Chapter 298: Dead End

The Taiyuan Sect was not originally within the scope of this Immortal Alliance Order summons, because True Monarch Xuanchen had only reached the Spirit Transformation realm for about a year, and news of it had only circulated among the immortal circles of the countries surrounding Great Song; what drew the attention of the Immortal Alliance was actually the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill.

In the eyes of Great Cultivators, this type of low-grade Spirit Pill, only first or second rank, was no different from mud or sand, and at first, no one cared, but during the process of resisting the Nether Beast Catastrophe, Yuqing Hall suddenly had a large number of cultivators break through in the face of battle; in just a short half-year, they unexpectedly gained seven or eight Danyuan Realm powerhouses in one breath, and there was also a Danyuan Realm Elder whose lifespan was nearing its end, who was said to have already begun closed-door cultivation to prepare for a breakthrough to the Spirit Transformation Realm.

According to the conventions of the Immortal World, the interval for a large sect to produce a Danyuan Realm cultivator is about thirty years, meaning that among a generation of disciples, the one with the best aptitude and fastest cultivation will have the strength to attempt Golden Core in about thirty years.

As for the interval for the Spirit Transformation stage, it is at least over a hundred years, and two or three hundred years is still considered normal; after all, Spirit Realm Great Cultivators have a thousand-year lifespan and do not easily perish. As long as a sect has a Great Cultivator presiding, it has enough strength to ensure that the cultivation resources and progress of the disciples within the sect are not interrupted midway, thus forming a good succession, developing continuously like flowing water, and ultimately becoming stronger and stronger.

The sudden eruption of Yuqing Hall naturally attracted the attention of almost every Immortal Sect in Shenzhou.

Following the spread of the news about the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill, another powerful effect of this Spirit Pill was also noted by more powerhouses.

That is, the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill can effectively repair severely damaged Souls.

And damage to the Soul is a pain and fear that almost all cultivators have felt trepidation about or personally experienced when facing Nether Beasts.

Especially Danyuan Realm cultivators, who are both the backbone of this resistance against the Nether Beast Catastrophe and the group that suffers the most injuries.

No matter how many Zhenyuan Realm cultivators die or are injured, it will not affect the overall situation.

But the number of Danyuan Realm cultivators is limited, and the death or injury of one is a major loss.

Moreover, once the Soul is severely damaged, if one cannot quickly find a way to repair it, there is basically no hope of reaching Spirit Transformation in this lifetime.

Of course, as large Immortal Sects ranked in the top ten of Shenzhou, every sect has various means to repair Soul damage, and even Yuqing Hall, which is ranked last, still has the method of using an Array to refine Soul Power into pills.

But no matter which sect, this method of repairing a damaged Soul has great limitations: either the method is complex, the time is slow, the process is dangerous, or the cost is huge.

The method of Yuqing Hall is the same; every single Spirit Pill that repairs the Soul requires a Spirit Realm Great Cultivator to consume several years of cultivation to successfully refine, which all Great Cultivators are certainly not very willing to do.

Yet the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill has absolutely no such trouble and has the miraculous effect of almost curing the illness as soon as the medicine is taken; if one pill doesn't work, then two, if two don't work, then three. It is said that this miraculous Spirit Pill is not expensive either, only one hundred Spirit Stones per pill, which is completely negligible for medium and large Immortal Sects.

But the only thing that makes people unhappy is that the only small Immortal Sect that knows how to refine this Spirit Pill is called the Taiyuan Sect, and after the explosion of the Five Elements Array at Black Wind Ridge, the Taiyuan Sect unexpectedly disappeared.

Under the current circumstances where Nether Beasts are ravaging both the immortal and mortal worlds and casualties are so heavy, Qiyunzi, a late-stage True Spirit Realm Great Cultivator who is presiding over the alliance at Thunder God Hall, discussed this matter with several Immortal Alliance Elders, and they finally decided unanimously to go and find the Taiyuan Sect, obtain the formula for the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill, and use it to benefit all the Immortal Sect cultivators at this alliance, removing their worries.

And the Luofu Mountain Xuanhua Sect was particularly active regarding this matter, because they currently have two Danyuan Realm cultivators whose Souls were severely damaged by Soul Beasts, and they are still unconscious.

And the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pills of Yuqing Hall have also been completely exhausted, with not a single one left over.

Therefore, this led to the incident where a late-stage Spirit Transformation True Monarch from the Luofu Mountain Xuanhua Sect appeared at the Taiyuan Sect on Heming Mountain, forcibly demanded the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill formula, and after failing, fought with True Monarch Xuanchen and abducted two female disciples of the sect.

The actions of the Xuanhua Sect are naturally despicable.

But among all the medium and large Immortal Sects attending the alliance, no one criticized their behavior.

After all, the effects of the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill are too miraculous; it can improve cultivation aptitude, save severely damaged Souls, and even repair meridian injuries. No matter which effect it is, it is enough to make these Great Cultivators, who are usually aloof and untainted by worldly concerns, abandon their morals and shame.

What's more, this time they are all standing on the great righteousness of resisting Nether Beasts, saving the billions of common people in the mortal world, and maintaining the prosperity and peace of the Immortal World.

Therefore, after True Monarch Xuanchen had no choice but to hand over the so-called Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill formula, the matter was not resolved, and instead, the emotions became even more furious.

Because all the Immortal Sects were unable to successfully refine the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill using the formula.

And these alchemists who participated in refining the Spirit Pill were all powerful and highly skilled alchemy masters from various Immortal Sects, who had studied various pharmacology and medicinal effects thoroughly. If there were no problem with the formula, it would be impossible for not a single one to succeed. Even a group of Spirit Realm Great Cultivators could not help but participate in the refining, but without exception, after consuming countless Spirit Medicines, not a single one succeeded.

At present, True Monarch Xuanchen has been forcibly locked in his Nascent Soul by the Immortal Alliance under the pretext of disregarding the overall situation and is being detained in a prison on Langya Mountain.

And as more and more Immortal Sects came to participate in the alliance, with tens of thousands of cultivators gathered, after learning of this news, they collectively began to denounce the Taiyuan Sect, demanding that True Monarch Xuanchen must immediately hand over the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill formula; the momentum was so great that even Yuqing Hall did not have the courage to mediate.

Because the Taiyuan Sect had already provoked public anger.

Even the status of one of the top ten Immortal Sects could not stop this monstrous rage.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since True Monarch Xuanchen was imprisoned.

Only three days remained until the final deadline for the alliance.

And as news continued to arrive of more cultivators suffering Soul damage and falling unconscious, this rage was becoming almost impossible for even Thunder God Hall to suppress.

In a cave on Langya Mountain densely covered with restrictions.

True Monarch Xuanchen sat cross-legged on the cold, narrow ground, disheveled and haggard.

Several aggressive True Monarchs were burning with rage, severely interrogating him, and waves of terrifying pressure pressed layer upon layer onto True Monarch Xuanchen, making him unable to straighten his body at all, with wisps of blood seeping from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.

After his Nascent Soul was locked, his Spirit Qi was scattered like a mortal's, and he had no power to resist at all.

However, even so, True Monarch Xuanchen's eyes were like knives, without the slightest timidity.

He had been strong-willed all his life, and he was particularly protective of his own.

Although this Nether Beast Catastrophe caused heavy losses to both the immortal and mortal worlds, the top ten Immortal Sects of Shenzhou must have known some inside information about the Black Wind and Nether Beasts, but they had never informed him.

Therefore, he had already been resistant to fighting the Soul Beasts, and thus he had planned to retreat to the depths of the Southern Border to protect himself.

But he did not expect that because of a tiny Spirit Pill, he would be plunged into such a wretched and humiliating situation, and even implicate two disciples who were dragged into it, whose life or death was still unknown.

If there really were a formula, he naturally would not suffer this humiliation.

But the pity is that he does not have one.

In the entire Taiyuan Sect, only Xu Chen alone knows how to refine it.

Although he had never asked, he also knew that Xu Chen hid a great secret, and the miraculous effect of the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill must originate from Xu Chen himself.

But unfortunately, Xu Chen had been missing at Black Wind Ridge for half a year, and the Five Elements Array had already exploded half a year ago; there would be no bones left.

That is to say, this is currently a dead end.

As the only Spirit Transformation True Monarch of the Taiyuan Sect, it made no sense for him to say he didn't know.

How could such a miraculous Spirit Pill be refined by only a disciple in the Kaiyuan Realm?

If other Immortal Sects believed that, it would be a huge joke.

"You don't need to force me anymore; I won't say it, unless you release the two disciples of my sect first!"

Facing the group of True Monarchs who were aggressive and came every day to interrogate and torture him, True Monarch Xuanchen spat out a mouthful of blood and said.

"Xuanchenzi, you are still dreaming! If you don't hand over the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill formula, your Taiyuan Sect will soon be wiped out, and the two female disciples will naturally also be executed for resisting the Immortal Alliance's orders. If you are sensible, hand over the formula quickly, otherwise your Nascent Soul will not be preserved!" a Great Cultivator roared with a ferocious expression.

True Monarch Xuanchen looked coldly at the Great Cultivator who was speaking and said with full disdain: "A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated. Guang Ningzi, you have humiliated this poor Daoist so much today; as long as this poor Daoist does not die, I will surely kill you in the future!"

"Are you really thinking of opposing the entire Shenzhou Immortal Alliance for the sake of a mere formula? If you are unappreciative, this Monarch will take your Nascent Soul today and use the Soul-Searching Technique!"

As he spoke, a terrifying aura shrouded True Monarch Xuanchen, and an ancient copper bell emitting a cold aura appeared out of thin air, hovering above True Monarch Xuanchen's head, releasing the sound of ghosts crying and wolves howling.

"Soul-Devouring Bell! You actually dare to use such a vicious and forbidden technique on a cultivator?" True Monarch Xuanchen's eyes were about to split, and he spat blood as he struggled and roared.

"Hmph, you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. I already gave you a chance when I went to the Taiyuan Sect last time; this is not for the sake of my Xuanhua Sect, but for all fellow practitioners in the Immortal World of the Divine Continent."

As the Great Cultivator spoke, he chanted incantations, and the Ancient Runes on the archaic bell began to flicker; a wisp of Black Mist permeated from within, slithering like tiny snakes into the space between the eyebrows of Xuanchen Zhenjun.

"Guang Ningzi, stop!"

Following a voice that was both urgent and furious, a tall, thin old man wearing a grey-white Daoist robe strode in from outside, and immediately, a powerful aura suppressed the bronze bell.

"Baiyunzi, do you still wish to defy the orders of the Immortal Alliance Elder Council?" Guang Ningzi turned around and snorted coldly.

Baiyun Zhenjun said with a face full of rage: "When has the Elder Council ever said to use such a vicious method? My Martial Uncle Chixia Zhenjun has never mentioned this."

Guang Ningzi laughed contemptuously: "Chixia Zhenjun, he is merely an Elder ranked low in the Immortal Alliance, a mere mid-stage True Spirit Realm cultivator; do you really think you can use him to pressure me?"

"Hmph, and what if this old man does pressure you? The Soul-Devouring and Soul-Searching Art is a taboo of the Immortal Alliance. Even if the Taiyuan Soul-Entering Pill is important, if you dare to use this art, I will kill you today!" A deep, cold voice rang out in the mountain cave.

Guang Ningzi's face turned pale, but in the end, he put away the Soul-Devouring Bell and said: "Chixia Zhenjun, I have noted your threat today; I will certainly pay a visit another day."

"No need for another day, this old man is waiting for you at the main hall on the mountain peak right now!"

"You... hmph!" Guang Ningzi snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and left.

Baiyun Zhenjun looked at the remaining Great Cultivators who had participated in coercing the interrogation and said: "Everyone, do you think that the Immortal Sects of my Song Kingdom are all soft persimmons?"

The few True Monarchs were merely Spirit Transformation Great Cultivators from medium-sized Immortal Sects who had colluded with Guang Ningzi of the Xuanhua Sect to come and interrogate in hopes of obtaining the pill formula early. Seeing that the ringleader had already been scared off by Yuqing Hall, they all wilted and hurriedly cupped their hands in farewell, leaving one by one.

(End of this chapter)