Chapter 326: Chapter 324: I Invite You to Your Death
"If you kill yourself now, I might allow a flicker of the Qingfeng Sect to survive... At the very least, I’ll leave you a few disciples to sweep the graves and offer incense, so your lineage isn’t completely wiped out."
True Monarch Jiulian’s expression was one of pity—pity for the Qingfeng Sect, and for himself.
"I heard the Qingfeng Sect’s legacy comes from the Cultivation Realm across the Outer Sea. It would be a shame for it to end here..."
"True Monarch Jiulian, are you truly set on our annihilation? Have you not considered that a third party might profit from this conflict?"
Master Ge Cang was already enveloped in the Thunderbolt Ocean, his voice rumbling like thunder itself.
"I may not be your equal, but you are sorely mistaken if you think you can take down the Qingfeng Sect without suffering any losses."
"Yes, I must admit, you are the strongest Core Formation True Man I have ever seen... When I was at Core Formation Perfection, I was nowhere near your level."
True Monarch Jiulian spoke slowly as the nine cyan lotuses circling before him fanned out, creating invisible ripples in the air.
"And for that very reason, you must die today. The worst-case scenario is that after I pass on, the Holy Lotus Sect will seal its gates for another century. We have done it before. It’s not as if anyone could breach Qii Mountain."
Behind him, a space resembling a paradise unfolded. It was filled with countless lotuses, and an exotic fragrance wafted through the air.
The cries of celestial cranes echoed to the highest heavens, while sika deer, white rabbits, and other Spirit Beasts scampered about.
Deep within the ethereal mist stood tall pavilions and jade towers, Pearl Palaces and Shell Palaces. The density of the Spiritual Qi emanating from it had undoubtedly reached the level of a Tier Four Spirit Land.
This was the Realm unique to a Nascent Soul True Monarch—a nascent Grotto Heaven, like those of Divinity Transformation Great Powers. It was a world unto itself.
Beyond storing items and sustaining life, if a cultivator was willing to risk manifesting their Realm in the mortal world to fight an enemy, it would become a Treasure more powerful than even their Lifebound Magical Treasure.
A Realm is born from the void and is continuously elevated through Refinement. In addition to sealing off the surrounding space, all the laws within it favor its master while weakening their opponent.
This disparity alone could create a significant gap in power, even between two cultivators of the same Cultivation level.
For fellow Nascent Soul True Monarchs, using a Realm as a weapon carries the great risk of it being damaged in the process.
One could only do so with less risk if they possessed a Spiritual Treasure to anchor and stabilize their Realm.
But against a Core Formation True Man, the difference in Great Realms made the Nascent Soul Realm an ultimate weapon.
No Escape Technique could possibly work in the face of a Realm. Enveloped by the Power of Space and trapped within the Nascent Soul True Monarch’s personal world, one was completely at their mercy.
Seeing how well-developed True Monarch Jiulian’s Nascent Soul Realm was, it was clear he had poured an immense amount of blood, sweat, and tears into it.
Consequently, the Power of Heaven and Earth he could manifest would be all the more formidable.
"No matter how powerful a Core Formation Cultivator is, they are still just a Core Formation Cultivator... Faced with the gap of a Great Realm, they are utterly fragile!"
True Monarch Jiulian waved his Daoist Robe. A cyan lotus bloomed, then burst into a sky full of petals.
He had forcibly severed his connection to the Snow Lotus, causing his power to plummet. Otherwise, he would not have needed to be so cautious against Master Ge Cang, let alone open his Nascent Soul Realm.
’First, I’ll kill Ge Cang, then I’ll go kill that... Bai Zichen. The Celestial Principle Sect can clean this mess up afterward. I trust they won’t leave a single Qingfeng Sect disciple alive to cause me trouble.’
Master Ge Cang’s face grew grim. He watched as each seemingly fragile lotus petal grew as heavy as a mountain, each one a world unto itself.
Even if he unleashed his entire Thunderbolt Ocean, he could at most dissipate the first cyan lotus. The gap in power between him and a Nascent Soul True Monarch was simply too vast.
’An all-out strike that overdraws my True Essence is only equal to a casual blow from a Nascent Soul Cultivator... There’s no other way. I have to use that Divine Technique!’
Master Ge Cang gave a calm, accepting smile. His body suddenly shot up, accompanied by a series of sharp, crackling sounds.
He unleashed the Pink Crystal Shattering Jade Technique, shattering both his Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body and his Glazed Fire Divine Body in exchange for ultimate power.
Two massive hands, radiating a blinding light, seized the cyan lotus. With a forceful twist, they crushed it as if it were a real flower.
’If I want to live, I have to make True Monarch Jiulian think of retreating within one hundred breaths. Only then can I avoid irreversible damage to my body...’
Master Ge Cang swung his palm, and the surrounding space shook so violently that it affected the scenery within the Nascent Soul Realm.
It was like an earthquake. Chaos erupted as startled cranes flapped their wings in alarm, and several pavilions collapsed.
The cyan lotuses blocking his path were effortlessly pierced by his palm, which was only stopped when a Jade Ruler appeared to block its advance.
CLANG!
The massive sound of metal colliding sent ripples shuddering through the air at the point of impact, nearly tearing space itself asunder.
"Nascent Soul-level power?"
True Monarch Jiulian stared in disbelief. This was not a level of power a Core Formation True Man should be able to wield.
His Guardian Cyan Lotus was a product of perfecting his Cultivation Technique. It could protect its master automatically, and each blossom contained its own world, making every single one equivalent to a Top-Grade Magical Treasure.
"Excellent. Let’s see just how long you can maintain that level of strength!"
True Monarch Jiulian had never imagined that against a mere Core Formation True Man, even using his Nascent Soul Realm would not be enough.
Now, he was being forced to fully manifest his Great Dao True Intent. This was no different from fighting another Nascent Soul True Monarch.
’If I’d known it would be this much trouble, I would have brought the Sect’s Spiritual Treasure...’
The Holy Lotus Sect, of course, possessed an ancestral Spiritual Treasure.
However, not even True Monarch Jiulian would carry the Spiritual Treasure on his person for long. Strictly speaking, it belonged to the Sect; he was merely its temporary custodian.
If it were ever lost, it would be an unbearable blow to the Holy Lotus Sect.
Cyan lotuses surged from the earth as golden light rained down from the heavens.
At the same time, dozens of lotus seeds fell from True Monarch Jiulian’s hands. In response, Wood Puppets rose to their feet, moving in unison, each one pulsing with a Core Formation aura.
’Assimilation with plants... a mind as slow as wood?’
Master Ge Cang found that his limbs were beginning to turn to wood. At the same time, his Divine Sense began to operate at a tenth of its normal speed.
"So, True Monarch Jiulian walks this path of the Great Dao. In that case, let’s see which of us has a deeper understanding of the Wood Element Path..."
Master Ge Cang stopped resisting entirely and transformed his body into a towering Divine Tree. Empowered by the Five Crystal Glaze Body, this Divine Tree was more than double the size it had been the last time he manifested it.
One half of the tree ignited with Glazed True Flame. As the trunk burned, the approaching Wood Puppets were incinerated into charred husks before they could even get near.
On the other half, thunder erupted from the void. Countless branches became Divine Thunder Nourishment, causing each Qiantian Primordial Yang Divine Thunder Net to expand a thousandfold.
The nets linked together, setting off a chain reaction. Their power stacked layer upon layer until it rivaled the might of a Celestial Tribulation.
True Monarch Jiulian’s expression was grim. The Lifebound Jade Ruler in his hand became a blur; wherever the Glazed True Flame burned uncontrollably, he would slap it down with the ruler, extinguishing it.
Wherever the thunderbolts roared, threatening to annihilate his cyan lotuses, another strike of the ruler would throw them into disarray.
The longer he fought, the more alarmed he became. He truly felt as though he were facing a fellow peer, not a mere Core Formation True Man.
A single wisp of that Glazed True Flame was enough to reduce his Tier Three Wood Puppets to cinders.
The Glazed True Flame would not die out, but would instead fly onward to the next target, seemingly burning without consuming any of its own energy.
If several wisps linked together, even he could feel his skin searing, and scorched marks had already appeared on his Daoist Robe.
As for the endlessly proliferating Primordial Yang Divine Thunder, it reminded him of Celestial Tribulation Divine Thunder—the kind of lightning that embodied both destruction and life, posing a grave threat even to a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
’I refuse to believe he can wield such power without paying a price. Even with the help of a Secret Treasure, a Core Formation True Man’s True Essence recovery can’t possibly match that of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, who has a Nascent Soul to aid them.’
True Monarch Jiulian could see that his Great Dao True Intent was not completely without effect.
While Master Ge Cang’s Divine Sense hadn’t slowed to the level of a common Spirit Plant, it was no longer fast enough to be a factor in a battle at the Nascent Soul level.
His current onslaught stemmed entirely from raw power; adapting his tactics to the flow of battle was now impossible for him.
In fact, if Master Ge Cang’s own Great Dao True Intent had not also been of the Wood Attribute—and of a higher concept at that—he would have already become as unresponsive as a Puppet, his movements sluggish and clumsy.
"It seems Fellow Daoist Jiulian is in a bit of a bind. He promised to hand Black Mountain over to my Celestial Principle Sect today. Surely he’s not going to fail, are you...?"
Shi Chengdong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, quietly observing the fierce battle above Black Mountain from dozens of miles away.
"You jest, True Monarch Shi. Dealing with a mere Ancestor of the Qingfeng Sect should be a simple matter for him..."
Qu Yang, lacking the ability to see the situation clearly from such a distance, could only offer a placating smile.
"My agreement with Fellow Daoist Jiulian was entirely contingent on him taking the Black Mountain Range. If there’s a problem with what his sect promised, don’t blame me for not keeping my word."
Shi Chengdong’s expression was placid. ’Thankfully, I chose to be cautious and didn’t attack the Qingfeng Sect myself. If I had acted rashly and attacked Black Mountain when I first arrived in Liang Country, I would be the one in an embarrassing predicament right now.’
Shi Chengdong’s injuries were far more severe than anyone imagined.
When Po Jun Star Monarch and Cui Xu of the Hundred Puppet Sect had joined forces against him, escaping on his own would not have been difficult. However, it would have meant abandoning all the Sect Disciples on the five Floating Battleships.
In order to cover the retreat of the disciples on the remaining three Floating Battleships, he had fought a running battle that lasted, off and on, for nearly a month.
In the end, he had desperately held back the two Nascent Soul True Monarchs, buying the disciples of the Celestial Principle Sect a path to survival.
Furthermore, the Spirit Land he occupied after arriving in Liang Country was of poor quality, slowing his recovery even more.
But despite his relief, Shi Chengdong did not believe Master Ge Cang could hold on for much longer.
To be able to instantly leap across such a vast gulf in power was already Heaven-Defying.
But every gain has its price. The cost of wielding power far beyond one’s realm would naturally be staggering, and the limitations, even greater.
’A Minor Sect like Qingfeng has produced such an overwhelmingly powerful Core Formation True Man, and I hear they also have an equally Heaven-Defying Sword Cultivator... Could it be that the Qingfeng Sect has already opened the Ancient Secret Realm? Did they obtain the legacy of an Ancient Great Power, explaining this sudden, explosive growth?’
As Shi Chengdong was still speculating about the source of Master Ge Cang’s power, he saw a streak of Sword Light appear on the horizon—a light so brilliant it defied description, filling his entire field of view.
...
The moment Bai Zichen entered the Black Mountain Range, he felt his Sect Token grow hot and begin to vibrate frantically.
’Sect under attack. Enemy is too powerful to confront. All Qingfeng Sect disciples abroad are to hide in place and await further notice. Do not return to the Mountain Gate!’
The red script on the Token repeated three times. All disciples of True Inheritance rank and above would have received it.
However, as a Core Formation Ancestor, his Token was made of special materials and displayed the message instantly.
’Blood God True Man? True Monarch Jiulian? Or the Sect Leader of the Celestial Principle Sect?’
Bai Zichen’s heart trembled. Becoming one with his sword, he streaked across the sky and appeared above the Mountain Gate.
He saw Master Ge Cang locked in battle with True Monarch Jiulian, holding his own without falling behind. In that instant, Bai Zichen knew with perfect clarity that only the Pink Crystal Shattering Jade Technique could make this possible.
"You treacherous fiends, daring to invade my Sect..."
Bai Zichen opened his mouth and spat. A Flying Sword made of flickering lightning, which pulsed in size and brightness, landed in his hand. In all the years since he had obtained it, this was the first time he had ever truly called upon its power.
"True Monarch Jiulian, I’ve come to send you to your death!"