Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 973 Reunion with Yun Ku, Ghost Emperor Invades!
The main hall of the Western Desert front camp.

Eleven Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords of the human race sat in a circle.

After more than 30 years of recuperation, everyone's injuries have recovered considerably.

Yun Kutianjun sat upright on the futon, the illusory image of the twelve-armed golden body behind him solidified, the Buddha light shining brightly. Although he had not fully recovered to his peak, his injuries were obviously no longer a problem.

Jiang Taixu's aura was deep and composed, and his sword energy was contained within.

Xiong Jun still had that same heroic demeanor, his body brimming with vitality, and his injuries seemed to have recovered to about 70-80%.

Even the Golden Jade Heavenly Lord, who was the most severely injured back then and whose very essence was almost damaged, now had a much rosier complexion. Although the flow of demonic power around him was not as smooth and surging as it was in its prime, it had recovered to about 70%.

She frowned slightly and spoke first, her voice tinged with a hint of doubt:
"Fellow Daoist Liu, why have you summoned us all here so urgently? Has something changed at the front? If you could grant me a few more decades of quiet cultivation, my injuries to my origins might be fully healed, and I would have a better chance of dealing with the Ghost Clan."

There was no complaint in her words, only confusion as to why they didn't try to buy more time.

Previously, Liu Bai had not told them about the Five-Colored Boundary Pillar in order not to disturb their recuperation.

Therefore, they were unaware of the accelerated expansion of the Ghost Realm passage.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bai's expression turned solemn, and he spoke:

“Fellow Daoist Jinbi is quite right; that is indeed how it should be. But there are reasons for this,”

His gaze swept over the few newcomers present.
"The Ghost Clan somehow obtained the 'Five-Colored World-Suppressing Pillar' technique, accelerating the expansion of the passage. The Ghost Realm passage, which originally would have taken a hundred years to fully expand,"

"It has been basically completed in just thirty years!"

"Based on my observations over the past few days, the passage to the ghost realm... is now basically complete and will be fully stable in no more than three days."

He paused, his voice growing increasingly solemn:
"At that time, it will probably be the time when the Crying Ghost Emperor descends in his true form."

As soon as these words came out, there was a sudden silence in the hall.

The expressions of Jin Yuan Yaojun and the others instantly turned extremely solemn. The pressure from the arrival of the Ghost Emperor's true form far exceeded their expectations.

The Golden Jade Heavenly Lord took a deep breath, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, which was then replaced by a resolute expression:
"I see... Thank you for informing me, Fellow Daoist Liu. In that case, what difference would it make if the Ghost Emperor himself came?"

"Things have come to this point, we have no choice but to fight to the death!"

She changed the subject, her beautiful eyes sweeping over everyone present, and asked with a hint of doubt:

"By the way, where is Lord Luoyang? He is at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm; how could he be absent at such a crucial moment?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became somewhat subtle.

At this moment, Zhou Xun, who had been sitting silently to the side, slowly raised his head. His voice was calm and even, yet it resounded like thunder in everyone's ears:

“Fang Jiuzun harbored evil intentions and plotted treason, and has been killed by me.”

"what!"

"This is true!"

Jin Bitianjun, Jin Yuanyaojun, and Yun Kutianjun, who had just recovered from his injuries, were almost simultaneously speechless, their faces filled with disbelief and extreme shock!

They looked at each other, speechless for a moment.

This news is absolutely shocking!
Fang Jiuzun, the Fallen Sun Heavenly Lord who dominated the human realm for six thousand years, a powerful figure in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, was actually... killed by Zhou Xun!
Moreover, judging from Zhou Xun's tone, it was so casual!
After the initial shock came a profound sense of horror.

They couldn't help but re-examine Zhou Xun, only to be horrified to discover that they couldn't fathom his current level of power at all.

They felt that his aura was as deep as the sea, hidden and unleashed, yet it gave people a strange sense of suffocation. His cultivation level... was probably far beyond their imagination!

After a brief silence, the Golden Yuan Demon Lord was the first to react. He took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and looked at Zhou Xun with a hint of awe. He said loudly:
"Zhou Tianjun was actually able to... actually able to kill Fang Jiuzun? It seems that in the past thirty years, Tianjun's strength has reached an unbelievable level! Perhaps, he can now stand against the Tiyu Guidi alone!"

The Six Paths Demon Lord beside him nodded hastily in agreement, his tone clearly ingratiating and ingratiating:

"Fellow Daoist Jin Yuan is absolutely right! I witnessed that battle with my own eyes!"

"Even though Fang Jiuzun was highly skilled, he was killed by Zhou Tianjun in just a few rounds!"

"Zhou Tianjun possesses unparalleled supernatural powers. In my opinion, his current strength is by no means inferior to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator! With Tianjun here, that Tiyu Ghost Emperor is no threat at all!"

Liu Bai spoke at the opportune moment, his voice carrying a reassuring quality:

"It is indeed a fortunate thing for our realm that Fellow Daoist Zhou's strength has greatly increased."

"More importantly, Fellow Daoist Zhou has a fifth-grade high-level array, which he has already set up at the entrance to the Ghost Realm passage!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone resolute:

"Once Ti Yu crosses over, he will surely be trapped in the formation! At that time, no matter how powerful he is, he will be like a turtle in a jar, and his strength will be greatly suppressed!"

"A high-grade fifth-tier grand formation!"

"Is there such a thing?"

These words were like cold water being poured into boiling oil, causing the hall to instantly boil over!
They instantly recalled the dense array of restrictions in front of the Ghost Realm passage and realized that it must be to conceal the true fifth-tier superior array!

Unexpectedly, in just thirty years, Zhou Xun has come up with such methods.

This is truly a blessing for humanity!
The heavy and oppressive atmosphere brought about by the impending arrival of the Ghost Emperor and the news of Fang Jiuzun's death was instantly dispelled!

The Golden Jade Heavenly Lord's beautiful eyes instantly lit up with a dazzling light, and his face showed excitement:
"Excellent! Excellent! With this extraordinary formation in hand, our chances of victory have greatly increased!"

Ji Wanren stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his voice echoing throughout the palace:

"Excellent! Wonderful!"

"With this formation trapping Ti Yu, the Ghost Emperor's worries can be resolved!"

"At that time, we can join forces and annihilate all the remaining Nascent Soul cultivators of the Ghost Clan with overwhelming force!"

"Finally, we'll join forces to surround and kill that old ghost Tiyu who's trapped in the formation! In that way, our human realm will surely achieve a great victory!"

"That's right!"

"That's how it should be!"

"May God bless our human realm!"

Yun Ku Tianjun, Jiang Taixu, Xiong Jun, Yanmo Tianjun, Nangong Yifei, and others chimed in, their faces filled with excitement and agitation.

He showed none of the composure expected of a Nascent Soul Celestial Lord; the news was simply too significant.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became lively, and the gloom and despair that had been hanging over everyone's hearts were swept away!

Because they saw more than just the hope of successfully repelling the demons.

It also presents the possibility of completely defeating the demon race and eliminating future troubles!

After discussing some details of how to respond, everyone left.

……

The meeting adjourned, and everyone went about their preparations.

Zhou Xun and Yun Kutian walked side by side within the camp. Having not seen each other for many years, they had much to say to each other.

"Zhou Xun," Yun Kutianjun said gently, with concern and a hint of curiosity.
"I just heard that you have killed Fang Jiuzun? Could you tell me more about this?"

He and Zhou Xun had a mentor-student relationship, which was quite special, and he asked the question directly.

Zhou Xun, naturally having nothing to hide from Master Yun Ku, nodded and said:
"If the master inquires, I will answer in detail."

He then briefly but clearly recounted how he tracked down and forced Fang Jiuzun out, and how he finally used the Purple Jade Thunder Spear to completely annihilate him.

Yun Kutian listened quietly, and when he heard Zhou Xun mention that his cultivation had reached the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, a look of astonishment appeared on his face:

"In just over thirty years, you have actually broken through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm? Such progress is truly unheard of!"

He suddenly realized, stroked his beard, and said:
"Yes, yes... Back when you first entered the Nascent Soul stage, you were able to hold your own against Fang Jiuzun, your strength was no less than that of a mid-stage peak cultivator."

"Now that his cultivation has greatly improved, his supernatural abilities are naturally even more unfathomable. It is only natural that he was able to kill Fang Jiuzun."

At this point, the last trace of worry that had lingered in his heart due to the Ghost Emperor's descent completely dissipated, replaced by an immense sense of peace. Master Yun Ku's expression turned solemn as he said earnestly:
"You did the right thing!"

"Fang Jiuzun is a wicked and fickle man. He is hiding underground at the front line, and his intentions are despicable. He clearly wants to engage in the despicable scheme of letting the two sides fight while he reaps the benefits!"

"More than six thousand years ago, during the great war between the human and ghost realms, he only went through the motions. If it weren't for Brother Ziyu sacrificing his own life force and fighting to the death to severely injure the Ghost Emperor,"

"Our human realm has probably already fallen! These parasites should have been eliminated long ago!"

As the two spoke, they arrived at their temporary cave dwelling.
With a wave of his hand, Zhou Xun opened the cave door automatically, welcoming Master Yun Ku inside.

Zhou Xun gestured, and the two sat down in the pavilion.

With a flick of his sleeve, Zhou Xun revealed a set of elegant jade teaware on the stone table.

Then, he took out a jade box that was entirely crimson red.

The moment the lid was lifted, an indescribable surge of pure fire elemental energy, accompanied by a refreshing and unique fragrance, instantly filled the air.
The temperature around the pavilion seemed to have risen a few degrees.

The box was lined with bright yellow brocade, on which lay several tea leaves shaped like phoenix feathers, with a reddish-gold color and a faint shimmering light.

"This is..." Yun Kutianjun, with his profound cultivation, was instantly captivated by the vast and pure spiritual energy contained within the tea leaves. A glint of light flashed in his eyes.
"The purity and vastness of this item's aura far surpasses that of a top-grade fourth-tier spiritual object! This... this could be..."

Zhou Xun smiled slightly and nodded, saying:
"This tea is called 'Phoenix Nods,' and it is a mid-grade fifth-rank spiritual tea."

"Fifth-tier, mid-grade?" Even the well-informed Yun Kutianjun was greatly astonished at this moment.
"The spiritual energy of the mortal realm is extremely limited in nurturing fifth-tier spiritual plants! Zhou Xun, where...where did you obtain such a divine object?"

Seeing Yun Kutianjun's shocked expression, Zhou Xun's smile remained unchanged, but he calmly dropped a bombshell:

"This tea is something I brought back from the celestial realm."

Given their relationship,

He had already designated Master Yunku as one of the candidates to go to the Immortal Realm, so there was no need to hide this matter any longer.

"Fairy World!"

Yun Kutianjun suddenly stood up from the stone bench.

"Zhou Xun, is what you say true? Does a celestial realm truly exist in this world?"

It should be noted that as a top being in the human realm, Yun Ku Tianjun had naturally seen the jade slips that had been passed down from the immortal realm.

Many of these include descriptions of the immortal realm, as well as accounts of the stages after the Nascent Soul stage, such as the Refinement of Emptiness and Integration with the Great Ascension stage.
But he was born in the human world and had already explored every corner, yet he had never found the relevant place.
As for realms such as Refining Emptiness and Uniting with the Body...
Previously, Fang Jiuzun was the only person in the human realm at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm. He almost thought that those were just the imaginations of his ancestors.
Hearing this news now, it's no wonder I lost my composure.

Seeing Yun Kutianjun's excitement, Zhou Xun nodded with a smile:

"Master, please be at ease. This matter is a long story. Why don't you first taste this celestial tea, and then we can discuss it in detail later?"

Upon hearing this, Lord Yun Ku took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and sat down again.

"I was out of line. Thanks to you, I'm fortunate enough to taste this celestial tea today!"

Zhou Xun said no more and became focused.

A wisp of pure and peaceful infant fire rose from his fingertips, not to scorch, but to gently warm the jade teapot.

Once the teapot was warm, he carefully used jade tweezers to pick up two golden tea leaves shaped like phoenix feathers and put them into the teapot.

Then, he took out a jade bottle filled with clear and sweet spiritual spring water and slowly poured it in.

The moment the spring water came into contact with the tea leaves, there was no loud noise, only a very faint, clear sound like a phoenix's cry.

Immediately, a cloud of crimson-gold mist rose from the spout of the pot.

It eventually transformed into a miniature phoenix phantom, gracefully circling the teapot.

Yun Kutianjun was mesmerized and couldn't help but exclaim, "The condensed mist takes shape, and the spirit within transforms into a phoenix! Such a wondrous phenomenon is truly extraordinary!"

Zhou Xun smiled slightly and poured the brewed tea into two jade cups.

"Master, please."

Yun Kutianjun solemnly accepted the jade cup with both hands, carefully taking a small sip.
The tea soup is smooth on the palate, initially with a slightly bitter taste, which quickly transforms into an indescribable sweetness.

A gentle yet powerful surge of pure energy instantly permeated his limbs and bones.
Even without consciously channeling one's energy, it naturally merges into the dantian's magical power, nourishing both the physical body and the soul.

Yun Kutianjun closed his eyes, his face filled with amazement and rapture.

"This tea not only has an exquisite taste, but it can also nourish the body's essence, enlighten the soul, and greatly benefit cultivation! It is truly a magical product of the celestial realm!"

After enjoying the exquisite tea, the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

Zhou Xun then slowly spoke: "Master, the Immortal Realm does indeed exist."

His gaze became distant, as if piercing through endless void:

"It's a vast and unimaginably large region. The 'Northern Bright Immortal Realm' that I arrived at is said to be nothing more than a remote corner of the Immortal Realm,"

"But its vast territory, rich spiritual energy, and abundant resources far surpass those of our human realm by hundreds or even thousands of times..."

Then, Zhou Xun recounted his experiences in the Immortal Realm.

Yun Kutian listened, completely captivated, his eyes filled with boundless longing and anticipation, and he murmured:
"The Immortal Realm... is truly such a sight!"

"If I could personally set foot in that world and witness the flourishing of the Great Dao, I would have no regrets even if I were to pass away immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun said seriously:

"Master, why do you say such a thing? With your abilities, you were still able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in the mortal realm, a place where the vital energy of heaven and earth is gradually depleted and the laws of the Great Dao are obscure and not yet manifest."

"If we reach the Immortal Realm, our cultivation will surely advance by leaps and bounds. We can easily step into the Void Refining Realm, and in the future, we will have a great chance to break through to the Great Dao of Integration!"

Upon hearing these words, Yun Kutianjun's eyes shone with an unprecedented brilliance.
He then pulled Zhou Xun aside and inquired in detail about many aspects of the immortal realm, such as its customs, sects, and cultivation levels.

Zhou Xun patiently answered all of them.

After a long while, Lord Yunkutian finally let out a satisfied sigh, his face beaming with a broad-minded and expectant smile:

"Having heard your words today, I now realize the vastness of the world and the boundlessness of the Great Way!"

……

Deep within the Ghost Realm, in the eerie and magnificent Ghost Emperor City.

Inside a magnificent hall built from countless pale skeletons and pitch-black ghost stones, the yin energy was so dense that it was almost tangible, and countless vengeful ghosts wailed silently among the pillars.

At the far end of the main hall, atop a towering imperial throne, sat a terrifying figure hundreds of feet tall.

He was clad in a dark imperial robe and wore a twelve-tasseled black crown, the tassels and beads hanging down, vaguely obscuring his face.

Only a pair of eyes, burning with dark, ghostly flames, peered down through the gaps in the tassels.

It exudes a suffocating sense of majesty and oppression.

It is none other than the Lord of the Ghost Realm—the Crying Ghost Emperor!
At this moment, a ghost king trembled and prostrated himself beneath the throne, his hands raised high above his head, holding a bone talisman that continuously emitted a chilling aura.

"Your Majesty, a report has arrived from the front."

"According to reports from the front lines, the Ghost Realm passage... will be completely stabilized and fully connected to the Human Realm in three days at most!"

“Three days…” The Crying Ghost Emperor chewed on these two words, and the space around his throne distorted slightly due to his emotional fluctuations, emitting a hum that seemed unable to bear the weight.

After a long pause, he let out a deep, satisfied chuckle.

"very good!"

He slowly raised a ghostly claw and gently waved it towards the void outside the hall. His voice suddenly turned cold and resolute, echoing throughout the entire Ghost Emperor City:
"By imperial decree—"

"The army marches forth, heading towards the passage!"

"Three days from now... we will set off for the human realm!"

(End of this chapter)