Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 531 A colossal warship soars to the heavens, sweeping away desolation; at the jade banquet, one listens to the rain and discusses the Dao (Seeking rewards and subscriptions!)

The Immortal Realm lies deep within the vast and boundless southern wilderness.

The gale-force winds, like billions of ferocious beasts roaring, stirred up the turbid clouds, tearing streaks of blood across the gray sky.

The earth was no longer fertile soil, but was tainted by violent energy and the fierce aura accumulated over millennia, presenting a scorched, thick, and withered color.

However, this is also the most fertile soil. Plants love to feed on corpses, and the flowers that grow on land where flesh and blood of living beings have perished are exceptionally vibrant the following year. After a successful attack, a great fire burns the land, and the following year it becomes a vast and boundless spiritual field.

This is the front line where Sect Leader Xuanji is leading the sect's pioneering war.

Looking down upon this battlefield where all the currents of energy flow, a colossal object floats in the sky. It is not a mountain, yet it appears more majestic than even the highest peaks.

It is not a city, yet its magnificent grandeur is enough to eclipse any immortal fortress. It is the warship "Giant Spirit" under the command of Lu Cheng.

Besides the four eighth-tier sect-protecting flying ships of the Taiqing Sect—'Heavenly Punishment,' 'Earth Destroyer,' 'Demon Slayer,' and 'Demon Refiner'—there are also thirteen seventh-tier flying ships, which are also the foundation of its deadly weapons.

Even if the Giant Spirit Ship isn't the strongest among them, it's still among the top-ranked.

To command this ship is to be considered the master of a realm. Even in the Taiqing Sect, one of the nine sects of the human race, one would be a core true disciple cultivator.

The ship's hull is entirely black and dark gold, covered with countless rune patterns containing powerful sealing and amplifying forces.

The ship was crowded with people, and each person had signed a contract before boarding, in which they would transfer magical power to the spirit ship during wartime.

"Captain, a high-level Primordial Beast has been discovered 70,000 miles to the southwest. The pioneering force is unable to resist and has already suffered heavy losses..."

"Okay, I'll handle it."

The next moment, the runes and spirit patterns on the giant ship lit up. It was no longer the most common spindle shape, but after a series of changes and reorganizations, it transformed into a slender, tall, and towering metal giant!
Its towering metal body, with its sharp edges, exudes a brutal beauty of power and order.

The joints are not simple hinges, but a complex array like the movement of stars. The rotation and friction produce a deep, rolling thunder-like, yet exceptionally precise roar, and each movement causes the surrounding void to ripple and tremble slightly.

At this moment, extremely long, blazing white flames were continuously shooting out from behind the metal giant, propelling the ship rapidly toward its target location and landing.

If pioneering in the Immortal Realm were easy, it wouldn't be called a war.

A cultivator at the Void Returning stage is already considered a powerful figure in the Earthly Immortal Realm, but in the pioneering wars, they only have a high degree of self-preservation ability. They have died in past pioneering wars of various sects and factions, and some spiritual forces have even been destroyed as a result.

Therefore, many races in the spirit realm would rather fight amongst themselves than easily start a war of conquest.

Because the various tribes have a relatively good understanding of each other, but what lies deep within the wilderness is difficult to fathom.

This is also why Lu Cheng has been hesitant to ascend his true form to the Immortal Realm; on the one hand, he still has many worldly ties to settle.

The most important reason, however, is that the four essentials for cultivating immortality are: method, location, companion, and wealth.

Lu Cheng has been cultivating and comprehending the Taoist Transformation and Ascension Technique on his own, and is currently creating his own method. This method does require a great deal of effort and time, but it has no requirements for the spiritual environment. There is little difference between comprehending it in the mortal realm and in the immortal realm.

Secondly, if the main body is in the lower realm, trade between the two realms can continue. However, if the main body ascends to the upper realm, even if it leaves behind spirit beasts and channels in the mortal realm, the uncertainty of this matter will increase significantly.

This involves two aspects: law and wealth, land and companionship. In the entire Earthly Immortal Realm, there are few forces that dare to say they surpass the Taiqing Sect of the human race.

The spiritual energy environment and the Daoist atmosphere allow avatars to absorb nourishment in place of the original body, so Lu Cheng will not easily ascend to the upper realm before he has exhausted this benefit. Although he is not afraid of taking risks, he will not take unnecessary risks either.

After a short while, a black and gold, slender metal giant descended, wielding a heavy shield in one hand and a lightning spear in the other. This was no ordinary weapon; the giant blade, wrapped in thick, purplish-red lightning, resembled a mountain leaping with thunder, exuding a terrifying aura!
In his other hand, he held a giant shield that almost covered half the sky. The shield surface flowed with a luster like magma or liquid metal, and countless mysterious runes flickered, radiating an absolute defensive power as heavy as a star core.

Confronting this colossal metal warrior was a terrifying, bizarre creature coiled in the churning, inky swamp below—it resembled mud, was as black as a python, and had many sharp teeth!

Between the opening and closing of its gleaming white teeth, what it spewed was not flames or poisonous smoke, but a "breath of annihilation" powerful enough to corrode space and defile spiritual energy.

Its enormous body was like a living swamp, constantly writhing, merging, and splitting into countless mud tentacles. At the tip of each tentacle was a huge mouth full of sharp teeth, devouring all the energy and matter it came into contact with.

"Roar!!"

At this moment, multiple giant heads roared in unison, forming an all-pervasive mental shockwave that stirred up the spiritual energy of the entire battlefield, causing the sea of ​​consciousness of some pioneering cultivators with slightly lower cultivation levels to churn and almost vomit blood.

Its aura was chaotic, violent, and filled with decay, almost reaching the power of returning to the void. It was unimaginable that it could possess such terrifying power without any cultivation or even a fully developed mind.

Like a wild beast, it has lived in this area for countless years.

However, in the depths of the universe, there exist countless bizarre and terrifying stellar beasts. It is not unreasonable to compare the vast and desolate world of the Immortal Realm to the universe.

"Roar—!"

A tremendous roar, like the hiss of a python or the roar of a dragon, reverberated throughout the universe.

Sensing the threat before it, the ancient beast suddenly raised its sixteen rotten giant heads high, simultaneously spewing out twelve thick, destructive breaths!
Why twelve paths? Because four of them are just following along with the roar.

Wherever the energy pillar passed, the void seemed to be splashed with concentrated acid, emitting a hissing sound and leaving behind blackish-gray corrosive cracks that could not be healed for a long time.

Countless mud tentacles below surged forth from the swamp like a black tidal wave, rushing straight at the metal giant before it, each one carrying a malice that seemed to devour everything.

'The array pivots are linked, and mountains surround us!' Lu Cheng's calm divine sense resounded through the core crystal, instantly echoing in every corner of the giant spirit ship.

The enormous metal giant remained completely unmoved in the face of this attack.

The runes on the surface of the giant star shield suddenly shone brightly, and countless illusory mountain images appeared out of thin air, layer upon layer, instantly forming a tangible barrier! It was heavy, solid, and unshakable!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!
The twelve breaths of annihilation slammed into the barrier, exploding into large, dark green clouds of filth. The extremely terrifying corrosive power eroded the barrier wildly, producing a scraping sound that made one's teeth ache.

But the shield-like barrier only rippled violently, its surface radiance dimming slightly, yet it remained unmoved! Like a mountain standing firm against the world, impervious to all laws!

The reason why giant spirit ships are so powerful is that all the cultivators inside can connect their magic power to supply the spirit ship. Although the flow, purification and condensation in this process will inevitably result in huge losses, the total amount of magic power that is finally gathered is already terrifying enough.

Lu Cheng used the Giant Spirit Divine Weapon to block the attack, and at the same time, the giant spear wrapped in condensed purple lightning moved.

"Kill!"

The giant's bladed arm swung with unimaginable speed! It was no longer clumsy, but an extreme speed imbued with terrifying magical power and the power of laws!

The Acquired Great Dao, the Power of Mountains. The giant spirit ship itself is imprinted with the laws comprehended by the shipbuilder. Controlling a spirit ship is extremely rare in this world. It is a method that allows cultivators to experience and comprehend two different and profound Great Daos. However, Lu Cheng is different. He cultivates the Great Dao of Innate Power, into which all laws and Great Daos in the world can be integrated. Therefore, experiencing and comprehending the Acquired Great Dao of Mountains is also beneficial to Lu Cheng's own comprehension of his own Great Dao.

The giant blade and spear slashed through the sky, instantly transforming into a curtain of deathly light!
Even when piloting the same spirit ship, the combat power of the spirit ship will vary depending on the pilot's combat ability. As for Lu Cheng's own combat ability, there is no need to elaborate.

"Buzz—Zzzzz—Pfft!"

The sound of spears tearing through the void, the roar of thunder, and the muffled thuds of severing filthy flesh blended into a bloody symphony!

The mud tentacles that surged like a tidal wave were instantly sliced, shredded, and evaporated in large swathes under the sweeping arcs of light from the spear and giant blade, just like butter thrown into a hot blade!
Dark green blood poured down like a torrential rain, falling into the swamp below and emitting a sizzling, burning stench.

However, the ancient beast's body was extremely tough. Its core body was only torn open by the giant blade with a few deep wounds. As soon as the dark green pus and blood gushed out, the swampy mud around it rushed in, trying to fill and heal the wounds!

The twelve ferocious giant heads writhed wildly, spewing out a continuous stream of destructive energy. Some clung tightly to the giant shield, while others tried to bypass it and attack the main body directly.

"You beast! All cannons, fire!" A fierce glint flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes, and he gave the order in an instant.

In an instant, hundreds of jets suddenly burst open on the shoulders, arm armor, and sides of the metal giant's massive body:

Crimson flames of fire, azure lightning of wood, sharp sword energy of metal, heavy magnetic light of earth, surging cold tide of water, black and white energies, divine lightning of the pure sky, and even filthy blood light... countless rays of light converged wildly and were unleashed all at once in the next moment.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh—!! Countless thick beams of light, like a colorful rainstorm, tore through the sky and precisely covered the massive body of the Primordial Wild Beast. It was no longer a test, but a saturation-style destructive attack.

Boom! ! !
The continuous explosions became the only sound in the world!
The fire burns away the filth, the divine thunder shatters the rotting flesh, the sword energy cuts through the body, the magnetic light heavily suppresses its regeneration, and the cold tide freezes the surging mud and swamp.

The form of this ancient beast was constantly collapsing and deforming amidst the turbulent flow of ten-colored light, emitting a series of shrill and twisted howls!
Large chunks of dark, rotten flesh and bones, mixed with foul blood, splattered in all directions, falling to the ground and turning a hundred-mile stretch of land into a deadly, poisonous wasteland.

'This attack isn't enough to kill it, keep going!' Lu Cheng keenly sensed that the ancient beast's life force was stubbornly gathering towards the core hidden deep within.

The Taoist took a deep breath, golden flames burning in his eyes, and a vast and boundless divine thought completely merged with the core of the giant spirit ship.

"Mysterious Yellow Pagoda, suppress demons and vanquish evil!" Lu Cheng shouted, his hands forming hand seals like phantoms.

hum! ! !
The entire giant spirit ship emitted an unprecedented hum, and its hull burst forth with dazzling, mysterious yellow light!

Because above the head of this metal giant appeared a dark yellow pagoda. Compared to the giant, it was minuscule and extremely small, yet it exuded a powerful aura of Dharma that could suppress the universe and pacify the earth, water, wind, and fire!

"Mysterious Yellow Demon Suppression!"

Lu Cheng completed the hand seals with both hands, and then suddenly threw it downwards.

He extracted a wisp of energy from the Xuanhuang Pagoda, which spun rapidly in the air and transformed into a massive Xuanhuang seal that blotted out the sky!

Carrying the gravity of a collapsing world, it slammed heavily into the location of the Primordial Wild Beast.

At the same time, the giant raised his thunderous blade high, concentrating all the magical power he could muster into a single thrust.

"Shatter the void and sever the emptiness!"

The spear transformed into a lightning rainbow that tore through everything, striking with unparalleled speed that surpassed even the lock-on of divine sense, arriving first despite being behind, and piercing with perfect precision at the very spot where the filthy life will of the ancient beast was concentrated!
boom------!!!!!!!
An unprecedentedly massive and devastating explosion has occurred!
Time seemed to stand still at that moment, before being completely torn apart by a violent torrent of energy.

The Xuanhuang Seal descended first, like the crushing weight of an ancient divine mountain. The dark swamp below, along with most of the remains of the ancient beasts, was instantly crushed into the most primitive particle state by the irresistible gravity. Immediately following, the "Severing Void" thrust sent a long rainbow of lightning piercing into the core that had been frozen by the seal, precisely striking the pulsating, dark core filled with eerie eyeballs. A violent burst of destructive lightning exploded from within the core!

An indescribable shockwave spread rapidly in a spherical shape from the point of impact. Space itself cracked like thin ice tossed with a boulder, spiderweb-like fissures instantly spreading for hundreds of miles!
All the impure energy, the crushed will, and the regenerating swamp were completely purified, decomposed, and annihilated by this one strike!
Only a huge, smooth, glass-bowl-shaped vacuum zone remains!

The wind died down, and the thunder ceased.

The billowing smoke and turbulent energy slowly dissipated, revealing a clean area beneath that had been completely cleared, with even the ground itself having been "scraped" away in a thick layer.

The despairing aura of the Primordial Wild Beast vanished completely.

Only in the air remained, the towering black and gold metal giant slowly retracted its giant blade, and the giant shield on its left arm transformed back into an arm armor.

Only the giant's dark, golden body still radiated a chilling, eerie glow.

Only in Lu Cheng Dao Ren's hand was there a dark sphere covered with strange eyeballs. This was the only spoils of war. He handed it over to the sect, and perhaps it could be used to refine something of good quality.

'This ancient beast is far too powerful; there's no way to hold back. Unlike the previous mammoth-like beast, whose body we could kill and hand over to the sect for a reward of merit.'

Lu Cheng is not short of spirit stones or money, but the merits of the Taiqing Sect cannot be exchanged for them, at least not directly with spirit stones, so he still needs them.

……

The central hall, located in the core area of ​​the Giant Spirit Ship, is named "Cloud Soaring Mountain Guardian".

The bloodshed and malevolent aura of war have been completely shut out. The spatial expansion technique within the hall operates with exquisite skill, resembling a refined grotto.

Jade flooring, golden beams and jade pillars. Screens carved with auspicious dragons and phoenixes and celestial maidens scattering flowers divide the main hall into several elegant spaces.

The star-shaped gemstones inlaid on the roof resemble the stars in the sky, casting a soft and pure light.

The music played on silk and bamboo instruments was no ordinary tune. Inside the hall, a spiritual spring gurgled, and several dragon carp with golden scales and lively eyes frolicked leisurely in it, the splashing water droplets imbued with spiritual energy.

The banquet was attended by celestial maidens with graceful forms and pure auras. Some of them danced in the air, their skirts fluttering, while others moved with light steps, serving up spiritual fruits and fine wines from the celestial realm.

What one sees and hears is an atmosphere of ethereal beauty and fragrant aromas, a truly magnificent scene of immortals attending a banquet.

At this moment, jade tables were arranged in a circle. The delicacies on the tables were all rare and precious, and the spiritual wine and jade liquor seemed to nourish the body and soul with every sip.

In the main seat, Lu Cheng had changed out of his battle robes and was now wearing a light yellow Taoist robe embroidered with dark gold cloud patterns. He looked relaxed and at ease.

Seated on either side of him and below him were all familiar faces:

Jin Shayu remained as carefree and unrestrained as ever, leaning against a soft cushion sewn from the fur of an unknown spirit beast. He poured himself a drink from a jade wine pot in one hand, while occasionally plucking a spirit fruit from under the flowing sleeves of the celestial maiden beside him and chewing it with relish.

An Xiaoyue sat quietly to Lu Cheng's right, her face as beautiful as a moonlit night-blooming cereus. She wore a simple, water-moon-colored Daoist robe and exuded a peaceful demeanor as she enjoyed the banquet and dance. Compared to the past, her aura was more refined and pure, suggesting a significant improvement in her magical power.

Wan Shuang'er remained the most vibrant and beautiful among the group, dressed in a flowing brocade robe, her jade pendants jingling. She was currently chattering away with Mo Xuan, who seemed somewhat helpless. As a cultivator proficient in spiritual plants and array formations, Mo Xuan possessed a gentle and vital aura, and his cultivation had stabilized at the Nascent Soul stage.

Duan Tianyan and Shang Qingyu sat facing each other. Duan Tianyan's blood and energy were as vigorous as a furnace, and his aura was powerful and condensed, clearly indicating that he had made further progress in his cultivation.

In addition, Yan Xiao Daoist, Chu Yibai, Liu Qingmei and Bai Zhi were also present. Lu Cheng has been rising in power in recent years and has gotten along well with the aristocratic families of the Taiqing Sect. Now that he is a core disciple of the sect and the keeper of the Giant Spirit Ship, the aristocratic families naturally will not let their relationship cool down, and the two sides have frequent interactions.

A large number of vested interest groups is indeed a key factor in the decline of a power, and this is a problem that is unavoidable for any power.

Lu Cheng wasn't opposed to the powerful families trying to win him over. In this sect's pioneering war, their influence could play a role in many ways, at least ensuring that he wouldn't be squeezed out or harmed.

Of course, in return, Lu Cheng will also arrange for many cultivators from aristocratic families to join local prefectures or giant flying ships to accumulate battle merits.

Because of Lu Cheng's good relationship with cultivators like Wan Shuang'er and Duan Tianyan, Lu Cheng managed to select quite a few elite disciples from aristocratic families and place them in the Giant Spirit Ship or local markets. Over the years, regardless of how many achievements they made, they managed to avoid causing any trouble.

At this moment, the post-war banquet was a bit noisy, but Lu Cheng also felt a certain degree of relaxation in both body and mind.

The banquet was in a great atmosphere, with everyone toasting and talking about the thrilling battles of pioneering the land, the unique scenery of the Immortal Realm, and interesting stories from their past cultivation experiences.

After several rounds of drinks and dancing, Wan Shuang'er put down her jade cup, her clear, bright eyes sweeping around the room. With a hint of amusement, she spoke:

"Fellow Daoists, this great victory in clearing the wilderness and driving away the ancient evil is a great deed in accordance with the will of Heaven. I recall some interesting anecdotes I heard while traveling in a market not long ago. They are closely related to the cultivation of immortality and the choices of one's destiny. Why don't I tell them to you for your amusement?"

Her clear, melodious voice, coupled with her distinguished status, instantly drew the attention of most of the people present. Even the surrounding celestial music seemed to automatically lower its volume slightly.

Lu Cheng glanced sideways, a hint of interest piqued by the words of his shrewd and well-informed old friend. He raised his hand, took a sip of his wine, and waited for him to continue.

Wan Shuang'er parted her lips slightly: "It is said that in a certain great clan, there is a cultivator at the peak of the Returning to the Void realm, whose Dao name we will not mention for now. This demon has cultivated diligently for nearly ten thousand years, and his realm has reached this point, making further progress difficult. His lifespan is already nearing its end. Looking at his life, although he has not had any earth-shattering encounters, he has steadily accumulated a considerable fortune—several rare mineral veins and spiritual springs, four carefully cultivated spiritual herb gardens that have been cultivated for ten thousand years, and a wide variety of magical treasures he has refined, spiritual jade he has accumulated, and classic texts and techniques he has collected. The total value of these is enough to be equivalent to the thousand-year legacy of an ordinary great sect. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he has 'millions in assets'."

Wan Shuang'er spoke calmly, yet the implication of that immense wealth was enough to spark the imagination.

"When people are about to die, their thoughts are all different. Normally, such accumulation would be used to scheme for disciples and relatives, exchange for longevity medicine for a final gamble, or make some preparations for reincarnation and cultivation. All of these are legitimate paths. Unexpectedly, before his death, this old cultivator dismissed all his relatives and disciples, leaving only his most beloved only daughter, who had quite good aptitude but only had a low level of magical power."

"And he told her that she must find a man as soon as possible. But the man must meet two conditions: one is that he must be capable and able to protect her. The other is that he must be honest and kind, so that he will not deceive or cheat her because he is after her millions of dollars."

"Protecting oneself and sustaining life?" Duan Tianyan, being the most impatient, couldn't help but blurt it out, raising his thick eyebrows slightly: "That old cultivator accumulated a huge fortune throughout his life, but instead of passing it on to his daughter so she could cultivate on her own, he sent her to seek reliance on someone else? Isn't that abandoning one's own strength? It's rather short-sighted."

An Xiaoyue frowned slightly and said softly, "Junior Sister Shuang'er, this senior has accumulated such wealth. Even though my cultivation is still shallow, I could seek the protection of the sect or use this wealth to obtain a powerful person's promise of protection. Why resort to such a desperate measure? Is there some other hidden reason behind this?"

"Sigh, if that woman is a troublemaker, she'll be dealt with by a powerful cultivator once she causes trouble, twice, and then again three, four, five, or six times. Will anyone still care? In the end, it's safer for her to find a husband."

(End of this chapter)