Chapter 285.3: Destroying the Supreme Sky Sect! The Primal World is Shaken! (III)

As Lu Changsheng gazed over the Supreme Sky Sect's former territory, his heart filled with anticipation. I wonder if converting everyone under the Supreme Sky Sect's rule into blood descendants will be enough to condense the embryo of the Martial Dao...

However, Lu Changsheng knew that consolidating Divine Sword Manor's new territory would not be without its challenges. The Deity Transformation grand elders who had escaped were unlikely to accept the destruction of their sect without seeking revenge. By now, they had probably sought refuge with other immortal sects, and he had to prepare for a comeback.

The Flesh and Blood Martial Dao should be able to reach the Seventh Growth in this world. An Earthly Saint is roughly comparable to the Seventh Growth, and I've already attained the Earthly Saint level myself. There's no reason the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao should be limited to the Sixth Growth. Perhaps I can take this opportunity to devise the next stage.

His journey to the Primal World had already confirmed something important: the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao was not restricted to the Immortal Martial World. Its principles remained applicable here, just as they should in countless other worlds.

After all, the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao was founded upon the most fundamental principles of flesh and blood, rather than the cultivation laws of any particular world. As long as those principles held true, there was no reason its cultivation system could not continue developing. However, knowing that the Seventh Growth was theoretically possible and actually devising it were two very different matters. Nevertheless, he had to try.

Having made his decision, Lu Changsheng entrusted the integration of the Supreme Sky Sect's former territories and subordinate forces to the Earthly Saints of Divine Sword Manor. With those matters in capable hands, he withdrew to a secluded chamber and began concentrating on deducing the Seventh Growth of the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao.

***

The battle between Divine Sword Manor and the Supreme Sky Sect sent shockwaves throughout the Primal World. Plenty of people simply could not believe that the Supreme Sky Sect had actually been destroyed.

Strictly speaking, Supreme Sky was not the first immortal sect to fall at the hands of Divine Sword Manor. Several years earlier, Divine Sword Manor had already destroyed another immortal sect shortly after arriving in the Primal World. However, the destruction of the Supreme Sky Sect was an entirely different matter.

Supreme Sky was a sect with a million-year legacy and foundations so deep that it ranked among the Primal World's most powerful factions. Its Deity Transformation grand elders were renowned throughout the cultivation world, and few could have imagined that such an ancient and prosperous sect would ever face destruction.

And yet, Divine Sword Manor had stormed its base, shattered its defenses, and reduced the entire sect to ruins. Even one of its Deity Transformation grand elders had been killed, his primal spirit annihilated.

The implications of this battle were enormous, and as the news spread, the entire Primal World erupted in disbelief.

"What? The Supreme Sky Sect has fallen?"

"How is that possible? Isn't the Supreme Sky Sect at the height of its prosperity? It has so many Deity Transformation experts and such deep foundations. What force could possibly destroy it?"

"I heard it was a faction called Divine Sword Manor. Apparently, its members aren't even immortal cultivators. They're martial artists!"

"You've got to be kidding! Martial artists? You're telling me martial artists killed a Deity Transformation cultivator and destroyed the Supreme Sky Sect? That's impossible!"

"But that's what everyone is saying! Apparently, these martial artists are different from ordinary ones. You have to become something called a blood descendant before you can walk their martial path..."

Before long, everyone throughout the Primal World was talking about Divine Sword Manor and the Supreme Sky Sect.

However, the rumors had also given rise to a misunderstanding. People had confused the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao with the Martial Dao of the Immortal Martial World. That actually suited Divine Sword Manor's goal, so there was no need to correct it.

In any case, the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao could now reach the Sixth Growth, equivalent to a Human Saint. That was strong enough to rival a Nascent Soul cultivator and stand at the top layer of cultivation in the entire Primal World.

As for the Seventh Growth, which would correspond to the Earthly Saint or Deity Transformation level, Lu Changsheng was still working on devising it. Whether he would succeed remained uncertain, but Divine Sword Manor did not need to wait for that breakthrough to pursue its larger objective.

As long as the Flesh and Blood Martial Dao continued to spread and enough people were converted into blood descendants, the Martial Dao would eventually condense within the Primal World. Once that happened, Divine Sword Manor would have accomplished what it had come here to do.

While Divine Sword Manor benefited enormously from its newfound fame, the surviving Deity Transformation grand elders of the Supreme Sky Sect found the rumors almost unbearable. Every discussion of Divine Sword Manor's overwhelming strength inevitably brought up the Supreme Sky Sect's humiliating defeat. Their ancient sect, once revered as one of the Primal World's dominant powers, had been reduced to a testament to the Divine Sword Manor's might.

The grand elders were painfully aware of this, but there was nothing they could do to stop it. The destruction of a million-year-old sect was far too significant an event to conceal, and they could not prevent the entire cultivation world from talking about it. If the grand elders wished to restore their sect's reputation, they would have to rebuild the Supreme Sky Sect and reclaim everything they had lost, and that meant borrowing the power of other immortal sects.

After discussing their options, the surviving Deity Transformation grand elders decided to travel together to the Kunyu Immortal Sect.

The Kunyu Immortal was no ordinary sect. It was one of the Primal World's few recognized sacred lands, a distinction held by fewer than ten immortal sects throughout the entire world. What set these sacred lands apart was not merely the age of their Dao traditions or the number of powerful cultivators they possessed. To qualify as a sacred land, an immortal sect had to possess a spirit treasure capable of safeguarding its foundations and fortune.

A spirit treasure was an enchanted treasure that had developed self-awareness,[1] elevating it far beyond ordinary enchanted treasures in both power and capabilities. Such treasures had earthshaking might, and once their power was unleashed, even Deity Transformation cultivators could be killed. And that was what made the sacred lands here so powerful. Regardless of how strong an ordinary immortal sect might become, it could never truly be compared to a sect protected by a spirit treasure.

At the great hall of the Kunyu Immortal Sect, the sect master welcomed the grand elders of the Supreme Sky Sect. He was already aware of the Supreme Sky Sect's destruction, but he still wanted to hear what they had come to request.

"Fellow Daoists, I've heard about the misfortune that befell the Supreme Sky Sect. May I ask what brings you to the Kunyu Immortal Sect?"

"We've come to ask the Kunyu Immortal Sect to use its spirit treasure to destroy Divine Sword Manor!" one of the Supreme Sky Sect's grand elders replied impatiently.

"Divine Sword Manor is a faction established by a group of martial artists who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. We don't know where they came from, but their strength is terrifying. Some of them are already comparable to Deity Transformation cultivators, while others are even stronger!"

Another grand elder joined in, indignant. "These people don't follow the immortal path at all! Instead, they've been converting vast numbers of people into blood descendants, and none of those under their rule practice qi cultivation or pursue immortality anymore. If this continues, they'll eventually destroy the very foundations of immortal cultivation!"

"We implore the Kunyu Immortal Sect to act for the sake of our shared path! As one of the sacred lands of immortal cultivation, you cannot allow these evil demons and heretics to continue spreading their influence. Divine Sword Manor must be destroyed before it threatens the rest of us!"

The Supreme Sky Sect's grand elders spoke with righteous indignation, presenting Divine Sword Manor as a common enemy of all immortal cultivators. Unfortunately, such arguments were pointless. Immortal cultivation in the Primal World was not actually harmonious. There were plenty of conflicts among immortal sects, since immortal cultivation meant fighting over resources, and the struggle over those resources had never stopped.

Under ordinary circumstances, even the Kunyu Immortal Sect would have struggled to persuade the Supreme Sky Sect to act on its behalf. But now that the Supreme Sky Sect had been destroyed, their grand elders had suddenly come appealing to their shared allegiance to immortal cultivation.

The sect master of the Kunyu Immortal Sect regarded the visitors with an impassive expression. "Fellow Daoists, you must understand that our spirit treasure is responsible for safeguarding the Kunyu Immortal Sect's fortune and foundations. We only deploy it when faced with a life-or-death crisis.

"Besides, Divine Sword Manor already had a longstanding grudge against the Supreme Sky Sect. Their recent attack was carried out in retaliation for your previous conflict, so this is ultimately a dispute between your two factions. What justification would the Kunyu Immortal Sect have for intervening?

"The immortal path values life, Fellow Daoists. And I fear you're still too attached to worldly grievances."

The Supreme Sky Sect's grand elders were deeply dissatisfied with his response, but they could hardly argue with him. They knew perfectly well that the Kunyu Immortal Sect had no obligation to avenge their losses.

It was also clear that appealing to their shared pursuit of the immortal path was not enough to convince a sacred land to risk its own resources and deploy its most precious treasure. So if they wanted the Kunyu Immortal Sect's assistance, they would have to offer something more substantial.

After a moment's consideration, one of the grand elders of the Supreme Sky Sect made a proposal. "Fellow Daoist, if the Kunyu Immortal Sect is willing to help us destroy Divine Sword Manor, reclaim our territory, and restore our Dao tradition, the Supreme Sky Sect will willingly become your subordinate for the next ten thousand years!"

The sect master considered the offer, but ten thousand years was hardly enough to stir his interest. For an ancient sacred land like the Kunyu Immortal Sect, ten thousand years was an insignificant amount of time.

Sensing his lack of enthusiasm, the grand elder quickly raised the stakes. "A million years! The Supreme Sky Sect is willing to remain subordinate to the Kunyu Immortal Sect for a full million years!"

At that, the sect master merely smiled. "Fellow Daoists, why don't you stay here for a while? We could take this opportunity to discuss the great immortal path together. Wouldn't that be better?"

The grand elders immediately understood the implication. What the sect master wanted was not temporary submission, but permanent submission.

After a brief discussion, several of the Supreme Sky Sect grand elders gritted their teeth and made their decision. "The Supreme Sky Sect is willing to recognize the Kunyu Immortal Sect as its sovereign sect and remain under its authority for all eternity!"

It was an enormous concession. From that moment onward, the Supreme Sky Sect would forever be subordinate to the Kunyu Immortal Sect, with no prospect of regaining its former independence.

Nevertheless, the grand elders had little choice. Their base had been destroyed, their disciples slaughtered, and their territory seized. Without outside assistance, there was little hope of restoring their sect, much less preserving its million-year Dao tradition.

By becoming a subordinate sect, their status would be lowered, but at least their lineage would survive. Future generations could still cultivate to the Deity Transformation level, and their most accomplished cultivators might even gain opportunities to enter the Kunyu Immortal Sect and discuss immortal cultivation with its own Deity Transformation experts.

The sect master's expression finally brightened. "Excellent! The immortal path is the righteous path, and as one of its sacred lands, the Kunyu Immortal Sect naturally has a duty to uphold it. Divine Sword Manor is a gathering of evil demons and heretics that cannot be allowed to run rampant!

"I will report to the grand elder now and request the sect-guarding spirit treasure to destroy Divine Sword Manor!"

Having reached an agreement, the sect master rose from his seat and promptly left the great hall to seek an audience with the sect's grand elder.

1. In xianxia, wuxia, and fantasy fiction, a treasure that has developed self-awareness (or spiritual intelligence, or sentience) is a core concept that denotes the boundary between an unthinking physical object or wild beast and a fully sentient, self-aware entity. ☜