Chapter 410: Second Nascent Soul, Invitation from the Alliance Leader |
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Yan Kingdom, former mountain gate of the Endless Palace.
A vast, axe-hewn valley stretched before them, housing a sprawling complex of imposing, rugged structures. Beyond grand halls and palaces, there were beast pens, aviaries, and deep pools.
Among the passing cultivators, countless bizarre spirit beasts and mounts could be seen.
Deep within the valley, before the towering Beast King Hall, reaching dozens of zhang high, two figures descended from a spirit crane.
The elder had silver-white hair, sagging skin, and dense age spots, yet his sunken eyes gleamed with a hawk-like sharpness, exuding a sinister air.
"I hope we can meet the Grand Elder today."
Pei Shuyuan, dressed in a plain, flowing gown, stood tall and graceful. Though her attire lacked its usual opulence, it could not conceal her breathtaking beauty.
Her heart uneasy, she gazed solemnly at the beast-shaped totem atop the Beast King Hall.
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch led his granddaughter into the inner gardens of the Beast King Hall.
They arrived before an odd, eggshell-white dwelling.
"Senior Brother Ten Thousand Crane, and Immortal Pei, you’ve arrived as well."
A burly, purple-robed man with a thick beard stood with his hands behind his back. Spotting them, he gave a slight nod.
"Greetings, Sect Master."
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch dipped his head slightly, while Pei Shuyuan bowed deeply, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch was a senior figure in the Beast King Valley, having entered the sect earlier than the current Sect Master. In their youth, he had even taken care of him as an elder brother.
"When will the Grand Elder emerge from seclusion?"
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch studied the peculiar eggshell-white structure.
"Elder Ruan said 'soon', but he said the same thing a year ago."
The Beast King Sect Master, usually dignified and composed, could no longer suppress his frustration in front of Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch.
"The Beast King Valley expands outward, and I oversee everything, laboring tirelessly while the elders fight tooth and nail. Yet Uncle Ruan has always been an absentee leader, indifferent to the sect’s battles. How many times has he shown his face in a century? Asking him for a divination is like pulling teeth! He’s either raising fish and plants or hibernating to 'preserve his health'..."
"Haha, the Grand Elder is advanced in years. It’s understandable that he has… leisurely hobbies."
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch laughed awkwardly, not daring to openly criticize the Grand Elder like the mid-stage Nascent Soul Beast King Sect Master.
The Grand Elder’s tendency to slack off and avoid sect duties was no secret among the Beast King Valley’s upper echelons.
Were it not for the Sect Master and other elders pushing him, the Grand Elder might have spent all his time in the rear, tending to flowers and grass.
"Senior Brother Ten Thousand Crane, you’ve come at the right time. Help me smash open this eggshell."
The Beast King Sect Master’s anger had not subsided. He had worked himself to the bone, leading the sect’s expansion and conquests, yet his treatment paled in comparison to that old man’s.
"Ohhh~"
A lazy, just-awakened voice drifted from within the eggshell structure.
"That was a good nap!"
A thick, unhurried voice spoke as the surface of the dwelling split open, revealing a door woven from white silk threads.
A foul, musty odor, the unmistakable stench of an old man’s sleep breath poured out.
The two Nascent Soul elders frowned, covering their noses or holding their breath.
Pei Shuyuan, however, dared not react so brazenly. She suppressed her nausea, her delicate brows furrowing as she endured the stench.
Once the odor dissipated, the Beast King Sect Master and Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch stepped inside.
Within the eggshell-white dwelling sat a plump, rosy-cheeked elder with a bulging belly, resembling a rotund Buddha.
His ample body was unclothed, wrapped in white silk strands that had partially peeled away, revealing his chest and shoulders.
Pei Shuyuan waited outside, head bowed, not daring to look directly.
At a glance, the Grand Elder’s complexion was that of a young man, far more youthful than the Beast King Sect Master or Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch.
Yet, this Grand Elder was over a thousand years old, with at least two or three centuries of life remaining.
For a Nascent Soul cultivator of his age, most peers had either perished or were in severe decline.
Yet, the Beast King Valley’s Grand Elder remained in excellent condition, though much of his time was spent in hibernation to maintain it.
...
"Oh? That brat Black Feather had his physical body destroyed and his treasured wing magical treasure seized? So, our sect has lost a top scout?"
Upon hearing of Black Feather True Monarch’s misfortune, the Grand Elder expressed sympathy but lacked any vengeful fury or killing intent.
"Grand Elder, according to Black Feather and Shuyuan’s deductions, that Lan Chang'an likely possesses a unique beast-taming secret art… or perhaps some extraordinary treasure."
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch called Pei Shuyuan inside to report the details.
Pei Shuyuan spoke respectfully, sticking to the facts while emphasizing the anomalies surrounding Lan Chang'an’s two spirit beasts.
"Elder Uncle, now that you’ve emerged, could you perform a divination? First, to accelerate our plans to assimilate the Righteous Dao Alliance. Second, to uncover the truth about this variable, Evergreen True Monarch."
The Beast King Sect Master made his request.
The Grand Elder was a leader among the demonic sects, belonging to the same generation as the Beast King Sect Master’s and Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch’s master.
"No need to rush! We’ve already taken half the meat, don’t choke on it."
The plump Grand Elder reluctantly raised a hand, performing a brief divination.
"Hmm? Evergreen True Monarch’s fate is obscured, even more so than Cyanwood True Monarch’s. Strange! Even if the divination skills of the Fengyuan Kingdom’s Heavenly Master slightly surpass mine, granting the protection of his heavenly secrets, it shouldn’t be this impenetrable..."
The Grand Elder frowned, visibly surprised.
"Grand Elder, can you push further?"
The Beast King Sect Master suspected the Grand Elder was unwilling to expend lifespan or endure heavenly backlash.
The Grand Elder had become a fourth-rank divination master not through innate talent but sheer longevity, grinding his way to mastery over time.
Moreover, bonded with a mystical Heavenly Silkworm as his lifebound spirit beast, his vitality far exceeded that of peers his age, especially in his youth.
"Unnecessary! This child has reached Nascent Soul, blessed by fortune. Allied with Zhang Tianfeng and guided by the Heavenly Master’s schemes, he has already established his footing."
The Grand Elder flatly refused to continue.
The Beast King Sect Master could not force him and had no choice but to relent.
Though the Grand Elder was often selfish and fond of slacking, his judgment in major matters had always been sound.
He rarely acted, but when he did, it was always with decisive effect.
"When will the Nether Spring Sect free up their hands? When will the six sects divide the Eastern Territory?"
The Beast King Sect Master pressed.
The Nether Spring Sect, leader of the Six Demonic Sects, stood as one of the top powers in the entire Great Qing.
In the Eastern Territory, they occupied twice the land of the Beast King Valley and with far greater ease.
However, their vast holdings and numerous subordinate forces meant they needed more time to consolidate.
Otherwise, newly conquered territories might rebel or fracture from within.
"Half a year ago, I spoke with the Nether Spring Sect’s Grand Elder. They’ll be ready in three to five years at most. But don’t expect too much. Given their larger territory, their support will be limited and prioritized toward the Seven Kingdoms Alliance front."
The Grand Elder spoke leisurely.
"The Nether Spring Sect’s Grand Elder… has he been to the Righteous Dao Alliance?"
Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch was surprised.
As far as he knew, their Grand Elder had barely left the sect, let alone the alliance’s borders.
"The Nether Spring Grand Elder’s ‘Second Nascent Soul’ has visited. He has also contacted the other sects’ leaders."
The Grand Elder confirmed.
Hearing this, the Beast King Sect Master and Ten Thousand Crane True Monarch brightened, and their morale lifted.
The Nether Spring Sect’s Grand Elder was the Sacred Sects’ paramount leader, their foremost cultivator. If one excluded the Nascent Soul Great Cultivator of the Xuan Sects who was nowhere to be seen, he might well be the strongest in the Great Qing.
Now, his Second Nascent Soul had personally reached out to the leaders of the major demonic sects, a sign that the Eastern Territory’s balance was on the verge of a new turning point.
...
A few days later.
The news of Evergreen True Monarch's return spread throughout the Liang Kingdom's cultivation world. Even low-level Qi-Refining cultivators learned that a new Nascent Soul had emerged in the Liang Kingdom.
This caused a massive stir among the lower ranks, especially within the loose cultivator community.
The reason was simple: Lan Chang'an had risen from the ranks of loose cultivators to achieve the miracle of Nascent Soul. In the Liang Kingdom, this was likely unprecedented in recent history.
As for Liang Shaotian, he wasn’t truly a loose cultivator—his lineage traced back to a cultivation family. Moreover, Liang Shaotian had inherited the legacy of the ancient Xuan Yin Sect, a splinter faction of the former "Seven Demonic Sects."
In essence, Liang Shaotian was a successor of the Xuan Yin Sect’s lineage, even if he had founded the Xuan Yin Sect anew rather than rejoining the Six Demonic Sects.
Jin Yun Valley, forbidden land of the Fourth-rank spirit vein.
Under the direction of high-ranking cultivators and formation masters, a brand-new cave abode quickly took shape.
Following Lan Chang'an’s design, the newly established Nascent Soul cave was laid out as a water-encircled mountain peak, spanning several li.
At its center stood a mountain adorned with rare spiritual bamboo and precious trees, surrounded by a ring of water.
His signature spirit beast, the Profound Water Turtle, would henceforth dwell and cultivate within this watery expanse.
The mountain itself was not tall, its flattened summit hosting an elegant, ancient-style manor.
Lan Chang'an took up residence in this estate, with a number of disciple-servants already assigned to maintain the abode and attend to his daily needs.
As for Lord Earthrock, it had secretly tunneled into the mountain’s depths, carving out an underground palace for itself.
This part of the construction, along with the interior layout and decorations, had not troubled Jin Yun Valley.
Lan Chang'an named this spiritual cultivation site the Evergreen Peak Dao Ground.
...
On the very day Lan Chang'an officially moved into Evergreen Peak, Zhang Tianfeng announced his status as the sect’s "Grand Protector," a position whose privileges and resources surpassed even those of the sect master and Core Formation elders.
That same day, the sect’s Law Enforcement Hall publicly executed Zhu Yuting.
As a traitor who had colluded with the demonic path, betrayed Jin Yun Valley, and plotted against its elders, she was sentenced to death.
The once-glamorous "Fairy Zhu," a Core Formation cultivator, met her end then and there.
Before her death, Zhu Yuting had begged to see Lan Chang'an one last time, even offering to serve as his slave. But her plea went unanswered.
She had not been an important figure in the Beast King Valley, lacking any real bargaining value.
Her execution served as a warning, a deterrent to any within the sect who might harbor treacherous thoughts.
...
With Evergreen Peak now his home, Lan Chang'an, the Profound Water Turtle, and the Lord Earthrock settled into a new phase of cultivation.
Fortunately, fourth-rank demonic beasts had lower spiritual energy demands, and the Profound Water Turtle was still far from advancing to that stage. Otherwise, Jin Yun Valley’s newly nurtured fourth-rank low-grade spirit vein might not have been able to sustain them.
Inside his secluded cultivation chamber, Lan Chang'an meditated for several hours, slowly accumulating and refining his spiritual power.
"The Evergreen Technique lacks the Nascent Soul chapter. My cultivation efficiency here is noticeably lower than at Yunxia Sect."
Back in Yunxia Sect, he had been able to practice the "Dragon Phoenix Dual Cauldron Technique" with Purple Mist True Monarch, which had supplemented his progress.
But now, in the Eastern Territories of Great Qing, especially within the Righteous Dao Alliance, where could he find a suitable Nascent Soul female cultivator?
If it were that easy, the late Heavenly Net Ancestor, with his exceptional side-path talents, might have had a shot at reaching mid-stage Nascent Soul.
Still, Lan Chang'an had a plan.
He possessed a near-complete set of materials for forming a Nascent Soul.
Most of these resources had come from killing Hu Ang, the reincarnated fusion of Yunlan True Monarch. Hu Ang’s spatial ring had been a treasure trove: fourth-rank materials, rare herbs, ores, and even preparations for Nascent Soul breakthrough.
Among them were two main ingredients for the Infant Transformation Pill, as well as spirit items to aid in heart demon tribulation and materials for crafting lightning tribulation-resolving treasures.
Some were Hu Ang’s personal stash, but most had come from Yunlan True Monarch’s private reserves, essentially the entirety of his lifetime’s wealth.
Now, all of it belonged to Lan Chang'an. With minimal additional effort, he could assemble a full Nascent Soul breakthrough opportunity.
His idea was simple: use these resources to nurture a trustworthy, high-talent Core Formation female cultivator into Nascent Soul.
Not only would this grant him an additional ally in battle, but she could also serve as the secondary cauldron in the Dual Phoenix Method, accelerating his own cultivation.
"The Xuan Yin Pavilion? Fairy Niyue excels in sound-based techniques and dual cultivation. Reliable and considerate… but she’s a bit too old. Her chances of reaching Nascent Soul are slim."
Lan Chang'an recalled that Fairy Niyue was slightly older than him. However, as a sound-path cultivator, she maintained her youthful beauty through preservation techniques and Youth Retaining Pills.
"Other younger True Dan female cultivators in Xuan Yin Pavilion could be considered, but their aptitude and temperament would need to be examined..."
"The best candidate would be Xia Wenyue. Even without the 'Cold Soul Jade Marrow' physique’s Taiyin Jade Essence, her body remains a peerless vessel for Yin-Yang dual cultivation."
He couldn’t help but reminisce about his final meeting with Fairy Xia.
Back then, persuading her to part with her "Taiyin Jade Essence" had required quite a bit of effort.
Just as his divinations had foretold, Xia Wenyue’s impulsive actions had displeased her master, leading to a cold reception within the Proud Moon Palace.
No longer receiving preferential treatment or resources, her progress had stagnated.
Given her innate talent, she should have reached the peak of late Core Formation by now, ready to attempt Nascent Soul.
Yet, Lan Chang'an had heard no such news, clearly, she lacked the necessary breakthrough resources.
...
Half a month later.
A pair of massive black wings hovered mid-air in the cultivation chamber, shimmering with dark, wind-like energy.
Lan Chang'an withdrew his Evergreen True Flame, concluding the refinement process.
Beside him, the green-armored puppet stood thoughtfully, chin in hand, pondering solutions.
"These Black Heaven Wings are extraordinary in quality. Unfortunately, without the corresponding bloodline or beast-taming expertise, I can’t unleash their full potential."
He sighed faintly.
After preliminary refinement, he could now use the Black Heaven Wings as a flight magical treasure, but the effect fell short of expectations.
Though it did increase his speed, the boost was less than anticipated.
Even with greater mana expenditure, his flight speed only reached 60-70% of Black Feather True Monarch’s.
And that was without considering the latter’s seamless, instinctive control.
Puppet Master Wei remarked: "Fellow Daoist Lan, the materials for these wings likely came from a fourth-rank late-stage avian king. But over time, their spiritual essence has degraded. Dismantling them for puppet materials would further diminish their value, hardly worth the cost."
"Black Feather True Monarch’s bloodline affinity, combined with a century of nurturing and beast-taming arts, allowed him to wield their true power. My only options are to restore their spiritual essence or modify them through artifact-crafting."
After careful consideration, supplemented by divination, Lan Chang'an confirmed his approach wasn’t fundamentally flawed.
If he were willing to burn lifespan, his Evergreen secret spell could accelerate the wings’ spiritual recovery.
But he would still need a master artificer to redesign them for optimal use.
He planned to discuss this with Zhang Tieshan when time permitted.
Zhang Tieshan, a blacksmith by origin, possessed remarkable artifacting talent. Combined with his own fortunes, he had reached fourth-rank artifact refiner status even before forming his Nascent Soul.
...
Before Lan Chang'an could reach out to Zhang Tieshan, a missive talisman arrived from Sky Maple Mountain, the abode of Jin Yun Valley’s Supreme Elder.
Exiting his chamber, Lan Chang'an plucked the talisman from the air and scanned its contents.
"Rewards from the Righteous Dao Alliance for meritorious service..."
His expression shifted slightly.
Turns out, news of his slaying Black Feather True Monarch’s physical form, destroying his quasi-fourth rank spirit bird, and capturing Zhu Yuting had reached Alliance Leader Chu Tianfeng.
The Righteous Dao Alliance’s foremost cultivator, its only mid-stage Nascent Soul, was greatly pleased.
Black Feather True Monarch’s mobility had been a strategic thorn in the alliance’s side, playing a key role in intelligence and support.
Though Lan Chang'an hadn’t eradicated him completely, seizing his lifebound wing treasure was already beyond the alliance’s expectations.
As a reward, the alliance granted Lan Chang'an tens of thousands of merit points, redeemable for rare items: magical treasures, pills, techniques, materials, and even resources for Nascent Soul breakthroughs.
This was no small sum, a late Core Formation cultivator might fight on the front lines for decades without earning as much.
But beyond the rewards, Chu Tianfeng wished to meet him in person.
"What could Chu Tianfeng want with me?"
Lan Chang'an pondered but felt no trepidation at the prospect of meeting the alliance’s strongest cultivator.
...
"Esteemed True Monarch, these are the recent letters of request for audience."
A hunched, Foundation Establishment elder surnamed Dong, once a Qi-Refining servant during Lan Chang'an’s days on Great Sun Peak, presented a chest filled with missives.
Back then, he’d been called "Little Dong." Now, Lan Chang'an addressed him as "Old Dong."
"Many guests have come to Jin Yun Valley, claiming to have past connections with you. But this junior dared not disturb you, waiting for True Monarch Lan to exit seclusion to make a decision."
Lan Chang'an sifted through the letters. A handful bore familiar names or sect affiliations, but most were utterly unremarkable.
His brow furrowed briefly before relaxing into a faint smile.
"Since when did I have so many 'old friends'? During my years of arduous cultivation in the Liang Kingdom, I don’t recall this many descendants of acquaintances."
(End of chapter)
New novel that's equally as fun^^ Five Immortal Sects
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