Chapter 168

Furthermore, news regarding the Southern Border Talent Tournament had completely spread.

"Two months from now is the Southern Border Talent Tournament!"

"The Young Sect Master and the others should be setting off soon!"

"It's a pity the journey is long; we can't be there in person to cheer for the Young Sect Master and the others!"

"Indeed. I also want to see the scenery of other large provinces. It is said that the top-ranked large provinces have young talents who are almost no weaker than those in the Central Province!"

"In previous years, our Tianling Province was basically at the bottom, but this time, with the Young Sect Master, we will definitely achieve a respectable ranking!"

"That's right!"

Many disciples were quite optimistic, their words filled with excitement.

After all, the Young Sect Master was a world-shaking monster!

Even if his cultivation realm might be slightly lacking, entering the top fifty would certainly not be a problem.

And the top fifty was already a very, very high ranking!

The sect would also be able to obtain more resources because of this!

Southern Border Talent Tournament.

It represented the competition between provinces.

Therefore, it was naturally impossible for Tianling Province to only have disciples sent by the Profound Heaven Sect.

The Blazing Sun Valley, the Giant Spirit Gate, and the Wind and Cloud City all had the qualifications to participate.

It was just that their performance every time was nothing to write home about.

They were basically ranked at the very end.

The main point was participation.

In any case, after so many years, they had long since gotten used to it.

It was just that every time they went, they would be mocked, which was truly unpleasant.

The venue for the Talent Tournament.

Was located in Tianxuan Province.

The strongest large province in the Southern Border!

Its territory was quite vast, almost three times that of Tianling Province.

A land of treasures and outstanding people—that was exactly what it was.

It was precisely because of such a territory that Tianxuan Province had advantages from the start that many other large provinces could not compare to.

It seemed favored by fortune.

Every few years, extremely outstanding talents would appear.

Displaying an invincible posture.

As for other large provinces, only Tianchu and Tianji could barely keep up.

Tianling Province was extremely far from Tianxuan Province.

Even with the help of a Cloud Boat, it would take more than a month, so they had to set off in advance.

According to the sect's plan.

They should have set off long ago.

But Meng Zhangqing was still in seclusion, so it had to be put on hold.

——

In the cultivation hall.

Meng Zhangqing was still sitting cross-legged.

The spiritual pressure permeating the air was vast and powerful; clearly, he had already reached the peak of the Spirit-Communication Realm.

This was all thanks to that wisp of Level 6 Heavenly Demon qi.

The spiritual insights it contained were too vast.

If not for the fact that the Spirit-Communication Realm only had nine levels, he might have been able to go up another level.

Spiritual cultivation actually had no peak.

It could always keep rising.

It was just that in the current cultivation system, the ancients had set it at nine levels.

Because of this, Meng Zhangqing's spiritual attainments at this moment had actually surpassed those of martial artists in the same realm!

He slowly opened his eyes.

Meng Zhangqing let out a long breath.

In fact, as early as a few days ago, he had already reached the peak of the ninth level; these past few days had just been to adjust his state and prepare for the major breakthrough.

Now, everything was finally ready!

"The Dao of Life and Death!"

A bright light flashed in Meng Zhangqing's eyes.

Strictly speaking, his involvement with the Dao of Life and Death had begun a long time ago.

That was the "Saint Spirit Killing Sword Art"!

Absorbing vitality to turn into Saint Spirit imprints, absorbing death qi to turn into Killing Sword Qi!

Life and death, cycling back and forth.

However, relying solely on the insights of life and death from the sword art was not enough.

A deeper understanding was needed!

Stepping into the Life-Death Realm required opening the Life Aperture and Death Aperture located around the heart.

Both of them, like the sea of consciousness, were hidden extremely deep.

They would only appear when one's comprehension of the Dao of Life and Death reached a certain level.

"Let's begin."

Meng Zhangqing withdrew his mind.

He directly operated the Heavenly King Art, entering the state of Unity of Heaven and Man.

His already super-grade comprehension received a terrifying boost at this moment!

Countless insights regarding life and death quickly surfaced in his mind!

Dense and numerous.

Continuous and unending.

"The death of grass and trees, drifting without a sound..."

"The death of an ant, insignificant..."

"The death of a living being, the limit of lifespan..."

"The sinking of the sun, called the death of heaven and earth..."

"..."

"Life and death are not opposites, but a cycle of all things, and also the continuation of each other..."

"Withered wood meets spring..."

"The first sun breaks the dawn..."

"The birth of all things..."

"..."

"Life and death are but forms; eternity is the true meaning..."

"..."

Meng Zhangqing murmured.

A sense of life and death began to gradually permeate his body, and it was rapidly becoming rich.

At the same time...

there was a squirming sensation around his heart, and mysterious brilliance flowed.

Then, two apertures actually appeared.

Black and white in color.

As Meng Zhangqing's comprehension of life and death deepened, the two great apertures also began to show a bit of luster.

It felt like a long drought meeting sweet rain.

It seemed as if they were about to come back to life!

Meng Zhangqing had no energy to pay attention to these things.

At this moment, he was completely immersed in his comprehension.

Time passed bit by bit.

About half an hour later.

The two great apertures were now like stars in the night sky, shining with immense light.

And the sense of life and death on Meng Zhangqing's body had become incredibly rich, almost tangible!

Crack!

In an instant!

A sound of breaking seemed to ring out within his body!

Meng Zhangqing's aura surged!

He had clearly crossed into a higher level!

Life-Death Realm!

Haa!

The surrounding void began to tremble, and then a miraculous scene occurred.

Wisps of white mist appeared.

It looked full of vitality.

One wisp, two wisps... up to seven hundred wisps!

This was the lifespan of heaven and earth!

After opening the Life Aperture, one could seize the lifespan of heaven and earth.

It was equivalent to merging a portion of the vitality of heaven and earth into oneself!

And based on the depth of one's comprehension, the lifespan each person could obtain was also different.

The deeper the comprehension, the more lifespan of heaven and earth one could obtain!

Seven hundred wisps meant seven hundred full years!

Even if Xi Yingqing were here, he would be shocked, because it was truly too much; generally speaking, adding two hundred years or so was about right, and a bit more would be three or four hundred years.

As for seven hundred years...

it was truly rare.

But Meng Zhangqing's foundation was simply too deep.

With the "Saint Spirit Killing Sword Art" laying the foundation, followed by super-grade comprehension, plus the Unity of Heaven and Man.

Having this result was within reason.

Xi Yingqing did not have such a foundation back then.

At the very least, he only mastered the first volume of the Heavenly King Art when he was in the Life-Death Realm.

The dense white mist crazily drilled into Meng Zhangqing's body, making his physical body look even more vibrant and full of infinite vitality.

"Life-Death Realm Level 1!"

Meng Zhangqing suddenly opened his eyes.

The sense of life and death in his eyes constantly alternated and changed.

It was enough to make those with weak wills fall into boundless illusions.

In an instant, they would live through countless lives, constantly cycling through life and death, with no end in sight.

Besides increasing lifespan and improving recovery ability, the Life-Death Realm was mainly reflected in combat; every attack would carry the effects of the Life Aperture and Death Aperture.

That was the deprivation of vitality, accompanied by death qi.

Therefore, the Life-Death Realm could almost be said to crush the Spirit-Communication Realm; as long as they fought, the vitality in the opponent's body would inevitably be affected.

And after a long time...

without the Life-Death Realm needing to use its full strength, the Spirit-Communication Realm martial artist would have their vitality drained and become a corpse.

As for those in the same realm, as long as the gap in minor realms was not too large, it still depended on their respective martial arts foundations!