Chapter 386: Great Sun Heavenly Pool

"You got beaten up?"

Jiang Ding froze.

"Nothing, just some minor matters. I'll tell you after I advance further in my cultivation."

"Continue with the Great Sun Golden Core technique."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng waved his hand: "Thanks to help from many others, we've basically outlined a framework—it's likely far more complicated than we originally thought; I was overly optimistic in the early stages."

"How exactly?"

Jiang Ding's heart sank, yet he remained calm.

He had anticipated this worst-case scenario before.

The Great Sun Sword Pavilion's achievements in swordcraft are already at the pinnacle of this realm; future research on swordcraft will likely become extremely difficult.

At that point, we could only acquire another Soul Transformation-level battle merit, enter the Dormant Secret Realm, and wait hundreds or even thousands of years for a breakthrough.

If no breakthrough appears after a thousand years, we'll have to seek it out at the Great Sun Sect.

"Jin Dan is a preliminary fusion of human essence, qi, and spirit—extremely fragile."

"The Great Sun Sword Pavilion's method is to sever heavenly lightning with flying swords during Tribulation Crossing, reserve a small portion, and channel the lightning into their Jin Dan, using the lightning's power of destruction and creation to melt the Jin Dan entirely into the flying sword, achieving complete fusion of essence, qi, and spirit between the cultivator and their origin flying sword."

"Thereafter, not only does the flying sword's power surge, but its quality and the cultivator's cultivation level form a tightly interwoven, mutually reinforcing bond—when one grows, the other grows rapidly."

"But human Jin Dan are far too fragile; even a Great Sun Sword Heir can die under heavenly lightning if there's the slightest misstep. In the earliest days of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's lineage, ninety-nine point nine nine percent of cultivators died at this stage—even those with astonishing sword talent."

"To solve this, the ancestors of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion built the Great Sun Heavenly Pool."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng spoke slowly: "Within the Great Sun Heavenly Pool, once every thousand years, a strand of Great Sun Soul Flame is born—it can protect the soul and magic power from destruction. As long as the Great Sun Soul Flame's power hasn't been exhausted, even if the Jin Dan shatters, the sword master will not die and can re-form a Jin Dan in the shortest possible time."

"This is why many say the Great Sun Sword Pavilion is not merely one gong fa, but the accumulated legacy of generations of Great Sun sword cultivators, reflected in every aspect."

"The Great Sun Sword Pavilion is gone; relying solely on one gong fa, it's impossible to restore its former glory."

"Is that so?"

Jiang Ding remembered the Great Sun Sect's crude imitation of the Great Sun Heavenly Pool and asked: "Master, is there a remedy?"

"Yes."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng didn't drag it out.

"Back then, the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's Great Sun Heavenly Pool was shattered by an immortal sect's taboo nuclear weapon; its remnants fell into the semi-space layer. Based on my years of research, the environment capable of generating Great Sun Soul Flame should still exist inside."

"You'd best go in and assist the Immortal Sect in retrieving this broken Heavenly Pool. The remnants have formed a Secret Realm—only sword cultivators who received the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's legacy can enter; otherwise, it will shatter at the slightest disturbance."

"If you later ascend to Soul Transformation or Nascent Soul, and pay the Immortal Sect a large quantity of heavenly treasures, you might consider using it to forge the core engine of an aerial mother-ship."

"Eighty years from now is when the Great Sun Heavenly Pool will open."

"By the way, the Yin Moon Qingse Jianzong, backed by the Eight Great Immortal Sects, obtained part of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's legacy—they may also enter. Don't worry; they're at most Foundation Establishment."

"Yin Moon Qingse Jianzong?"

Jiang Ding murmured, recalling this relatively young sect.

It was born three thousand years ago, as a compromise solution after the Eight Great Immortal Sects quarreled over the spoils of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's collapse and nearly plunged into all-out war.

It also serves to contain the Immortal Sects.

"The Yin Moon Qingse Jianzong has nine branches; calling it a sect is misleading—it's more like an alliance of sword cultivators from the Eight Great Immortal Sects and remnants of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng gave him a more detailed explanation.

"The sword cultivators of the Eight Great Immortal Sects train within their own sects from Ru Sect onward, but at certain stages of their cultivation, they temporarily leave their sects to join the Yin Moon Qingse Jianzong, training as Yin Moon Sword cultivators—many of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's relics can only be used by sword cultivators."

"Within the nine branches, fierce life-or-death battles frequently erupt over competing interests—it's essentially a platform for both cooperation and competition within the Eight Great Immortal Sects."

"Are the Wu Xing Tian Zong sword cultivators inside too?"

Jiang Ding asked.

I wonder if An Tu Zi will enter.

The Five Elements Dao Body—even if not specializing in swordcraft—could likely meet the basic requirements to enter the Great Sun Heavenly Pool with a little time and effort.

"Yes, possibly."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng knew what he was thinking: "They're allies. If they don't attack first, don't openly kill them—cover it up a bit."

"If we can obtain Great Sun Soul Flame, success in the Great Sun Golden Core technique could increase significantly."

"Even if we can't, I've already developed alternatives—the final effect will be much weaker, but usable, though the chance of forming a Jin Dan will be lower."

"Also, the Yin Moon Sword Heir is very likely to appear."

"She's the sword heir promoted by Qingmuxian Sect, one of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, and has obtained part of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's legacy."

"We might consider extracting the Great Sun legacy we lack from her."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng smirked: "If possible, just kidnap her and bring her to the Immortal Sect. Qingmuxian Sect excels in cultivating spiritual plants and herbs, and their disposition is relatively gentle—they likely won't have set soul seals on her, and even if they did, they probably won't trigger immediately."

"Qingmuxian Sect has plenty of things the Immortal Sect needs."

"We'll see."

Jiang Ding shook his head and ended the communication.

He closed his eyes and entered cultivation.

When he opened his eyes,

the sky was already dim.

"The groom's family is quite decent—scholarly lineage, both parents are university professors..."

Outside the door came his aunt's voice, along with his uncle and grandmother; occasionally, Jiang Yuan giggled and playfully teased someone—the whole family seemed delighted.

The door opened.

"Here, Lord Dingding."

His grandmother handed Jiang Ding a packet of wedding candy.

"Don't bother making dinner."

Mom and Auntie had packed up a full banquet, placing dish after dish on the dining table—stir-fried lettuce with pork, soups, cold appetizers, a whole heap of them.

"Alright."

Jiang Ding was half-amused, half-frustrated.

With Qi available, he no longer needed to eat at all.

Still, he picked up his chopsticks and sampled each dish.

The flavors weren't as good as his own cooking, but they were fine—his future in-laws had clearly gone to great trouble in every detail.

"When is Xiao Yuan's wedding date set?"

He asked while eating.

"One year from today," Lin Lin Wanqiu said with anticipation. "We had an astrologer check—it's an auspicious day, perfect for marriage and travel."

"We've notified all relatives and in-laws, and all the formalities have been settled with the groom's family."

Auntie added.

On this matter, the elder women clearly knew their way around.

Jiang Yuan's face was flushed red; she hid in Lin Lin Wanqiu's arms, utterly shy.

"One year from today?"

Jiang Ding's chopsticks paused slightly.

Looking at Jiang Yuan, he vaguely recalled that little girl who always tried to steal his food money, lazy and carefree.

It seemed, in this instant,

she had become a woman.

(End of Chapter)