Innate Immortal Seed

Chapter 318: Chapter 316: An Old Acquaintance Returns at Last

”Big Brother, what did Elder Tong say?”

”Ancestor Bai is still in secluded cultivation and won’t see me. He told me to report directly to him and not to disturb the Ancestor.”

Tie Changsheng looked at the eager gazes of his two sworn siblings and shook his head helplessly.

’When the Qingfeng Sect first recruited disciples in Hejian County, I entered as the top-ranked Inner Sect Disciple. My glory was second to none.’

’But everything after becoming an Inner Sect Disciple didn’t go as smoothly as I had imagined.’

Tie Changsheng had been assigned to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, where he had been a Steward for six or seven years. He was in charge of coordinating with several large logging fields, responsible for transporting large quantities of Spirit Wood back to the sect annually.

The year before last, he had finally reached Qi Refining Great Perfection with great difficulty. He had gone into seclusion to attempt breaking through using the Foundation Establishment Pill granted by Ancestor Bai back then, but he failed at the second trial: the trial of Magical Power.

Fortunately, he had sensed something was wrong and stopped quickly. The backlash was relatively light, and he recovered after just a few months of recuperation.

But before he knew it, he was already forty-six years old. All he thought about now was finding another Foundation Establishment Pill and making a second attempt at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

At his age, with only the status of a Steward, his position in the queue to compete for a Foundation Establishment Pill was very far back.

Considering the Sect’s current production rate of Foundation Establishment Pills, after supplying the True Disciples, there were at most one or two pills left over each time.

His competitors included wealthy Stewards, True Disciples who had also failed their first attempt and wanted a second chance, and Cultivation Families who had earned great merit and were permitted to exchange for a pill.

A common Steward, without a powerful Elder to speak up for him, would find it nearly impossible to ever get his turn in his lifetime.

This was especially true since Hejian County had recruited a second batch of disciples a few years ago. This time, although there was no special treatment and even the fixed quota for Inner Sect Disciples was abolished, the number of applicants far exceeded the first batch. Three people were even promoted directly to Inner Sect Disciples, breaking precedent.

The caliber of these three Inner Sect Disciples was much higher. Even at the Black Mountain Main Peak, they would be considered proper Inner Sect Disciples, with no favoritism involved.

The number of competitors was growing. Moreover, someone like Tie Changsheng, who had already failed Foundation Establishment once, couldn’t find anyone willing to invest in him or lend him Contribution Points.

Between himself and his two sworn siblings, scraping together three to five thousand Sect Contribution points was their absolute limit.

In addition, before Tie Changsheng’s first attempt at Foundation Establishment, Ma Ruoxi had already succeeded, and her status had been completely transformed.

Recently, even Mi Wandeng, who had become an Inner Sect Disciple at the same time as him, had overcome the Foundation Establishment hurdle, which deeply provoked him.

This was why Tie Changsheng had repeatedly sought an audience with Tong Huan, claiming to have important information for Ancestor Bai. He was determined to trade his greatest secret for a future.

”What should we do? If we can’t see Ancestor Bai, no one else can provide the resources Big Brother needs for Foundation Establishment...”

His little sister looked anxious. Besides the deep bond between the three of them, this matter also concerned her own future.

When the three became sworn siblings, they made a Dao Heart Oath to support each other. They would first pool all their resources to help the one with the highest cultivation achieve Foundation Establishment.

Once that person succeeded, they would, in turn, help the other two.

Over the years, they had already sacrificed a great deal for Tie Changsheng. After shedding her status as an Outer Sect Disciple, she was still just a Firework Daoist.

Besides Tie Changsheng himself, they were the two people who most wanted to see him succeed in Foundation Establishment and soar to greatness.

”I’ve asked around. Ancestor Bai hasn’t appeared in several years, so Elder Tong was probably telling me the truth... I’ll wait another half a year. If that doesn’t work, I’ll have no choice but to reveal part of the secret to him. As long as I can see Ancestor Bai, everything can be resolved!”

After a moment of contemplation, the look of doubt and hesitation on Tie Changsheng’s face was swept away, replaced by steely resolve. He would not give up.

”I’ve heard from the Sect Disciples who came from Black Mountain that although Elder Tong didn’t inherit Ancestor Bai’s Swordsmanship, he is just, strict, and always eager to help others. He handles the miscellaneous affairs flawlessly and has never been criticized. Many disciples are privately discussing that he’s the best candidate for the next Sect Leader.”

”A man like that, I believe, wouldn’t get any strange ideas even if he knew part of the secret... Of course, to be safe, when the time comes, you two should leave Ten Thousand Immortals Creek first. If you don’t hear back from me, go to the main peak and request an audience with the other Core Formation Ancestors. This secret is too big for a single Foundation Establishment Elder to swallow.”

...

A Blood Sea filled the sky, and a monstrous Evil Qi soared. Four Blood Flood Dragons pulled a vehicle, moving with the speed of lightning, a truly magnificent sight.

A middle-aged man with bewitchingly handsome features leaned against a voluptuous and beautiful woman, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the various Spirit Fruits offered by a servant girl before him.

On the Dragon Vehicle, other beautiful servant girls plucked zither strings, struck chime bells, and played the pipa.

Two other women, the most beautiful of them all, danced to the music, their expressions alternating between sweet innocence and seductive allure.

”True Monarch, what is it?”

The voluptuous beauty felt the middle-aged man in her arms open his eyes and asked in a soft voice.

”Old Man Fang, you have some nerve, daring to block my vehicle. Aren’t you afraid I’ll drain you of all your blood and refine you into a Corpse Stiff?”

The middle-aged man slowly propped himself up, speaking as if to the empty air.

The four Blood Flood Dragons halted, circling and roaring in place as they stared viciously at a cultivator who had suddenly appeared before them.

”Greetings, Blood God True Monarch... Since I dared to come see you, True Monarch, I have already seen through life and death. Everyone knows that a newly promoted Nascent Soul of the Blood Sea Sect must slaughter several sects to coalesce a Blood River. I presume the True Monarch has not yet completed this step.”

Fang Tiancheng stood alone before the Dragon Vehicle, his expression as still as water, and spoke frankly.

”I have been waiting here for nearly a year, just to have a few words with the True Monarch and beg for a chance of survival for the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.”

”You actually know my Sect’s customs, and you even know that I would be returning to Liang Country soon. Who told you?”

The former Blood God True Man, now Blood God True Monarch, flashed and appeared in front of Fang Tiancheng. His eyes were ice-cold, and the Blood Sea behind him roiled and expanded, dyeing the entire sky crimson.

”No one told me. I deduced a thing or two from the Blood Demon Sect’s recent movements and have been waiting here... Liang Country is vastly different from how it was. If the True Monarch enters rashly without precautions, you may suffer a great loss.”

Fang Tiancheng’s expression turned grim. He felt like a small boat on a storm-tossed sea, liable to be capsized and swept away by a wave at any moment.

Blood God True Monarch made no move. Just a glance, a single thought, was enough to generate an aura that made Fang Tiancheng’s heart clench under an unparalleled pressure.

He understood that his so-called trump cards were far too insignificant before a Nascent Soul True Monarch. It was like an ant trying to shake a great tree.

Even if he was the top Core Formation True Man in Liang Country and could briefly perform an Integration with his Lifebound Spiritual Beast using the hypothetical Tier Four path from the Spirit Control Scripture, he could never stand against that boundless, bottomless Blood Sea World.

”Suffer a loss? Just by relying on those old bones in Jiulian’s tomb? How long can he even leave Qii Mountain?”

Blood God True Monarch sneered, clearly very familiar with True Monarch Jiulian.

”Burial Immortal Valley nearly got me killed, my Dao almost extinguished. But it was a blessing in disguise; I returned to the Sect and used the Blood Sea to break through to the Nascent Soul realm... It’s one thing for me not to settle the score with the Holy Lotus Sect, but that old geezer Jiulian dares to come looking for trouble with me?”

”It seems the Blood God True Monarch is unaware. Liang Country is now in a three-way standoff; the Holy Lotus Sect doesn’t call all the shots anymore.”

Fang Tiancheng’s decision to seek out Blood God True Monarch was the result of careful deliberation.

There was some truth to his words; he had indeed deduced the impending return of Blood God True Monarch from the Blood Demon Sect’s unusual activities over the past two years.

The reason he proactively appeared before Blood God True Monarch was that, given the current situation in the Liang Country Cultivation Realm, wantonly slaughtering sects was much more difficult than before.

The Holy Lotus Sect might not interfere, but no one had yet tested the attitude of the Celestial Principle Sect.

But if Blood God True Monarch chose the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect as his first target for slaughter, Fang Tiancheng didn’t believe his sect had the power to resist.

That being the case, he decided to seek survival from danger. He would use the current situation in the Liang Country Cultivation Realm, making subtle alterations to paint a picture for Blood God True Monarch that was most advantageous to the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.

”A three-way standoff? What’s going on?”

Blood God True Monarch’s thick brows furrowed. He had indeed not bothered to gather any intelligence about the outside world.

After successfully reaching the Nascent Soul realm, he had spent his time absorbing the feedback from the Celestial Tribulation to solidify his realm. The rest of the time was spent cultivating several Tier Four Secret Techniques unique to the Blood Sea Sect.

Once everything was ready, he had simply set off for Liang Country in his Dragon Vehicle, enjoying the journey without ever considering any variables.

In a place like Liang Country, a variable that could affect a Nascent Soul True Monarch was a once-in-a-millennium occurrence.

Blood God True Monarch had never considered that in just a few short decades, the distribution of power in Liang Country had changed more dramatically and contentiously than in the previous thousand years.

”The Celestial Principle Sect from the Central Domain moved its entire sect to Liang Country, annihilated your former ally, the Fragrance Sect, and their power is unfathomable.”

’As long as Blood God True Monarch is willing to listen, that’s good enough,’ Fang Tiancheng thought with secret joy. ’If I can make him feel that the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect is more useful in the current situation than being refined into a pool of blood for his Blood River, then I’ll have a chance to preserve the sect’s legacy.’

”The Celestial Principle Sect, the Holy Lotus Sect, and the Ghost Spirit Sect joined forces to attack the Qingfeng Sect, but they were utterly defeated... The Ghost Spirit Sect has been destroyed, and Hejian County has become the Qingfeng Sect’s territory. According to speculation, Ge Cang of the Qingfeng Sect must command some Nascent Soul-level techniques, which is why two Nascent Soul Sects suffered a silent defeat and did not retaliate.”

He briefly recounted the most important events that had occurred in Liang Country after Blood God True Man’s departure, with the content being nine parts truth and one part lie.

He mainly, intentionally or not, exaggerated the Qingfeng Sect’s strength.

Of course, this part wasn’t entirely false. As the Qingfeng Sect steadily occupied Hejian County, the two Nascent Soul Sects showed no intention of looking for trouble.

Many cultivators were already speculating whether Master Ge Cang had successfully reached the Nascent Soul realm, which would explain why the Holy Lotus Sect and the Celestial Principle Sect were so wary.

Fang Tiancheng, of course, knew this was impossible. He had selected the most plausible-sounding rumors to make the so-called three-way standoff appear more balanced.

Only then would Blood God True Monarch, who was returning to Liang Country and looking to break the stalemate, have a use for him and the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.

Originally, if the Demon Path Alliance still existed, Blood God True Monarch might have been powerful enough on his own.

But now, the Demon Path Alliance existed in name only. The Fragrance Sect and Ghost Spirit Sect were destroyed, and the Joyful Union Sect’s only Core Formation True Man went missing on his way back from helping the Ghost Spirit Sect.

Furthermore, the Blood Demon Sect wasn’t a sect with a long history; it was founded entirely on the personal prestige of Blood God True Monarch.

The moment he disappeared, more than half of its disciples had fled.