Becoming an Immortal and Ancestor, Starting from the Clan-protecting Divine Beast

210: Secret Realm, Nascent Soul Banquet”Holding a selection assembly based on the two levels of Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment? It’s feasible.”

Yuan Feng stroked his chin and said.

In the Cultivation World, the strong prey on the weak, and strength is respected.

Every time the Gui Li Secret Realm opens, it consumes a large amount of Secret Realm energy, so it’s impossible to send too many people at once.

Even during the peak of the Xuan Yuan Sect, the Gui Li Secret Realm never sent a large number of cultivators; instead, it used a merit-based selection to allow the elite Disciples of the Sect to go.

Now that the Gui Li Secret Realm is in the hands of the Chen family, they naturally won’t send all their descendants in.

Opportunities are definitely prioritized for descendants with outstanding talent.

Although there are cases of late bloomers, how many years later would that be?

Moreover, sending too many people would not only increase the burden on the Secret Realm but could also potentially cause the teleportation channel to collapse.

This is especially true without a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal to maintain the Gui Li Secret Realm.

When Great Venerable Xuan Yuan Gui Li was still around, the Gui Li Secret Realm could even accommodate Five Methods Purple Mansion Cultivators entering.

Now, the Gui Li Secret Realm can only transport Cultivators at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment levels.

”Let’s do it then. Have the little ones prepare well and see what’s extraordinary about a Secret Realm created by a Great Venerable.”

After Yuan Feng finished speaking, he climbed the large tree and hid his figure.

”Yes, Ancestor Yuan.”

After bowing, Chen Xianlin left quickly.

He needed to plan carefully for the selection of personnel to enter the Gui Li Secret Realm.

This was the first selection competition held by the Chen family since its founding, so it had to be organized beautifully.

Rewards and such also needed to be prepared to better stimulate the competitive spirit of the Chen family descendants.

”Gui Li, what’s the maximum number of people the Gui Li Secret Realm can transport?”

On the tree, Yuan Feng sat cross-legged and asked.

”Actually, transporting eight hundred to a thousand is no problem, but don’t forget, the Gui Li Secret Realm Seals the left hand of a Blood Fiend Immortal Lord. Those with weak wills can easily be deluded and fall into the Blood Fiend Demonic Path.”

”This is why the past generations of the Xuan Yuan Sect only sent Disciples with outstanding Aptitude when opening the Gui Li Secret Realm. Compared to ordinary Disciples, their mental fortitude is much stronger and they aren’t as easily deluded.”

”Furthermore, resisting the delusion of the Blood Fiend Immortal Lord’s left hand counts as an alternative way to temper one’s Heart-Nature. This is also why the Great Venerable placed many of the legacies obtained into the Gui Li Secret Realm.”

Gui Li explained everything in detail.

Generally speaking, the higher the cultivation, the higher the Heart-Nature compared to those with lower cultivation.

Those Disciples with outstanding Aptitude basically have cultivation levels at the top of their generation, so their Heart-Nature is naturally stronger than that of ordinary Disciples.

High cultivation has its benefits; one has a few more chances of survival when facing danger compared to those with low cultivation.

Moreover, while opportunities choose people, they certainly won’t choose those with dull Aptitude.

Don’t look at how the Cultivation World often tells stories of people with ordinary Spiritual Roots and Aptitude obtaining heaven-shaking opportunities, then soaring to the sky and becoming great powers of the Immortal dao.

Although their Spiritual Root Aptitude was average, their Comprehension Ability was absolutely superb, and there were basically no Bottlenecks on their cultivation path.

As long as they have enough resources, they can completely keep up with or even surpass Prodigy Cultivators.

No matter how foolish a sentient Opportunity is, it wouldn’t choose someone with low Aptitude and poor comprehension.

Even if you are born kind or have a pure Heart-Nature, it’s all nonsense.

On any path in the world, you either have Aptitude or comprehension. If you have neither, you don’t even have the qualification to enter the gate, so what future is there to talk about?

”Then how many Chen family descendants do you think is appropriate to send into the Gui Li Secret Realm this time?”

Yuan Feng asked again.

Gui Li’s responsibility is to look after the Gui Li Secret Realm and always pay attention to the Seal on the Blood Fiend Immortal Lord’s left hand.

This Secret Realm was naturally more than familiar to her.

”Based on the current situation of the Gui Li Secret Realm, sending about 10 Foundation Establishment and 20 to 30 Qi Refining Cultivators should be enough.”

Gui Li frowned slightly and said after thinking for a moment.

”I remember you said the Gui Li Secret Realm is very large? If Qi Refining Cultivators go in, I’m afraid they won’t even be able to explore much by the time they come out.”

Yuan Feng said in a deep voice.

”The Gui Li Secret Realm is large, but it stays open for a long time.”

Gui Li explained.

Each time the Gui Li Secret Realm opens, it lasts for three years.

For those Qi Refining Cultivators who enter, the first two years can be used for secluded cultivation to break through to Foundation Establishment, and the remaining year is plenty of time for exploration.

The Gui Li Secret Realm is different from Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands; it’s similar to a Small World.

The density of Spiritual Qi inside is not inferior to a Blessed Land at all, and may even exceed it.

A Secret Realm like the Gui Li Secret Realm, opened by a Great Honored Immortal, will definitely have a Spiritual Qi density comparable to a top-grade Blessed Land after accumulating for a sixty-year cycle.

The time for a Peak Qi Refining Cultivator to break through to Foundation Establishment in such an environment will be greatly reduced; let alone two years, a Breakthrough in two months is possible.

”Since Great Venerable Xuan Yuan Gui Li dared to open the Gui Li Secret Realm where the Blood Fiend Immortal Lord’s left hand is sealed, she must have left some back-up plans.”

”If a Disciple is possessed by the Blood Fiend, loses their sanity, and becomes a Blood Fiend Puppet, will the Gui Li Secret Realm react?”

”Don’t tell me there are no preventive measures at all. If that’s the case, I won’t let the Chen family descendants enter the Gui Li Secret Realm.”

Yuan Feng looked directly at Gui Li with a serious expression.

”Of course. Inside the Gui Li Secret Realm, there is a Blood Fiend Telepathic Sensing Grand Formation set up by a Great Grandmaster of Formations invited by the Great Venerable.”

”Once the mental state of a Cultivator entering the Secret Realm is eroded below the threshold, it will trigger the Blood Fiend Telepathic Sensing Grand Formation, transporting them to the Heart-Washing Pool within the Secret Realm to cleanse their mind before they are sent out.”

Gui Li raised her chin and said proudly.

Her Great Venerable was a Gui Water Heavenly Immortal. While not very skilled in combat, she was extremely proficient in clearing the effects of various alien spells.

The water in the Heart-Washing Pool within the Gui Li Secret Realm is formed from the Gui Shui Immortal Principle. Going in for a dip would even cleanse the Heart-Nature of a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal.

For Cultivators at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment levels, such an Immortal pool is a supreme Immortal Opportunity that can be sought but not easily found.

In the early stages of cultivation, Heart-Nature is not highly valued, but the further one goes, the more important it becomes.

Especially after attaining the Nascent Soul, one needs to cross the Three Calamities and Five Tribulations. Those with flaws in their Heart-Nature will surely find it difficult to pass and will have a high probability of turning into disaster ash and tribulation dust.

Anything in the world that can cleanse the mind is extremely precious.

For instance, the reason the Red Dust Sect is so high and mighty is that their Red Dust Path’s tempering of Heart-Nature can be called peak perfection.

It is rumored that within the Red Dust Sect of the Central Domain, there is a Red Dust Myriad Reincarnation Dao Platform personally forged by the Red Dust Dao Lord. It is an incomparably precious Dao Weapon that contains the Dao of the Red Dust Dao Lord.

Once this Red Dust Myriad Reincarnation Dao Platform is activated, one can dream back to ancient times, reincarnate for ten thousand lives, and complete their Heart-Nature or even elevate it to an unimaginable level.

Of course, once the Red Dust Myriad Reincarnation Dao Platform is activated, it cannot be stopped until one has experienced the vicissitudes of ten thousand lives.

For an average Cultivator, let alone ten thousand lives, even a hundred lives is an unimaginable torment. Their Divine Soul would likely collapse in the Reincarnation and they would die with their soul extinguished.

Every life experienced in the Red Dust Myriad Reincarnation Dao Platform can be said to be real.

For example, if you successfully ascended the throne in a certain life, attained the status of an Immortal Lord, became a giant of the Immortal dao, and looked down upon the ages.

That sense of reality, that boundless power from an Immortal Lord-level existence, would be vivid in your mind as if you had experienced it personally, making it hard to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Dao Lord and Immortal Lord—a one-word difference, but the level of strength is worlds apart.

A fully revived Dao Weapon can completely knock an Immortal Lord off their position and grind them into nothingness.

Therefore, it is no problem for the Red Dust Myriad Reincarnation Dao Platform to simulate the power of the Immortal Lord level.

However, this supreme Dao Weapon has its limits and cannot truly display the power of a great existence like a Dao Lord.

This is an Achieved Dao Practitioner, a Dao-Attainer, a majestic existence honored as a Great Emperor among the Yao Race.

It can be said that every Dao Lord is a Dominator of the Great Dao of the Luotian Realm and the embodiment of the strongest combat power in the Luotian Realm.

As a supreme Great Realm, even the dao position born from the weakest path in the Luotian Realm possesses unparalleled power. Destroying ten thousand star rivers with a wave of the hand or crushing ten thousand star systems with a single thought are all within reach.

Coming back to the point, if Great Venerable Xuan Yuan Gui Li could have ascended to the position of Gui Water, with Gui Water cultivation at the Immortal Lord level, she could have completely dissolved the blood-fiend essence within the Blood Fiend Immortal Lord’s left hand, making it harmless.

But to grind away the body of an Immortal Lord, she would still be somewhat lacking in power.

This would require a Cultivator of the Geng Metal or Li Fire paths.

Every path has its own weaknesses and strengths.

Cultivators of the Water Path, in terms of combat ability, are quite average in the Kan Water and Gui Water paths, except for the ren water and Lu Water paths.

For another example, Ku Metal among the Five Metals is good at trapping enemies. When paired with Cultivators who excel in offense like Geng Metal, Li Fire, or Jia Wood, it can produce an effect where one plus one is greater than two.

Yuan Feng’s Way of Battle is an extreme path, pushing combat ability to the limit, and he knows nothing about things like nourishing all things or reviving vitality.

Combat is what’s truly satisfying!

”Don’t worry, with me here, nothing unexpected will happen in the Gui Li Secret Realm this time.”

Gui Li patted her chest and guaranteed.

”I hope so.”

Yuan Feng looked toward the west, as if seeing a brilliant red sun rising into the sky, and a Lihuo Vermilion Bird covering the sky and sun spreading its wings, standing across the Nine Heavens.

He could clearly feel that the temperature in the world had risen slightly.

This kind of phenomenon was brought by that Lihuo Vermilion Bird.

This was formed by the Li Fire Immortal Law and was the manifestation of Venerable Fen Jue’s own Nascent Soul Dao, which would have a profound impact on a region of the world.

Fortunately, the rank of the Luotian Realm is high enough; the phenomena during the promotion of a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal will dissipate after several decades or a century.

If it were during the ancient period when the world was stable, the promotion phenomenon of a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal wouldn’t even last ten years, let alone decades.

Only the phenomena during the promotion of an ascended Immortal Lord or Dao Lord can endure in the world.

For example, among the current Dao Lords, there is a Geng Metal Dao Lord. When he ascended to the Geng Metal dao position, geng metal qi filled Luotian, various Geng Metal phenomena manifested, and all living beings in the entire Luotian Realm could see it.

After his promotion, a cultivation Holy Land belonging to Geng Metal Cultivators appeared in the Luotian Realm, known as Gengyuan Heaven.

This is a supreme immortal heaven equivalent to an Immortal Dao Grotto-Heaven, a Geng Metal immortal heaven born when a Geng Metal Dao Lord achieved the Dao, containing many treasures and supreme items of the Geng Metal Path.

Legend has it that along with the birth of Gengyuan Heaven, two Geng Metal Immortal spirits were also born. With the help of that Geng Metal Dao Lord’s status, they can exert supreme power at the Immortal Lord level within Gengyuan Heaven.

This was the impact caused by the Dao Lord upon achieving the Dao; the feedback to the Luotian Realm was unparalleled.

Now, Gengyuan Heaven hung high above the Nine Heavens. Cultivators of the Geng Metal Path could ascend to Gengyuan Heaven every so often to seek their own opportunities.

Even a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal of the Geng Metal Path would yearn for Gengyuan Heaven immensely.

Half a month later.

True Monarch Liaoyuan arrived to personally deliver an invitation to the Chen family, which was enough to show the importance the Zhiyang Sect placed on the Dou Zhan Demon Lord.

Chen Zhuhong, however, did not follow True Monarch Liaoyuan.

As the Saintess of the Zhiyang Sect and a prominent figure soon to become the Disciple of Venerable Fen Jue, she was also extremely busy.

Luoyun Mountain, Wangyue Cliff.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Dou Zhan.”

True Monarch Liaoyuan wore a fiery red dress; her face was peerless, and her skin was whiter than snow, standing elegantly like a celestial flower.

She reached out a slender, white hand and took an obviously extraordinary invitation from her robe, handing it over.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Liaoyuan.”

Yuan Feng descended from the tree, returned the salute, and took the invitation she offered.

The surface was printed with flame-like patterns, with a bright, brilliant Zhiyang sun hanging high, radiating endless light. Even just a pattern allowed one to feel a boundless heat from it.

Upon opening the invitation, a peerless Concept that could incinerate the eight desolations and destroy the six directions diffused outward.

A scene emerged in Yuan Feng’s mind.

A Lihuo Vermilion Bird obscured the star river, stretching across the Universe. Lihuo surged around its body as it spread its wings and cried out, burning down the Star Domains of the ten directions and incinerating the myriad Daos.

Immediately after, a Dou Zhan Holy Ape appeared in the cosmic starry sky, its roar bringing down the sun, moon, and stars. Its Dou Zhan Divine Might swept through the three thousand worlds, forcibly crushing the Lihuo Vermilion Bird into extinction.

“Fellow Daoist Dou Zhan is truly extraordinary. This was a strand of intent left on it by Senior Brother Fen Jue, yet it was destroyed by you just like that,”

True Monarch Liaoyuan praised.

The intent of a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal was far beyond what a Golden Core True Monarch could compare to, enough to intimidate an ordinary True Monarch.

But on Yuan Feng, it was completely useless; instead, it was annihilated by Yuan Feng’s Dou Zhan divine intent.

This indicated that Yuan Feng’s connection to the Dou Zhan position was very deep. Such methods targeting the Divine Soul and Primordial Spirit would not have much effect on him.

Instead, it would trigger a riot from the Dou Zhan position, resulting in a backlash.

It could be said that aside from Immortal Dao giants at the Immortal Lord level, even a Great Honored Immortal would face the deterrence of the Dou Zhan position if they tried to pry into Yuan Feng’s Primordial Spirit.

Of course, what True Monarch Liaoyuan didn’t know was that Yuan Feng sensed the Dou Zhan dao position, not a primary or secondary position of Dou Zhan.

If an Immortal Lord tried to pry into Yuan Feng’s Primordial Spirit, it would inevitably cause a riot of the Dou Zhan dao position located in the depths of space-time, leading to something catastrophic.

It might even cause a major event like the fall of an Immortal Lord.

A dao position represents a Dao Lord; it is the end of the Great Dao and where the authority of the Great Dao resides.

It could be said that both primary and secondary positions are subordinate positions derived from the dao position, subject to the constraints of the higher-level dao position.

“Fellow Daoist Liaoyuan overpraises me. Venerable Fen Jue is a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal; how could I possibly compare to him?”

Yuan Feng laughed.

Afterward, the man and the ape exchanged some professional flattery.

True Monarch Liaoyuan didn’t stay long before getting up to bid her farewell.

She came to Xuan Prefecture for two reasons: one was to deliver the invitation to Yuan Feng, and the other was to go to Xuan Prefecture City to meet with True Monarch Qiusha.

As the Golden Core True Monarch arranged by the Great Qi Imperial Family to guard Xuan Prefecture and deter the Xuan Yuan Sect, True Monarch Qiusha’s relationship with the Zhiyang Sect was much deeper than it appeared to outsiders.

Shortly after True Monarch Liaoyuan left, Yuan Feng summoned Chen Xianlin.

This time, when he went to attend Venerable Fen Jue’s Nascent Soul feast, he would bring along several Disciples of the Chen family’s ’Xian’ generation.

As the Chen Family Head, Chen Xianlin knew the specific situation of the Chen family’s ’Xian’ generation better than he did.

“To answer Ancestor Yuan, you may take Xian Di, Xian Wang, and Xian Shu with you.”

Chen Xianlin mused.

In the ’Xian’ generation of the Chen family, aside from himself, his sister Xian Ling, and Chen Xianting, the other Disciples had not yet reached the Purple Mansion. This was also because the three of them were quite a bit older.

Among them, Chen Xiandi had the highest cultivation, currently at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage.

He was born to Huang Shanrou, his father was Chen Zhuyuan, and the path he cultivated was the gen-earth path.

As for Chen Xianwang and Chen Xianshu, they were born to Chen Zhuqing and were currently at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. The path they cultivated was the Taiyin Sun, both being legacies of the Tianchen Lineage, tied strictly to this ancient lineage.

There were also Chen Xianjun and Chen Xianzhi, who were not bad either.

However, neither of them was currently in the clan; they were still traveling abroad and had not yet returned.

After some careful consideration, Yuan Feng gave a wave of his hand. The several ’Xian’ generation Disciples staying at Luoyun Mountain felt a shift in the stars and arrived at Wangyue Cliff.

“Big Brother Xianlin!”

As soon as Chen Xianshu opened her eyes, she saw Chen Xianlin’s figure.

“Xianshu.”

Chen Xianlin nodded in response.

Chen Xiandi and Chen Xianwang first bowed to Yuan Feng: “Xiandi/Xianwang greets Ancestor Yuan.”

“Ah!”

Chen Xianshu, who was beside them, snapped out of it and hurriedly bowed: “Xianshu greets Ancestor Yuan.”

“Alright, you may all rise.”

With a thought from Yuan Feng, the three were lifted by an invisible force.

“I will take the three of you to Venerable Fen Jue’s Nascent Soul Immortal feast. Go back and prepare yourselves well.”

After Yuan Feng finished speaking, he concealed his figure and vanished.

“Ancestor Yuan is taking us to attend Venerable Fen Jue’s Nascent Soul feast? That’s great!”

Chen Xianshu clenched her small fists and waved them, her tone excited.

“For the Immortal feast of a Nascent Soul Venerable, I expect all the factions within the Great Qi Cultivation Kingdom will be there. We must not lose face for Ancestor Yuan or the Chen family.”

Chen Xiandi was burly with a resolute face. Standing there, he was like a heavy city wall, difficult to shake, giving off a great sense of security.

“I heard that Aunt Zhuhong will be taken as a Disciple by Venerable Fen Jue at the Nascent Soul feast. A Disciple of a Nascent Soul Immortal... I wonder how amazing that scene will be.”

Chen Xianshu’s eyes sparkled, her small hands clenched, looking full of longing.

Chen Xianwang rolled his eyes and said bluntly, “I say, little sister, we Cultivate the Taiyin Sun, and our Legacy comes from the ancient Tianchen Lineage. In the future, let alone a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal, even a Great Honored Immortal would want to take us as Disciples. There’s no need to envy Aunt Zhuhong.”

“Tch!”

Chen Xianshu glared at Chen Xianwang and retorted, “The big figures of the Tianchen Lineage have either fallen or gone missing. It’s uncertain if there are even any Nascent Soul Earth Immortals still in the world! Go on and keep dreaming your daydream!”

Chen Xiandi quietly watched the two siblings bicker without interrupting.

As a gen-earth Cultivator, his personality had been somewhat influenced during his cultivation process; he was usually taciturn.

However, once he started fighting, he would transform into a berserker, frantically suppressing his opponents.

In terms of Aptitude, he might not compare to the siblings Chen Xianlin or Chen Xianting, but his combat skills could be described as superb.

Having cultivated for over twenty years, he spent most of his time in the wild, either fighting Yao Beasts or battling Robber Cultivators.

Everyone in the Chen family said he was a cultivation maniac, a Dou Zhan maniac.

For this selection tournament for the Gui Li Secret Realm, many Chen family Disciples who had already reached Foundation Establishment were secretly praying not to draw that maniac Chen Xiandi.

gen-earth represents mountains; Chen Xiandi really would move mountains to smash people.

He had put immense effort into the Myriad Transformation Sacred Art and could manifest Immortal mountains and divine peaks like the Central Heaven Mount Tai or the North Pole Kunlun to suppress his opponents.

Even if the opponent used a sixth-grade Spell, he was confident he could crush it.

The siblings, Chen Xianwang and Chen Xianshu, spent most of their time cultivating quietly and rarely got involved in other matters.

Aside from a trip to a Legacy blessed land under the Tianchen Lineage with the couple Chen Zhuqing, they had hardly ever traveled far.

If Yuan Feng hadn’t set up the battle stage and Chen Xianlin hadn’t changed the clan rules—requiring Chen family Disciples to go to the battle stage at least once a month to temper themselves (excluding those in secluded meditation)—their combat skills would be almost zero.

Three days later.

A golden path extended from beneath Yuan Feng’s feet, Immortal radiance blooming and billions of rays of light shimmering, as if a deity were traveling.

The three, including Chen Xiandi, followed obediently behind him.

“Chen Xianwang, don’t cause any trouble for me once we get to the feast, do you hear me?”

Chen Xianshu whispered.

“Do you even need to say that?”

Chen Xianwang said, somewhat speechless.

Chen Xiandi said nothing, his back straight, standing like a monument on the golden path, solemn and heavy.

“Not bad.”

Yuan Feng nodded almost imperceptibly.

He was very satisfied with Chen Xiandi’s performance; this was how a Chen family Disciple should look.

Not arrogant or impetuous, acting when it’s time to act, and keeping a low profile at ordinary times.

“Stand firm.”

Yuan Feng chuckled, and the golden path extended, instantly crossing a distance of tens of millions of miles toward the Zhiyang Sect in the Western Territory.

The faces of the three youngsters distorted; they felt as if their entire bodies were being pulled, making them feel nauseous and wanting to vomit.

This was only crossing the Great Void within the realm. If it were a cross-realm teleportation, it wouldn’t just be discomfort; the pressure endured would be far more terrifying than a mountain pressing down on them.

Whoosh!

Soon, the golden path reached the Dragon Spine Desert.

Yuan Feng was no longer so high-profile; instead, he broke through the Great Void and led the three of them through it.

This desert could be said to be a natural barrier. Even a Great Honored Immortal traveling through the Dragon Spine Desert would need to keep a low profile; otherwise, if they disturbed that piece of true dragon spine, there would be big trouble.

Only after crossing the Dragon Spine Desert did Yuan Feng continue to unfold the golden path, extending like a divine bridge across the sky toward the Zhiyang Sect tens of millions of miles away.

As they approached the Zhiyang Sect, huge flying boats appeared, crossing the sky like mountains. Most of them belonged to Purple Mansion Factions invited to the Nascent Soul feast.

Golden Core True Monarchs had their own way of traveling, which was far more prestigious than that of Purple Mansion True Persons.

Seeing the golden path extending toward them, these flying boats all moved aside.

The young Cultivators watched with envy in their eyes.

Golden Core... that was the ultimate pursuit of their lives.

“Get out of the way!”

Just as Yuan Feng was about to arrive at the Zhiyang Sect, a shout came, and a Golden Core aura, terrifying as the heavens, surged toward them like a thousand seas.

“Where did this idiot come from!”

Yuan Feng’s eyes were sharp, his Dou Zhan Golden Nature revived, and a phantom of an ape that reached the heavens appeared behind him, roaring at the heavens and shaking the world above and below.