Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 584 A Spiritual Treasure Conceals an Ancient Scheme, A Buddhist Weapon Hints at Calamity Across the Nine Provinces (Seeking Donations and Subscriptions!)

Deep within the Tianjue Canyon, within the spiritual vein cave belonging to the Taiqing Sect, clouds and mist rise and fall, and spiritual energy flows like a spring.

In the previous bloody battle, Elders Mingque, Minghe, and Tongzhen combined the power of the cultivators' array formations to severely injure Wugu Can, a Mahayana elder of the Chi Demon Clan. The sect leader, True Person Lu Cheng, even single-handedly fought against the Yellow Spring Elder, a renowned figure of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan for tens of thousands of years, and ultimately even seized his clan's treasured spiritual artifact.

After this battle, the tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact "Longevity Tribulation Wheel" made the Tianjue Canyon defense line completely as solid as a rock.

The fierce and menacing aura of the Chi Demon was dampened, and although the blood clouds inside and outside the canyon had not completely dissipated, a sense of peace and tranquility had begun to emerge.

In the quiet chamber of the cave, Daoist Lu Cheng sat cross-legged, his body enveloped in a layer of misty, mysterious light. His face was slightly pale, but his aura was as deep and unfathomable as the ocean.

Having been killed twelve times in succession by the Ghost Clan's immortal artifact, the Longevity Tribulation Wheel, even with the Taoist supreme secret technique "Mysterious Heaven Divine Skill" (i.e., the Transformation and Ascension Technique) protecting his path, normally each rebirth from death would be extremely taxing for a cultivator, even damaging his very foundation.

However, the mystery of the Xuan Tian Divine Skill lies precisely in this: it is a unique skill that tempers the Dao body and refines the primordial spirit in extreme life-and-death situations!

At this moment, the magical power within his body, which had been somewhat restless, fiery, and violent due to the successive fierce battles and rapid progress, became increasingly refined and harmonious under the operation of the Xuan Tian Divine Art, as if it had been tempered a thousand times.

This technique is inherently extremely domineering, becoming stronger with each setback and practice. Being killed twelve times in a row actually helped Lu Cheng's internal energy flow smoothly, his anger subside, and he became increasingly adept at using it.

After being cleansed by the immense magical power, the bones and flesh seemed to have undergone ten thousand years of tempering by heaven and earth, becoming increasingly crystalline and resilient, faintly revealing an immortal and indestructible Daoist aura.

Concentrating on his practice, the heavens and earth turned, day and night alternated, and after an unknown amount of time, Daoist Lu Cheng slowly opened his eyes.

The light in his eyes, at first like the unopened chaos, was deep and unfathomable, then turned clear, like the reflection of the starry sky, and then instantly subsided, returning to a plain and gentle state.

The severe injuries in his body had healed by seven or eight tenths. Although he had not yet recovered his twelve life force, his spiritual consciousness and magical power were even stronger than before.

"To use its advantage, one must first blunt its edge. Just as one cultivates for countless eons to prove one's supernatural powers, this Taoist guardian divine skill cannot be truly mastered without experiencing countless bloody battles against powerful enemies."

Then, Lu Cheng opened his palm, and an ancient, pale white roulette wheel floated out.

This Falun is neither gold nor stone, and its material is difficult to identify. Its surface is engraved with extremely complex ancient patterns, which seem to encompass the mysteries of birth, aging, sickness, death, and the flourishing and decay of all things.

Just by getting close, one can feel an invisible force quietly plucking at the heartstrings, affecting all sentient beings. This is the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan's treasured artifact—the Longevity Tribulation Wheel!

Normally, there are no true immortal artifacts in the Earthly Immortal Realm. However, as long as you pile up magic power and materials on a ninth-grade high-quality spiritual treasure, and given enough time and enough magic power, you will eventually be able to refine a magic weapon with power far exceeding that of an ordinary ninth-grade high-quality spiritual treasure. This is what is called a pseudo-immortal artifact.

Lu Cheng gently released his magic power from his fingertips, transforming it into a wisp of pure and refined Xuanmen Qi, which he carefully probed into the core of the roulette array.

The Longevity Wheel trembled slightly, its surface patterns flowing like living things, and a powerful force of resistance and a cold aura containing the law of death surged out.

Lu Cheng groaned, and the pure energy at his fingertips was instantly eroded and annihilated. If it weren't for his extremely sturdy physical body, which exploded into sparks under that energy, this energy would have even flowed back into his body and transformed him into a Netherworld Ghost Clan member.

Although Lu Cheng was under attack, his eyes shone even brighter, because the power of the laws of life and death contained in this spiritual treasure was profound and mysterious, far beyond imagination.

"What a Longevity Tribulation Wheel! What a tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifact! It is indeed no ordinary thing." Lu Cheng muttered to himself, his tone not showing any frustration, but rather the interest of an explorer.

Although this thing is ferocious, if one can understand the mystery of life and death cycle contained within it, it will be of immeasurable benefit to his future breakthrough to higher realms, and even to his cultivation of the Dragon Tiger Sword Scripture and perfection of the Mysterious Heaven Divine Art.

Of course, this thing is of great importance, and how to deal with it is also a huge problem.

Many more days passed. Lu Cheng practiced cultivation to heal his injuries and comprehend the pseudo-immortal artifact, the Longevity Tribulation Wheel. After many years, he seized an opportunity to issue three talismans.

Seven days later, the cave's restrictions fluctuated slightly, and three immense auras, as deep as the sea, quietly descended.

"How is the Sect Leader recovering?" Mingque Daojun's calm voice came first.

"I am still in meditation and have difficulty moving around. Please come into the cave to meet me, three elders. Please forgive any inconvenience caused."

Lu Cheng waved his hand to open the barrier, and the three Mahayana Dao Lords, Ming Que, Ming He, and Tong Zhen, entered the meditation room together.

"Thank you for your concern and protection, Elders. I am now in good health."

Lu Cheng put away the Life-Extending Tribulation Wheel and rose to greet him:

"The reason we were able to sever Huang Quan's arm and seize this immortal artifact, the Dharma Wheel, is entirely due to the three elders' strong suppression of Wu Gu Can in the previous battle, which prevented him from being able to spare any attention. Furthermore, after the victory, they launched a counterattack against Huang Quan. Otherwise, the situation would have been unimaginable."

Tongzhen Daojun was impatient and waved his hand, saying:
"We are all cultivators of the same sect, why be so polite! Besides, the sect leader has embarrassed us greatly. Even with many against one, we still failed to achieve complete victory. On the contrary, the sect leader, with his combined cultivation, fought against the old thief Huang Quan. This achievement and cultivation is truly admirable."

"But, Master, have you figured out how to deal with this hot potato?"

Lord Minghe, though gentle in nature, was also meticulous in his thinking, and replied:

“Junior Brother Tongzhen is absolutely right. The Longevity Tribulation Wheel is the treasure of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan, cultivated and refined over generations with countless efforts, making it of extraordinary significance to their clan! If we were to forcibly seize it, it would be tantamount to declaring war on the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan, which is not a wise move. Although the human race is now on the rise, it has made too many enemies, and the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan is elusive and ruthless. If we were to become entangled with them, the consequences could be disastrous.”

The reason why the Taiqing Sect has not yet been approached by many Mahayana ghost cultivators of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan is probably because the Yellow Spring Elder is afraid of punishment and has not yet exposed the matter and is still trying his best to cover it up. However, the truth cannot be hidden forever, and a foolproof plan still needs to be considered.

Among the three Supreme Elders present, Mingque Daojun was the most mature and prudent, and also the most senior. He stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and slowly said:
"Judging from the previous actions of the Old Man of the Yellow Springs, he tried his best to hide his true identity. Therefore, this matter should only be his personal attack on us, rather than the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan directly declaring war on us."

Therefore, returning it is not impossible. However, the Ghost Clan must pay a sufficient price! Leaving aside the magical treasures and vital energy expended by the Sect Leader, the fact that Old Ghost Huangquan used this treasure to attack and kill the Sect Leader of a top-tier human sect is a colossal crime. If it were returned lightly, wouldn't it make the Taiqing Sect appear easily bullied and the human race weak?

After carefully listening to the opinions of the three elders, Lu Cheng slowly nodded: "What the three elders say is very true. This treasure is of great importance. Whether to return it or not requires weighing the pros and cons, and also depends on the attitude of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan towards our clan. However..."

The Taoist priest abruptly changed the subject, a deep doubt flashing in his eyes: "What truly puzzles me is the Yellow Spring Elder's motive. If the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan truly intended to wage a full-scale war against the human race, with grand ambitions, given their status, they could have openly and legitimately allied with the Chi Demons, or even incited other races to launch a military campaign against the Eastern Pole. Why would they need to resort to such a sneaky assassination? Moreover, at the outset, he went to great lengths to conceal his identity, clearly out of fear of exposure and unwilling to drag the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan into the open conflict. This... isn't it a contradiction?"

Upon hearing this, the quiet room fell into a deep silence, lost in thought. The three Grand Elders were no fools; the contradiction Lu Cheng had pointed out was precisely the unresolved doubt swirling in their minds.

The topic was heavy, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.

After a moment, Tongzhen Daojun broke the silence and brought the topic back to reality: "No matter who is behind him, the most urgent thing is to deal with this Life Tribulation Wheel. Just leaving it like this is no different from holding a red-hot iron."

“It cannot be held for long.” Lu Cheng took out the Life Tribulation Wheel again, and the Dharma Wheel slowly rotated in his palm, emitting a cold luster.

"The laws of life and death contained in this treasure are of great benefit to our cultivation. Before returning it, we can use its Daoist energy to comprehend it, but we must remember not to delve too deeply into its refinement, lest we be eroded by its original death energy, and we must not recklessly use its power, which could cause unpredictable changes."

The three Dao Lords present lit up upon hearing this and nodded in agreement. Even just grasping the basics of the Dao intent of such a tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact was better than a hundred years of arduous cultivation.

Daoist Mingque added, “As for the conditions for return, I have three: First, a massive amount of resources must be compensated to make up for the losses suffered by our sect leader and the depletion of our sect in the great war. The compensation standard must be at least enough to make the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan feel the pinch. Second, they must hand over concrete evidence of their collusion with the Chi Demon Clan and their attempt to assassinate our sect leader, as well as information on the mastermind behind it. Third, they must swear a blood oath on the fate of their clan, promising never to take the initiative to be an enemy of our human race again within ten thousand years, and to restrain the behavior of their clan’s cultivators. If they cannot do this… then let this Wheel of Life Calamity become a ‘trophy’ for my Taiqing Sect’s treasury, something to be admired only!”

The tenth-tier ghost clan pseudo-immortal artifact requires special cultivation techniques to activate, especially the life-shaving divine power that the Yellow Spring Elder used before, which is the core true teaching of the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan. If the Taiqing Sect cultivators were to cultivate and comprehend it on their own, by the time they succeeded, it would probably be the eighth true teaching of the Taiqing Sect. The time, manpower, and resources required would be incalculable.

Lu Cheng nodded: "Elder's words are absolutely right. I will trouble you with this matter. In the name of our sect leader and all the elders, prepare a 'discussion' document for the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan. Once the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan discovers that the Life Tribulation Wheel is missing, issue it immediately. The wording... should be a bit strong."

"Leave this matter to me," said Daoist Mingque without hesitation. The topic shifted slightly, and Daoist Minghe, recalling something, said, "During the Sect Leader's seclusion, news came again from the Eastern Pole Creation Palace. Palace Master Mo heard that our sect was fighting a fierce battle against two enemy Mahayana cultivators in the Heavenly Desolation Canyon. Although we won, we suffered considerable losses, so he has sent reinforcements again. This time, it is Zen Master Xiaoyue from the Western Great Zen Temple, a highly virtuous monk at the Mahayana realm (early stage; those referred to as Mahayana are always at the early stage, otherwise their specific realm would be stated directly). He is proficient in Buddhist demon-subduing supernatural powers and various secret methods, and will arrive at the Heavenly Desolation Canyon soon. Palace Master Mo made it clear that the defense of the Heavenly Desolation Canyon will still be primarily led by our Taiqing Sect, with Zen Master Xiaoyue only providing support."

“Xiji Zen Temple? Zen Master Xiaoyue… I am also aware of the brilliance of Vajra and Prajna Vidyarajas. I never imagined that there were so many eminent cultivators in Buddhism. It is truly a place of great prosperity.” Lu Cheng pondered for a moment after hearing this before replying.

The Western Great Zen Temple is located in the far west of the human race's territory, far from the Eastern Heavenly Domain. The fact that it would send Mahayana Buddhist cultivators here at this time is probably not just because of Mo Yanxing and the Eastern Creation Heavenly Palace.

At this moment, Daoist Mingque stepped forward and added:
"Master, speaking of the Great Zen Temple, there is another matter. Just now, when we were discussing the foundations of the various races in the Earthly Immortal Realm, it reminded me of a secret."

According to clandestine sources, the wealth and spiritual power accumulated by the Western Great Zen Temple over the past 100,000 years are terrifying. Recently, there have been indications that they are secretly collecting some unparalleled treasures, seemingly attempting to forge a pseudo-immortal artifact of the tenth rank in the Buddhist sect! If this treasure is completed, its power may rival that of the Human Emperor's Sword. Furthermore, forging such a supreme treasure requires an enormous number of 'Buddhist weapons.' This might explain why, in recent years, high-ranking cultivators from the Western Great Zen Temple have been frequently active on various battlefields in the Earthly Immortal Realm… they are consciously 'collecting' and 'forging' weapons!

The top thirty races in the Immortal Realm each possess a treasured heirloom. Among the nine sects of the human race, the Three Emperors Palace has the longest history and deepest foundation. It enshrines three tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifacts: the Human Emperor Sword, the Heavenly Emperor Golden Armor, and the Earth Qilin.

Among them, the Earth Qilin is an ancient true spirit, once subdued by the ancestors of the human race, and its whereabouts are unknown. It is rumored that it has returned to chaos. The Heavenly Emperor's Golden Armor has its spiritual light restrained and has been sealed for many years, making it uncontrollable by anyone.

Currently, the only thing the Three Emperors Palace can barely communicate with and borrow a trace of its power from is the Human Emperor Sword! It is said that this sword is related to the fate of the human race and is a divine weapon that can revolutionize the world!
Among the top thirty races in the Immortal Realm, the human race is one of the best at crafting weapons. The Sky Patrol Fleet of the Taiqing Sect, the Heavenly River Fleet of the Yuqing Sect, and the Heavenly Craft Creation City of the Eastern Extreme Creation Palace are all super-large ninth-order war magic weapons that are comparable to or even surpass the tenth-order.

However, the Heavenly Punishment Flying Ship could not easily leave Mount Taiqing, and the Heavenly Craft Creation City was the location of the Eastern Extreme Creation Heavenly Palace. Therefore, it was not as infamous as many easily portable tenth-order pseudo-immortal artifacts, but it was more powerful in suppressing the fate of sects and races.

The Buddhist sect's weapon-forging techniques are slightly inferior to those of the Taoist sect. However, after 100,000 years of preparation, they are now forging a Buddhist sect's tenth-tier pseudo-immortal weapon. Regardless of success or failure, it is truly a grand undertaking and a display of great ambition!
"The world is bustling with activity, all for profit. Forging a pseudo-immortal artifact is not something that can be accomplished overnight. We must first deal with the Chi Demon and the Netherworld Ghost Saint Clan."

Lu Cheng knew that with the information leaked to this extent, the Western Great Zen Temple's weapon forging had probably been going on for many years. But regardless of whether the Western Great Zen Temple could forge that pseudo-immortal weapon or not, they were still a force that could be won over when facing alien races like the Chi Demon and the Netherworld Ghost Saint Clan.

Meanwhile, countless miles away from the Heavenly Canyon, deep within a mountain crevice shrouded in deathly silence.

The old man of the Yellow Springs was emaciated, his white hair as dull and lifeless as frost and snow. At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on a black stone, practicing his incantations and internal energy.

At the wound where his left arm was severed at the shoulder, a dense, almost tangible aura of death from the underworld swirled around it, yet wisps of golden light, imbued with the intent of immortal swordsmanship, stubbornly eroded and destroyed it, preventing the severed arm from regenerating.

His aura had deteriorated to an extreme degree, and his cultivation level even showed signs of declining.

The loss of the Longevity Wheel not only meant the loss of his clan's most precious treasure, but also damaged his vital energy. In the void, faint wails and curses echoed, the backlash from the resentment of countless souls and spirits that the Old Man of the Underworld had collected over tens of thousands of years.

Suddenly, this deathly silent space rippled violently, not because of a surge of primordial energy, but because of a "fold" in the spatial rules.

A shadow, composed entirely of deeper darkness, silently appeared before the Old Man of the Underworld.

This shadow had no facial features, no physical form; it seemed to be merely a "concept" that devoured all light.

"Useless." A cold, emotionless voice resounded directly in the core of the Yellow Springs Elder's consciousness, like ice rubbing together, carrying contempt and unquestionable authority.

Old Man Huangquan trembled violently, his withered face twitching with pain from his injuries and fear. He struggled to rise and pay his respects, but was firmly suppressed by the other's invisible and immense divine will.

"Your Excellency, please calm your anger!"

"...It's not that I didn't use my full strength, but that brat Lu Cheng's technique is bizarre! I activated the Life Tribulation Wheel twelve times, cutting off his lifespan of twelve lifetimes, and each time I confirmed that his life force was cut off and his primordial spirit was dissipated! But he... but he was able to reverse life and death and manipulate fate every time! This is simply... this is simply not a technique that should exist in the human world!" The Old Man of the Yellow Springs tried his best to defend himself, describing the scene of Lu Cheng's resurrection as breathtaking, in an attempt to lessen his guilt.

"Hmph!" A cold snort came from the shadows, tinged with disdain and impatience.
"The Xuanmen Dan Ding Refining Body Secret Manual, the Daoist Immortality? It's nothing but a stupid technique for getting beaten up! It prolongs life by consuming one's own essence, seemingly immortal, but in reality, every 'resurrection' consumes the deepest potential of one's life essence! This is a short-sighted trick to quench thirst with poison! The foundation is damaged, the Great Dao is cut off! What is there to fear?"

"But...this person's cultivation method is mysterious and unpredictable, unlike..." Old Man Huangquan wanted to say more.

"Shut up!" The shadow's will struck the Yellow Springs Elder's primordial spirit like a heavy hammer, instantly rendering him speechless. His soul was wracked with excruciating pain, and his already pale face turned ashen.

"Failure is failure! Any excuse is laughable! The Life-Extinction Wheel has been lost, your whereabouts have been exposed, and the Taiqing Sect has only used this to establish its authority! How can the Master's plan tolerate your repeated mistakes?"

The old man from the underworld trembled violently, prostrating himself on the dark stone of the netherworld, no longer daring to offer any explanation, seemingly filled only with endless fear.

The shadowy figure seemed to have calmed its anger slightly, and its icy intent continued to penetrate the Yellow Springs Elder's sea of ​​consciousness: "The human race... has indeed been too active in recent years. That junior of the Three Emperors Palace was able to simultaneously trigger the resonance of the Human Emperor Sword and the Heavenly Emperor Golden Armor, which is an ominous sign! Those bald monks of the Western Great Zen Temple, relying on their abundant resources, dared to attempt to refine a tenth-tier spiritual treasure like the 'Eight Heavenly Dragons Pagoda,' and they even plundered Buddhist weapons everywhere, stirring up the calamity energy! As for the Taiqing Sect... Lu Cheng's rise has been so rapid, his fortune so great, and his cultivation methods so strange, he certainly needs to be 'taken care of'."

"What is the Lord's will..." the old man from the underworld asked cautiously, enduring the excruciating pain.

"The Eastern Celestial Palace of Creation, Mo Yanxing... the 'seed' buried for ten thousand years, is about to sprout. Wugu Tu's schemes alone are probably not enough to deal with Mo Yanxing, we need to lend him a hand."

"When it engages in a decisive battle with the main force of the Chi Demon at the City of Heavenly Creation, that will be the moment its Dao Fruit matures, transforming it into a puppet to turn against its master! At that time, the Eastern Heavenly Palace will be destroyed, one of the nine sects of the human race will be eliminated, and although the Chi Demon will be weakened, it will also be able to clear obstacles for our master. And you…"

The shadow's "gaze" seemed to fall on the Old Man of the Underworld, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

"The matter of the Life Cycle will be decided by the clan. The Lord, remembering your past merits, is giving you another chance to atone for your sins. If you fail again, your name will no longer be etched in the Yellow Springs!"

Before the words were finished, the deep shadow vanished silently into the folds of space, like an ink droplet dissolving into water, as if it had never existed.

Only the Old Man of the Underworld remained, kneeling alone on the cold, dark stone of the Netherworld, the sword intent burning at the severed arm, his primordial spirit branded with chilling commands and bone-deep fear. The deathly shadows around him seemed to come alive, carrying boundless malice, threatening to devour him completely.

For countless millennia, I have remained under the control of this organization.

Whether it was luck or misfortune, when he was just a minor cultivator of the ghost race, he was unexpectedly drawn into this organization called "Spirit Lord".

Because of this organization, I was able to cultivate and improve step by step, rising from a mediocre cultivator to the pinnacle of power in the Nine Nether Ghost Saint Clan. Furthermore, because of this organization, I was able to wield the tenth-tier pseudo-immortal artifact, the Longevity Tribulation Wheel.

But because of this organization, even if one has cultivated to the Mahayana realm, there is still no freedom whatsoever. Once the organization issues an order, no matter how difficult or dangerous it may be, or whether it violates the interests of the race, the order issued by the superior must be completed.

The Old Man of the Yellow Springs had seen many cultivators whose magical powers surpassed his own die mysterious deaths after choosing to betray the organization.

Therefore, he was afraid and yielded, just like at this moment. He knelt there, not daring to raise his head.

Years later, the Heavenly Canyon.

Lu Cheng was personally receiving Zen Master Xiaoyue, a Mahayana cultivator from the Western Great Zen Temple, one of the nine sects of the human race, in a sacred mountain cave.

This Zen master, dressed in a moon-white monk's robe, chanted Buddhist mantras, and golden swastika symbols shimmered all over his body, truly a great Buddhist master with profound spiritual power.

However, Lu Cheng Daoist is now the head of the Taiqing Sect, and his status is no less than that of the other party, and may even be higher.

Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators would naturally be trembling with fear in front of Mahayana cultivators, but Daoist Lu Cheng was composed, especially with three Mahayana Dao Lords from the Daoist sects accompanying him, which made Zen Master Xiaoyue feel somewhat pressured.

"This humble monk, Xiaoyue, greets the Grand Master of the Taiqing Sect."

A handsome monk in a moon-white robe bowed first, and Lu Cheng stepped down from the jade throne to help him up. At that moment, the distinction between host and guest was established.

(End of this chapter)