Disciples were scattered across Flame Mountain. Such a small number of people was like a clay ox entering the sea—they couldn’t make the slightest ripple.

To establish a brand-new training ground, he didn’t know how long it would take.