Immortals of the End Times

After the meeting, the setting sun gilded the peaks of the Immortal Saint Sect with a golden edge, and Zhao Wuji strolled with Elder Wei on the suspended walkway.

The purple-gold unicorn robe shimmered in the twilight.

The disciples of the Immortal Saint Sect he encountered along the way all stopped and bowed, their gazes becoming even more respectful when they fell upon the first sword token at his waist.

"Is the number one one the Heavenly Kirin of the Kirin Sword Sect?"

"I heard that when he slew the Crimson-Eyed Demon King, he used a sword control technique that splits sword light, a technique that even my master didn't comprehend."

The murmurs drifted on the wind, but Zhao Wuji seemed not to hear them, his gaze fixed on the distance.

In the distance, amidst the sea of ​​clouds, a green peak points to the sky like a sword, with the golden roof of the Taoist temple atop it appearing and disappearing in the glow of the sunset.

"The Yin-Yang Fish Formation left behind by Master Zhang before he ascended to heaven is still in operation today."

Elder Wei lightly swept his whisk from his sleeve, and the mountain shadow suddenly rippled, revealing golden array patterns interwoven like a net.

He pointed to the majestic mountain silhouettes that were faintly visible in the sea of ​​clouds in the distance: "That was the Wudang Immortal Mountain in the past, which has now merged with the Qi of the Immortal Saint Sect."

"pity."

He shook his head and sighed softly, "This mountain guards the vital energy and spiritual core of the Central Plains. Apart from the direct disciples of Wudang, even the elders of other sects are not allowed to enter lightly. Otherwise, we should take Master Zhao to pay homage to the place where Patriarch Zhang attained enlightenment."

Zhao Wuji's eyes flickered slightly, and he felt that the Yin-Yang Pearl in his sea of ​​consciousness was resonating subtly with the array patterns in the distance.

A strange feeling stirred within him. He recalled the "Yin-Yang Strategy" he had seen in the ancient encyclopedia of talismans, and casually probed, "I've heard that many Nascent Soul Dao Lords ascended to the heavens and never returned from the Nine Heavens. Did True Master Zhang also go to the Nine Heavens back then?"

Before he could finish speaking, Elder Wei lowered his brows.

This land!

The old Taoist priest gazed up at the sky, his eyes reflecting the drifting clouds, and shook his head, saying, "It's called a blessed land, but in reality, it might just be a shallow, trapped pool. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would struggle to survive."
Each time the spiritual energy is depleted, it's like being cut by a dull knife, killing countless Dao Lords and True Lords.

Only the top sects, relying on the protection of their qi veins, can still barely survive.

Elder Wei looked at Zhao Wuji and suddenly lowered his voice: "According to the sect's records, more than seven hundred years ago, the last Dao Lord who remained said before he passed away that all of this might be related to the collapse of the ancient Immortal Court."

He remained tight-lipped, then transmitted his voice, saying, "I suspect it's probably an ancient battle between gods, and the small fry are suffering the consequences."

Those Nascent Soul Dao Lords who are unwilling to ascend to heaven will eventually pass away due to the harsh changes in their cultivation environment. At most, before their passing, they will arrange for the protection of their sect's spiritual veins to prolong their lives and bring blessings to future generations.

"Even Nascent Soul Dao Lords are not free to control their own destiny?"

Zhao Wuji frowned, somewhat incredulous, and stared at the end of the sea of ​​clouds, saying, "Beyond the Nine Heavens, is it a path to life or a dead end?"

"Who knows?"

Elder Wei sighed and chuckled, "The spiritual energy depletion that occurs every three hundred years means that a Nascent Soul cultivator with a lifespan of three thousand years will have to endure five cycles of the Dharma-ending Calamity. As the saying goes, supernatural powers cannot overcome karma. The stronger one's magical power, the more difficult it is for them to withstand such a calamity."

Therefore, remaining in this degenerate age is like being trapped in a sinking boat; knowing there are monstrous dragons in the deep sea, one must still jump in to fight for a way to survive.

In the distance, the golden array patterns on the summit of Wudang Mountain shone brightly, gilding the figures of the two with gold edges.

Elder Wei sighed, "Those who could leave have left. Even if the road to the Nine Heavens is arduous and full of calamities, it is still better than sitting in a well and waiting to die."

Let this old man choose! If I had the ability, I would also like to go to heaven and see for myself!

"Let's go up to the sky and take a look."

Zhao Wuji looked up at the sky, his eyes reflecting the swirling clouds of the nine-layered heavens.

He had seen some of the scenery in the sky.

With his current Golden Core realm cultivation, he would naturally be no match for a Nascent Soul True Monarch in a direct confrontation.

However, in terms of survival ability in the face of harsh environments, with the two great heavenly spaces and the seventy-two earthly fiend techniques, it is definitely superior to the Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Even he wasn't confident he could break through to the second level of the Nine Heavens; he might even have had a hard time getting to the first level.

No wonder even the Star River Daoists of yesteryear were unwilling to go up to the Ninth Heaven to take a look.

"Master Zhao, do you know why I'm telling you so much?"

At this moment, Elder Wei suddenly changed the subject and smiled.

Zhao Wuji's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded, "Is it because I have comprehended Master Zhang's Yin-Yang Sword Intent?"

"Not only that," Elder Wei said meaningfully, "but also because of the True Martial Sword in your hand!"

"Oh?" Zhao Wuji was startled.

He rarely used the Zhenwu Broken Sword, and very few people knew that it was in his possession.

Mo Wenjian was one, as were Hua Lengyun and Hua Qingshuang, who were familiar and close to him. Almost everyone else he had met was dead.

"From the moment you stepped into the main hall, I knew that the True Martial Sword was in your hands."

Elder Wei raised his snow-white eyebrows slightly, lightly touched the distant sea of ​​clouds with his whisk, and said with a smile: "Master Zhao, look at the Golden Summit of Wudang. The golden light is as bright as day and never fades. Such a phenomenon is definitely not ordinary."

This phenomenon will only be triggered when an artifact with a very deep connection to Master Zhang appears in the world.

Zhao Wuji's heart skipped a beat, and he stared intently at the scene.

Amidst the surging clouds, the golden summit atop the green peak shone like the blazing sun, its array patterns flowing like an inverted galaxy, subtly echoing the Yin-Yang Pearl in the sea of ​​consciousness.

His gaze darkened as he thought to himself, "So that's how it is. This golden roof is actually echoing the True Martial Sword?"

"Sword cultivators in the Nine Provinces are as numerous as carp crossing a river, but those who can comprehend the Yin-Yang Sword Intent of the Sword Tomb are few and far between."

Elder Wei, his sleeves fluttering, said meaningfully, “Among the heroes gathered here today, apart from you and me, no one else has comprehended this Dao. And only those who understand Yin and Yang are qualified to take possession of the ancestral treasure.”

"I see."

Zhao Wuji nodded, then suddenly raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on his face, and said, "Elder, do you perhaps wish to retrieve this sword for Wudang?"

"Hahaha!"

Elder Wei laughed loudly, his voice shaking the clouds and sea, "The choice of a master for a spiritual treasure is ordained by Heaven! The True Martial Sword is the weapon of Ancestor Zhang, which has been spiritually connected for a thousand years. Since it is willing to recognize you as its master, it must be the arrangement of Ancestor Zhang in the dark."

How dare this old Taoist priest defy the will of Heaven?

Zhao Wuji's sharp glint softened slightly, but he still retained a hint of wariness: "What is the elder's intention?"

Elder Wei suddenly stopped smiling, his aged eyes gleaming with a sharp light: "I originally only suspected that you possessed the legacy of the Patriarch, but now that I know you are the True Martial Sword Master Zhao, would you be willing to follow me to the summit of Wudang Mountain and see the place where the Patriarch attained enlightenment?"

He raised his hand and pointed to the towering sword peak in the sea of ​​clouds. The golden light on the mountaintop blended with the twilight, making it seem like a celestial gate from another world.

"Wasn't it said that only direct descendants of Wudang could go up that mountain?"

Zhao Wuji's eyes flickered slightly.

Elder Wei laughed and said, "You wield the True Martial Sword. You are not like a direct descendant, but you are better than a direct descendant. You are someone who has been recognized by the patriarch."

Zhao Wuji pondered for a moment, trying to guess the security situation, then suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Since Penglai Sword Pavilion has been taken over by Huang Shang, why is its sect leader Fu Yue here today? The Immortal Saint Sect should be well aware of the current situation of Penglai Sword Pavilion."

"Hahaha!"

Elder Wei's snow-white eyebrows suddenly flashed with a sharp light, and he clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "How dare Huang Shang really usurp the nest?"
"If that's the case, even if my Immortal Saint Sect fails to uphold justice, your Qilin Sword Sect and the other friendly sword sects will certainly not stand idly by."

He lightly swept the whisk in his sleeve, stirring up wisps of spiritual mist. "It's nothing more than borrowing half of his grotto-heaven to reside in and jointly devise a strategy to resolve the end of Dharma."

Both sides reached an agreement and tacit understanding afterward, as it was mutually beneficial.

"Oh?" Zhao Wuji only then realized this, and thought to himself that there was something more to the old Taoist's words.

He immediately followed up with, "What is the intention of the Immortal Saint Sect?"

"It's difficult."

Elder Wei suddenly stopped smiling, looked up at the sky, and saw a hazy sea of ​​clouds outside the hall: "If those occupying the mountain were ordinary evil demons and heretics, our sect would have long ago united with other sects to eliminate them and protect the righteous path. But Huang Shang..."

He shook his head and sighed softly, "This person had already attained the Nascent Soul Dao when spiritual energy was flourishing. Some of the former Nascent Soul Dao Lords were his peers, and many sects owed him favors."

Nowadays, most newly promoted Nascent Soul True Monarchs address him as Grandmaster Uncle.

"Back then, he studied the Daoist Canon of Longevity not only to seek immortality, but also to unravel the mystery of the depletion of spiritual energy."

Because in this world, if one wants to live forever, one cannot avoid the calamity of the Dharma-ending Age, and even with the highest level of cultivation, it will be difficult to achieve anything.

This should have been the heavy responsibility of a Nascent Soul Dao Lord.

At this point, Elder Wei sighed, "It's a pity that he later became possessed by demons while studying the Taiping and Yinfu scriptures, turning himself into a monster that was half-human and half-blood puppet. Even his temperament and personality changed drastically."

Zhao Wuji frowned slightly. "Huang Chang colluded with the evil dragon of the deep sea and the leader of the Yin army to invade Penglai. Isn't that colluding with evil forces?"

Elder Wei's eyes, beneath his snow-white brows, rippled with emotion as he lightly swept his whisk across the surface: "What is righteous? What is evil?"

He conjured a blue lotus from his fingertip, its petals opening and closing to reflect the myriad aspects of human life. "So-called demons are nothing more than labels we attach to those who have lost all conscience."

The old Taoist suddenly pointed his fingers into a sword, and the green lotus exploded into a sky full of sparks: "Even tigers do not eat their cubs, but demons will devour their own blood relatives. Such beings without any bottom line are evil and heretical. They were all driven out to the states beyond the river back then."

“But,” he said calmly, rolling up his sleeve, “some of these beings, though not human, are law-abiding citizens.”

That deep-sea dragon has guarded the sea eye for a thousand years, and the leader of the ghostly army has restrained hundreds of thousands of vengeful spirits. Their grudges with Penglai are, in the end, just personal disputes.

As for Huang Shang.

Elder Wei stroked his beard and said, "This person possesses a ten-thousand-year-old Daoist treasure. What he has sought for many years is nothing more than to unravel the mystery of the depletion of spiritual energy."

After our sect leader personally admonished him, he has recently become much more restrained.

The old Taoist suddenly raised his eyes and laughed, "If he can truly unravel the secret of the universe and resolve the crisis of spiritual energy depletion, then this world in its final days will be the greatest blessing."

Zhao Wuji's eyes flickered slightly, and he already understood.

The actions of Huang Shang, a thousand-year-old monster, after leaving the mountain, have likely already been tacitly approved by the higher-ups of top forces such as the Immortal Saint Sect.

He pondered to himself, "This old ghost is studying the Daoist Canon of Longevity, and all he seeks is to break the calamity of the end times. This coincides with the grand ambitions of those Daoist masters who have transformed into immortals, and it also meets the needs of the development of the cultivation world."

No wonder he gained the recognition of forces like the Immortal Saint Sect.

He figured out the key to it.

In some ways, Huang Shang and he were kindred spirits.

However, he followed the path of using the Yin-Yang Pearl to steal lifespan and prolong life, and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques to explore the secrets of heaven.

Huang Chang, on the other hand, studied the mysteries of the Daoist canon, attempting to collect the Nine Tripods of Yu the Great.

"It seems everyone is focused on the big picture and not bothered by minor details."

"Looking down on the whole country from the top floor is like looking at a chessboard. As long as the minor friction between the pieces does not affect the overall situation, no one will care."

Zhao Wuji suddenly thought of his senior uncle Yan, who had been taken away by Huang Shang some time ago. Given that old monster's temperament, if he hadn't been warned and intimidated by a behemoth like the Immortal Saint Sect, how could he have complied with his senior uncle Yan's request to swear an oath before taking him away, instead of directly trying to take his life as he had done in the beginning?

The rules of this world have always been...
It emphasizes momentum over tactics, and importance over details.

Even a sage cannot possibly take into account both the big picture and the details.

As he was pondering, Elder Wei's snow-white eyebrows relaxed, and he lightly swept his whisk, saying, "Would Master Zhao be willing to accompany this old man to Wudang Mountain for a visit?"

"It's what you wish for."

Zhao Wuji immediately clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, his purple-gold robe fluttering in the spiritual wind, a hint of anticipation appearing in his eyes.

Perhaps there are clues hidden on that mountain about Zhang Zhenren's slaying of the heavens and the Dao.

"Hahaha! Please!" Elder Wei laughed and waved his sleeve in invitation.

The two figures rose into the air and flew towards the Golden Summit of Wudang Mountain.
In mid-air, the disciples of the Immortal Saint Sect were in an uproar when they saw Elder Wei personally leading Zhao Wuji toward Wudang Mountain.

"My God! Elder Wei actually took him to Wudang Mountain himself?" A disciple in blue robes stared wide-eyed.

The purple-robed female cultivator beside her exclaimed in surprise, "That's the forbidden area of ​​Wudang! Apart from the direct disciples of Wudang, even the heads of the various peaks rarely get to enter!"

A cultivator who flew by on a sword said, "You didn't see it, did you? Just now, the Qilin in the hall broke the sword energy of the Heavenly Crystal Sect elder with just a glance! Perhaps that's why they made an exception?"

"More than that!"

Another person gestured excitedly, "The three great swordsmen of the White Jade Sword Pavilion joined forces to use the Eye Sword Technique, but the opponent didn't even draw their swords, and that was it!"

He mimicked Zhao Wuji's calmly raised eyes, "Whoosh—all three sword lights shattered!"

On the cloud bridge, two elders stood watching Zhao Wuji's retreating figure.

An elderly man in blue stroked his beard and sighed, "This Master Zhao's sword intent has reached the pinnacle. At the Nine Provinces' Number One Swordsman Tournament, I'm afraid his sword will illuminate nineteen provinces with its brilliance!"

"Not necessarily." The blue-robed deacon shook his head and smiled. "In my opinion, such a prodigy will definitely advance directly to the finals as a seed."

Those ordinary sword cultivators weren't even qualified to make him draw his sword.

The old man in blue exclaimed in amazement, "Since the revival of spiritual energy, to reach such a level at this age is truly remarkable."

He took a deep breath, “He will surely become a Nascent Soul True Monarch in the future! Among the disciples of all branches of my Immortal Saint Sect, only two can rival him. As for whether he can surpass him in the future, it may just be a matter of cultivation level.”

Upon hearing this, the disciples behind him all became solemn, their eyes filled with longing.

For a time, everyone in the Immortal Saint Sect who saw the figure flying towards Wudang, whether they were true disciples from various peaks or ordinary disciples, was whispering among themselves.

Meanwhile, inside the Penglai Sword Pavilion, the Sword Pool was shrouded in cold mist, and chilling sword energy swirled like a dragon at the bottom of the pool.

Huang Shang stood with his hands behind his back outside the pool, his gaze fixed on the dark patterns on the Zhenhai Stele opposite him. He lightly tapped the surface of the stele with his fingers, and the sound of metal striking stone made the sword energy in the pool tremble slightly.

With a flick of his sleeve, a jade slip containing his image floated in mid-air.

Inside the main hall of the Immortal Saint Sect, the scene of Zhao Wuji transforming his eyes into swords and breaking ice lotus cups unfolded in the mist.

“Your junior disciple is already powerful enough to make the elders of Tianjing Sect and Baiyu Sword Tower unable to lift their heads.”

Huang Shang spoke indifferently, as if stating a trivial fact, “And you? I have given you a lot of resources, yet you still haven’t broken through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.”

Inside the sword pool, Yan Lan remained silent, with only the water rippling slightly.

"Logically speaking, it's rather strange that your nephew comes from such a barren place as Tiannan."

Huang Chang narrowed his eyes. "How could a mere family-inherited medical and martial arts practice produce such a monster? I have already investigated this in secret."

Huang Shang sneered, "Before he was fifteen, he didn't even have a decent iron sword, but now he has mastered the superb swordsmanship of sword light differentiation. He is a person who can master so many techniques and is so proficient in them."

Even in times of abundant spiritual energy, such occurrences are extremely rare; I am one of them.”

The surface of the Sword Pool rippled without wind, reflecting Yan Lan's pale face; she remained silent.

Huang Shang snorted coldly, knowing that he wouldn't get much information about Zhao Wuji from him, and said coldly.

"Three years."

His voice was as cold and hard as iron, "If you still cannot break through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm and refine the spirit of the Sea-Suppressing Stele, and cannot sense the Nine Cauldrons, do not blame your master for using secret methods to force you to improve your realm."

As soon as he finished speaking, he rolled up his sleeve, and the jade slip shattered, turning into specks of spiritual light that dissipated into the cold mist of the sword pool.

The hunched figure, shrouded in a heavy sense of twilight, slowly departed.

"That old monster Huang Shang has already begun to investigate me in secret?"

Meanwhile, inside the Zixiao Palace of the Wudang lineage of the Immortal Saint Sect, Zhao Wuji had already sensed Huang Chang's actions in an instant through the talisman water seed lurking in Yan Lan's body, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

Yan Lan was his best informant.

With her by Huang Shang's side, he could not only keep track of the progress of her plans at any time, but also seize the benefits she had planned in the future.

The mantis catches the cicada, and the oriole is behind.

However, he still needs to be cautious.

This old monster is learned in both ancient and modern times, and has read extensively in various classics.

They may not be unaware of the existence of the Seven Great Treasures, and may even know the secrets of the Nine Yin and Nine Yang Pearls.

For now, he remains discreet.

Since entering Wudang, the Yin-Yang Pearl has been restless.

Especially now that they are inside the Purple Cloud Palace.
Zhao Wuji stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the magnificent Taiji diagram floating in the hall.

The Yin and Yang energies circulated continuously, and the Yin-Yang Beads vibrated more and more violently.

It was as if the picture contained a great deal of Yin and Yang essence, which was frantically attracting the Yin-Yang beads.

Zhao Wuji remained calm, gazing intently at the Taiji diagram, carefully comprehending the Yin-Yang Taiji sword intent contained within it.

As he observed, his swordsmanship proficiency quietly increased within his mind.

He suddenly raised his hand, and the True Martial Broken Sword appeared out of thin air!

choke! !

With a flash of sword light, Elder Wei's pupils shrank sharply.

The palace elders standing to the side were also startled, and immediately looked intently at the broken sword.

"True Martial Sword!!"

"The ancestral master's magic sword!"

Elder Wei and Elder Shou Gong both focused their gazes on the broken sword, their expressions filled with barely suppressed excitement, their eyes revealing an almost pilgrimage-like piety and fervor.

However, when their gaze fell upon the broken sword, the two couldn't help but show expressions of regret, as if the broken part had wounded their own Dao heart.

The True Martial Broken Sword circled once in front of the Tai Chi diagram, its blade trembling slightly and emitting a clear, melodious sword cry, as if resonating with the Yin and Yang energies.

Finally, the sword light subsided and landed steadily in Zhao Wuji's palm.

Just as the sword entered his palm—

"boom!"

Zhao Wuji was deeply shaken, and in a daze, he seemed to transcend time and space and sense the presence of that legendary figure.

I felt the spirit, wisdom, and experience of this legendary figure, which surged forth like a tide at this moment, unhindered by time and space.

The scene before his eyes suddenly changed, and the image of Master Zhang wielding his sword and ascending to the heavens appeared clearly in his mind once again.

This time, the picture is clearer than ever before.

He was an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face. His features were gentle and refined, and his skin was as smooth as a baby's, yet it did not seem out of place at all.

What's most captivating are those eyes, seemingly calm and reserved, yet they seem to hold a wisdom that sees through the world and a carefree spirit that has seen through the illusions of life.

He stood tall above the heavens, his Taoist robes fluttering in the wind, his demeanor calm and composed, yet possessing an aura that shook the heavens and earth.

That was not a deliberate display of power, but rather a natural demeanor that came from years of experience, revealing the style of a grandmaster in every gesture.

call! !

Suddenly, the opponent flew away from the Golden Summit of Wudang on a sword, soaring straight to the heavens, as if to cleave the heavens and earth with his sword and unravel the secrets of the nine heavens.

Zhao Wuji's mind soared to the heavens along with this figure, and he was completely immersed in enlightenment.

His aura resonated mysteriously with the Tai Chi diagram, and the Yin and Yang energies spontaneously swirled around him, forming a slowly rotating Tai Chi phantom.

Even within the Yin Pearl, swordsmanship proficiency began to surge rapidly.

Layers of sword intent burst forth from his body, his black hair danced wildly in the invisible energy, each strand of hair seemed to be wrapped with sharp sword intent, stirring up visible ripples of sword energy within the Purple Cloud Palace.

The sword intent had reached its limit, as if it would break through some kind of constraint at any moment.
Like the clouds before a storm, thunder is gathering and ready to strike!
"He had an epiphany?!"

"I never expected this to happen. For so many years, no one has been able to comprehend the Taiji Diagram of Zixiao Palace, yet he can sense something about it?"

Upon seeing this, Elder Wei and Elder Shou Gong's eyes shone with even greater excitement.

The two exchanged a glance, both reading the same shock and enlightenment in each other's eyes.

This top swordsman of the Qilin Sword Sect is very likely the successor chosen by the founder from another generation!
The Wudang lineage has always revered the natural way of heaven, the Tai Chi Yin and Yang, and the principle of predestined affinity.

Now that this disciple from another sect has become the successor of the patriarch across generations, the two not only did not find it puzzling, but were instead filled with awe, saying that it was all the will of Heaven.

They dared not be negligent in the slightest, and immediately withdrew respectfully from the hall, carefully closed the door, activated the protective formation, and strictly prohibited anyone from disturbing Zhao Wuji's comprehension.

He then didn't dare to delay for a moment and immediately set off to report to the sect leader and the supreme elder.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji's mind soared to the ninth heaven along with the image of Master Zhang in his mind, and the scene before his eyes flashed by like a streak of light.

In the first level, the Soul-Devouring Gale was like ten thousand swords tearing at bones, and Zhang Zhenren's Taoist robe was torn inch by inch, but he used the Yin-Yang Sword Intent to turn the Gale into a gentle breeze.

In the second realm, the bewitching clouds manifest the myriad aspects of the mortal world, while the True Martial Sword within his sleeve resonates, shattering illusions with a single strike.

In the third heaven, terrifying lightning intertwined into a net. He stepped on the Tai Chi diagram and charged upwards in reverse, the lightning being swallowed up by the Yin and Yang energies...

Up to the ninth heaven, the blazing sun scorched through the sea of ​​clouds. Master Zhang pointed his sword at the sky, and the Tai Chi diagram rotated between Yin and Yang. The golden flames that filled the sky suddenly collapsed, and the blazing sun turned into a Yin wheel, transforming into a rotating Tai Chi symbol that appeared behind him.

But at this moment, a thick, murky yellow fog still covered the sky. In the fog, half of a rough face appeared, and a single, ferocious eye suddenly opened.

That single, cold eye looked down, its pupil reflecting the magnificent scene beyond the nine heavens: countless ruins of buildings suspended in the void, and chains intertwined, their destination unknown.
(End of this chapter)