Chapter 366: Various Sides (Requesting Monthly Votes)

"Hehe… Not just us—even the two holy sects will surely send cultivators to act."

The Peng Demon Island Lord affirmed: "We seek little—just one or two treasures or sword scriptures from the outer perimeter. Have you made your decision?"

Fang Xing exchanged a glance with his cultivation avatar, who then spoke: "This matter… let me consider it. I will give you an answer before the Seven Demons Collide."

"Still need to consider?"

The Peng Demon Island Lord frowned: "Fine… If you decide, arrive at 'Luocha Island' beyond the Yuanmo Sea three months before the Seven Demons Collide—no second chances!"

He was, after all, a famed master among the Inner Sea demonic sects, and he valued his face.

His coming here to invite was already out of respect for Fang Yun Zhenjun's extraordinary strength.

…

Watching the Peng Demon Island Lord's departure, Fang Xing shook his head, returned to his cave, took out his second Nascent Soul, and prepared to thoroughly refine it.

The cultivation avatar, free of burdens, rode a sword light to the Iron Sword Sect.

The White Sword Immortal, with snow-white hair and a youthful figure, was training the Iron Sword Sect's many Golden Core true cultivators.

"How can you hesitate when drawing your sword?"

"When you see an enemy, draw and kill immediately… One thought adds a speck of dust to the blade; too many thoughts slow the sword—you will surely die!"

"With your sword skills, even in the days of the Nascent Soul Sword Sect, you'd all be either dead in duels or too worthless to enter the inner sect!"

…

The White Sword Immortal held a peach blossom, dueling numerous flying swords, utterly belittling Fire Dragon Zhenren and below.

The expressions of those Golden Core junior and senior disciples were nearly unbearable with shame.

'No wonder the Killing Sword lineage has only one member generation after generation… If the White Sword Immortal had any other brothers, they'd have killed him together long ago.'

Fang Xing mentally scoffed, landed his sword light: "White Sword Daoist."

"Mingkun Daoist."

The White Sword Immortal sheathed the peach blossom and barked: "Your foundations are too weak—today, you'll practice the basic sword techniques ten thousand times each. Miss one repetition, no rest!"

He then joined Fang Xing at a nearby pavilion for tea.

"Hehe, White Sword Shushu… Our sect's disciples adapted the Five Elements Sword Art, deviating from the sect's original methods, so their foundations are naturally weak—please forgive us."

Fire Dragon Zhenren poured tea, smiling apologetically.

Though those junior and senior disciples were being crushed, for sword cultivators, any improvement in sword skill mattered more than anything.

In truth, the Iron Sword Sect had gained immensely.

"Hmph… Your Wansmiao lineage's ancestor was useless. You altered the basic sword techniques—and made a mess of it."

The White Sword Immortal snorted, sipped his spiritual tea: "Of the entire Iron Sword Sect, only your sword skill is even passable."

Fang Xing sipped his tea in silence.

His effort in sword arts was average; his current 'Sword Intent Forming Momentum' realm came entirely from Zizai Elder's direct transmission.

If he had to start from scratch, he'd be worse than Fire Dragon Zhenren.

After all, his main focus had always been breaking through realms.

"Mingkun Daoist, you've already achieved considerable mastery in Sword Intent Forming Momentum. With a bit more refinement, you'll surely reach full completion. In time, you may even have a sliver of hope to entrust your Nascent Soul to your sword and shatter all methods with a single strike."

The White Sword Immortal looked at Fang Xing seriously.

During the Chaos Sword Reef duel, though he'd only briefly diverted his attention to observe the external battle, he'd already fully grasped Fang Xing's sword realm: "But your Sword Intent transitions are slightly sluggish—you need more practice…"

"White Sword Daoist, your sword art is exquisite—I deeply admire it. You've just slain nine mid-Nascent Soul cultivators. Have you already touched the threshold of 'Sword Shatters All Methods'?"

Fang Xing was curious.

"No… My sword path is barely a full realization of Sword Momentum. There remains a long distance to 'Sword Shatters All Methods.'"

The White Sword Immortal's gaze grew distant: "Legend says that during the sect's peak, Nascent Soul Sword Lords who attained the fifth sword realm—'Sword Shatters All Methods'—were the true core heirs. If I could hone my sword heart for a century in the Canglan Hall, perhaps I might glimpse the fifth realm…"

The Canglan Hall, like the Sword Heart Peak of the Nascent Soul Sword Sect, was a sacred place to refine sword realms.

Fang Xing silently noted it, planning to have his main body devour the Canglan Hall once he reached the Nascent Soul Sword Sect.

With the Nascent Soul Sword Sect's depth, they must hold the insights of a Divine Transformation sword elder on 'One Sword Shatters All Methods'—he could then elevate himself further.

For him, the Nascent Soul Sword Sect's mountain domain was a decent treasure trove.

"By the way, didn't another mid-Nascent Soul cultivator arrive today?"

The White Sword Immortal mentioned the Peng Demon Island Lord.

"Correct. It was the Peng Demon Island Lord, inviting me to explore the Nascent Soul Sword Sect's mountain domain."

Fang Xing chuckled.

"Rebel traitor… The sea region he controls was once under our Nascent Soul Sword Sect." The White Sword Immortal's eyes flashed with killing intent: "Next time I see him, I'll cut him down with one sword."

…

In the infinite high void, jade palaces and celestial halls shone brilliantly, like the legendary 'Heavenly Court,' wrapped in endless white clouds, immortal cranes, and auspicious light, overlooking the mortal world.

This was one of the three holy sects of the cultivation world: the Piaomiao Immortal Palace!

It rested atop the heavens, possessing a 'sixth-rank spiritual vein' nearly extinct in the Qianyuan Great World!

Even more astonishing: this sixth-rank spiritual vein was a 'Heaven Vein!'

The Heaven Vein had no form, but the Piaomiao Immortal Palace's founder used supreme void arts to condense it into a 'floating island,' then built the 'Piaomiao Heavenly Palace' upon it.

Among the three holy sects of the Hanhai cultivation world, the Piaomiao Immortal Palace was the most magnificent and vast.

At this moment, within the central 'Lingxiao Hall' of the 'Heavenly Court.'

A white-robed Sword Lord drifted in and bowed to the highest-ranking cultivator: "Palace Master!"

The Piaomiao Immortal Palace's Palace Master had always been a female cultivator; this generation's Palace Master possessed late-Nascent Soul cultivation, dressed in luxurious robes, wearing a phoenix mask.

A divine bird resembling a qingluan idly preened its feathers on a golden-threaded stand, radiating the terrifying aura of a transformed great demon.

"Gong Feiyun, when your master pledged allegiance to the Piaomiao Immortal Palace, it was the Yu Tianzun himself who removed the prohibitions and blood oaths binding you…"

The Palace Master's voice was smooth as pearls, each word like a pearl falling upon a jade plate: "Now, it is time to repay that debt."

"Rest assured, Palace Master—we will retrieve the Sword Sect's legacy for you."

Gong Feiyun answered solemnly.

"Hehe…"

The Piaomiao Palace Master chuckled lightly: "Even the best 'Lingkong Sword Scripture' cannot compare to the 'Piaomiao Void Scripture.' If you obtain the Divine Transformation opportunity, it's yours… I only want the 'Immortal Mansion Treasure' hidden within the Nascent Soul Sword Sect!"

"Immortal Mansion Treasure? The rumors are true?" Gong Feiyun was startled.

"If we weren't certain the Nascent Soul Sword Sect had seized that 'Immortal Mansion Treasure,' why would the escaped Ancient Demon have stormed them, not come here to the Piaomiao Immortal Palace?"

The Palace Master's voice grew grave: "This matter is critical. The sect specially nurtured you, guiding your rise to late-Nascent Soul, precisely for this moment! Only a direct disciple of the Nascent Soul Sword Sect, holding the Black Iron Sword Token, can make the sixth-rank array spirit recognize you… This time, 'Yu Tianzun' will secretly accompany you."

Gong Feiyun immediately felt genuine fear: "Is Yu Tianzun coming himself?"

As a holy sect, the Piaomiao Immortal Palace had more than one Divine Transformation cultivator inside.

Originally, Gong Feiyun thought one or two early- or mid-Divine Transformation elders accompanying him would already be extreme favor.

He never expected it would be the late-Divine Transformation 'Yu Tianzun' himself—truly overwhelming.

"After all, this concerns the Immortal Mansion Treasure. Were this not the mortal realm, even a late-Divine Transformation cultivator would…"

The Piaomiao Palace Master's voice faded into silence.

…

A certain sea region.

Dark winds howled, turbid waves crashed against the sky.

From within a black metal hall, piercing wails echoed constantly.

The once-dark sky above was slowly torn apart by faint glimmers.

They were bronze lanterns—yet their flames held not wicks, but countless Nascent Soul spirits.

Dozens of Nascent Souls were lit as 'heavenly lamps,' their soul screams forming a chilling background within the black hall.

Several black-robed Nascent Soul true cultivators knelt on the ground, their robes trembling: "Thank you, Tianzun, for the Thunder Whip punishment…"

At the hall's head stood a black-robed figure.

His face was ancient, his body seemingly merged into the surrounding darkness.

"During the Hongzao Sea battle, you were responsible for intelligence—and you caused us to lose two late-Nascent Soul cultivators. In my old ways, you'd all have been sent to the 'Thousand Demon Lamps' for punishment."

With each word the ancient demon cultivator spoke, the kneeling Nascent Soul true cultivators trembled more violently.

"But now, as we prepare to invade the Yuanmo Sea and the Nascent Soul Sword Sect, we need manpower. You'll be assigned to the 'Sin Hall' to redeem yourselves."

The black-robed demon cultivator sneered: "You've all been implanted with the 'Seven Mutilations, Eight Sufferings' prohibition. If you dare defy orders, you'll wish you were dead."

"Thank you, Tianzun. We take our leave."

These Nascent Soul true cultivators, who ruled the outside world with arrogance, now crawled away in terror.

Moments later, a voice echoed in the hall: "Ancestor, do not worry—we still possess one Black Iron Sword Token tied to a Thunder Vein. We won't fall too far behind…"

"Hmph. This time, when we enter the Nascent Soul Sword Sect, the Piaomiao Immortal Palace's old ghost Yu will surely go. I'll have to move myself."

Said the black-robed demon cultivator.

The one who spoke earlier was startled: "Master Meng, you're going yourself?"

"Hehe… It's simply too good an opportunity. Whether to seize the Immortal Mansion Treasure or eliminate Yu Tianzun along the way… We, the Wuji Sect, are demonic cultivators. Though demonic cultivators ultimately ascend to the Spirit Realm, if one willingly embraces demonic transformation, ascending to the Demon Realm is no impossibility."

Master Meng chuckled lowly: "When the Ancient Demon escaped and the Nascent Soul Sword Sect fell, it was our Wuji Sect's finest work… If we can wipe out the Piaomiao Immortal Palace too, our Wuji Sect will reign supreme in Hanhai."

"But Yu Tianzun is also a late-Divine Transformation cultivator," said the late-Nascent Soul true cultivator hesitantly.

"No problem… When we released the Ancient Demon, I secretly left behind a 'Blood Soul Lamp.'"

Master Meng chuckled wickedly: "Now it seems the Ancient Demon may not be dead—only trapped deep within the Nascent Soul Sword Sect… If we free him, with two against one, even Yu the old fox will meet his end!"

(End of Chapter)