Born with immortal seed

Chapter 654 One Sword Challenges the Holy Land
The sword light swept across ten thousand miles; one moment it was on the edge of the sky, and the next it had landed in front of the formation.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, you've come at the right time. This ancient tortoise has amazing defenses, and we need you to take charge of the situation."

September Great True Lord's eyes lit up, and he took the initiative to greet the descending youth.

In his youth, he was known for his fierce and volatile temper, and his reputation as the number one thunder magic master in the cultivation world was forged in blood and fire.

However, at this age, I no longer have the desire to compete.

All I want is to build up the foundation of the Five Thunder Sect and cultivate more disciples who can uphold the sect's reputation.

The sect is severely lacking in talent; no Great True Monarch has yet taken his place since.

However, the two juniors who had just reached the Nascent Soul stage performed remarkably well, both displaying extraordinary phenomena related to the entrance to the grotto-heaven.

However, given my age, it's highly unlikely I'll live to see them grow up.

He spoke politely to Bai Zichen, this rising star, after all, for the next thousand years, the landscape of the cultivation world would probably be dominated by him and the Moral Sect.

Judging from the current trend, none of the later disciples of the Moral Sect can even slightly catch up.

Hundreds of years from now, when the propagation of Buddhism will also require seclusion in grotto-heavens, making it difficult to take action, the scales will tip even more towards the other side.

Unlike Hong Da Zhenjun, he was not so stubborn and refused to bow his head.

"Thank you for your hard work, fellow Daoists."

Bai Zichen nodded slightly, taking in the kind smile of the Great True Lord Jiuyue and the furrowed brows of the Great True Lord Hong.

There was also a smiling, nodding middle-aged cultivator whose chest and waist were covered with various magical treasures.

If I'm not mistaken, it should be Master Sanduo, Xiaoyue.

He could see the resentment in Hong Da Zhenjun's heart, but as long as he didn't let this emotion affect the important matter of pioneering, he wouldn't pay attention to it.

They are all elderly people who are about to die, almost four times my age, so what is there to argue about?

Judging from the reputation of other cultivators, apart from being a member of a sect that only values ​​morality and is disliked by many, his personal character is impeccable.

Slaying demons and monsters, helping the needy and relieving the distressed—this is the code of conduct of a standard righteous cultivator.

"Such terrifying vitality. Even when facing the Red Ear directly, I didn't feel this overwhelming, bottomless force..."

Bai Zichen turned to Chongminghai, his vision filled by the giant tortoise, which was extremely impactful.

With his mastery of the Dao of Time, if someone is within the range of the Azure Emperor's Longevity Sword, he can tell at a glance what lifespan they have left.

If it exceeds the limit, it can be sensed roughly.

When facing the ancient tortoise, one can only feel its unfathomable depths and its unimaginably long lifespan.

Despite being at the same cultivation level, the lifespan difference between the human and the tortoise can be dozens of times.

Even if the Azure Emperor's Longevity Sword were to strike such a target, it would be like an ant trying to shake a tree; the amount of lifespan it would cut off would be negligible.

Moreover, this intimidating demonic body possesses top-tier turtle-like defensive capabilities, rendering any magical spells or supernatural powers futile against it.

"Human, I see the power of time within you. It has been a long time since I have seen such an outstanding cultivator..."

The ancient tortoise opened its mouth, like a great bell being struck, its heavy sound echoing in the heart.

He was aged and serene, like a wise man who had experienced many vicissitudes of life telling his story.

“I have lived for far too long, and have even witnessed the death of a Demon Lord several times. All worldly possessions will be nothing but illusions once you perish. Why make such a fuss over a spiritual land? I swear that I will restrain my people from stepping out of the Chongming Sea, but you must also prevent human cultivators from entering within a thousand miles. With your strength, I believe you can stand up for the human race.”

All three looked at him, not expecting that the ancient tortoise would take the initiative to back down and propose a peace between the two sides.

This proposal clearly gave the human race a way out, first by stating their origins and that they had seen several demon lords pass away, meaning they were at least tens of thousands of years old.

He has lived from ancient times to the present, and although he has not yet reached the fifth level, who knows what supernatural abilities he may be hiding.

They also deliberately trapped the turtle demons in the Chongming Sea, thus having no power to interfere with what was happening in other parts of the Black Sea.

Upon closer inspection, it is not unacceptable.

However, all of this depends on Bai Zichen's decision.

Anyone can start a war, but only the strongest can end one.

The choice between war and peace is entirely in his hands.

"When I set out on this expedition, I told my disciples that I only sought two things in this campaign to conquer the Black Sea: peace on the seas and tranquility throughout the world... I'll leave the Chongming Sea to you. By the time you break through to the fifth rank, I will have already ascended to the upper realm. Who in this world can then subdue you?"

Bai Zichen spoke calmly, but the sword energy within his sleeves surged as if there were raging waves.

"I don't like to leave problems to future generations; I prefer to solve them myself."

"What an arrogant brat! Do you know how many years it has been since anyone in the cultivation world has successfully ascended? Even if you trace your human race back ten thousand years, those exceptionally talented cultivators couldn't do it. Was it because they weren't talented enough? Were they not persistent enough? Did they lack sufficient fortune and opportunity?"

The ancient tortoise's voice finally showed a slight fluctuation, whether from anger or shock, it was hard to tell.

"Even with my unparalleled bloodline, I dare not claim that I can ascend to the Heavenly Demon Realm. If Gong Shu and Ao Jia Xiaolong had not relied on celestial treasures, they would have had no chance of ascending either... So tell me, what do you intend to do with them?"

The expressions of True Monarch Hong and the others were complicated. They were all cultivators at the top of the cultivation world, but the Nascent Soul stage was still out of reach, or rather, they had long given up on the idea.

This is the first time I've heard someone speak in such a normal tone about their plans to ascend to the Immortal Realm in the future. It feels as natural as if they were saying they're going to cultivate an ordinary supernatural power.

Xiaoyue's lips twitched, thinking to herself that while this Bai Jianjun was indeed highly talented, his mental state was definitely not quite right.

Even the Nascent Soul stage is still far off, yet they're already considering ascension.

The Great True Monarch of September hesitated, feeling that Bai Zichen's words were somewhat exaggerated, but among all the people in the cultivation world, only he was barely qualified to speak like that.

Even the youngest Nascent Soul stage expert, the Holy Lord of Propagation, paled in comparison.

Even now, no cultivator would doubt Bai Zichen's chances of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage.

This is also the first time Bai Zichen has publicly expressed his ambition to ascend to the Immortal Realm.

It serves both as setting a goal for oneself and as a declaration to the cultivation world that ascension to the upper realm is not a mere myth.

Since the Heavenly Punishment Peak Master could ascend to immortality by chance and under certain conditions, he could do the same if he were younger and had more time to cultivate, provided he met the necessary conditions.

Having enough treasures to cross the chaotic void, and possessing sufficient strength, one can, to a certain extent, replace the function of the Ascension Platform.

Why do people think that the Heavenly Punishment Peak Master has a high chance of ascending? Besides his own strength, the key reason is that his companions who ascend with him are too powerful.

Ao Laolong's own strength and so-called fifth-order dragon beast physique are not significant advantages when encountering void turbulence.

But it is different when it holds the Mountain and River Cauldron.

A primordial treasure means that, barring unforeseen circumstances, it will not die in the chaotic void.

The worst outcome is being swept off the correct ascension route and getting lost in the passage between the two worlds.

But there is another person present. Although the Ice Soul Fairy is only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, she has a special identity. She is a descendant of the Pure Maiden Dao who has returned from her slumber tens of thousands of years ago and controls the Great Dao of Space.

Losing one's way in the void is something that will never happen to her.

That's why it's said that this trio is a rare find even in the history of the cultivation world.

It is remarkable that three such figures emerged during the same period.

"It's very simple. Form a contract and become my spirit beast... Since you don't have the confidence to ascend, after becoming my spirit beast, you can live in the cave and cross the passage between the two worlds without being rejected when I ascend."

Bai Zichen looked him up and down, as if he were really weighing whether a spirit beast that became his natal spirit beast could enter his nascent cave.

Even if you force it in, it will easily burst open and make a mess of the existing environment.

"Arrogant and conceited! Even Nascent Soul cultivators have never spoken such words to me!"

The ancient tortoise was truly enraged this time, its aura intensifying once more, causing the entire vast ocean to tremble.

"Since you refuse, then I'll have to ask you to walk into the sword formation!"

With a flick of his sleeve, Bai Zichen unleashed twelve flying swords that had already emerged from the Supreme Pure Micro Sword Box, transforming them into stars that enveloped the entire Chongming Sea.

The celestial phenomena changed instantly, transforming the clear blue sky into a dark, starry expanse.

The Star River Sword Formation is complete, enclosing the Primordial Longevity Turtle within it and isolating it from external influences.

This tortoise has an extremely long lifespan, and its mastery of the Great Dao is not much different from mine. Once we face it, my strongest trump card, the Azure Emperor's Longevity Sword, becomes useless.

A single sword strike could sever a hundred years of lifespan; even the ancient tortoises would likely disdain it.

Dao Sheng's sword strike was powerful enough to cause significant damage.

However, for Bai Zichen at this moment, the burden is too heavy, and he will inevitably be exhausted after one sword strike.

That would lead to the extreme choice of a single sword strike determining life or death.

He was a lackey to the Red-Eared Ancestor, and there was a need for him to fight to the death.

In other circumstances, given more options, he would not directly use the Dao Sheng Sword.

Unless one's cultivation level improves in the future and further refines and elevates this sword technique.

Moreover, given the ancient tortoise's defensive capabilities and astonishing vitality, he genuinely suspected that even a single sword strike wouldn't kill it.

Even when its true essence is depleted, it can recover rapidly with its strong vitality and continue to support itself all the way.

All things considered, the Star River Sword Formation is still the most appropriate.

No matter how long your lifespan, how amazing your vitality, or how impregnable your defenses, you will always be outmatched by the eternally existing stars.

And the celestial bodies, which never stop moving and never cease rotating, are just the right thing to slowly torment the ancient tortoise with the grinding of water.

"I have already trapped this tortoise. Some of you will stay behind, while the rest will head to the Shattered Star Abyss... I will join you after I have killed this ancient tortoise."

Bai Zichen flew into the sword formation, shouted out before entering, and gave instructions.

This terrifying turtle demon, in terms of destructive power, is far inferior to the Dragon Lord who possesses a sixth-tier replica magic weapon.

But when it comes to defensive capabilities, even if the Dragon King were to come, he would only be left with the words, "I am ashamed of my inferiority."

Roughly estimated, it would take at least three years of siege to completely suppress the ancient tortoise.

This isn't something that can be done in a few days or months; it's not enough to just have hundreds of thousands of troops guarding this place.

Staying in one place for such a long time without any specific plans will inevitably lead to feelings of war-weariness.

So they simply sent word that the group should lead the army away and hurry to conquer Shattered Star Abyss.

From the perspective of the attacking side's geographical advantage, Shattered Star Abyss is much stronger than Heavy Sea.

At the very least, there are obvious places where cultivators can gain a foothold and resupply upon landing.

As long as there isn't a powerful demon like the Primordial Longevity Turtle hiding in the Shattered Star Abyss, it shouldn't be difficult for the three Great True Monarchs to lead the pioneering army to conquer it.

According to intelligence, Shattered Star Abyss already gathered a large number of demonic beasts with the bloodline of wild beasts that could not transform into human form, making it the royal court with the heaviest casualties in the war between the two races.

They are now in such dire straits that they have to bring back beasts whose bloodlines account for more than 70% of their blood, many of which cannot even speak.

In the past, these monsters, which resembled wild beasts, were not recognized by the demon race.

They could be laborers, servants, or slaves... but they could never be of the same race.

These descendants of wild beasts were originally driven away from the core area of ​​the Shattered Star Abyss and could only live around the strait.

With manpower stretched thin and a major battle looming, they finally set aside their so-called demon race pride and began to accept the descendants of wild beasts again.

"Rest assured, we will certainly uphold the Sword Lord's will and conquer the Shattered Star Abyss as soon as possible."

Xiaoyue shouted, and the crowd was in high spirits.

Previously, he had been inwardly criticizing the Sword Lord of Time for being arrogant and impractical, but now he was behaving with utmost respect.

The main reason is that he basically didn't participate in the most arduous battle between the two races in the early stages, and he didn't see Bai Zichen's swordsmanship brilliance on the battlefield.

This is the first time I've ever witnessed the Star River Sword Formation, and I'm utterly shocked.

This is the reason why he changed his attitude so quickly, from arrogant to obsequious.

With such abilities, even if he occasionally makes boastful remarks, it can be forgiven. For example, when he was at the Foundation Establishment stage, he made the arrogant statement that he would not stop until he reached the Nascent Soul stage.

After a brief discussion, the three decided to leave behind two teams of several hundred people each, while the rest of the group headed towards Shattered Star Abyss.

The once bustling Chongming Sea has ushered in a rare period of tranquility.

Only a gentle breeze and the heavy stench of blood remained, drifting on the sea.

To ensure that the Primordial Longevity Turtle was included, Bai Zichen practically swept most of the Chongming Sea into the starry sky.

Unfortunately, this turtle demon happened to be sitting in the passage leading to the core of the Chongming Sea, and unless it was killed or moved, there was no way to enter the very center of the problem.

"This is a true role model for us all! One man single-handedly conquering an entire sacred land of the demon race—how awe-inspiring!"

Chen Ze chose to stay, opting not to pursue a more secure option.

He could continue to slay demons and accumulate merits in the Shattered Star Abyss, but he preferred to stay here and take greater risks.

Firstly, he wanted to witness how the Sword Lord of Time would defeat the Ancient Longevity Turtle; secondly, he naturally wanted to curry favor with the Sword Lord.

As an elder of the Fish-Dragon Sect, he could contact people through two intermediaries.

But whether Bai Zichen sees him or not, and how he feels, is another matter.

However, in the environment of the deep sea, there are fewer people, making it easier to win opportunities.

"Bai Jianjun is indeed not only a model of sword cultivation, but other cultivators can benefit immensely from learning even a little from him."

Wen Lan stayed behind to create an environment for interaction and also because she didn't want to spend time traveling at sea.

For her, who was used to a life of luxury, sitting on a ship or piloting a flying sword for months was simply unimaginable.

In the past, her Daoist partner doted on her, and the flying magic treasures she used were extremely luxurious, comparable to those of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

(End of this chapter)