Chapter 259 - 254: Baili Jianxin, Worshipped by Myriad Swords at Birth

Centuries of magnificent, turbulent history were condensed into a few quintessential fragments.

In the interweaving flashes of light and shadow, it was as if he had relived his entire life.

Du Youqian, however, felt no particular emotion about it.

In the two-hundred-odd years he had spent as one of the Living Dead, he had already reviewed his life’s experiences countless times.

He admitted there were things he had handled improperly, moments where he could have done better.

But on the whole, he had worked hard enough in this life.

For a Mortal, born in the morning to die at dusk, a life spent pursuing happiness would be enough.

After all, who could know whether tomorrow or an accident would arrive first.

But Du Youqian pursued the Dao of eternity.

With a cheat like his, not pursuing eternity would be simply absurd.

The values of one who could attain Longevity and Vision were naturally different from those of one born to die within a day.

Throughout this life, Du Youqian’s own views had been slowly changing.

These changes had been subtle, creeping in without a sound. It was only during the two-hundred-odd years he spent as one of the Living Dead that he finally came to understand them.

At the end of the life review, the main event was, of course, the rating.

Rating: A-Plus

Reward: 5 Spirit Root points and one opportunity to reallocate his Spirit Roots.

Be Advised:

Reincarnation is only possible upon death from old age. A violent death bars one from the cycle of Reincarnation.

Before the age of 18, you are guaranteed to turn peril into safety and misfortune into fortune. At 18, you are guaranteed to overcome the Mystery of the Womb.

Furthermore, due to the assistance of a certain special power, all Divine Abilities you learn will henceforth become Innate Divine Abilities. In each new life, after overcoming the Mystery of the Womb, these Innate Divine Abilities will awaken automatically as you age and your power grows.

Perhaps because he had successfully reached Core Formation in this life, strengthening his Divine Sense, Du Youqian’s consciousness had yet to fade completely. He could still think.

Receiving a rating of A-Level or higher for this life was well within his expectations.

He had comprehended such a powerful Sword Intent, slain so many formidable Core Formation Demons during the chaotic era of the Demon Race, and even become a Sword Holder who killed a Great Saint Incarnation... if that didn’t warrant an A-Level rating, there was no justice in the heavens.

But to receive an A-Plus rating, and with it an opportunity to reallocate his Spirit Roots, was a pleasant surprise.

And the fact that all his learned Divine Abilities would become Innate Divine Abilities, carried over through his reincarnations without being lost—that was the icing on the cake.

He had originally been regretting that the "Copper Skin Iron Bones" Divine Ability he mastered in this life would be lost upon reincarnation.

He never expected to get it back!

’How powerful would I be with a Body Refining Core Formation combined with the ’Copper Skin Iron Bones’ Divine Ability?’

’His confidence in successfully passing through that channel had just grown even stronger!’

Just then, Du Youqian vaguely sensed his Spirit Roots materializing before him, ten types in all, arranged in a row.

Black for water, white for metal, red for fire, yellow for earth, green for wood...

...as well as the variants derived from the Five Elements: cyan wind and golden thunder.

The other three Spirit Roots, however, were colorless. One possessed an aura both ancient and new, as if connecting the past and the future. ’This must be the Time Spirit Root, representing time.’

Another was so vast it encompassed the heavens and the earth, yet so small it was nearly invisible; it could reach any distance, yet was right before his eyes. ’This must be the Space Spirit Root, representing space.’

The final Spirit Root was ephemeral, its aura chaotic and indescribable. ’This must be the mysterious tenth Spirit Root, the one most people aren’t even sure exists.’ Du Youqian himself had no idea what it was.

Sensing his time was short, Du Youqian quickly made his decision.

’In my next life, I’ll have to brave a passage to the Human World, one that might be filled with countless spatial rifts. A Space Spirit Root might be the best choice.’

’But none of the many Cultivation Techniques I’ve mastered can be practiced with a Time Spirit Root as the foundation.’

’Powerful Cultivation Techniques like the *Crimson Scripture of Profound Mystery and Spiritual Mechanism*, the *Red Phoenix General’s Qi Circulation Technique*, and the *Seven Transition Celestial Dance Scripture* don’t have specific requirements for Spirit Root Attributes. In fact, cultivating them with different Five Elements Spirit Roots produces various wondrous effects—that’s what makes powerful techniques so superior.’

’But they’re only compatible with the Five Elements Spirit Roots and their wind and thunder variants.’

’Space and Time Spirit Roots are too rare. I might be able to use them for Cultivation, but I can’t guarantee how fast my progress would be.’

’So, to be on the safe side...’

Du Youqian now had a total of 16 Spirit Root points.

He ultimately chose the Spirit Root best suited for Body Refining: the Earth Spirit Root.

After allocating 10 points to it, he couldn’t add any more.

And just like that, he now possessed an Earth Celestial Spirit Root!

He put the remaining 6 points into his Fire Spirit Root.

For one, he was more familiar with cultivating a Fire Spirit Root and using Fire Element Magic.

For another, in the cycle of elements, fire creates earth, so the Fire Spirit Root would support the Cultivation of his Earth Spirit Root.

An Earth Celestial Spirit Root, plus a Fire Element Upper Grade Spirit Root.

If Du Youqian’s Spirit Root Attributes were ever revealed, the First and Second-class Sects would go into a frenzy fighting over him!

In truth, however, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with this allocation.

It was just a stopgap measure, all for the sake of reaching the Human World.

The chance to reallocate his Spirit Root Attributes wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He believed he could earn another A-Plus rating in the future and get another chance to adjust them!

Shortly after allocating his Spirit Root points, Du Youqian’s consciousness sank into darkness.

In the final moment before sinking into darkness, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the Spring and Autumn Brush emitting a faint, ancient light. Beside it, what looked like an oval-shaped piece of metal glinted once.

Return, O soul!

~~~~~~~

In the Southeast Martial World of the Wu Kingdom, Xianlai Castle was a household name.

Calling it a Holy Land of the Martial World might be a slight exaggeration, but to say it was a place of pilgrimage for every bladesman in the Wu Kingdom would be absolutely correct.

However, if you asked about the origins of Xianlai Castle, most people would probably scratch their heads, think for a while, and then blurt out, "Hasn’t Xianlai Castle always been there?"

Most people had forgotten.

Only old scholars and the Direct Lineage of Xianlai Castle itself still remembered.

Some six hundred years ago, the Qi Kingdom invaded the Wu Kingdom, nearly wiping it out.

At that time, many powerful landlords and Martial World masters built fortified settlements—Dock Fortresses—that dotted the Wu Kingdom like stars in the sky, resisting the Qi Kingdom’s invasion.

These Dock Fortresses were especially common in the northern part of the Wu Kingdom.

But they existed in the Southeast as well, and the most famous of them all was Xianlai Castle.

It was said that an Immortal Master resided in Xianlai Castle and had once helped it fend off the Qi Kingdom’s army.

An army of tens of thousands from the Qi Kingdom had failed to conquer the small fortress.

After the war ended, some Dock Fortress Lords joined the ranks of the upper class, while the fortresses that tried to maintain their independent military and taxation powers were dismantled one by one.

Xianlai Castle, being more astute, transformed early. It rebranded itself as a Martial Arts Family rather than an independent Dock Fortress, and thus, it survived.

But over the long years, Xianlai Castle gradually fell into decline.

Then, three hundred years ago, a great upheaval shook the Wu Kingdom. The former Imperial Family fell into decline and abdicated the throne to the Du Clan.

Coincidentally, the ancestor of the Du Clan’s Imperial Family was the very same great hero who had led the Wu Kingdom in repelling the Qi invaders and saved the nation six hundred years prior.

The first Emperor of the Du Clan’s Imperial Family, Du Yuxi, ruled with great vigor. He championed sweeping reforms, improved the livelihood of the people, and steadily increased the Wu Kingdom’s national strength and the prosperity of its citizens.

The Fortress Lord of Xianlai Castle at the time, knowing which way the wind was blowing, was the first to pledge allegiance to the new Du Clan Imperial Family and subsequently cooperated with them on a series of reforms.

After the Du Clan had secured their throne, they rewarded the Fortress Lord of Xianlai Castle with the title of Hereditary First-class Marquis and even married a woman from the Royal Family to him.

Then, about two hundred years ago, the Fortress Lord of Xianlai Castle at the time, Baili Shang, suddenly made a great breakthrough in his Martial Arts. He became an Innate Grandmaster, created several peerless Blade Techniques, and reigned supreme in the Wu Kingdom for decades.

From that day forward, Xianlai Castle became a legendary name throughout the Martial World of the Wu Kingdom.

The current Fortress Lord of Xianlai Castle is named Baili Yingxiong.

He too is an outstanding bladesman, hailed as "invincible below the Innate realm."

But for the past decade or so, the most famous person in Xianlai Castle hasn’t been him.

It has been his son.

It is said that the moment his beloved son was born, every sword within a radius of dozens of miles suddenly hummed, tilting in the direction of Xianlai Castle as if bowing in homage to an emperor.

News of this event spread rapidly, attracting the attention of the Wu Kingdom’s number one swordsman of that era, the "Four Seasons Swordsman," an Innate Master named Long Youming.

Long Youming lingered at Xianlai Castle for several days, praising the newborn child endlessly. He declared the boy’s frame to be exceptionally pure and that he possessed a "once-in-a-millennium" innate Sword Heart, offering to take the child as his personal, final disciple.

But Baili Yingxiong refused.

"A disciple of Xianlai Castle must, of course, learn the blade." This was Baili Yingxiong’s reason for refusal.

Long Youming tried to persuade him, even begging him, but Baili Yingxiong would not yield. In the end, Long Youming could only depart in disappointment.

But Baili Yingxiong must have taken the words about his son’s "innate Sword Heart" to heart, for he named the child—who had been greeted at birth by ten thousand bowing swords—"Baili Jianxin."