Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 514 Starship Soars Through Tribulation Waves, Rainbow Appears in Nuwa's Sacred Realm (4,000 words owed)

"Qiu Ruoshui of the Xuanxin Sword Sect, cultivation level: peak of the Nascent Soul stage, stable realm, having honed her skills for over a century. Suspected to possess the 'Seven Luminaries Profound Soul Sword Body,' she is innately close to the sharp metal energy, her body is like a sword embryo, illuminating all swords. Her natal flying sword is the 'Profound Soul Dividing Light Sword,' its specific rank unknown, sword properties: breaking through qi, swift, dividing light and shadow. Main cultivation technique: the core secret of the Xuanxin Sword Sect, 'Profound Heaven Jade Universe Sword Canon.'"

Record:

He once slew a mid-stage Nascent Soul Poison Dragon at Falling Star Gorge, breaking through its protective qi and inner core spirit with a single sword strike!

With a single sword, he broke through the Big Dipper Sword Formation set up by seven Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators of Tianyuan Sect in half a day without suffering any damage!

Three years ago, during the Xuanxin Sword Sect's internal competition, he surpassed the top disciple of his generation and was awarded the 'Enlightenment Stone' for studying. The sword technique's characteristics include: unpredictable sword light that shifts between reality and illusion, unpredictable attack trajectories, and extremely strange escape techniques, seemingly incorporating elements of void escape techniques.

Her master is the Supreme Elder of the Xuanxin Sword Sect, 'Sword Master Xuanji'. The Sword Master once said that this woman's sword heart is pure and clear, making her a sword immortal talent appearing only once every three thousand years.

"Seven Luminaries Profound Soul Sword Body..." Lu Cheng murmured these six words, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in his eyes.

This is one of the legendary innate physiques with the highest compatibility with swordsmanship, no wonder the Xuanxin Sword Sect attaches so much importance to her and has brought her to the forefront.

Then, Jin Shayu mentioned another name that deserves special attention:
"Xiao Han, a true disciple of the Lingyue Sect, is at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, with an extremely profound foundation in Daoist techniques. His cultivation method is the 'Eastern Peak Prison Suppressing Divine Qi,' which allows him to bear the earth's energy with his physical body, giving him boundless power in every move."

His expertise in supernatural powers and secret techniques:
The technique "Moving Mountains and Throwing Peaks" can briefly draw upon the earth's energy to create mountains, possessing immense power.

'Thousand Peaks Lock the Sky' is an earth-elemental supernatural power that greatly slows down the opponent's movements and the speed of their magical artifacts.

'Earthly Overlord Body': Physical strength and power are unparalleled among those of the same level. It is weak in spells but strong in supernatural powers. Natal magic weapon: unknown.

Battle record: Despite being severely injured, he withstood three blows from an old magic weapon used by a Void Returning stage cultivator, protecting his companions and ensuring their safety.

In the desolate and mysterious realm, he tore apart the Nascent Soul Earth-type ferocious beast "Earth-Splitting Demon Ape" with his bare hands!
During the Lingyue Sect's inner sect martial arts competition, he single-handedly swept aside dozens of body cultivators of the same level, failing to withstand a single blow. Unlike Qiu Ruoshui, a prodigy, he suffered hardship from a young age, yet accumulated twelve merits within the Lingyue Sect, steadily building his reputation as a true disciple, enjoying immense prestige.

"Besides these two, there is also Yuwen Zhuo from the Shenxiao Heavenly Sect. This sect specializes in the way of thunder and lightning, and its lineage is inherited from the ancient Thunder Palace. Yuwen Zhuo is ranked first among the current 'Four True Ones'. This young man is arrogant and violent, and he is good at drawing divine thunder from the nine heavens for his own use. He can make thunderous and powerful moves with lightning speed. His famous technique, the 'Shenxiao Annihilation Heavenly Gang Thunder Technique,' is said to be able to kill people of the same level instantly. It is domineering and unparalleled."

Duan Chen and Duan Xuan, brothers from the Donghua Sword Tomb, are a rare pair of twin sword cultivators. They are of one mind and practice the sect's "Two Elements Yin Yang Separation and Union Sword Scripture". The elder brother, Duan Chen, is dominated by Yang, and his sword style is vast and powerful; the younger brother, Duan Xuan, is dominated by Yin, and his sword intent is unpredictable and cunning.

Other formidable adversaries include Feng Qiansha, the "Ghost-Slayer" of the Nine Nether Abyss Sect, who is proficient in controlling ghosts and death spells; Ao Jun of the Dragon's Nest Cave, who possesses the bloodline of a true dragon and whose physical body is nearly innately powerful; and Luo Tieyi, the "Magnetic Master" of the Myriad Phenomena Boundless Mountain, whose magnetic power can disrupt the five elements and reverse yin and yang... Each of them is no easy opponent.

Just then, Lu Cheng's conversation with Jin Shayu was interrupted by a profound divine thought:

"Lu Cheng, come to the Cardinal's Hall immediately." Master He's voice, like the gentle ringing of a jade chime, resonated directly within one's heart.

Lu Cheng gave Jin Shayu a slight apology, and the latter looked at him with a knowing look, clearly guessing some of the reason behind it, before nodding and taking his leave.

Lu Cheng's figure swayed slightly, transforming into a streak of purple light that passed through layers of restrictions within the ship and instantly appeared in the core of the Starshattering Ship, the Cardinal Hall.

The star chart scroll in the hall continued to flow slowly. Master He stood with his hands behind his back in front of the main control hub. His aura was as deep and profound as an abyss, even more so than during the fierce battle in the void. Clearly, he had gained a great deal from this battle.

In the realm of Earthly Immortals, cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage have endless lifespans, so they are often unwilling to risk their lives. They may not have verified the Dao for thousands or tens of thousands of years, but each time they defeat a powerful enemy, they gain immense benefits.

Mr. He turned around, his gaze falling on Lu Cheng with scrutiny and undisguised admiration.

"Here you are." Master He nodded and got straight to the point: "In the battle of the Void Vortex some time ago, if you hadn't struck out and triggered the clash between the two demons, and unleashed the Returning Void True Fire, even if my senior brother had won, he would have paid a heavy price, at least delaying his cultivation for a thousand years."

"I was busy recovering from my internal injuries some time ago and didn't have time to think about you, but such a great contribution deserves a reward. I have already reported it to the sect and recorded your merit..."

"Besides, you helped me, so I should reciprocate in kind."

After speaking, Mr. He flicked his sleeves, and an extremely oppressive, massive black shadow, mixed with violence and filth, was lifted up by an invisible force and suspended between the two.

That was an enormous arm, perfectly formed, covered in dark gold magic patterns, and bulging with muscles!

The claws flickered with dark light, and the gaps in their scales seemed to be filled with bloodstains from thousands of years ago. The terrifying power contained within, even though it had been sealed by numerous runes, still caused the surrounding space to distort slightly, and the star chart in the Cardinal Hall dimmed for a moment.

This object is the arm of the demonic dragon Long Su who returned to the void!
This substance is exceptionally filthy, exuding a chilling aura. Even a trace of it could corrupt an ordinary cultivator, causing their physical body to crumble, let alone be refined. However, for certain individuals skilled in weapon crafting, talisman making, or pursuing extreme physical or poisonous cultivation paths, this is an absolutely coveted top-tier material, directly pointing to the secrets of the fundamental Dao principles. Its specific value is immeasurable.

“It belongs to you now.” Mr. He gently pushed the arm toward Lu Cheng.

"How you handle it is entirely up to you. Just remember, unless you use the best methods or trade with a reliable place, the dangers of this thing outweigh its benefits. I hope you will take good care of yourself."

After speaking, Mr. He said no more, but turned to look at the magnificent star scroll that was about to be unveiled outside the light screen.

Lu Cheng understood, made a deep bow with his hands forming a mudra, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Thank you for your generous gift, Senior Brother. Lu Cheng will remember it."

Lu Cheng dared not put the arm of the Void Returning Giant Demon into his Qiankun Bag or Qiankun Ring, otherwise he would surely destroy the magic treasure and the filthy magic power would seep out and attack him.

Lu Cheng simply used his own magic power to control it, making it float beside him. In fact, doing so was ten times more dangerous and perilous than putting it in a Qiankun bag or Qiankun ring, but Lu Cheng had the Samadhi True Fire by his side, so he was not afraid of its corrupt magic power.

Nowadays, cultivators begin their journey to the Golden Core realm, compressing their vast magical power to nurture a spark of true spirit. This process stabilizes the magical power and condenses it into a Golden Core, a qualitative transformation that leads to the title of Golden Core True Person. Upon reaching the pinnacle of their accumulated magical power, Golden Core True Persons begin to comprehend the changes in the laws of heaven and earth, the power of their own life force, and transform into a Nascent Soul, completing the first step in their transformation from human to immortal.

When a cultivator reaches this level, they are already close to the ancient immortals. Rather than saying that the physical body is the true form, it would be more accurate to say that the nascent soul is the true form.

However, in the Nascent Soul realm, without comprehending one's own fundamental laws, it is impossible to grow a Nascent Soul. The process of progressing from Nascent Soul to Primordial Spirit is, in essence, the process of raising a Nascent Soul infant into an adult.

At this stage, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is insufficient, and cultivators must draw power from the laws of heaven and earth until their primordial spirit is almost indistinguishable from that of a true person, gradually progressing from yin spirit to yang spirit.

From the primordial spirit/transformation spirit cultivation to the return to the void realm, the fundamental laws one comprehends gradually permeate the physical body, forming instincts. Therefore, what Long Su cultivates and comprehends are the laws of impurity. Even his remaining arm contains profound laws of impurity.

Even after being severed, it can still instinctively draw power from the laws, making it extremely filthy and malevolent.

More than a month passed after this incident.

Like a moving continent, the Shattered Starship traversed the boundless sea of ​​stars and finally arrived at the sacred land in the hearts of young cultivators in the Earthly Immortal Realm and even the surrounding countless small worlds—the Nuwa Immortal Pool Realm.

On the bridge, Lu Cheng stood side by side with Jin Shayu and An Xiaoyue. Even though they had already glimpsed some of the magnificent scenery from ancient books, seeing it with their own eyes still stirred their hearts.

What lies before us is not a single landmass or star as we might imagine, but a magnificent fairyland composed of countless floating sacred mountains, waterfalls flowing with seven-colored immortal springs, crisscrossing rainbow bridges, and fragments of a huge immortal pool radiating a rich vitality of creation.

The spiritual energy was so rich it was almost tangible, transforming into wisps of mist and rosy light that enveloped every inch of space. Taking a breath of it made one feel completely refreshed, as if it had a cleansing and rejuvenating effect.

The most central immortal pool in the distance is imbued with a vast divinity originating from the ancient times. Occasionally, a fleeting glimpse of a snake's tail can be seen skimming across the surface of the pool, exuding holiness and peace, inspiring boundless reverence.

"The Nuwa Immortal Pool truly lives up to its reputation as a sacred place for our human race!" Jin Shayu exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

Although An Xiaoyue's expression was cold, a hint of shock flashed in her eyes.

She came from an extraordinary background and had seen many blessed lands, but this was the first time she had ever seen a sacred place that combined the beauty of nature with the majesty of the gods.

Lu Cheng took a deep breath, feeling the vast yet gentle creative energy washing over every corner of his body. The Xuan Tian Divine Art circulated on its own, absorbing the traces of Dao essence contained within it into his body, nourishing his spirit that had been damaged by fighting against the filthy demonic claws over the past few days.

At this moment, a vertical arm floated beside him, its entire body covered in dark golden scales, its muscles bulging, and its nails sharp and curved, gleaming with a cold metallic luster.

Most chillingly, wisps of viscous demonic energy, as black as ink, coiled around the arm, constantly churning and twisting, faintly emanating the roars of trolls and venomous curses, corrupting the surrounding clear spiritual energy and causing it to stagnate and darken. The severed end of the arm was in a bizarre molten state, with wisps of destructive energy escaping, causing ripples to spread through the void.

Although Jin Shayu and An Xiaoyue were both nearby, they dared not get too close to Lu Cheng. Once they were touched by that filthy magic, it would not be something they could easily get rid of on their own.

After some time, the Taiqing Sect's Shattered Starship hovered above a huge floating mountain pavilion allocated to the Taiqing Sect.

After settling in, there were still more than ten days before the official opening of the Immortal Pool Sword Tournament.

The others either familiarized themselves with the surroundings, visited old friends, or honed their skills at the last minute. Lu Cheng, on the other hand, declined some invitations from his fellow disciples and quietly left the Taiqing Sect's headquarters.

The sacred land of Nuwa's Immortal Pool is jointly governed by the innate deity Nuwa clan and several human cultivators. The Nuwa clan has the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake. Most of them are women, and they are kind and benevolent by nature. As ancient innate deities, they are born with all kinds of incredible divine powers. Because the Nuwa clan has been close to and protected the human race since ancient times, they have accumulated great prestige among the human race over countless years. Human cultivators all over the world also jointly protect the Nuwa clan and are willing to give them some face in most matters.

The sacred land of the Immortal Pool is vast. Apart from the core area of ​​the sacred pool where the goddess Nuwa is strictly forbidden to cultivate in seclusion, a large-scale and extremely prosperous trading network naturally formed among the countless hanging islands, rainbow bridges and waterfalls on the outskirts.

The largest and most famous of them is a place called "Yunxu Wanlingxu", which cultivators usually refer to as "Xianchi Demon Market".

This place is not just for trading with the demon race in a narrow sense, but encompasses the Nuwa race, the human race, demon cultivators, spirits, and even some sea races, artifact spirits, and alien races from more remote star regions. With the Immortal Pool Sword Battle about to begin, countless cultivators are gathering, making it the golden opportunity for the exchange of all kinds of rare treasures, natural materials, and intelligence information.

For treasures like the Dragon's Arm, which are extremely high-level and particularly troublesome, only here is it most likely to find a suitable buyer or be exchanged for a treasure you desire.

Lu Cheng used a little magic to change his aura, transforming himself into an ordinary rogue cultivator wearing a plain gray-blue Taoist robe with an indistinct face. He then stepped lightly and joined a winding rainbow bridge suspended above the sea of ​​clouds.

Of course, the Dragon's Demon Arm beside him was also temporarily concealed by his magic.

The rainbow bridge beneath our feet is itself one of the wonders of this sacred place, known as the "Sunset Rainbow Bridge".

The bridge itself is not solid, but rather composed of countless strands of naturally condensed ethereal energy, shimmering with light and color, and feeling like supple crystal when stepped on. Along the rainbow bridge, at intervals, platforms of light and mist of varying sizes naturally condense, where countless cultivators sit on the ground, with rare treasures from all corners of the world spread out before them.

There was the "Phoenix Ganoderma," radiating a seven-colored glow and with leaves shaped like phoenix feathers. There was the "Starry Soil Ginseng," rooted in the void soil and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. There were also several strange saplings growing in jade basins, their roots entwined in the fine spiritual spring water.

There was also a dark red "Ground Core Molten Stone" that pulsated like a heart, emitting a scorching halo with each vibration; while the "Taiyin Cold Soul Mystic Ice" floated quietly, its coldness contained within, and fine frost flowers formed in the surrounding space.

Lu Cheng paused beside a tattered jade slip. It floated in the air, enveloped by layers of restrictive magic, revealing only fragments of text. Lu Cheng observed it for a moment and inquired about the price, but ultimately remained undecided and did not buy it. The main reason was that it was not cheap, and the possibility of it being the scripture he needed was too low.

Wandering and drifting, they went further and further away. Even the Cloud Ruins and Ten Thousand Spirits Market were not infinitely vast. Gradually, Lu City entered the deep mountains.

(End of this chapter)