Chapter 462 - 446: Star Palace

Chapter 462: Chapter 446: Star Palace

"Star Palace, the Fourteen Star Palaces... Your organization has fourteen Star Monarchs?"

Bai Zichen’s heart skipped a beat. His first thought was that the other party was spouting nonsense.

An organization with fourteen Nascent Soul True Monarchs, all of them outstanding Sword Cultivators? The Star Palace would have long since become a behemoth of a power, not some obscure name in the Cultivation Realm.

Take the Five Phoenix Sword Sect, for example. They only had six Nascent Soul True Monarchs out in the open.

Even if they had hidden forces within their Sect’s Grotto Heaven Secret Realm, it would be one or two more Nascent Soul True Monarchs at most.

If you didn’t count any potential Divinity Transformation Great Powers, the Five Phoenix Sword Sect’s high-end combat strength would actually be inferior to this secret organization, the Star Palace.

"Of the Fourteen Star Palaces, including my own, only Five Halls currently have masters. The rest are vacant..."

Po Jun Star Monarch showed no trace of embarrassment, continuing on his own.

"The Star Palace has a history of ten thousand years. It was originally founded for mutual aid and advancement by several Sword Cultivators from different Sects who explored a Secret Realm together. Our requirements for members are extremely high. You won’t receive an invitation unless you’re a Nascent Soul Realm expert in the Sword Dao. And even after I extend the invitation, you’ll still need the approval of half the members to truly become a part of the Star Palace."

"The Star Palace possesses three Top-Level Cultivation Techniques passed down from the Upper Realm, left behind by the seniors who founded the organization. All of them can lead directly to the Divinity Transformation Realm... Even if Fellow Daoist Gu comes from a prominent background and has no need for them, they can still serve as a reference for you to draw parallels and broaden your understanding."

’Who says I have no need for them? A Top-Level Cultivation Technique is exactly what I need most, and a Fire Element Technique would be even better!’

Bai Zichen screamed silently in his heart, but his face remained impassive. "Five Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators... That’s not bad. It seems you’ve won over quite a few True Monarchs from various Sword Cultivation Sects... But a few meager benefits like that aren’t enough to move me."

"Besides what I mentioned before—mutual aid and sharing information—we can also conduct transactions and post missions through the Star Palace’s unique channels. Most importantly, Fellow Daoist Gu, do you know why the original founders were all Sword Cultivators, and why there’s a Sword Dao requirement for all members who join later? Without this restriction, the number of Star Monarchs in the Fourteen Star Palaces would be at least ten."

Po Jun Star Monarch’s tone was triumphant. The exaggerated features on his brightly colored mask made him look somewhat like a character from an opera stage.

"Because the Secret Realm the founders entered back then was none other than a former trial ground of the Taibai Sword Sect, and it holds the secrets of the world’s First Sword Sect! In its heyday, its brilliance even overshadowed the Moral Sect... The greatest purpose of the Star Palace’s existence is to reopen that trial ground and obtain the fundamental inheritance of the Taibai Sword Sect!"

The Taibai Sword Sect!

Bai Zichen’s spirits jolted. He never expected this secret organization to be connected to the most dazzling sect of the Near Ancient Era, the Taibai Sword Sect.

The rise and fall of the Taibai Sword Sect were both steeped in legend.

Seven sworn brothers roamed the Cultivation Realm, their bond stronger than forged gold. In the end, three of them achieved the Nascent Soul Realm and founded the Taibai Sword Sect.

Over the next several hundred years, it continuously produced geniuses of heaven-sent talent, swiftly becoming the number one Sword Cultivation Sect in the world.

When a Divinity Transformation Sword Cultivator emerged from their ranks, he wielded seven Flying Swords, which were rumored to be the personal swords of the seven founding patriarchs.

He dominated the Cultivation Realm, meeting no match. Even the contemporary Divinity Transformation Great Power of the Moral Sect was defeated by half a move and admitted inferiority.

At that point, the prestige of the Taibai Sword Sect reached its zenith.

But this glory lasted for only three or four thousand years before the entire Sect was annihilated during an invasion of Outer Celestial Demons, perishing together with countless Celestial Demons.

They pushed the Sword Dao to its peak and innovatively organized the Five Realms of Sword Dao.

They also used their Fundamental Great Method to break through limitations, allowing for the Refinement of multiple Lifebound Flying Swords and leading to the development of several Sword Arrays.

The Star River Sword Array in Bai Zichen’s possession was one of the most outstanding among them.

Its power was second only to the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon Extinguishing Sword Formation—a formation that created its own world and involved the Space Path. The Taibai Sword Sect considered it one of the Sword Arrays with the greatest potential.

The Taibai Sword Sect was destroyed after a shocking ten-year war, but its influence was far-reaching and long-lasting.

The end of the Near Ancient Era is marked by the fall of the Taibai Sword Sect.

Since then, there have been no more large-scale invasions by Outer Celestial Demons.

All Sword Cultivation Sects in the Cultivation Realm have been influenced by the Taibai Sword Sect to some extent.

Even a Sect with a much longer history like the Cyan Lotus Sword Sect was no exception.

Po Jun Star Monarch calmly watched the young man opposite him, confident that no Sword Cultivator could refuse the temptation of the Taibai Sword Sect. "This Sword Pill stolen from the Hundred Puppet Sect never belonged to them in the first place. It was found on a Floating Battleship of the Celestial Principle Sect that had been shot down... Back then, I agreed to Old Ghost Cui’s request specifically for the Taibai Sword Pill in the Celestial Principle Sect’s treasury."

"Who knew that in the chaos, it would fall into the hands of the Hundred Puppet Sect? Afterward, they went back on their word and refused to hand it over, demanding I do three more things for them... Heh heh, trying to reverse-rob the Star Palace. They truly don’t know the meaning of death!"

Only then did Bai Zichen understand the inside story behind the attack on the Celestial Principle Sect during their northern migration.

He guessed that even to this day, Shi Chengdong had no idea that the mysterious Tribulation Cultivation Organization led by Po Jun Star Monarch had cooperated with the Hundred Puppet Sect not for any other reason, but for this very inconspicuous, rusted Sword Pill.

"What wondrous use does this item have to deserve your praise as an Ultimate Treasure of Sword Dao?"

His Divine Sense swept over it. The Sword Pill itself should have been silver-white and was about the size of a baby’s fist.

Right now, it was covered in rust spots, without a hint of Treasure Light or Spiritual Qi. If you threw it on the road, people would ignore it as trash.

"Why did the Taibai Sword Sect have several True Monarchs in every generation who could comprehend the Sword Light Splitting Realm at a young age? Besides their effective disciple selection and proper guidance, a large part of the credit goes to the Taibai Sword Pill... Its origin is unknown—it’s unclear if they refined it themselves or obtained it as a legacy treasure—but it can help a person quickly complete the process of Refining Sword into Silk."

Po Jun Star Monarch flicked a finger, and a chopstick-thick strand of cyan Sword Light struck the Sword Pill. The rust-covered pill suddenly lit up, erupting with a blinding Sword Light.

Strands of hair-thin cyan Sword Silk shot out from the Taibai Sword Pill and flew accurately back into their original master’s body.

"As you can see, with the Taibai Sword Pill, the Refining Sword into Silk Realm, which would normally take one or two hundred years to complete, can be finished in just twenty to thirty years... You have already comprehended One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws. With the help of the Sword Pill, it would be a conservative estimate for me to say you could break through to the Sword Light Splitting Realm within a 60-Year Cycle. Back in the day, the Taibai Sword Sect only had three such Sword Pills."

For a long time, the Sword Light Splitting Realm was considered the supreme state of Sword Dao in the minds of Sword Cultivators.

This was not something one could achieve simply through diligent practice and having sufficient talent.

A Sword Dao genius like Tang Fei, who cultivated tirelessly his entire life, possessed a Sword Dao Talent that could be called one of the best of his generation.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have triggered the phenomenon of Ten Thousand Swords Subdue when forming his Nascent Soul.

Even a figure like him only officially stepped into the Sword Light Splitting Realm at the end of his life, spurred on by the great terror of a life-and-death situation.

If the opportunity did not present itself, it was simply unattainable, not something that could be forced through human effort.

No matter how strong the Taibai Sword Sect was, it couldn’t defy this law. It was impossible for every generation of disciples to have several individuals with Heaven-Defying talent that appeared only once in a millennium, all gathered in one place.

What they relied on was precisely the Taibai Sword Pill.

The Celestial Principle Sect had obtained this Treasure from some unknown place, but unfortunately, they weren’t a Sword Cultivation Sect, and they had no Cultivators at the Refining Sword into Silk Realm.

Unable to activate the Sword Pill’s true function, they could only treat it as an ordinary artifact from the Taibai Sword Sect and shelve it away.

Word of it spread, and it was targeted by Po Jun Star Monarch, eventually falling into his hands through various twists and turns.

"So, what are your thoughts, Fellow Daoist Gu? With so many benefits, it’s all advantages and no disadvantages for you. I can make a promise: once you join the Star Palace, I will definitely give you the first rights to use the Taibai Sword Pill."

Po Jun Star Monarch’s tone carried a hint of fanaticism, as if rejecting the Star Palace’s invitation would be an unforgivable crime.

"Furthermore, the Star Monarchs do not know each other’s real identities, so you don’t have to worry about it affecting your own Sect. We can even share a lot of information, as long as it doesn’t violate the greater principles of our respective Sects, and it might prove to be of great use. After all, our ultimate goal is to re-enter the Taibai Sword Sect’s Trial Secret Realm. All our cooperation is built on that foundation for a win-win result."

"You seem to have overlooked one point. You already know my real face, but I have no idea which fellow daoist is behind Po Jun Star Monarch’s mask. That’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?"

Bai Zichen neither agreed nor refused, speaking ambiguously.

On the surface, joining the Star Palace did indeed have many benefits for him.

But to expect him to bare his heart and completely believe everything Po Jun Star Monarch said after a single meeting was pure fantasy.

Although it all seemed logical, this rash invitation for a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator to join their organization made it hard to believe the Star Palace had existed in secret for nearly ten thousand years.

Those Super Major Sects might put on a show of dealing with mysterious Tribulation Cultivation Organizations, but they wouldn’t invest one hundred percent of their energy into eradicating them.

But an organization composed entirely of Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators, one that poached members from within the Major Sects... no matter how you looked at it, they had ulterior motives and were hiding an earth-shattering conspiracy.

Even if the Star Palace appeared harmless and showed no intention of targeting the Super Major Sects, it would still be designated as a top-priority target for elimination.

This had nothing to do with their actions. No Super Sect would allow an uncontrollable underground force that could seriously threaten them to exist on their own turf.

"I am this generation’s Guiding Envoy for the Star Palace. I know the real appearance of every Star Monarch... This is my duty. Correspondingly, once you become a member of the Star Palace, I will also reveal my own identity behind the mask."

The expression on Po Jun Star Monarch’s mask became fixed. A hint of majesty emerged from the heavily-inked, colorful features, making him seem somewhat like a real Celestial Immortal Official.

"In ten thousand years, there has never been a case of a Star Palace Guiding Envoy exposing a member’s true identity... I can swear a Dao Heart Oath: if I ever sell out a fellow daoist’s information to others, may I be struck by the tribulation of Five Thunders Bombarding the Head and suffer eternal damnation in the Demon Realm."

"I need to consider it for a moment before I decide."

Bai Zichen pondered for a long time before speaking slowly.

If everything was true, the Star Palace described by Po Jun Star Monarch was practically tailor-made for him.

Top-Level Cultivation Techniques, the right to use the Taibai Sword Pill, his own network of contacts in the Central Domain Cultivation World, and even a chance to enter the legendary Trial Secret Realm of the Taibai Sword Sect.

The very start of his journey on the Sword Dao came from the Taibai Sword Sect’s True Understanding of Sword Dao.

’Now that this opportunity has presented itself, could it be that I’m truly fated to be connected with this legendary Sword Cultivation Sect?’