Born with immortal seed

Chapter 549: Flowering and Fruiting

The sword intent passed down in the jade disc is not simply an explanation of celestial phenomena.

Instead, it changes the seasons of this world, taking advantage of the situation, and using a small amount of effort to create extraordinary celestial phenomena.

This true meaning can be considered a branch of the Great Way of Time, involving a certain application of the power of time.

If another swordsman were to come and practice for a longer period of time, they would most likely be going in the opposite direction and would not be able to grasp the true meaning of this sword.

Only Bai Zichen, who has already embarked on the path of time, could be so perceptive as to discover the true essence of sword intent.

As youth fades away, a warm spring breeze sweeps by, and a blazing white light illuminates the sky.

As the spring equinox turns into the Great Heat, the temperature on and around Mount Qi rises suddenly, and chunks of solid ice that have never melted for thousands of years fall off the cliffs one by one.

Having practiced swordsmanship for many years, studying various sword techniques and engaging in countless duels, Bai Zichen has developed his own unique way of swordsmanship.

They were all crammed into the big framework of the Wuzhen Sword Technique, without being systematically summarized.

After switching to the Dongxuan Lushen Sword Scripture, the biggest difference between it and the previous Huolong Guiyuan Scripture, besides the difference in efficiency in refining spiritual energy, is that the path of swordsmanship seems to have opened the gates of heaven, and now has a guiding principle.

He had a deep-seated desire to express himself through a completely new sword technique.

Facing Qu Yang in this match presents the perfect opportunity.

The Ten Thousand Year Snow Lotus, having taken over Qu Yang's body, now wields immense power comparable to that of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

However, without the support of a nascent grotto-heaven, it is clearly far from being a true Great True Monarch.

Such an opponent is the most suitable test subject, allowing the sword techniques that were only in imagination to be born in actual combat.

The summit of Qishan shook violently, and the sound of countless vines being torn apart could be faintly heard. The primordial energy of heaven and earth seemed to swirl wildly around the mountain, and a dark figure rose up from the mountain.

The light in the sky dimmed instantly, plunging us into the deepest darkness. Huge hailstones fell rapidly, and only the sharp sound of them tearing through the air could be heard.

Even with their defensive formation activated, the three airships were still battered and tossed about by the hail, and their protective shields were quickly blasted with large holes.

Several unlucky disciples lost their footing and fell off the airship with screams.

Just as they were about to take out their flying artifacts or cast their flight spells, they were horrified to discover that their magical power was sealed and they could not activate it at all.

Even worse, a powerful suction force emanated from Mount Qi, causing the three airships to crash uncontrollably into the mountain.

"Oh no! That demonized spiritual plant severed its own spiritual root, unleashing ten thousand years of spiritual power in one go, achieving an effect similar to the power of a grotto-heaven!"

Shi Chengdong said excitedly, as a Bagua diagram appeared in his hand, stabilizing the falling momentum of an airship.

They flew out again, and a realm appeared behind them, with mountains of books and clear, reciting voices echoing within.

Points of milky white light drifted out from the mountain of books, making Shi Chengdong's figure appear tall and majestic, and he pulled his palms upwards.

The second airship shuddered violently, emitting a screeching sound, and a large number of war artifacts fell from the ship, plummeting to the bottom like kites with broken strings.

The mountain of books broke one after another until the last golden tome withstood the immense force, thus sparing the airship from the fate of those battlefield artifacts.

"When the mind can regulate righteousness, it is called measure; when it illuminates all directions, it is called clarity... The teachings of the sages are relied upon by the disciples."

Yue Zheng's movements were no slower than Shi Chengdong's; he muttered to himself, and a green flame flew out from his chest.

It moves at a steady pace, without scorching heat or domineering blaze, yet it illuminates a patch of light in the darkness, radiating a heartwarming power.

The third airship, illuminated by the azure flames, caused the suction force from Qishan to disappear, and it resumed normal operation in the air.

Fortunately, this formidable opponent was handed over to Bai Zichen, otherwise the Heavenly Principle Sect would have suffered another major setback in Qishan!
Shi Chengdong and Le Zheng exchanged a glance, and similar thoughts came to mind.

Given the strength demonstrated by the Ten Thousand Year Snow Lotus, if the Heavenly Principle Sect underestimates its opponent and acts rashly, it is highly likely that it will fall into a trap.

Whether the two Nascent Soul True Monarchs can escape is another matter, but needless to say, none of the cultivators on the three airships will survive.

"Once Bai Zichen draws his sword, we will take the opportunity to retreat another three hundred miles... At this moment, that snow lotus is no weaker than those Great True Monarchs, so we must not be careless."

While Shi Chengdong was relieved to have escaped a disaster, he was also worried about whether Bai Zichen could handle the situation.

Born in the Central Region, he was well aware of the strength of the Great True Monarch, as he had been working towards that goal.

The sword intent that Bai Zichen had previously displayed was nothing short of amazing, and it just so happened to counter Xue Lian's innate divine power.

This does not prove that the flying sword in his hand can reliably defeat the Great True Lord.

……

"Darkness, extreme cold, and the gravity of the earth."

Bai Zichen felt the sword technique in his mind becoming clearer and clearer, almost to the point where he could no longer suppress its surging power.

He slowly raised the Purple Star Thunder Sword in his hand and silently swung it into the thick darkness.

A beam of lightning pierced the darkness, allowing outside light to stream in. Under the illumination of sunlight and lightning, the dark shadow on the mountain was revealed to be a giant snow lotus.

"White Dew, Autumn Equinox, the time of harvest, the day of reaping the rewards."

Another sword strike, from absolute darkness to absolute light, in just a few breaths.

Bai Zichen's sword exuded a vibrant, flourishing spirit, instantly dispelling all the gloom.

The snow lotus could not withstand the darkness, which was no longer able to shroud the world. It was like glass shattering, revealing a new world behind the broken pieces.

A roar came from the shadows, and one could see the snow lotus flowers blooming and falling, the lotus leaves closing and curling up, the roots withering, and the snow lotus that originally had tentacles covering an entire mountain peak producing a single gray lotus seed in a very short time.

Just moments before, the snow lotus, which had been displaying the power of a Great True Monarch, vanished without a trace, as if it were an illusion.

"Defeating the enemy with force and overwhelming people with power should not be the whole of swordsmanship... As long as the right sword intent is chosen, the effect of supporting a precarious building with a single piece of wood is not difficult to achieve."

Bai Zicheng stood with his sword sheathed, his heart overflowing with intense joy.

It wasn't because he defeated the Eternal Snow Lotus, but because he made significant progress in swordsmanship and entered a completely new realm of understanding.

The sword technique that was originally hidden in his mind has taken shape after a battle.

Perhaps in a few years, a sword technique unique to him will be born.

Bai Zichen stopped the sword light and stood firmly on Qishan Mountain, admiring the Jiexiantai with great interest.

The mountain peaks that were once covered by the roots of the snow lotus have completely disappeared, leaving only deep pits about the thickness of a forearm on the ground, which testify to the existence of that special spiritual plant.

With a wave of his hand, the gray lotus seed swooshed into his palm.

It's ordinary, with a rough surface, and a cool sensation that goes straight to your heart when you touch it.

It looks like an ordinary lotus seed with no spiritual energy whatsoever.

Having witnessed firsthand the blooming and withering of the snow lotus, Bai Zichen knew that the lotus seed it produced was no ordinary thing.

Originally a top-grade fourth-tier spiritual plant, it had been fused with the bodies of two generations of the Holy Lotus Sect and had devoured the flesh and blood of countless cultivators during the sect wars, bringing it close to the fifth tier.

Most importantly, whether it was due to the special variety of snow lotus or various opportunities during its growth, it came to the door of innate spiritual roots.

This spiritual plant, influenced by the sword intent, blossoms and bears fruit. The lotus seed, formed by condensing all its essence, has a great chance to advance further.

It can be said that it is a top-tier spiritual seed that can be ranked among the best in the entire cultivation world.

"If we have any extra spiritual soil, perhaps we can plant the lotus seeds and see if we can cultivate a true innate spiritual root..."

The gray lotus seed looks like an ordinary thing; perhaps it is a divine object concealing itself, or perhaps it needs a specific environment to be awakened.

For Bai Zichen, being able to cultivate the legendary innate spiritual root would truly be a great thing.

For True Monarch Jiulian and Qu Yang, the Ten Thousand Year Snow Lotus was of too high a grade to be controlled. Only after merging with it would there be various restrictions, and it might even turn the tables and become the dominant force.

But Bai Zichen wouldn't be swayed by a single lotus flower; he would only feel that the spiritual plant wasn't powerful enough.

Upon reaching the Receiving Platform, not a single disciple of the Holy Lotus Sect stepped forward to stop them; they were all terrified by the previous battle.

Even Qu Yang, the invincible leader of Qishan, was defeated. The remaining cultivators of the Holy Lotus Sect either wept bitterly or remained silent.

Everyone knew that the Holy Lotus Sect, which had dominated the Liang Kingdom for ten thousand years, had come to an end.

With all the disciples tied together, they couldn't even scratch the hem of this Nascent Soul sword cultivator's clothes; it was no longer a question of whether he had the courage to resist.

"When I was young, I first learned about the sacred land of Liang Kingdom, Qishan Sacred Lotus Sect, in the family's study... I never imagined that more than two hundred years later, I would be standing here, and I would be the one to end the Sacred Lotus Sect."

Bai Zichen sighed inwardly as he gazed at the Ascension Platform, which was said to be ninety percent similar to the Ascension Platform.

It took hundreds of years to build this building, from the first Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Holy Lotus Sect to the second, before it was officially completed.

The outer wall alone required the excavation of dozens of mine pits to gather over a million pieces of jade with a uniform color.

Upon entering, one can see the spiritual energy advancing layer by layer like a thin mist, gathering in the Receiving Platform.

"A top-grade fourth-tier spiritual land..."

Bai Zichen took a deep breath and felt his internal energy become more active.

The Cave Profound God-Slaying Sword Scripture began to eagerly anticipate its arrival, sensing a good place where it could find a satisfying meal.

"No wonder the snow lotus can condense into fifth-order spiritual liquid. I have never seen such a concentration of spiritual energy before. With the blessing of the Ascension Platform, it is really close to the level of fifth-order spiritual energy, and the condensation is very solid."

Bai Zichen stretched out his left hand, grabbed a handful of the thickest part of the mist with his five fingers, and the mist dispersed, turning into rings of fog.

If I simply move my training ground here, my cultivation speed will increase significantly.

Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivation techniques may not be that effective, but the extremely domineering Cave Profound God-Slaying Sword Scripture has always been in short supply, allowing fourth-grade top-quality spiritual lands to be used to their fullest potential.

The specific effects will only be known after he completes a full cycle of this process.

The altar, built at great expense, not only gathers spiritual energy but also has the great function of resisting the Nascent Soul Tribulation.

It can basically block one of the later stages of the Ninefold Divine Lightning, and is also equivalent to a reusable tribulation-crossing treasure.

However, it is still far inferior to the Ascension Platform, which can establish a stable passage between the two realms and help powerful cultivators ascend to the Immortal Realm.

"Even the Demon Lotus couldn't do anything to you, you're really lucky... Heh heh... I curse you, sixty years after the Holy Lotus Sect is destroyed, it will be the Azure Maple Sect's turn!"

Qu Yang was still alive, coughing as he spoke, blood mixed with his organs flowing from between his fingers.

His chest was wide open, revealing that his internal organs were almost empty, and the surrounding area was covered with tree-like patterns, with hardly any blood left.

As soon as he finished speaking, he slammed his left hand, which was holding a five-inch gold nail, onto his head and breathed his last.

His eyes were wide open, and his face and body were so distorted by the fusion with the snow lotus that he was unrecognizable, with not a trace of his former imposing presence.

"Unexpectedly, I regained my clarity of mind before I died... I died cleanly, so as to avoid being searched for my soul."

Bai Zichen could tell that Qu Yang's vital energy had long been drained by the snow lotus, and even if he didn't commit suicide, he wouldn't live much longer.

However, this would make taking over Qishan a bit troublesome, as some Saint Lotus Sect cultivators might abscond with the treasures.

"There are some sensible and prudent people, and they're also bold enough to take a gamble..."

Bai Zichen spread his divine sense to the extreme to prevent the disciples of the Holy Lotus Sect from scattering and discovering a Core Formation cultivator on the road leading to the Immortal Ascension Platform.

"Come in. You're already here. What are you waiting outside the hall for?"

Elder Hong stumbled and crawled into the main hall, where he knelt on the ground from afar, prostrating himself: "Hong Xuan of the Holy Lotus Sect has long admired the Azure Maple Sect... Knowing that True Monarch Bai has come in person, this disciple is even more overjoyed."

"What area are you in charge of at the Holy Lotus Sect?"

Behind Qu Yang's seat was a huge wall of books, ten zhang long, filled with jade slips. Bai Zichen reached out and forcibly broke the restrictions on it, collecting them all.

Regardless of what the content records, the jade slips that appear here certainly don't contain anything superficial.

For a sect like Qingfeng Sect, which has a relatively shallow history and is less than two thousand years old, this has great value in filling a gap.

“The disciples manage the market, receive their salaries, and are responsible for the production of the secret realm and the four battle formations. With the market destroyed and the Lotus Life Secret Realm out of control, these two are now essentially worthless.”

Elder Hong answered truthfully without hesitation.

"I heard that the Holy Lotus Sect has a secret medicinal garden. How come there's nothing to do?"

It's a good thing that someone is willing to surrender, as it allows them to quickly learn about the Holy Lotus Sect and Qishan.

In the future, the process of taking over, organizing the harvest, and renovating the temple will all require the assistance of such people.

Otherwise, if the Qingfeng Sect had to devote most of its energy to just Mount Qi, how could it have had the time to arrange for the Law Enforcement Hall to sweep through the Central Plains, wipe out the robber cultivators, and restore order to the past?

“True Lord, you may not know that the Medicine Garden Secret Realm and several other secret realms have always been separate in the Holy Lotus Sect... because the Medicine Garden Secret Realm has a great influence and is specifically managed by a Core Formation Elder.”

Elder Hong hurriedly explained, fearing that Bai Zichen wouldn't believe him, and even mentioned his master.

"Perhaps True Lord Bai is unaware that my master once served as the Foreign Affairs Elder of the Holy Lotus Sect and had a deep friendship with True Lord Ge Cang. Several days ago, I sent a disciple to sneak out of Qishan to deliver a letter to your sect, hoping that your sect could save the people of Zhongzhou from their suffering."

"Is there such a connection? Stand up and answer."

Bai Zichen's heart stirred. If what this person said was true, and that his master had given him the spot to enter the Lotus Life Secret Realm despite opposition, then the Qingfeng Sect really owed him a favor.

There is a fundamental difference between Qishan's intention to surrender before the fall of Qishan and his decision to surrender only after seeing Qu Yang's death and realizing that the destruction of the Holy Lotus Sect was inevitable.

(End of this chapter)