Chapter 434 - 429: The Quickest End of the Lotus Secret Realm

Chapter 434: Chapter 429: The Quickest End of the Lotus Secret Realm

The cultivator in the green robe looked weary, his eyes sunken, which made his features appear more defined.

For several days, he had been activating ’As Clear as Daylight’, repeatedly combing the area, but he still hadn’t managed to provoke the Tier Four Flying Sword within the Grotto Heaven Secret Realm.

As for his True Essence, with the support of the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box, he only consumed one percent of what he normally would.

The Fire Dragon took a single breath and restored most of his True Essence, so he had no worries on that front.

However, his Divine Sense was depleted and his mind was exhausted, which wasn’t so easily resolved.

’This makes no sense. According to the Holy Lotus Sect’s records, that Tier Four Flying Sword is extremely arrogant. It’s supposed to appear and mock any Core Formation Cultivator who tries to subdue it before gracefully departing... For the Moon Xuan Sword to brandish its power like this and get no reaction at all...’

Bai Zichen had almost scoured the entire core region of the Lotus Secret Realm. Unless the Tier Four Flying Sword was intentionally avoiding him, it should have been discovered long ago.

’Could it be that it saw the Moon Xuan Sword, knew it was no match, and went into hiding?’

This guess wasn’t entirely impossible. After all, the Moon Xuan Sword had been nourished by Pure Qi in the Sword Box for a century, giving it a definite advantage over an ordinary Tier Four Flying Sword.

Just as he was mentally and physically exhausted and about to stop for a rest, he sensed something unusual within the bright Moonlight.

A pale white Sword Light shot out from underground. Even the Moonlight parted before it as it moved harmoniously through the moonbeams.

If not for his Sword Heart Clarity, which allowed him to sense any Flying Sword that entered his vicinity, he might have truly missed the pale white Sword Light as it blended in.

It was dozens of miles away, and its Sword Light was peculiar, distorting the space around it. The Moonlight sometimes flowed past it like water, and at other times, it condensed into Crystal Stones.

This was all caused by the sudden appearance of this Flying Sword. To possess such strange power without a master controlling it meant this sword hadn’t suffered any hardships in the Lotus Secret Realm over the years. Its Divine Techniques were also quite impressive.

A strong feeling of complaint emanated from the pale white Sword Light.

’I’m obviously avoiding you, so why do you keep chasing me relentlessly!’

Bai Zichen closed in rapidly. SWISH! Four Thunder Sound Swords swarmed out, blocking the path of the unknown Flying Sword.

In a single clash, all the Thunder Sound Swords were snapped in half.

But the sacrifice was not without its rewards. At the very least, it allowed him to retract the bright Moonlight and trap the Tier Four Flying Sword in place.

"Acknowledge me as your master. You’ll no longer have to drift aimlessly, worrying about your Spiritual Qi being cut off... In a few hundred years, you might even have the hope of advancing in tier and Breaking a Realm."

Bai Zichen touched the Daoist Crown on his head. The Supreme Qingwei Sword Box levitated in mid-air, and at his command, the Pure Qi within the box instantly filled the entire area.

The unknown Tier Four Flying Sword was clearly tempted. It stopped, seeming to hesitate.

The Clear Spirit Qi, reminiscent of the Creation of Heaven and Earth, was of immense benefit to Flying Swords. The higher their tier, the harder it was for them to resist.

This was evident from the degree of joy the Moon Xuan Sword showed when it entered the Sword Box, which was far more intense and obvious than that of a Tier Three Flying Sword.

This sword was slightly longer than a traditional Flying Sword, a full seven feet long. Its blade was pale white, its hilt crimson, and it looked brand new.

The blade’s surface was polished to a mirror finish, but the reflection it showed was vastly different from Bai Zichen’s.

’It clearly loves the Pure Qi, yet there’s still a barrier of resistance, preventing me from Refining it...’

Reaching out, he easily grasped the Flying Sword.

When he tried to Refine it, he found that his True Essence merely flowed over its surface, unable to penetrate it.

But the Sword Light pulsed, eagerly devouring the Pure Qi. He could clearly feel the Sword Light grow a bit more cheerful.

’Hmph, trying to eat my Clear Spirit Qi without acknowledging me as its master? There’s no such free lunch in the world!’

Bai Zichen withdrew the Pure Qi, and the Flying Sword in his grasp began to throb violently again.

The pale white Sword Light was veiled in an illusory shadow, giving him a strange sense of familiarity.

After repeated examination, he finally found the source of this familiarity. Within the Sword Light was an incredibly faint trace of the Power of Time.

It couldn’t even compare to his Pill Discussion, let alone the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword.

The reason this Flying Sword maintained its arrogance despite the temptation of the Clear Spirit Qi was because of the sliver of the Power of Time it contained.

He spread his five fingers as if plucking light strings, and wisps of temporal threads were pulled forth.

With his current understanding of the Time True Intent, he was far from being able to command the Power of the Great Dao; he could only stir up faint ripples.

Although it had no power, it was the genuine Power of Time.

The Flying Sword immediately fell silent. A feeling of a wanderer returning to their family, full of affection and longing, was transmitted to him. It then accepted his Refinement with perfect smoothness.

Splendid Youth, a Tier Four Flying Sword. ’Beauty ages in the flick of a finger; a splendid youth lasts but a moment.’

Wounds inflicted by this sword were extremely difficult to heal. They couldn’t be cured by medicine and could only be resolved slowly over time.

The moment he finished Refining the Flying Sword, he received information from the Tier Four Flying Sword, which had existed in the Lotus Secret Realm for an unknown number of years.

Because several types of Outer Heaven Star Iron and Cosmic Light Divine Sand were used in its Refining, it had, by a stroke of luck, gained a rudimentary application of the Power of Time.

It was still a long way from the so-called Time True Intent, but it had at least scratched the surface.

In truth, it had long wanted to leave the Secret Realm, but it had never encountered a Cultivator who walked the Time Path, so it hadn’t acknowledged a master.

Today, it had been forced out by the Moon Xuan Sword’s exhaustive search, which was like turning the place upside down. Just as it was about to flee as a streak of light, it felt a powerful attraction. The wisps of Pure Qi contained an Origin Power that could trigger a qualitative transformation within it.

Unlike the Spiritual Power between heaven and earth, this Clear Spirit Qi was something that could not be condensed, no matter how much time one spent.

While it was caught in a dilemma, it suddenly discovered that the aura of Time on the Cultivator before it was even denser than its own.

Even if he hadn’t fully embarked on the Time Path, he wasn’t far from it.

One could say that he was the most perfect candidate it had encountered in all these years.

Even if it waited for thousands or tens of thousands of years, a more suitable Cultivator would likely never appear.

It immediately opened its heart and allowed him to Refine it.

"You want to compete with Moon Xuan to be my Lifebound Flying Sword?"

Bai Zichen chuckled in amusement. The Splendid Youth Sword had gone from resisting him stubbornly to desperately trying to get closer in the blink of an eye.

"You’re not qualified for that yet. Go ask Moon Xuan if it has the guts to compete for the position of Lifebound Flying Sword."

Under normal circumstances, a Lifebound Flying Sword had to fight on the front lines, clashing in Combat and colliding with all sorts of Treasures, which greatly increased its chances of being damaged.

This was not beneficial for the Flying Sword itself.

But encountering a master of Bai Zichen’s caliber was a different story.

A Cultivator who had embarked on the Path of Time while still in the Core Formation Stage, even without considering his other aspects, had a certain probability of reaching Divinity Transformation.

For every Tier Four Flying Sword, their master’s ascension to Divinity Transformation was their only chance to break through the Celestial Chasm and be completely reborn.

A Flying Sword that had gained Spiritual Wisdom would naturally desire to advance in tier, become stronger, and exist for eternity.

However, the step from a Top-Grade Spiritual Treasure to a Top-Grade Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure was not something that could be crossed through its own efforts alone.

The Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword leaped out of the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box. Its violent arcs of lightning and Thunder Radiance were restrained, surging obediently within a framework.

Even though they were all Tier Four Flying Swords, a careful observer would notice the difference between it, the Moon Xuan Sword, and the newly acquired Splendid Youth Sword.

Within its Sword Light, there were even finer and more intricate arcs of lightning and Thunder Radiance, as if they formed a world within the sword.

Its movements, whether agitated or calm, fast or slow, were all independent of the outside world, following its own set of operational rules.

This was a Grotto Heaven Prototype, a self-generating world.

The Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword’s tier had fallen, but its essence remained. This was why it could ascend in tier again as soon as it accumulated enough power.

A Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure could not compare to a Grotto Heaven opened by a Divinity Transformation Cultivator. It was merely a prototype, far from the level of a complete world.

But with this self-contained space, every Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure possessed a Sumeru space, making it a top-tier Mustard Seed Storage Magical Treasure.

The space within was vast, spanning tens of thousands of cubic meters.

After seeing the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword, the Splendid Youth Sword reacted as if it had encountered the most terrifying thing imaginable. Its Sword Light completely retracted, and it became like a dead branch, floating motionlessly in mid-air and playing dead.

Bai Zichen tried to communicate with it twice but received no response.

"When I reach Perfection in my Cultivation of the Daoist Classic Cantongqi, I might find a way to Refine a second Lifebound Flying Sword. You’ll all have a chance then..."

The Supreme Qingwei Sword Box opened, taking all three Flying Swords back inside, where they were obediently enveloped by the Pure Qi.

He had a feeling that the Splendid Youth Sword’s potential was a tier higher than the Moon Xuan Sword’s.

If he were to break through to Divinity Transformation right now and choose a Tier Four Flying Sword to withstand the Grotto Heaven Power, Moon Xuan would have a ten percent chance of advancing at most.

But Splendid Youth would have at least a thirty percent chance.

This wasn’t due to a difference in the two Flying Swords’ power, but purely a result of the Power of Time.

As one of the most mysterious and unfathomable paths among the Three Thousand Great Daos, the status of the Time True Intent had always been extremely high.

It was not only difficult for Cultivators to touch upon, but the same was true for Magical Treasures.

Leaving a trace of the Power of Time on a Magical Treasure was also incredibly difficult.

After subduing the Splendid Youth Sword, he spent thirty-three days on its initial Refinement, until he could command it at will, as if it were an extension of his own arm.

Just as he was about to get up and explore other parts of the Secret Realm, a fissure opened up above his head. An irresistible Giant Power descended and teleported him away.

’What’s going on? I was still hoping to find the Twin Lotus Heart, or at least gather twenty or thirty Demon Pills to go back and refine Foundation Establishment Pills...’

Before Bai Zichen could even finish his thought, he was plunged into darkness and vanished from the Lotus Secret Realm.

...

"Transforming Earth into Gold!"

Two Core Formation Cultivators from the Celestial Principle Sect cast a technique together. Aided by two golden pillars they had plunged into the ground, the earth beneath their feet visibly turned into a golden, metallic substance.

The area continued to expand, encompassing an entire mountain peak.

"Earth Transformation Prison!"

Yanx Rulong promptly took out a Tier Four Talisman. It was entirely earth-yellow, and painted on it was a True Dragon trapped in a prison.

The Talisman was activated. A silver ring appeared, spanning a hundred-mile radius, and then it began to shrink rapidly.

"I’ve got it!"

Le Zheng wiped his eyes with his hand. Beams of white light, several feet long, shot out from his eyes as if he had seen something others could not.

"The Twin Lotus Heart is a thousand zhang deep underground! As long as we force it back into the metallic ground, it won’t be able to escape!"

The Twin Lotus Heart was a plant spirit that could escape through the earth. Even a Nascent Soul True Monarch would be unable to catch it.

To capture it, they had to trap it in a place without soil.

Seeing that their great task was about to succeed, the members of the Celestial Principle Sect all broke into smiles as they herded the Twin Lotus Heart closer and closer.

Suddenly, four fissures split open in the sky, and a teleporting Giant Power descended.

"How is this possible? The Lotus Secret Realm has only been open for a few months. How could it close so quickly?!"