Chapter 984: Exceptionally Skilled Sword Cultivator

Jiang Ding, in a hazy state, felt a strand of his spiritual sense tracing obscure causal threads deep into space, into the tidal currents of the starry void’s dark winds, merging with them until there was no distinction between self and other.

After an unknown length of time, after traversing countless winding, twisted paths, he suddenly arrived at a realm of ethereal emptiness.

There, a faint, indistinct figure sat in stillness.

The faint figure, seeing him enter, shifted its gaze slightly but said nothing.

“Seven, four, nine, one, two, two…”

Jiang Ding himself was equally hazy, his form indiscernible, and slowly recited one hundred and twenty-eight numbers.

Not only the numbers—each syllable he uttered emitted a unique spiritual fluctuation, revealing one hundred and twenty-eight distinct spiritual signatures.

This was the authentication key.

Sealed within their spiritual cores by the great elders of their respective immortal sects, it changed constantly; if any attempt at soul-searching was detected, the key would self-destruct, causing the Daozi to permanently forget many memories.

This was the norm among immortal sects.

In more ruthless sects, the Daozi might die on the spot—utterly merciless. To such grand cosmic schemes, a Daozi’s life meant nothing.

“My lord, it has been a long time.”

The faint figure across from him relaxed slightly.

Jiang Ding’s expression remained blank, offering no reply.

“Three, two, five…”

The next instant, the faint voice began its own key verification.

Jiang Ding listened carefully, matching each note against his internal key, leaving not a single detail unverified.

This was the Shadow Demon Daozi.

The Shadow Demon Daozi, who had lain hidden in the Jiao Ming Realm for countless years.

By all logic, her cultivation should have advanced greatly—no longer among the weakest Daozi—because she had walked her own path, concealing herself within a powerful race that had once produced Void Refinement elders, remaining alive and undiscovered to this day.

This process resembled how a swordsman slays a formidable foe: both are paths to enlightenment.

Jiang Ding said nothing to her, waiting silently.

After an unknown duration, another indistinct figure entered, and the three began verifying identities once more.

This was the Greenwood Daozi, Ji Liuyue.

One after another, indistinct, formless figures entered, and the group repeatedly verified each other’s identities, finding no repetition burdensome.

“Shadow Demon Zi, could you introduce us…”

The Heaven’s Mechanism Daozi asked.

Hum!

The next instant, two powerful killing intents surged forth, striking him, freezing his voice mid-sentence and forcing him to stagger backward, bewildered.

“Why?”

“Are you traitors?”

The Heaven’s Mechanism Daozi’s expression changed instantly.

He stared at the two figures—especially the Shadow Demon Daozi, and the other mad, bloodthirsty Daozi—his mind brimming with suspicions and wariness.

The surrounding Daozi grew uneasy, hesitant.

This shouldn’t be.

Daozi were the supreme rulers of their sects, second only to Void Refinement elders.

They could never attain higher status anywhere else; moreover, this was an alien faction—where they’d be lucky to be kept as pets or slaves, with no true Dao path to speak of.

The Shadow Demon Daozi glanced at the indistinct figure beside her.

“You speak.”

The figure replied coldly.

“You must not address any person by name.”

The Shadow Demon Daozi took a deep breath and said to the Heaven’s Mechanism Daozi: “This is an extremely dangerous alien realm. At any time, in any place, never lower your guard. Always remain suspicious, always vigilant—because beyond the sect, no place is entirely safe; all possibilities exist.”

The Shadow Demon Dao Son took a deep breath and said to the Heavenly Mechanism Dao Son: "This is an extremely dangerous alien realm; at any time, in any place, never relax even slightly—always maintain doubt, always stay alert, for beyond the sect, no place is entirely safe, and all possibilities exist."

“In every other aspect, the same applies: unless under extraordinary circumstances, you must not meet or contact each other; strive to minimize all such connections.”

"In all other aspects, the same should apply: unless there is an exceptionally special reason, you must not meet or contact each other, and must make every effort to minimize such connections."

The Shadow Demon Daozi pleaded.

She did not care for the lives of other Daozi—but their mistakes might affect her, drag her into danger; that she could not tolerate.

The Heaven’s Mechanism Daozi fell silent.

“Brother Dao, no—friend.”

“I humbly accept your teaching!”

The Heaven’s Mechanism Daozi bowed deeply.

He switched from “Brother Dao” to “friend,” and performed the kowtow ritual.

Because this was a ritual unique to human immortal sects.

“I know you are unaccustomed to this—but you must become accustomed.”

“Because your lives depend on it.”

The Shadow Demon Daozi said solemnly.

He cast a hidden, startled glance at the indistinct figure nearby, his wariness surging, even entertaining thoughts of using the other as a blade to kill.

This person possessed overwhelming direct power—could easily defeat five of him at once—and possessed formidable abilities to pierce concealment.

Now, he had just demonstrated terrifying concealment skills!

This person completely counteracted him in every way.

To oppose such a one—even if your strength matched or surpassed his—you would still perish, without reason.

Things are fine now—but if he turns on us later…

Quickly, the Shadow Demon Daozi buried her thoughts.

This person hid too deeply; such calculations were absurd—carelessness would invite instant retaliation. Better to wait for the right moment—at least until the Jiao Demon Imperial Clan ceased to be a threat.

Otherwise, if the Nine Spirit Realm fell, she would not survive.

“Friends, we have two tasks.”

The Shadow Demon Daozi raised her hand, unfolding a dark, profound star-map of the realm, where eleven minor worlds glowed brightly: “First, we must install half-completed sixth-rank concealment arrays within these eleven minor worlds, ensuring that the Void Refinement fluctuations from our sect’s elders’ actions, and the ripples from opening space portals, do not leak beyond these worlds.”

“Second, lure the Flame Stone Emperor near the Demon Stone Minor World.”

“Once these two tasks are complete, we may instantly capture the Flame Stone Emperor and gain greater advantage.”

Though the Daozi had been briefed, their breaths still caught.

The eleven minor worlds expanded before them, revealing their forms.

Some worlds were relatively clear, marked with locations of fifth-, fourth-, and third-rank spirit veins, their dominant forces, sects, and races, and so on.

Most worlds were blurred, bearing only the name of the minor world.

Clearly, even though the Shadow Demon Abyss cultivators excelled at concealment, the time was too short to accomplish much.

“So many spirit vein nodes…”

Jiang Ding sighed inwardly.

Each of these fifth-, fourth-, and third-rank spirit vein nodes required installation of sixth-rank array devices pre-forged by the Nine Immortal Sects—Void Refinement arrays demanded extreme precision, no detail could be ignored.

Yet each node was guarded by a Jiao Demon Imperial Clan king or slave clan king, each equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator.

All these fifth-, fourth-, and third-rank spiritual vein nodes must be individually fitted with the sixth-rank array devices pre-forged by the Nine Immortal Sects; the Void Refinement array demands extreme precision and cannot be overlooked.

But with so many nodes—could they possibly fight through them all?

Who possessed such strength?

This was not a matter of combat power—exposure meant instant death.

This was the core difficulty.

And why the Void Refinement elders had so urgently entrusted them—demanding they act according to circumstance, free of rigid constraints.

Because this task was nearly impossible.

The surrounding Daozi fell silent, helpless.

They were Daozi of immortal sects, trained to hone their strength—not suited to such covert operations.

Long moments passed in silence.

They are Dao Sons of the Immortal Sects, constantly honing their strength—they truly should not grow accustomed to such things.

“We must incite rebellion across the Flame Stone Star Region.”

“From within the Jiao Demon Imperial Clan itself.”

Jiang Ding sighed, ending the long silence, speaking in a distorted, tangled voice: “Give me the history, current state, and changes of this star region, and the entire Jiao Ming Realm.”

“As detailed as possible—even uncertain speculations.”

Jiang Ding sighed, ending the long silence, and spoke slowly in a jumbled, twisted voice: "Give me this star region, and the entire existing Jiao Ming Realm's history."

The Shadow Demon Daozi replied instinctively.

The surrounding Daozi were shaken.

They stared at the indistinct figure in disbelief, as if witnessing some cosmic marvel.

The Shadow Demon Dao Disciple muttered involuntarily.

The surrounding Dao Disciples were shaken inside.

They stared in disbelief at that hazy figure, as if they had seen some astonishing marvel.

This sword cultivator looks highly intelligent and extremely skilled.