I Seek Immortality Through Serendipity

Cultivation requires humility and caution, as if walking on thin ice, but today is not one of those days.

Today is the day to make a name and establish a legacy, to witness the methods of East Mountain Realm’s talents, and in the presence of all, claim the top position!

”Swish!”

Gu Yuan, having made up his mind, directly used the Water Moon Celestial Escape Seal and flew towards a massive golden island behind the Abyss Pool.

Behind the Abyss Pool, there are three Spirit Islands, respectively gold, silver, and bronze.

On each island, there’s a lotus-shaped Cloud Platform, matching the color of the island.

This is the ”Magical Lotus Platform” crafted by the Yunji Sect specifically for this Dharma Assembly.

Sitting at this lotus platform allows one to absorb the spirit meridians of the entire island, replenishing mana within moments, an exotic treasure indeed.

Passing through the Abyss Pool and taking residence on the lotus platform is akin to claiming the ”arena.”

All cultivators interested in competing for this island can challenge the cultivator on the platform.

If the defender succeeds, the platform rapidly restores their mana, allowing them to face the next challenge.

After all, this is a Dharma Assembly, not some secret realm treasure hunt, and cultivators are not allowed to swarm in.

If the defender fails, they must step down from the platform and yield their position.

The assembly lasts seven days, and as long as no cultivator challenges again during this period, the defender is successful and secures the ranking truly.

However, never in several sessions has it been a full seven days of fighting, with the longest being merely four days before a winner is decided.

At this moment, Gu Yuan moved with agility, and in an instant, he caught sight of the shadow of the golden lotus platform.

Having already unleashed that wondrous sword, Gu Yuan hesitated not, intending to be the first to take residence at the golden lotus platform, contesting with the heroes of East Mountain Realm!

He meant to defend the platform, to experience the myriad techniques and seals!

This is an excellent opportunity that could provide exquisite inspiration for future inference techniques.

”Fellow Daoist, in such haste, does it not make our Yunji Sect appear discourteous?”

”Let me defend the platform and witness the means of Fellow Daoist!”

But just then, in front of Gu Yuan, clouds and mists suddenly surrounded him, cloud Qi rolling like a tide, obscuring the sky and the sun, engulfing him within.

Gu Yuan saw only white expanses before him, unable to see anything, the golden lotus platform lost to sight as well.

Only a faint voice came from within the clouds and mist.

”Fellow Daoist Luo Fu?!”

Gu Yuan was not flustered. He halted his movement in the endless mists, extended his hand to perform a salutation, making a bow.

”I didn’t expect such talents among the Loose Cultivators, I have underestimated the heroes of the world!”

Gu Yuan’s demeanor was suave and calm, and Sunx Fashan immediately showed his true form in the mist, returning the bow to Gu Yuan, though his eyes carried a hint of coldness.

In the previous assemblies, it was always his Yunji Sect’s Golden Core cultivators who first ascended to the golden lotus platform, defending against all heroes, watching the winds and clouds, becoming the ultimate victors.

But now Gu Yuan sought to get ahead, to be the first to defend the platform; how could he allow that?

Then immediately, he activated the Shifting Seal, instantly appearing in front of Gu Yuan, using the [Mirage Cloud Cave-Heaven Seal] to entrap him.

”The Yunji Sect, a ten-thousand-year Grand Sect, never lacking in elegance, though it’s time for others to take the top position once in a while!”

Gu Yuan, hearing this, laughed heartily.

Taking on another’s persona naturally meant speaking more arrogantly.

”If you want to take the top position, you’ll have to see if you have the ability!”

Sunx Fashan gave a cold laugh, and then his form flickered, disappearing into the vast mists, with only a faint voice coming from within.

”First, break my Mirage Cloud Cave-Heaven Seal!”

The Mirage Cloud Cave-Heaven Seal, named after the cave-heaven, its power is evident, being one of the Yunji Sect’s secret seals.

To cultivate this seal, one must sit upon the main peak of the Yunji Sect, Cave-Heaven Peak, for three years, collecting a wisp of ”Cave-Heaven Source,” using it to forge the Dharma Seal, and then gather plenty of Mirage Cloud Qi to complete the seal.

Once this seal is formed, it behaves akin to a cave-heaven; it is a realm of its own, filled with boundless mirage clouds, perpetual and endless, shrouding any cultivator trapped within, overshadowing divine thought, rendering one as blind, full of illusions.

Moreover, this seal, with the Cave-Heaven Source, provides a feeling of realism within the realm, and any cultivator trapped within, if unable to escape within ten breaths, the seal’s domain would solidify further, enveloping the entire circulation, trapping the cultivator inside and severing the connection to the outside world.

Once the connection is lost, the absence of spiritual Qi’s nourishment would gradually deplete a cultivator’s mana, reducing them to a mortal state.

Facing this seal for the first time, Gu Yuan was unaware of the ten-breath limitation, but he vaguely sensed that lingering in this seal was not wise.

”Clang!”

With that thought, he didn’t hesitate. The Sword Pill trembled, and mana poured into it like a floodgate opened, then he flicked his hand. A boundless sword light, carrying the imposing aura of the Great Sun, fiercely slashed toward the vast cloud sea!

”Bang!”

Countless clouds shattered in an instant, the boundless cloud sea was split into two, and the entire world was cleaved with a massive sword scar, trembling incessantly.

Yet, after the shattering, the cloud Qi slowly reformed, seemingly unharmed.

The Cave-Heaven Seal is no ordinary seal. Gu Yuan’s sword light shone like the sun, capable of cleaving even the Celestial Abyss, but facing this seal, it seemed powerless?

”Mirage Cloud Technique... interesting!”

But in an instant, Gu Yuan seemed to realize something.

”Disperse!”

He widened his eyes in anger. In the Sea of Consciousness, the surging Divine Thought rushed out like tides, covering the entire world like a sky-net.

”Bang!”

Countless cloud Qi dissipated like a Mirror Flower Water Moon, exploding suddenly.

Everything became bright before Gu Yuan’s eyes, and only then did he realize that the Sword Pill stood still, trembling slightly, without any sword Qi being unleashed.

The Mirage Cloud Technique excels in its illusions. Gu Yuan thought he slashed the heavens with one sword, but in reality, he hadn’t activated the Sword Pill, or he did, but the sword light slashed elsewhere.

Yet at this moment, his surging Divine Thought in the Sea of Consciousness erupted without restraint, instantly sweeping away all the illusions within the seal.

He never thoroughly practiced Illusion-Breaking Techniques, simply because, below the Daoist Embryo level, no illusion could trap him!

”Soul Power at the Golden Core Peak?!”

At this moment, outside the clouds, Sunx Fashan’s astonished and serious voice echoed.

”Boom!!”

But a brilliant sword light had already broken through the cloud sky, shattering countless clouds, unabated, roaring forth.

Although the Mirage Cloud Cave-Heaven Seal is formidable, Gu Yuan’s Sword Pill, powered by his current mana, emitted a brilliant sword light, greatly exceeding its level, breaking it with a single sword!

Without the Mirage Cloud Illusion Technique, this Domain Trapping Technique couldn’t withstand even one sword from Gu Yuan.

The clouds dispersed, Sunx Fashan was but a step away from the Golden Lotus Platform, yet the dazzling sword light followed like a shadow, ready to strike.

”Cloud Dream Melt Seal!”

Having already witnessed Gu Yuan’s sword technique, Sunx Fashan dared not slack. From above his head, a cloud-shaped Dharma Seal spun out immediately.

”Bang!”

Hundreds of white clouds exploded, transforming into a sky full of cloud mist, swirling around Sunx Fashan.

The Cloud Dream Melt Seal, Yunji Sect’s Protective Secret Seal, is a Water Grind Seal, requiring cultivators to refine day and night. The longer the refinement, the stronger the seal’s power; any Technique touching this seal will be assimilated into harmless cloud mist.

Cultivating to the utmost, it is nearly invincible.

Though Sunx Fashan couldn’t achieve invincibility, he had refined this seal for hundreds of years. After Gu Yuan’s sword light shattered the Mirage Cloud Cave-Heaven Seal, it was ultimately reduced, like a sunset, becoming soft and powerless as it plunged into the cloud Qi, dispersing.

”Again! Again!”

But upon seeing this, Gu Yuan simply laughed.

Today is different from the past.

Twenty years of cultivation, yet possessing the foundation of a thousand years, with mana reaching nearly two thousand strands, equivalent to six thousand strands for ordinary cultivators—a vast mana, allowing Gu Yuan to unrestrainedly utilize the Sword Pill.

Moreover, the Yin Yang transformation was familiar to him; he was already a true Sword Dao master, not just an Ignorant Youth!

”Clang! Clang!”

With a thought, the Sword Pill in front of Gu Yuan split into two—one emitting a golden glow, the other a silver sheen, resembling Yin Yang Fish, swimming continuously.

Then the golden glow trembled, a boundless sword light like a Great Sun ascended, fiercely slashing.

While the silver glow trembled gently, strands of sword Qi dense and clustered, like assassins in the shadows, hid within the sunlight’s shade, carrying an indescribably sharp aura, abruptly slashing toward Sunx Fashan.

On the viewing platform, everyone watched intently.

None expected that the Dharma Assembly had just begun, and someone was already challenging the biggest favorite, Yunji Sect’s Golden Core.

Judging by appearances, it seemed to be overpowering the opponent.

This Master Feiyu is truly fierce!