Innate Immortal Seed

Chapter 423: Chapter 420: Demon Extermination Purple Light Completed

Because of their unique tier divisions, flying swords almost never have the chance to be upgraded.

Even when a Nascent Soul Perfection Cultivator broke through to Divinity Transformation and their personal realm evolved into a Grotto Heaven, the resulting descent of Heaven and Earth’s Great Power might cause their Lifebound Flying Sword to undergo a qualitative change.

However, this would only guarantee a Tier Three Flying Sword’s advancement to Tier Four. The chance of a Tier Four Flying Sword ascending to Tier Five was still minuscule.

Only when all conditions were perfect—the right time, place, and circumstances—and only if the flying sword’s quality and its master’s strength were exceptional, was there a sliver of a chance for it to upgrade.

This was why Xiang Ji, upon seeing a glimmer of hope for refining a Tier Five Killing Demon Sword, had decisively sacrificed his own body to the blade, turning himself into fuel for the breakthrough to Tier Five.

Even with the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box, Bai Zichen’s numerous Tier Three Flying Swords would never have a chance to advance, no matter how long they waited.

No, wait. The Great Sun Celestial Furnace Sword might have a sliver of a chance.

But on its own, this would take at least hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and it would still require some external stimulus.

It would need Clear Spirit Qi, the Daoist Classic Cantongqi, and ideally a Spiritual Object capable of stimulating the flying sword’s unique properties, pushing its spirituality to a peak.

Only with such a multi-pronged approach would it be possible to see it advance to a Tier Four Flying Sword.

This was only because the Great Sun Celestial Furnace Sword was among the absolute top tier of Tier Three Flying Swords. Swords like the Thunder Sound Sword could go for tens of thousands of years without undergoing any fundamental change.

But the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword was different. It had once been a High-Tier Flying Sword that had fallen in rank.

With enough Spiritual Qi and a small catalyst, or even just through gradual accumulation, it could one day naturally advance in tier.

With every wisp of Pure Qi it absorbed, the Thunder Radiance on the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword grew more brilliant. Finally, the lightning and thunder condensed to an extreme, and a Thunder Dragon burst forth. It soared into the sky, circled twice, and then returned to his hand.

His Lifebound Tier Four Flying Sword, the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword!

’I don’t want to nurture the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword again. Let one of my little brothers have the honor next time!’

This was the first message transmitted by the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword after its advancement.

As expected of a sword whose inherent quality was above Tier Four, the clarity of its communication surpassed even the Moon Xuan Sword, nearing that of a legendary Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure.

”Good, good. After this round of Hidden Sword, I’ll use a different flying sword to nurture the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword next time.”

Bai Zichen caressed his second Tier Four Flying Sword. The crackling lightning and Thunder Radiance sent a faint, tingling sensation across his skin.

Now that the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword was a Tier Four Lifebound Flying Sword, it was even more powerful than the Moon Xuan Sword.

It was a tremendous waste for such a powerful flying sword to be relegated to a mere vessel for the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword’s Sword Storage for years on end.

Having unleashed it a couple of times, he now understood that the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword’s destructive power didn’t come from the vessel sword, but from the Power of Time it contained—the scouring force of the River of Time.

Using a Tier Three Flying Sword to nurture the Hidden Sword wouldn’t significantly impact the final effect of the Sword of Time.

Meanwhile, a freed Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword would give him many more options in combat.

”It’s a pity I can’t use Sword Control right now. I can’t witness your glorious power firsthand...”

When the other flying swords saw that the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword had finished its advancement, they all vibrated their blades in congratulations before returning to their proper places within the Sword Box.

The Moon Xuan Sword flew over, circling its big brother twice like a joyful child.

He spent a moment bonding with his two Tier Four Flying Swords before sending them back into the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box.

”I used up all the Pure Qi at once. It will probably take several years to recover... I’ll have to be careful during this time and avoid damaging the flying swords’ foundational essence, or they’ll be difficult to repair.”

Bai Zichen was radiant. This was about more than just obtaining a Tier Four Flying Sword.

It proved that the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box did indeed possess the miraculous ability to raise a Flying Sword’s Tier, and at the same time, it dispelled any doubts about whether the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword could return to its peak.

After more than a hundred years of nurturing had yielded no results, he’d begun to think this once Top-Tier Flying Sword was permanently damaged, incapable of ever reclaiming its former glory.

「Three years later.」

Huang Tingguang visited again, this time bringing news from outside the Great Wild Marsh.

An heir of a Transformed Great Demon from Lankao Mountain had gone missing. Suspecting they were abducted by a Human Race Cultivator, the demon descended the mountain in a rage and slaughtered two towns along the way.

Eventually, two Nascent Soul True Monarchs from the Jinyue Sect intervened to stop the Great Demon. When peaceful reasoning failed, the confrontation escalated into a huge battle.

They laid waste to a hundred-li radius, but in the end, neither side could claim victory, and the Great Demon reluctantly retreated to Lankao Mountain.

But the grudge between them was set. In recent years, conflicts between the Demon Race Sacred Land and surrounding factions have become more frequent, with constant news of Demon Beasts attacking humans or Human Race cultivators performing Demon Slaying.

The Jinyue Sect was a Super Major Sect in the Eastern Domain. Thirty-five hundred years ago, one of its patriarchs had achieved Divinity Transformation, shaking the world with their power.

As the Demon Race Sacred Land, Lankao Mountain was naturally opposed to Human Race Cultivators.

In the past, they had been driven out of the Central Domain and forced to live under the thumb of others. It was only by reaching an agreement with the Sects of the Eastern Domain that the entire mountain range centered on Lankao Mountain, stretching for hundreds of thousands of li, was designated as Demon Race territory.

Now that Lankao Mountain had become the Demon Race Sacred Land, all the Transformed Great Demons in the world would make a trip there. Some would return to their homelands, while others would stay behind.

As their power grew ever larger, Lankao Mountain’s ambitions continued to swell.

The incident with the Transformed Great Demon’s lost heir was merely a fuse. Behind the scenes, all the other Great Demons were happy to see things escalate and were pushing it forward.

If not for their fear of the Human Race’s Divinity Transformation Great Powers, the Transformed Great Demons of Lankao Mountain would have swarmed out all at once. Openly, the Jinyue Sect alone would not have been able to stop them.

As for Huang Tingguang, thanks to Bai Zichen’s guidance, his cultivation had already reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

He had secured a spot for one of the clan’s Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects and was only waiting to reach Qi Refining Great Perfection before attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Bai Zichen had discovered a unique characteristic: the Qi Refining Cultivators of the Great Wild Marsh all had rather good physiques, perhaps related to their year-round diet of Spirit Fish, which improved their constitution.

This could give them an extra sliver of certainty when attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Even if they failed Foundation Establishment, it would make the after-effects less severe.

...

The seasons turned, and the years flowed by without cease.

It was now the thirty-sixth year since Bai Zichen had arrived in the Great Wild Marsh, and all the Cultivators had grown accustomed to this eccentric man’s presence.

He had a reclusive personality and disliked being approached by strangers, but he was also immensely powerful. Any Cultivator who dared to offend him became another soul claimed by his sword. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

Huang Tingguang had grown a short beard and was dressed in a gorgeous, intricate Magical Robe. As his wife helped him dress, the frighteningly deep scar on his left hand still ached faintly.

He was now one of the five elders of the Huang Family. His Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation had made him a pivotal figure within the Clan.

Even when walking through the Great Wild Marsh, he would receive the admiring gazes of the crowd and discuss the Dao with Foundation Establishment Cultivators of his generation. In a way, he had fulfilled the dreams of his youth.

He was well aware that the main reason he had come this far was the senior he had met by chance all those years ago.

Just a few casual pointers from him had set his life on an entirely different, prosperous path.

Huang Tingguang glanced at his young son, who was also dressed in formal attire. This was the only one of all his children who had tested positive for a Spiritual Root.

He only had Four Spiritual Roots, but it was enough to see hope for the small clan’s lineage to continue.

Without an heir possessing a Spiritual Root, it was not guaranteed that anyone in the clan would remember you several hundred years later.

”Lin’er, today I am taking you to meet a great senior. He is our family’s benefactor. You must be respectful and not make a ruckus.”

Huang Tingguang repeatedly instructed him on the way, afraid that his young son, in his childishness, would offend the senior.

At Bai Zichen’s request, he paid close attention to all the major events in and around the Great Wild Marsh, becoming something of the local informant.

But he didn’t dare to disturb him frequently, only visiting every few years after accumulating enough information.

This time, he brought his young son along in hopes of making him a familiar face to the senior.

His son’s Spiritual Root aptitude was ordinary, but if the senior took a liking to him and offered a bit of guidance, he might still have a chance at a great opportunity.

Arriving near the Water Eye, he immediately saw the disheveled Cultivator on the stone platform and took out a box of pastries from his sleeve.

Yesterday had been the Double Ninth Festival, and per the customs of the Great Wild Marsh, people ate almond and fire-jujube cakes. He had brought some along as a small token of his sincerity.

Just as he was about to speak and bow, he heard a long cry. The Cultivator on the stone platform shot to his feet.

”Thirty-six years of sitting in meditation, and I have finally mastered this art!”

Bai Zichen clapped his hands and laughed heartily. He had stayed in this one place for a full thirty-six years, unable to take a single step away.

If he hadn’t been hooked by the Cave Profound Disaster Relief and Demon Extermination Scripture, he could have accomplished so many things—he might have even reached Core Formation Perfection by now.

But it was all worth it. A deep purple light rippled around his wrist, looking as ethereal as a dream, like countless overlapping patterns.

One wisp a year, he had finished collecting thirty-six wisps of Purple Qi from the dawn of the Double Ninth Festival, finally refining them into a single strand of Demon Extermination Purple Light.

Merely hovering it over his hand, he felt his mind become clear and serene, impervious to all evil and resistant to the rise of any Heart Demon.

Even apart from its use in Tribulation Crossing, this art had other significant benefits, like reducing the risk of Qigong Deviation.

Of course, if not for the express purpose of defending against the Heart Demon Tribulation, he certainly would not have been willing to spend thirty-six years cultivating the Cave Profound Disaster Relief and Demon Extermination Scripture.

He looked down at his own disheveled and grimy appearance. With a Dust-Removal Technique, his hair and beard became clean, and his Daoist Robe looked new again.

”Tingguang, with his young son, congratulates Senior on achieving Great Success in your cultivation technique. Now, reaching Nascent Soul is a tangible hope.”

Huang Tingguang knelt down, leading his son in a deep, formal bow.

After so many years, he had long ago guessed that the senior was cultivating some special technique that required him to stay in one place without moving.

’It’s a shame. Now that his cultivation technique is complete, Senior will definitely leave the Great Wild Marsh. Lin’er and I won’t be able to receive his guidance anymore...’

Huang Tingguang’s words were just routine flattery, but in Bai Zichen’s case, they were perfectly apt.

He had now mastered the Demon Extermination Purple Light and also possessed the Acquired Thunder God Pearl. He had a way to defend against the two greatest challenges of the Nascent Soul tribulation.

If this didn’t qualify as having a tangible hope for Nascent Soul, then no Core Formation True Man could ever make such a claim.

”Our meeting here can be considered fate. I’ll grant your son a fortuitous opportunity...”

Bai Zichen tossed out a Jade Bottle as he flew off and vanished, leaving only his voice echoing in his place.

”In the future, if he manages to reach Foundation Establishment and wants to leave the Great Wild Marsh to travel, you can have him seek out Su Wuming in the Northern Domain Black Mountain.”

Huang Tingguang hurriedly bowed again to the empty air in thanks. He opened the Jade Bottle, and his expression changed dramatically.

He quickly stuffed the Jade Bottle into his storage bag, scanned his surroundings to confirm no one was around, and then pulled his young son away in a hurry.

”A Foundation Establishment Pill! That senior actually gave us a Foundation Establishment Pill!”