Chapter 714 |
The “Thirteenth Elder,” who was under the gaze of everyone present, felt his heart tighten.
He knew that this was his moment to shine.
If he could give an answer that satisfied the Patriarch, his status in the clan would rise, and with it, his share of cultivation resources.
After thinking carefully and organizing his thoughts, he finally spoke slowly.
“Patriarch, I have an idea. Why don’t we find someone to join forces with?”
As soon as those words left his mouth, the entire hall was shaken.
Everyone seemed stunned—some even looked outright furious.
The most enraged among them was none other than the “Seventh Elder.”
“Good heavens, Thirteenth! I thought you had come up with some clever solution, but what you mean is to cooperate with outsiders? Do you even know how many covet the token we hold? You would bring wolves into our house!”
“That’s right! The token of our Immortal Clan has been passed down from our ancestors. It must never be shared with outsiders!”
“Thirteenth, did someone bribe you? Are you trying to mislead us?”
As angry shouts echoed through the hall, the purple-robed middle-aged man’s expression also turned grim.
Seeing this, the Thirteenth Elder’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly said,
“Patriarch, everyone, it’s not what you think! I harbor no ill intentions toward our clan! If my words are false, may I be struck by heavenly lightning, suffer the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, and fail to pass my next Nascent Soul Tribulation!”
As he spoke, a wave of divine soul fluctuations emanated from him—the mark of a Divine Soul Oath.
Everyone fell silent at once.
Such an oath could not be made lightly. Though it might not bring immediate retribution, it would deeply damage one’s Dao Heart. Any cultivator who violated it would find their path forever obstructed and their future cultivation bleak.
Seeing that the Thirteenth Elder had truly sworn a Divine Soul Oath, the crowd stopped accusing him.
Even the Patriarch’s stern expression eased somewhat.
“If your heart holds no betrayal, then explain yourself,” the Patriarch said solemnly. “You know full well that the token to enter the Gui Xu Secret Realm is our clan’s sole hope. Outsiders must never be allowed to lay their hands upon it.”
“Of course I know,” the Thirteenth Elder said quickly. “But, Patriarch, forgive me for being blunt—those great sects and factions you’re well aware of… even with our clan’s heritage, to seize the opportunity from their hands might still be too difficult.”
The purple-robed Patriarch fell silent.
He was not an arrogant man and knew that the Thirteenth Elder spoke the truth.
In fact, the elder had put it mildly—their Immortal Clan’s current strength could hardly compete with those forces at all.
Yet the opportunities and treasures within the Gui Xu Secret Realm were something they had to obtain.
This concerned whether their clan could regain its former glory and once again unify the Great Yuan Immortal Domain.
As long as they could acquire that legendary treasure, no price would be too great.
After a moment of contemplation, the Patriarch finally spoke, “So, Thirteenth, it seems you already have someone in mind. Tell me—who do you wish to ally with? Or rather, which faction approached you first?”
Hearing that, the Thirteenth Elder’s tense heart relaxed at once, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
He knew—the Patriarch was now convinced.
…
Beyond the Great Yuan Immortal Domain, somewhere in the vast sea of stars, within a starry secret realm.
Mountains like countless divine swords pierced the heavens, as if they could cut through the very fabric of the cosmos.
On the tallest of these peaks, a streak of sword light flashed across the skies and descended, revealing a white-robed young man.
“Sword Master, you summoned me—may I ask what matter requires my presence?”
The young man bowed respectfully toward an old man in gray robes who stood atop the peak with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Some days ago,” the old man said slowly, “a treasure enshrined in our sect’s Ancestral Hall stirred unexpectedly. I believe the Gui Xu Secret Realm is about to reappear.”
“Gui Xu Secret Realm?” the white-robed youth echoed, momentarily stunned. Then his eyes widened in shock.
“Sword Master, do you mean the Gui Xu Secret Realm that appears once every hundred thousand years—the one said to have been left behind by the Daoist of Transcendence?”
“Indeed.” The gray-robed elder nodded. “It is that very realm.
Legend has it that within lies the legacy of the Daoist of Transcendence. Its emergence will certainly draw the eyes of countless powers.”
The young man’s eyes flickered. “Then Sword Master, your intention is…”
“The legacy of a Daoist who transcended the heavens is not something trivial,” the elder said gravely.
“Whoever claims it may alter the balance of power across several immortal domains. We cannot stand idle.
“However, it’s said that the Gui Xu Daoist placed a restriction within that secret realm—only cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm may enter. Any who exceed that realm will be annihilated unless they surpass the Daoist himself.
“Select a group of our sect’s Nascent Soul disciples.
When the secret realm appears, lead them inside and strive to seize whatever opportunities you can.
Even if you fail, you must not allow the treasures to fall into the hands of demonic cultivators.”
“Yes, Sword Master!” the young man said solemnly.
“There’s no need to rush,” the old man continued. “According to the records left by our ancestors, the token’s reaction merely means that the Sea of Stars has begun to fluctuate. It will still be some time before the Gui Xu Secret Realm truly manifests. You can take your time choosing the right disciples.”
“I understand,” the youth replied.
“One more thing,” the gray-robed elder added. “Recently, I received word that a strange young man has been using our sect’s Heaven-Shattering Sword Intent. He caused quite a stir in the Tianyuan Great World of the Great Yuan Immortal Domain—slaying several Nascent Soul cultivators. Because of this, the human factions of that domain have lodged a formal protest.”
“Heaven-Shattering Sword Intent?” The white-robed youth was taken aback.
“To slay Nascent Soul cultivators… then he must at least be at that same level. When I return, I’ll investigate which disciple was training in the Tianyuan Great World recently.”
“Good. Go, then.”
The gray-robed elder waved his hand lightly.
“Disciple takes his leave.”
The youth bowed deeply, then transformed into a beam of sword light that shot into the heavens.
Once he had gone, the old man turned slowly.
A hint of weariness marked his aged face, and his eyes were clouded with concern.
“The appearance of the Gui Xu Secret Realm… The time predicted by the Third Patriarch draws near. Yet what kind of Great Calamity did he foresee? There’s still not the faintest clue.”
As he recalled the Third Patriarch’s final warning, the old man’s heart grew heavier still.
“The only thing we can do now,” he murmured, “is take one step at a time.
Perhaps when the Gui Xu Secret Realm emerges… we may finally glimpse the signs of that Great Calamity.”
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