Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 276 Xia Zuo Takes Over as Substitute Fighter

Fairy Jin Shunyao frowned slightly and asked softly, "In such an upper realm, with such immortals, what kind of path have we cultivators been cultivating?"

This question, seemingly directed at Xia Zuo, was actually a self-examination.

The fairy's expression was indifferent, as if she didn't care particularly.

But Xia Zuo clearly saw a crack visible to his spiritual sense appear within her two-headed nascent soul, which terrified him to the point of losing his mind.

The Nascent Soul is the true form of cultivators in the Nascent Soul, Transformation, Refinement, and Mahayana stages, representing the highest achievement of the fusion of divine soul and the laws of the Great Dao.

There are only two possibilities for the appearance of cracks on the nascent soul.

The cracks only appear when a cultivator's soul is severely damaged by a secret technique or magical artifact, bringing the soul to the brink of collapse.

Either the cultivator's soul and the Great Dao Laws of the Nascent Soul core clashed, causing the two to no longer merge and creating cracks.

In short, the problem is not with the laws of the Dao itself.

But no matter the reason, if it cannot be stopped in time, it will lead to the disintegration of the cultivator's nascent soul and the complete demise of their divine soul.

Because the problem lies with the Nascent Soul stage, the cultivator's death will be complete, and they may not even be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation again.

Correspondingly, the celestial demon residing in the cultivator's soul will also die completely.

Not wanting to die, Xia Zuo quickly shook his head and comforted her, "Little girl, you're wrong!"

"The Dao is there, eternal and unchanging. Even if the universe is destroyed, the Dao will still be the Dao."

Upon hearing Xia Zuo's words, Jin Shunyao's nascent soul eyes trembled slightly as she looked at him with a mixture of belief and doubt.

The nascent soul's pair of clear, large eyes seemed to be saying: If the fact that the immortals of the upper realm spread calamity energy is true, how can the Dao still be the Dao?

Fortunately, Xia Zuo had built up a great deal of credibility over the past century. Even though she was still somewhat skeptical, Jin Shunyao listened to a little of his advice, and the cracks in her nascent soul stopped spreading.

Xia Zuo quickly pressed his advantage, saying, "Little girl, you don't think there's only one in the Upper Realm, do you?"

"In fact, there are countless lower realms in the myriad worlds where immortals cultivate, and although there are far fewer, there are still countless upper realms."

"When there are hundreds of people, they come in all shapes and sizes; and the world is vast and diverse, so naturally it is also very diverse."

"The upper realms that operate in a reasonable manner are not like this. They do not excessively extract the fortune of the lower realms. They can effectively give back to and protect the lower realms. When they encounter calamities, they can digest them on their own, forming a sound operating system. Both the upper and lower realms can achieve prosperity and development."

"The terrible upper realm we encountered, which originated from the immortals of calamity, is actually a corrupt upper realm polluted by human hearts."

"Those upper realms that disregard the lives of those in the lower realms often find themselves in a state of exhaustion after a brief period of prosperity, and are thus forced to engage in the business of plundering the lower realms."

"Little girl, don't be discouraged about cultivating Taoism."

Listening to Xia Zuo's advice, Jin Shunyao's eyes gradually lit up, and the cracks in her nascent soul gradually healed, even becoming more solid.

Seeing the crisis resolved, Xia Zuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The communication speed between the Heavenly Demon Xia Zuoyue's Nascent Soul was extremely fast. Although they had a long conversation and thought process, it only took a moment for the outside world to understand.

After the Qingyan Sect leader spoke in a fit of rage, Jin Shunyao even had time to retort directly: "Ha, I used foul language to hurt people."

'

"Am I not telling the truth?"

"As the head of the Qingyan Sect, you did not investigate the matter or understand the cause and effect. You dared to condemn me based solely on your own observation of my defeat of the Punishment Hall Elder and the killing of dozens of disciples."

"Aren't you taking yourself too seriously?"

"Does he really think that just because he's become the leader of the Qingyan Sect, he's like an ordinary person becoming the emperor of a dynasty, able to make decisions with absolute power?"

"Even the emperor wouldn't dare to be so reckless, where do you get your courage from?"

The sect leader of Qingyan Sect loudly retorted, "Qingyan Sect is a righteous sect, with ironclad rules that strictly forbid fellow disciples from killing each other. You yourself admitted that you were the one who committed the murders and injuries; do I really need to judge your crime?"

Fairy Jin Shunyao sneered, "Ironclad rules and regulations? Strictly forbidding fellow disciples from killing each other?"

Why did you only say those two sentences?

"Is it no longer part of the Qingyan Sect's rules to strictly prohibit disciples from offending elders, and to kill on the spot anyone who falsely accuses, attacks, or besieges others?"

"Strictly speaking, I am your senior, Sect Leader. Your attack on me without cause is a capital offense."

The sect leader of Qingyan Sect had a livid face, but dared not utter a word of rebuttal.

He wasn't stupid. As soon as Jin Shunyao refuted him, he automatically broke through the thin layer of illusion caused by the tribulation aura and realized that this fairy with a higher realm did not believe in rules.

As long as Jin Shunyao is not superstitious and is not swayed by a few isolated and out-of-context rules, she does not need to prove her innocence. On the contrary, it is others who need to produce irrefutable evidence to prove that she has made a mistake.

Moreover, as one of the top-ranked powerful cultivators in the Qingyan Sect, Fairy Jin Shunyao's strength was enough to overwhelm everyone present, making it impossible for her to be forcibly taken down and forced to confess.

On the contrary, even if irrefutable evidence is found proving that she violated the rules, it will be of no use.

As long as Jin Shunyao doesn't admit it, given her strength, in the end the sect's rules will have to give in, and at most she'll have to give up some sect-issued benefits as a symbolic punishment.

The sect leader of Qingyan Sect was unwilling to back down until he saw the killing intent in Jin Shunyao's eyes, and it was killing intent directed at him. He immediately shuddered and sensed the most terrifying danger.

If Jin Shunyao, who is in the Void Refinement stage, is willing to give up half of the sect's benefits, she can kill him, the sect leader who is in the Nascent Soul stage!

There is precedent for this!

This has happened more than once in the past thousands of years!

As a large sect that has lasted for tens of thousands of years, how could it possibly manage everything according to rigid sect rules? Sect rules are for managing lesser cultivators below the Core Formation stage, not for restraining the few powerful but numerous great cultivators.

The strength of these top-tier cultivators is the foundation of the Qingyan Sect's rules.

After being jolted back to his senses by the murderous intent, the Qingyan Sect leader calmly weighed the pros and cons and naturally had the idea of ​​retreating.

In the world of cultivation, personal strength is fundamental; power and position are not as reliable as one's cultivation level.

Yes, the purpose of cultivating immortality is to pursue longevity. The sect leader is very old, and his hope of breaking through to the Void Refinement stage is slim.

Although those in the Nascent Soul stage are not immortal, they still have at least a thousand years of lifespan.

For a thousand years, why fight to the death over a mere sense of pride?

Both Fairy Jin Shunyao and Xia Zuo in the Purple Mansion saw his intention to back down, and were naturally very satisfied with it.

The fairy said with satisfaction, "Very good. Since the sect leader has been able to retreat, the number of those who need to be eliminated can be reduced by more than half."

Xia Zuo was also very satisfied, but he reminded him, "Don't relax. Don't forget those whispering people. They will definitely notice the sect leader's change and might do something about it."

Jin Shunyao was taken aback, and subconsciously emphasized, "The sect leader's junior disciple is a Nascent Soul stage cultivator!"

Xia Zuo immediately retorted, "Don't forget your enemy is an outsider immortal!"

Before the words were finished, Xia Zuo and Fairy were both startled and looked sharply at the Qingyan Sect leader who was taking a step back.

Suddenly he raised his head, his originally serious expression turning sinister, and his cold, indifferent eyes turned a dagger-like gaze towards Jin Shunyao.

The next moment, a sword light suddenly appeared, like lightning slicing through the sky, and struck towards Jin Shunyao, the Five Spirits Fairy.

Upon seeing the terrifying, sky-piercing sword light, the Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall realized that the sect leader of their Qingyan Sect was actually a sword cultivator.

None of them expected that the sect leader, who had already taken a step to leave, was actually putting on an act; he had long ago decided to attack the Five Spirits Fairy.

The sudden infighting among cultivators terrified all those below the Core Formation stage, prompting them to reveal their magical treasures or spiritual artifacts for defense or escape.

But in the next instant, everyone's mind went blank, and they felt a surge of resentment welling up inside them.

Why should major repairs consume so many resources?

Why can't I break through to the Nascent Soul/Core Formation/Foundation Establishment stage?

Why am I being outshone by XXX?

Why won't you let me practice the "XXX Divine Skill"?

The path to immortality is long and perilous, and the road ahead is even longer and more fraught with obstacles. Cultivators have encountered all sorts of regrets and faced all sorts of difficulties, and now, stimulated by the tribulation energy, they have all turned into thoughts of unwillingness.

The thought of resentment clouded their minds, shutting down their thinking. Ultimately, the calamity's energy twisted them into a single, unified thought: [Kill! Kill everyone! Only then can we achieve true liberation, possess limitless resources, and attain immortality! It's right before our eyes, right here in the carnage!]

The cultivators manipulated the summoned magical treasures and spiritual artifacts, rushing forward recklessly. Hundreds of spiritual lights followed the terrifying sword light, determined to kill Fairy Jin Shunyao.

Inside the Purple Mansion, facing hundreds of fellow disciples, and even outer disciples she had personally trained, Fairy Jin Shunyao, known for her decisive and ruthless nature, panicked.

Xia Zuo exclaimed in shock, "The calamity energy has entered the body, causing confusion in all five senses!"

"Damn it, those whispering fellows! They're the spies of the Calamity Immortal!"

"Little girl, how could you be so heartless as to kill so many people?"

Despite the fact that she just killed dozens of Qi Refining stage disciples, she didn't recognize any of them; they were all people who joined the sect during her last seclusion.

Even with these unfamiliar disciples, Jin Shunyao did not directly kill them, but merely intimidated and deterred them.

However, those disciples died from the shock of being intimidated without any killing intent. This was actually an accident, but Jin Shunyao would not feel sad or be shaken because of it.

But this also proves that she really couldn't bring herself to do it.

Faced with the sect disciples and sect leader rushing towards her, Jin Shunyao found it even more difficult to bring herself to attack.

Having shared the five senses with his fairy and activated the [Heart Network], Xia Zuo fully understood her feelings, and that's why he asked.

Jin Shunyao, suppressing her trembling and grief, asked, "I... I can't do it. What should I do?"

Xia Zuo laughed: "Little girl, if you can't do it, then I'll do it!"

Without needing to urge or communicate, Fairy Jin Shunyao readily relinquished control of her body.

When Xia Zuo took control of his fairy's body, his first impression was that she was "really strong," even stronger than the Saiyan Xia Zuo, and by a considerable margin.

He couldn't help but laugh: "You little rascal, you really didn't show your true abilities."

He knew that Jin Shunyao, as a genius cultivator, was overly focused on improving her own realm and crushing her enemies with her realm, rather than defeating them with skill.

Therefore, Xia Zuo speculated that this would result in a natural deficiency in her combat abilities, preventing her from fully utilizing her power.

Therefore, he predicted that even though he was unfamiliar with the body and constrained by the difference between men and women, he would still be able to exert a reasonably good amount of power after taking over.

But Xia Zuo never expected that Jin Shunyao's combat weakness would be so terrifying; she had been relying on her cultivation level to overwhelm others until now.

Although Xia Zuo has no combat experience in this world, Xia Zuo from other worlds has experienced a wealth of battles.

Especially Naruto's Natsume, who loves to create grand scenes, is also adept at overwhelming enemies with powerful moves and fighting against superior numbers in such a confined indoor space.

Xia Zuo manipulated Jin Shunyao's body, his ten fingers gently flicking out in alternation, five-colored light spreading out like ribbons.

【Five Elements Mystic Arts - Flying to Heaven】

Despite his inexperienced combat skills and unfamiliarity with the female cultivator's body, Xia Zuo was able to manipulate the ribbons in front of him. The powers of thunder, geomagnetism, flames, flowing water, and golden wind interacted and swirled, tearing apart the space in front of him.

The first to suffer was the flying sword of the Qingyan Sect leader. The sword light enveloped the flying sword, which struggled in the torn space and was repeatedly whipped by the five-colored light.

In the blink of an eye, it felt as if countless years had passed. The intense and fierce sword light finally succumbed to its strain and dissipated into the torn space.

At the same time, the flying sword that had unleashed its sword light also emitted a trembling mournful cry. With a resounding "clang," the sword broke off at its seven-inch mark, and then the entire flying sword turned into scattered fireflies and disappeared completely.

The sect leader of Qingyan Sect was struck dumb, spitting out a mouthful of golden blood, and fell weakly from the sky.

By this time, the flight attendant was covered in colorful ribbons. As he fell, he was swept by countless ribbons, each one causing him severe injury.

When the Qingyan Sect leader fell to the ground, he was not only covered in various wounds, but also lost an arm and a leg.

Even on his neck, there was a deep mark from lightning, and you could even see pulsating blood vessels in the wound.

He was just a hair's breadth away from dying.

Even a Nascent Soul stage cultivator was powerless against the ribbons created by the [Five Elements Mystic Technique - Flying], let alone the Nascent Soul, Core Formation, and Foundation Establishment stage cultivators following behind him.

Often, a single ribbon sweeps across, and swathes of magical artifacts are sent flying, while spirit weapons and magical implements shatter on the spot, returning to their original five elements materials.

The ribbons also indirectly attacked the cultivators who controlled them by connecting with their owners through magical artifacts, magical tools, and spiritual weapons.

All the Foundation Establishment cultivators were severely injured the moment they were attacked. Those with unstable foundations and insufficient spiritual power suffered a reverse flow of qi and blood on the spot and died instantly.

Nascent Soul stage cultivators and Core Formation stage cultivators can convert spiritual power into magical power, which can effectively resist attacks from the five elemental magical powers and avoid the danger of serious injury or even death.

However, their hard-earned magical power was forcibly negated, and their cultivation level suddenly dropped significantly.

Some people were even forcibly knocked down a minor realm.