Chapter 378 - 376: Another Level of Concern

Chapter 378: Chapter 376: Another Level of Concern

Yann Yuanzai obtained the Xing Yao Sword in the Sword Tomb Secret Realm, but unfortunately, this Tier Four Flying Sword was not won over by his Sword Dao Talent.

It had simply grown tired of staying in the Sword Tomb Secret Realm and wanted to get out for a walk.

So it picked the best of a bad bunch, choosing Yann Yuanzai.

As a result, he spent over a hundred years refining and communicating with it before he truly connected with the Tier Four Xing Yao Sword.

A Sword Dao prodigy like Xiangg Ji had exhausted his entire life forging the Tier Five Life-Killing Demon Sword.

In the end, he sacrificed everything, even dragging True Monarch Tang Fei down with him, just to create a single Tier Five Flying Sword.

And yet, the Blood God Son, who clearly didn’t understand the Sword Dao, could wield a Tier Five Flying Sword with complete ease.

How could a Sword Cultivator not feel a sense of disparity and mixed emotions at this?

"In that case, we should thank that Blood God Son... Otherwise, we might not have been able to withstand it. We could have become nourishment for the True Demon Avatar by now, helping it grow to the Late-Stage Nascent Soul Realm."

Ge Cang wore a bitter expression, once again feeling the inadequacy of his own strength.

In Liang Country, a Nascent Soul True Monarch was already the peak of combat power, enough to preserve the thousand-year legacy of the Qingfeng Sect.

But across the entire Cultivation Realm, it wasn’t enough. Every Nascent Soul True Monarch who took center stage was the undisputed protagonist in their homeland.

They were the ones who grew up under the high hopes of their Sects, hailed by all as prodigies of heaven-sent talent. They learned everything at a glance, mastered it with a single attempt, and were chosen ones blessed with constant fortuitous encounters and good fortune. Not one of them was weak.

Ge Cang felt a new sense of urgency to increase his strength.

"I never imagined Patron Blood God Son would be so powerful, to actually force back Du Heng, who has cultivated the True Demon Holy Body, with a single sword strike..."

The Flower-Picking Arhat dispersed his Buddha Light and silently chanted Amitabha Buddha’s name.

He had come to observe the ceremony this time, only to end up losing his most precious Relic.

But compared to the fellow cultivators who had lost their lives here, it was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

The fall of five Nascent Soul True Monarchs at once would rank among the top three major events in the Cultivation Realm of the last few centuries.

If one included the City Lord of Zengguang Immortal City turning to the path of an Ancient Demon, the birth of the Tier Five Life-Killing Demon Sword, and the Blood God Son emerging from seclusion with the Tier Five Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword, the combined impact would undoubtedly rank number one.

"It’s also because Du Heng had repeatedly activated the Demon Dragon Awl and used his True Demon Avatar’s Divine Techniques. If he were at his peak, he might have been slightly stronger."

Yann Yuanzai recalled his Lifebound Flying Sword, but the Xing Yao Sword was still spinning in place, reluctant.

He assumed it was unwilling to part with its partner, the Moon Xuan Sword, and paid it no mind.

Only Bai Zichen, the one it was aimed at, saw clearly that the Xing Yao Sword was focused on the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword in his hand.

It was very strange for a Flying Sword to show feelings of reverence and admiration, but Bai Zichen was certain that was what the Xing Yao Sword felt toward his Lifebound Flying Sword.

’They’re just Tier Five Flying Swords. My Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword won’t lose to them. It will only reach an even higher tier...’

Bai Zichen’s tone was sour. He held the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword in his hand as a trump card but hadn’t been able to use it.

If the Blood God Son hadn’t appeared, they certainly wouldn’t have been able to withstand the next attack from the Demon Dragon Awl.

At that point, his only choice would have been to use the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword. He believed no Cultivator could remain composed after facing the River of Time and having two hundred years of their lifespan severed by a single strike.

However, he still had too few test cases. He didn’t know what would happen if the sword only reduced a target’s lifespan without killing them outright.

"It feels like we’ve forgotten something..."

The group exchanged glances, their gazes turning fiery as they looked at the Life-Killing Demon Sword that had been knocked far away.

A Tier Five Flying Sword! Even in a Super Major Sect, it would be a Supreme Treasure at the Sect’s Inheritance Level. It would either be used to guard the Mountain Gate or be wielded by a Late-Stage Nascent Soul Great True Monarch.

The Flower-Picking Arhat took a step back, indicating he had no intention of competing.

Ge Cang and Bai Zichen stood to the left and right, while Yann Yuanzai, in the center, conjured a giant hand to grab the pitch-black Flying Sword.

Tang Fei had perished because of this sword. By all rights, the Tianhe Sword Sect had the first claim.

Provoked by the external force, the Life-Killing Demon Sword suddenly transformed into a Black Dragon, grabbed Kong Bai in its mouth, and flew into the sky.

A wave of killing intent swept past as it sped into the distance.

They were all caught off guard. Or rather, even if they had acted, they would have been repelled by the Tier Five Flying Sword, and possibly even injured.

"We were overthinking it, overestimating ourselves... Besides, even if we got a Tier Five Flying Sword, we wouldn’t be able to keep it."

Yann Yuanzai shook his head slightly, a hint of regret mixed with something like relief.

If it was a Tier Five Flying Sword whose Sword Spirit didn’t acknowledge them, making it difficult to use, obtaining it would have been a disaster for the Tianhe Sword Sect given their current strength.

For a Tier Five Flying Sword, there was no telling if those Super Major Sects from the Central Domain would drop all pretenses and act against them in the shadows.

Just then, another streak of gray-white Sword Light shot out from a corner, flying straight toward Bai Zichen like a fledgling returning to its nest.

As the Sword Light landed in his hand, he saw that it was the heavily damaged Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword.

It had clashed head-on with the Life-Killing Demon Sword. Besides the damage to the blade itself, the sword’s very foundation was severely wounded, and he could feel the Sword Spirit’s weakness.

If it were any more serious, the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword might have even sealed its own Spiritual nature and reverted to a Tier Three Flying Sword.

"Elder Yann, your Sect’s Flying Sword. I’m returning it to its rightful owner."

Bai Zichen tried to soothe the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword, though it was hard to say if it had any effect.

After all, it hadn’t come for him; its main target was the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword in his hand.

The Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword was the legacy Flying Sword of the Tianhe Sword Sect, and its rightful owner was standing right there. It wasn’t as if he could just keep it for himself.

"Thank you, Little Friend Bai. Senior Brother Tang said he would choose a successor for the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword when he returned to the Sect, but now it looks like we can only let it recuperate in the Sword Pool... It won’t be suitable for use for at least a hundred years."

Yann Yuanzai accepted the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword and bowed in thanks.

This battle was a devastating loss for the Tianhe Sword Sect. They had lost Tang Fei, the Northern Domain’s First Sword Cultivator, and the Supreme Profound White-Haired Sword was now unusable for the foreseeable future.

The Sect’s strength had plummeted, making it difficult to continue acting as the third major power in Beiyuan.

The respect that the Dharma Aspect Sect and the No-Life Sect showed the Tianhe Sword Sect was largely due to Tang Fei’s strength.

Now that he was gone, and Yann Yuanzai’s strength was insufficient to immediately fill the void, the Sect was bound to lose some of its interests.

For example, a past agreement stipulated that for any Spirit Stone Ore Vein discovered within Beiyuan’s territory but not on the land of the three major Sects—regardless of whether the discoverer was a Loose Cultivator, a Cultivation Family, or another Sect—thirty percent of the mined Spirit Stones had to be handed over as a fee for mining rights.

These Spirit Stones were divided equally among the three Nascent Soul Major Sects, and only then was the Spirit Stone Ore Vein considered legally claimable.

From this alone, each Sect could receive a share of several hundred thousand to nearly ten million Spirit Stones a year.

But without True Monarch Tang Fei, it was uncertain whether the Tianhe Sword Sect could continue to receive this income, or even maintain the same share.

"Amitabha Buddha. Patrons, this poor monk will now return to my Sect... After I report this matter, my Master and the other two Masters will surely contact the Central Domain Major Sects to eliminate this demon together. During this time, it is best to guard your homes and avoid any unforeseen calamities."

The Flower-Picking Arhat put his palms together in a salute, resummoned his Dharma Guardian Generals, and flew away from Meili Snow Peak.

"The Northern Domain’s strength alone is definitely not enough to take down Zengguang Immortal City. We can only seek external help... With the righteous cause of demon slaying and the target being an Immortal City, I’m afraid those Super Major Sects from the Central Domain will quickly finalize an invasion plan."

Yann Yuanzai only spoke in a low voice after the Flower-Picking Arhat was far in the distance.

There had long been rumors that the profits from Zengguang Immortal City made even the Super Major Sects of the Central Domain green with envy.

In recent years, the Du Family had even picked out some of their best-located shops in the Immortal City and given them to those Super Major Sects to use as liaison points, granting them the right to hold their own auctions.

In reality, it was just another form of tribute.

Du Heng’s resolute choice to walk the path of an Ancient Demon was likely not only due to his dwindling lifespan and lack of a successor for his Clan, but also due to pressure from the outside world.

External powers were watching like tigers stalking their prey. The moment he showed the slightest weakness, they would pounce and carve up the Immortal City for themselves.

"I just worry that once the Central Domain Sects arrive, they won’t leave. In the long run, the Northern Domain will lose its autonomy..."

In the past, the Central Domain naturally looked down on the desolate lands of the four outer domains, seeing them as places where failures and Demon Beasts mingled.

But as every Spirit Vein and Spirit Land in the Central Domain was developed, and sophisticated Spirit-Guiding Ceremonies could cover every village and town...

Coupled with the sheer number of Cultivators, and a few Sects that focused on karma and merit, they developed a series of Magic to assist mortals.

They built irrigation systems, planted Spirit Grass to improve wastelands and deserts, and some Cultivators even took positions among mortals specifically to handle all kinds of natural and man-made disasters.

In the nations of the Central Domain, mortals lived and worked in peace and contentment. There were no starving people on the streets; it could be called a golden age.

Under these conditions, the population exploded, and the proportion of descendants born with Spiritual Roots also continued to rise.

This led to a situation where, even after driving out all the Demon Beasts and developing all the Spirit Veins, the available Spirit Land for Cultivation was still not enough to meet demand.

In recent years, the Central Domain has been frantically building massive Immortal Cities, the kind that can accommodate a million Cultivators each.

The old Spirit Mountain Blessed Land model was too wasteful with Spirit Land. A Spirit Vein of the same tier and area could accommodate less than one percent of the Cultivators that an Immortal City could.

On the other hand, competition in the Central Domain grew increasingly fierce.

Sects like the Celestial Principle Sect, driven from their own Spirit Veins and forced far from their homeland, were not an isolated case.

At the Core Formation Level Sect level, such cases were already innumerable.

Given a legitimate opportunity to extend their tentacles into the Northern Domain, the Super Major Sects of the Central Domain would absolutely not refuse.

"All we can do is solidify our foundations and focus on ourselves... Given these special circumstances, I won’t invite you two to Senior Brother Tang’s memorial service."

Yann Yuanzai walked to the spot where Tang Fei had fallen and scooped up a handful of dirt.

Tang Fei had been absorbed by the Life-Killing Demon Sword, leaving no body behind. They could only build a cenotaph to honor his memory.

"These are troubled times. Take care, fellow Daoists... Little Friend Bai, I hope to hear the good news of you reaching the Nascent Soul Realm soon!"

"I never thought this sword comparison would end like this..."

With only the two of them left, Ge Cang’s expression was bleak. The effects of this incident would slowly unfold, eventually affecting every Cultivator in the Northern Domain.

"Yes. Iron Core died here, and he was supposed to be the only Nascent Soul True Monarch in Frost Country, right? Their country is also the closest to the Central Domain. I’m afraid it will be the first to become a Flying Land Sub-Branch for the Central Domain Sects."

Though this trip to observe the sword comparison had been fraught with countless dangers and he had nearly died on the Snow Peak, Bai Zichen’s gains were definitely the greatest among the surviving Cultivators.

Of course, that was excluding Kong Bai, who had the Life-Killing Demon Sword fall into his lap.

Personally witnessing the breakthrough to the Sword Light Splitting Realm and the formation of a Tier Five Flying Sword... it would be of immense benefit to his future development in the Sword Dao.

As long as he went back and digested what he had learned, his Sword Dao Realm and Sword Training Skill would immediately rise to a new level.