Born with immortal seed

Chapter 702 Chaos Erupts in the Central Region
"True Lord Purple Seal...why are you following me all this way?"

Bai Zichen raised his sword in a guarded stance, but in reality, he remained calm and undisturbed.

Near Xijing City, the identities of Nascent Soul True Monarchs dressed like this can be found through the process of elimination.

He dared to draw his sword even against a Nascent Soul cultivator, and now that his cultivation has been fully restored, the Nine Heavens Bone Forging Technique makes him fearless of all kinds of underhanded schemes and insidious methods.

Among those of the same level, only those who possess a Heaven-Opening Spiritual Treasure will be given special consideration by him.

Otherwise, even the most talented and powerful True Monarch might not be able to withstand his full-force sword strike.

The person in front of me had a small seal on his waist that seemed to move with the force of the earth; if he were to unleash it, it could transform into a mountain and smash people down with overwhelming force.

However, the spiritual light was obscured at this moment, making it difficult to discern whether it had reached the level of a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure.

If someone truly harbors malicious intent, they can still be instantly divided into four parts.

"Your Excellency concealed your identity and cultivation level when you entered my Western Capital, and even took a stroll around my grandson's residence. I'll have to investigate thoroughly..."

The Purple Seal True Lord readily admitted it, raising his thick eyebrows.

"Such swordsmanship should not be unknown even if one has not yet reached the Nascent Soul stage... Twenty-Three Threads Move the Purple Emperor, are you a disciple of the Sword Emperor?"

The two demonic cultivators from Ironbeacon City were ground into dust from head to toe by the sword threads and scattered by the wind.

True Monarch Ziyin could see it clearly from the clouds; the sword threads, though only possessing the power of someone newly entering the Core Formation stage, had achieved the effect that only a Nascent Soul cultivator could accomplish.

There are few famous cultivators on Penglai Immortal Island who excel in swordsmanship. The most renowned one is the Sword Emperor among the Three Immortals, who is said to have cultivated his swordsmanship to a level comparable to that of ancient sword immortals.

Upon seeing this young, unfamiliar sword cultivator suddenly appear, True Monarch Ziyin immediately made a connection.

None of the two demons and three immortals formally established a sect, and no one knows where they went into seclusion.

However, from time to time, the successors of these venerable ones would appear on the Western Sea. After accomplishing great things, they would either retire from the world or become the lords of a city.

"My swordsmanship has nothing to do with the Sword Emperor."

Bai Zichen shook his head slightly. Impersonating a disciple of the Two Demons and Three Immortals might allow him to quickly get close to the city lords.

However, to rashly agree before knowing whether the Purple Seal True Lord has a close relationship with these individuals would be to expose one's own identity.

"I was overthinking it, please don't take offense... Your swordsmanship is too amazing, may I ask how to address you, and where is your immortal abode?"

True Monarch Ziyin scoffed inwardly, not believing that a cultivator with an ordinary background could have reached this point on his own.

In ancient times, Penglai was a remote and sparsely populated fairyland. Many powerful cultivators, who were disgusted by the endless wars, sought refuge from the world and led their people across the ocean to settle here.

These major repairmen joined forces to set up a celestial array, isolating the Western Sea and preventing the flames of war from spreading to this area.

At that time, Penglai Island was home to hundreds of auspicious beasts and thousands of celestial birds, which were found all over the island.

The cultivators who chose to retreat to this place are a mix of righteous and demonic, Taoist and Buddhist, and in their struggle for survival, they have created many strange and wonderful cultivation techniques.

It took ten thousand years for Penglai Immortal Island to become a paradise for cultivators.

Perhaps it was because too many auspicious beasts and celestial birds died tragically and became extinct, their spiritual blood seeping into every corner of the immortal island, their essence unwilling to dissipate, that led to the so-called descendants of gods and demons among the humans of this place.

When cultivators first arrived in Penglai, their appearance was no different from that of ordinary people.

The idyllic Penglai Island, known for its inclusiveness and innovation, surprisingly has few achievements in swordsmanship.

Before the Sword Emperor, there had never been a single Nascent Soul cultivator from Penglai who attained enlightenment through swordsmanship.

Other paths are one thing, but the Purple Seal True Monarch doesn't believe anyone could obtain a lineage and become self-taught in the path of the sword.

"The deserted island is nameless, and Su is nameless."

Bai Zichen lowered his eyes and answered, giving a pseudonym he hadn't used in a long time.

"What brings Fellow Daoist Su to my Xijing?"

True Monarch Ziyin paused slightly; these words were too perfunctory, almost undisguised.

However, sword cultivators are skilled in killing, and this Su Wuming seems to have a powerful background as well. Even if he has a higher cultivation level, he is not confident of victory.

In addition, he has other plans and needs to win over more Nascent Soul cultivators, so he will not act rashly.

"But I just left the cave and took a casual stroll to see how the immortal island has changed over the years."

Bai Zichen said calmly, showing no eagerness despite his intention to befriend local Nascent Soul cultivators in order to gather information.

"Several ferocious beasts in the near sea have been subdued together, the seas are calm, and even the extraterrestrial demons have not appeared for over a hundred years. These are rare good days for the island..."

Realizing that the other party had no intention of getting closer, True Lord Ziyin tossed out a purple cauldron, which was clean and plain, without a single pattern or decoration.

"After you have finished exploring Zhucheng, Fellow Daoist Su, you may visit Xijing. There will be a great opportunity for you! When the time is right, I will inform you on the cauldron."

After saying that, he turned and left, taking with him a purple cloud.

"A great opportunity?"

Bai Zichen held the purple cauldron and tossed it up and down in his palm.

"The opportunities in the eyes of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator are mostly to advance to the Great True Monarch realm, or to obtain a fourth-order divine power that is close to the power of a Divine Transformation cultivator... I'll consider whether to join after I've traveled around the Western Sea."

By cooperating with cultivators of the same level, there is no need to worry about being plotted against or ambushed in secret realms.

You only need to consider whether the time and effort you put in are worthwhile, and whether the treasures you acquire are useful to you.

Those ancient secret realms—it's a pipe dream to kill him.

But it's hard to say whether there are any strange restrictions or not. Once trapped, one might be unable to escape for a hundred years.

With a single exhale, all the fifth-tier flying swords each sent out a sword thread, completely enveloping the purple cauldron.

There's no need to ponder whether True Monarch Ziyin has placed any special measures on the small cauldron. With such tight security at this level, it's unimaginable what secret technique could cause any trouble.

Because they were unaware of the magical powers and secrets of Penglai Immortal Island, the preparations were much more solemn than when they had treated the peaches of immortality at dusk.

He used his fingers to determine the direction of the barren peak, then activated his newly cultivated spiritual light escape technique, the escape light appearing intermittently.

After flying tens of thousands of miles, they became more familiar with each other and began to use the Spirit Light Escape Technique with considerable skill.

……

Lankeshan Mountain was shrouded in continuous rain.

Beneath the solemn palace, strings of water droplets hang from the heavy carved railings and jade pillars, forming a water curtain.

Water droplets fell on the bluestone slab, splashing up in tiny sprays.

Before they could disperse, they were caught up by the water droplets behind them, layering together to form water lilies.

"Master, what are you doing here? Uncle Wei has been looking for you everywhere!"

Tian Yangsheng, dressed in a traditional blue robe, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, showed no trace of the refugee child he once was.

In recent years, the Qingfeng Sect has carried out a structural reform based on the major sects in the Central Region.

The main purpose is to elevate the status of true disciples, no longer confining them to the Qi Refining level.

It's laughable that a sect at the Nascent Soul level only has a true disciple who is at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

Because of the limited number of elder seats, coupled with the continuous increase in the number of Core Formation cultivators, it has developed to the point that even late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators may not be able to secure an elder position.

The status of a true disciple serves as a transition between the Foundation Establishment stage and the position of elder.

There are still twelve spots available, and they enjoy several times the cultivation resources. For thirty years, almost no request has been denied.

When the time came, he relinquished his status as a true disciple.

The competition for the first batch of true disciples was extremely fierce, and the elders were in an uproar.

Anyone with discerning eyes can see that once you receive the true teachings, your chances of achieving the Golden Core stage will increase dramatically.

In the end, Benshan took six spots, Zhongzhou took five spots, and Lankeshan, being an enclave, only had Tianyangsheng selected.

However, when it comes to cultivation speed, Tian Yangsheng is definitely the best.

Firstly, he resolved the hidden dangers within his body, freeing him from the interference of ghostly or divine karmic diagrams, and his physical attributes were now equivalent to those of a different spiritual root.

Secondly, with the million sect contribution points bestowed by their grandmaster, they could exchange anything they wanted.

Furthermore, after arriving at Rotten Axe Mountain, any spiritual land on the main branch offers a cultivation environment comparable to the Flaming Mountain Dojo, which only the patriarch of Black Mountain could enjoy.

In the blink of an eye, he had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment and was beginning to develop his alchemical theory.

If all goes well, there is a high possibility that he could create the miracle of directly entering the Core Formation stage as a true disciple.

"The rain just won't stop..."

Ma Ruoxi, holding a long sword that gleamed with the sound of flowing water, leaned against a jade pillar, her voice weary.

"But have provocative cultivators appeared nearby? The mines, spirit lake, and forest outside Rotten Axe Mountain... let's abandon what we should abandon. We can't hold them all. Right now, we're only at the Core Formation stage, so I can still handle it. But once the Nascent Soul True Monarch appears, they'll be sitting ducks once they leave the mountain gate's grand formation, which will increase the risk of breaking the formation."

She turned around, her cheeks noticeably sunken, and she looked extremely thin.

One arm was wrapped in satin, from which black blood seeped out, staining half of it red.

Over the years, her kendo has progressed by leaps and bounds, and she can be said to have single-handedly supported the situation.

More than ten years after his master disappeared, various rumors began to circulate that the Sword Lord of Time had perished overseas.

Even the greatest sword genius of all time could not withstand a single blow delivered by a powerful being from the Heavenly Demon Realm.

Those vassal sects of the Eastern Region began to outwardly comply but inwardly defy orders, no longer obeying commands as they had in the past.

Now, it has even developed to the point that rogue cultivators who have reached the Core Formation stage often appear around Rotten Axe Mountain, and they will go up and provoke the disciples of the Green Maple Sect whenever they see them.

They have even attacked various mines, wantonly destroying them, and have made no attempt to conceal it.

The reason why no Nascent Soul cultivators were involved is clearly because the mastermind behind it doesn't dare to show up personally, leaving no room for maneuver.

If the Sword Master of Time has not died and has returned, there will be no chance to explain.

The influence of the regime still lingers, and I don't want to take that risk.

Ma Ruoxi, alone with her sword, has already killed three Core Formation stage souls and repelled more than ten others.

In actual combat, the skill of "one sword can break all laws" is honed to an ever-improving level.

However, compared to her master, she is far from being invincible among her peers, and she inevitably returns from each battle with injuries.

"It's the disciples sent to the Central Region who have returned. It seems things didn't go smoothly, and things are in complete chaos there..."

For Tian Yangsheng, the Qingfeng Sect was not only avenging the massacre of his clan, but also nurturing him from a fallen orphan into a promising young talent.

They have long regarded the sect and themselves as one, and have an extremely high sense of belonging.

The atmosphere in the Eastern Region was not right. When a rogue cultivator with ulterior motives appeared near Rotten Axe Mountain, Ma Ruoxi and Wei Dao agreed to send a disciple to the Central Region to ask for reinforcements.

He wrote many letters in total. Apart from the Moral Sect, he wrote a letter to every sect that had a past relationship with the Sword Lord of Time and had received his favor during the war between the two races.

All of them were written by Ma Ruoxi herself, after all, she was Bai Zichen's personal tutor, and if he wanted to save face, he would give her some leeway.

The signature "Qingfeng Sect" is probably not even worth a second glance.

Several disciples who were supposed to deliver the message were gone for years, and only one returned, wounded.

It turns out that several years ago, unrest broke out in various parts of the Central Region. It is unknown which force was behind it, organizing and instigating it, using the slogan of universal harmony, and saying that cultivation was difficult and the Great Dao was arduous because the major sects monopolized resources.

If all the major sects are overthrown, the resources available to every cultivator in the world will increase several times over.

At first, everyone treated it as something to watch for fun.

They are just ignorant rogue cultivators who, misled by others, dare to challenge the deeply rooted sect traditions of the cultivation world.

A few Nascent Soul sects could easily quell the chaos.

As a result, the turmoil did not stop, but instead intensified. One Nascent Soul sect even had its gates breached, and all its disciples were slaughtered.

Not only did it attract a large number of cultivators who had lost their foundations due to the war between the two races, but there were also several mysterious Nascent Soul cultivators among the chaotic army.

The Central Region, which had maintained order for tens of thousands of years, has completely lost its restraint and descended into chaos.

Anyone with a brain can see that there must be someone supporting the rioting rogue cultivators, with a tight organization, war artifacts, high-level array diagrams, and a Nascent Soul True Monarch in command.

Even many second-tier sects have changed their identities and joined in, cheering and waving the flag together.

The entire Central Region was in a state of madness.

The battle against the demon race caused heavy losses to those super sects, who are all quietly recovering.

Caught off guard, just as they were about to respond, another major event occurred.

Four ancient, reclusive sects simultaneously emerged, joining forces to proclaim to the world that those few Nascent Soul level sects were the greatest evils in the cultivation world.

The reason why no cultivator has been able to ascend to the upper realm in the past ten thousand years is that the Heavenly Dao is expressing its dissatisfaction with them.

Only by destroying mountains and temples, severing their lineage, can they return to the right path.

The disciples sent by these four ancient, reclusive sects all included Great True Monarchs, which immediately subdued the various sects that originally wanted to set things right.

Their target was the Daode Sect.

"A reclusive sect, what is its origin? It didn't show up earlier or later, but only jumped out after the war between the two races had subsided. It's a clever scheme!"

Ma Ruoxi felt a surge of irritation. With such a severe challenge facing the Daode Sect, they probably had no time to spare for anything else.

The other factions, needless to say, are lucky if they can just guard their own territory. The Rotten Axe Mountain in the far east region has the will but no strength.

"It is said that they were active at the same time as the Evil Fate Sect, except for the Naihe Sect. For a period of time, they were collectively known as the Six Great Hidden Sects... It is said that these four sects had a bad relationship with the Morality Sect, and their actions violated the rules of the Morality Sect in every way. They were severely suppressed back then."

Tian Yangsheng recounted the news he had heard, which had already spread throughout the Central Region.

It's just that Rotten Axe Mountain has been almost completely blocked off in recent years, so no new information has been able to get in.

"Rather than saying he actively sought to avoid the world, it would be more accurate to say that he was being chased and killed by the Daode Sect, and had no choice but to retreat to his grotto-heaven, where he dared not show his face."

"Then we won't be able to wait for reinforcements!"

Ma Ruoxi immediately sensed something was wrong. The chaos in the Central Region was interconnected, forming a large net that was being cast over the Morality Sect.

All the sects in the Central Region are within the affected area. Who can spare the strength to help the Azure Maple Sect at this time? This is not something that one or two Nascent Soul cultivators can easily do.

A chill ran through her, like sliding deeper and deeper into icy seawater.

"Master, what should I do to protect Rotten Axe Mountain..."

Ma Ruoxi held the two spirit beast tokens, their images even fainter than before, indicating that the two great demons had gone to a faraway place, and the tokens could barely be sensed anymore.

Her master had told her that these two spirit beasts feared power but not virtue, and that they were looking for a powerful backer who could take them with them to ascend to heaven, which was why they had come here to humble themselves.

Once Bai Zichen disappears, they will no longer be able to enjoy the benefits brought by the Time Sword Lord, so naturally they will run as far away as possible.

No matter how Ma Ruoxi summoned them, there was no response whatsoever.

She roused herself, drew her sword, and walked toward the main hall. After a few steps, she had put away all her weakness, hesitation, and doubt, and her eyes were firm and powerful.

……

The barren summit.

The branches and leaves are lush and verdant, letting in the moonlight, which falls like scattered snowflakes.

"Three years have passed without a single appearance of the sword spirit, yet the ancestor who sold the information saw a fifth-tier flying sword after only a few months here..."

Bai Zichen stood under an ancient tree, frowning as he spoke.

Based on the information exchanged, they sped along and successfully arrived at Kufeng.

This mountain is a dead volcano; the underground fire has been extinguished, but no vegetation has yet grown.

The few remaining ancient trees are completely withered, remaining in a very special state, seemingly alive yet dead, with the forces of life and death coexisting.

"Could it be that the sword spirit could discern a person's strength, and sensed that I, like that Nascent Soul cultivator before, possessed the power to subdue it, so it simply concealed itself..."

Bai Zichen stood rooted to the spot like a statue, pondering a solution.

Although searching for the sword here won't delay your cultivation much, it's ultimately not under your control.

If he could come and go freely, he would be willing to stay in the Western Sea for a hundred or two hundred years.

After all, this place has been separated from Zuzhou for tens of thousands of years, and the local customs and traditions are different. The path of cultivation has also developed its own unique characteristics.

There wasn't much left to explore in Zuzhou, but Penglai Immortal Island was different, as were other islands in the Western Sea, many of which were renowned ancient lineages, such as the Golden Crow Pavilion.

Before finding the way back, one cannot have the mindset to explore carefully.

(End of this chapter)