Chapter 301: Reincarnated Immortal?

["Come over here."]

[Your voice rang in the ears of every Heavenly Monarch who had been forced to reveal themselves.]

[The six Heavenly Monarchs exchanged glances. Recalling their powerlessness when the Sword Intent swept over them, they immediately obeyed and arrived in the sky above Soul Capital.]

[Among the six were Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons of the Extreme Dao Hall, Heavenly Monarch Thunder Pill of the Pill Dao Lineage...]

["Greetings, fellow Daoist."]

[Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons, Heavenly Monarch Thunder Pill, and the others glanced at Heavenly Monarch Xingmang before bowing to you.]

["Mhm."]

[You gave a slight nod. "Since you are here, take a seat."]

[With a wave of your hand, seats and a high platform formed. These were all spoils of war taken from plundering Soul Capital; aside from cultivation resources, there was also a massive pile of everyday items.]

[All the Heavenly Monarchs sat down, watching you cautiously. Finally, Heavenly Monarch Xingmang asked softly, "May I ask what you desire, Sword Lord? If it is something within our power, just say the word."]

[The moment those words were spoken, the other Heavenly Monarchs tensed up.]

[Your strength was far too unbelievable. Since you could wipe out the Soul Dao Lineage today, could you do the same to the other auxiliary branches tomorrow? Across the entire Human Realm, with the exception of the One Law and One Body factions, no organization considered itself significantly stronger than the Soul Dao Lineage.]

["What I seek is very simple."]

[You said calmly, "I just want to find a stable place to cultivate without any distractions."]

[This was the truth. Having finally used the gold-tier talent Legend of a Generation to reach the ancient era and enter this golden age of cultivation, your sole purpose was to cultivate, cultivate, and cultivate some more.]

[Time in the simulation was limited. Two thousand years? Three thousand years? With such a short timeframe, you naturally did not want to waste your time and energy on trivial matters.]

[Hearing this, the seven Heavenly Monarchs, including Heavenly Monarch Xingmang, exchanged glances.]

[Eventually, Heavenly Monarch Xingmang spoke up. "With our abilities, guaranteeing the Sword Lord's daily cultivation will be no problem."]

[At most, this demand meant providing you with cultivation resources. Cultivation resources were not rare in the ancient era, and many Deity Transformation Grade factions could easily satisfy it.]

[As long as you didn't swing your sword around randomly, everyone was willing to part with a little something.]

["Very well."]

[You nodded slightly. Being able to solve your future cultivation needs without fighting was naturally a welcome outcome.]

[In this simulation, you didn't want to make enemies of the entire world. If things could be settled by sitting down and talking, then sitting down was best.]

[After all, outside of the Soul Dao Lineage, you had no grudges against the other factions of the ancient era.]

[Furthermore, there was the threat of the Demon Abyss Realm. Their invasion of the Human Realm during the ancient era was far more intense than in the modern era, drawing in a full twelve Demon Venerables.]

[Once the agreement was reached, everyone relaxed considerably.]

[Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons of the Extreme Dao Hall looked at you and couldn't hold back his question: "Sword Lord, are you a reincarnated immortal? Or perhaps a reincarnator from another great realm?"]

[Hearing this, Heavenly Monarch Xingmang and the others immediately perked up their ears.]

[Compared to your strength, your very existence was even more unbelievable.]

[Setting aside the fact that you successfully broke through to the Deity Transformation Stage in just half a day...]

[Not even a full day after entering the Deity Transformation Stage, you arrived outside Soul Capital and erased it with a single sword strike, completely obliterating Heavenly Monarch Wanhua in the process.]

[Though you had only just entered the Deity Transformation Stage, your combat strength surpassed an ordinary Deity Transformation Late Stage expert. In terms of pure killing power, even the two Deity Transformation Late Stage experts of the One Law and One Body factions—who wielded the foundations of the Upper Realm—might not be able to match you.]

[It was simply unfathomable.]

[Aside from being a reincarnated immortal born with innate knowledge, or a reincarnator from another great realm, there was no other explanation.]

["Have reincarnated immortals truly appeared in the Human Realm before?" you asked, rather surprised. Back in the Ghost Realm Trial Field, the puppet guardian spirit had evaluated you as a reincarnated immortal, but when you asked about reincarnated immortals, it had refused to say more.]

[As for Heavenly Sword Peak and the other factions, they only had various speculations about reincarnated immortals and could not confirm anything.]

[However, here in the ancient era, with generations of Heavenly Monarchs watching over the world, history had never suffered a break. Many pieces of genuine information had been passed down.]

["Reincarnated immortals... my Ethereal Peak was established by one. All our laws and techniques came from that reincarnated immortal," Heavenly Monarch Xingmang said.]

["The same goes for my Extreme Dao Hall," Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons immediately added.]

[The other five Heavenly Monarchs remained silent. Across the millions of years of the ancient era, the reason the One Law and One Body factions stood so high above the rest was exactly because they possessed the foundations of the Upper Realm.]

["Why would immortals... choose to reincarnate? And even build factions?" you asked out of curiosity.]

[What kind of existences were Upper Realm immortals? Why would they reincarnate into a plane like the Human Realm?]

["The Upper Realm immortals never mentioned the reason..." Heavenly Monarch Xingmang hesitated for a moment before continuing, "But the past generations of Ethereal Peak have made many speculations about it."]

["It involves the spread of the 'Dao.' Above the Deity Transformation Stage is the Void Return Stage, and above the Void Return Stage is the Dao Integration Stage. Dao Integration... what Dao is being integrated? Naturally, it is one's own Dao. But a Dao cannot simply be integrated; it also requires a certain 'weight' to bear it. That is why my Ethereal Peak exists..."]

[Heavenly Monarch Xingmang spoke truthfully.]

["The Dao?"]

[Your expression grew slightly solemn. Although Heavenly Monarch Xingmang's explanation wasn't completely clear, you reached one conclusion: the Upper Realm immortals wanted their Daos to be widely spread.]

["My Extreme Dao Hall is much the same."]

[Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons added.]

["I see..."]

[You looked thoughtful.]

["Is the Sword Lord not a reincarnated immortal?" Heavenly Monarch Xingmang was suddenly startled upon hearing your question.]

[If you were a reincarnated immortal, it would explain why your strength was so immense. You were an immortal, after all... For someone who just entered the Deity Transformation Stage to possess the battle power of the Deity Transformation Stage Peak was completely understandable.]

[But if you weren't a reincarnated immortal? Or a reincarnator from another great realm? What if you possessed this level of combat strength right upon breaking through to the Deity Transformation Stage purely through your own innate talent?]

[Heavenly Monarch Xingmang and Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons felt a surge of horror.]

[Was this still a human? If you claimed to be a true spirit immortal beast, they would believe it. [The true spirit immortal beasts mentioned here were not descendants with just a trace of the bloodline, but genuine pure-blooded true spirit immortal beasts. Even in their infancy, they could achieve many unbelievable feats by relying on their powerful bloodlines.]]

[You didn't answer Heavenly Monarch Xingmang's question. You couldn't be bothered to explain.]

[Whether it was innate talent or being a reincarnated immortal, it was all much the same.]

["To be honest, I initially suspected the Sword Lord was an expert from the Demon Abyss Realm. Now that we have met in person, I finally understand that beyond people there are people, beyond the heavens there is heaven," Heavenly Monarch Thunder Pill said with a sigh.]

["The Demon Abyss Realm?" Another Heavenly Monarch's expression shifted slightly as he asked, "What is the situation with the Demon Abyss Realm now? How is the defense of the passages between the two realms holding up?"]

[Hundreds of years ago, the Demon Abyss Realm had already begun its gradual invasion of the Human Realm. Two hundred years ago, they tore open two spatial rifts in the Western Desert and the Northern Plains, forming passages between the two worlds.]

[However, at present, these two great passages could only allow Demon Monarchs comparable to the Deity Transformation Early Stage to enter. The various factions of the Human Realm were still handling it with ease. Even so, the Human Realm's only two Deity Transformation Late Stage experts were personally guarding those two passages to prevent any accidents.]

[These two Deity Transformation Late Stage experts hailed from Ethereal Peak and the Extreme Dao Hall, respectively.]

["It's going fine. The pressure isn't too great," Heavenly Monarch Xingmang nodded.]

[You listened quietly from the side, knowing that at this point in time, the full-scale invasion of the Demon Abyss Realm hadn't yet begun. Those twelve Void Return Stage Demon Venerables were currently only probing the Human Realm.]

["However, in the coming decades and centuries, the Demon Abyss Realm might continue to tear open more spatial rifts and form new passages. When that time comes, we Heavenly Monarchs will all need to guard a designated area..."]

[Heavenly Monarch Xingmang said. This was exactly why he had come so quickly to ascertain your stance—he needed to ensure there were no hidden dangers within the Human Realm itself.]

[Afterward, you chatted with the Heavenly Monarchs for a little longer before standing up to see your guests out.]

[Heavenly Monarch Xingmang, Heavenly Monarch Nine Dragons, and the other five Heavenly Monarchs immediately took their leave. In truth, interacting and conversing with you put them under an immense amount of pressure as well.]

[After confirming that all the Heavenly Monarchs had left, you fell deep into thought.]

[In the modern era, very little information had been passed down regarding the world-shaking war of the Demon Abyss Realm's invasion during the late ancient era. Even the strongest factions with Upper Realm foundations like Ethereal Peak and the Extreme Dao Hall had been crippled, reduced to splitting into three or two separate branches.]

[As a result, you were unsure exactly which time period you were currently in, or when the Demon Abyss Realm's massive, full-scale invasion would occur.]

["I will continue cultivating."]

[You reined in your thoughts and stopped dwelling on the matter.]

[Regardless of when the Demon Abyss Realm's full-scale invasion would happen, seizing every moment to cultivate was never the wrong choice.]

['My strength is still too weak right now. I won't be able to stop the onslaught when the Demon Abyss Realm launches its full-scale invasion.']

[You thought to yourself that with your current combat strength and various talents, killing an ordinary Tier 5 Consummation Demon Monarch wouldn't be too difficult. But what if there were ten Tier 5 Consummation Demon Monarchs? Or a hundred?]

[Or what about a Tier 5 Consummation expert wielding a foundation bestowed by a Void Return Demon Venerable?]

[You believed there would still be quite a gap.]

[Therefore, the most important thing for you right now was cultivation.]

["The Sword Dao of the Deity Transformation Middle Stage..."]

[You sat cross-legged atop the Fifth Tier Middle Grade spiritual vein and extended your right hand. Wisps of Sword Intent coiled around your fingers.]

[At the same time, you absorbed and refined massive amounts of resources. Coupled with the Fifth Tier Middle Grade spiritual vein, this kept your cultivation speed at its absolute peak.]

[With the return of the various Heavenly Monarchs, news of your demand rapidly spread to the ears of the other Heavenly Monarchs.]

["He only wants to cultivate in peace? That is far too easy."]

["It seems this Heavenly Monarch is not a bloodthirsty person."]

[The numerous Heavenly Monarchs breathed a sigh of relief. Simultaneously, they strictly ordered their respective factions and subordinates never to go anywhere near the perimeter of Soul Capital.]

[Since you were now cultivating in Soul Capital, the entire city spanning hundreds of thousands of li, along with a radius of millions to tens of millions of li around it, was all your personal domain and Dao arena.]

[Before knowing whether you were willing to allow foreign cultivators near, the Heavenly Monarchs naturally forbade their subordinates from approaching.]

[All the Heavenly Monarchs subconsciously ignored the dead Heavenly Monarch Wanhua and the completely eradicated Soul Dao Lineage.]

[As the most premier auxiliary branch faction, the Soul Dao Lineage's soul cultivators acted extremely arrogantly in their daily lives, which had already provoked the dissatisfaction of many cultivators.]

[Now that they had been wiped out by you, there was no telling how many cultivators secretly rejoiced.]

[As for the Heavenly Monarchs who had originally been close to the Soul Dao Lineage and were friends with Heavenly Monarch Wanhua...]

[Who dared to entertain any such thoughts? Weren't they afraid you would swing your sword again?]

[Even Ethereal Peak and the Extreme Dao Hall had accepted your existence; the other Heavenly Monarchs had even less say in the matter.]

[Southern Sea Territory, Myriad Sword Mountain.]

[Following your instructions, True Monarch Tianshuang obediently stayed at the mountain peak, sensing the wisp of Sword Intent you had left behind.]

[Right at that moment, a vast aura descended.]

["A Heavenly Monarch has arrived..."]

[True Monarch Tianshuang's heart clenched. Even though you had also stepped into the Heavenly Monarch realm and become a Sword Cultivator Heavenly Monarch for the Sword Dao Lineage, True Monarch Tianshuang still felt incomparable reverence and fear when facing other Heavenly Monarchs.]

[In True Monarch Tianshuang's eyes, so what if you had become a Heavenly Monarch? You were a Deity Transformation Early Stage Heavenly Monarch at best. Among the various Heavenly Monarchs in the Human Realm, there were Middle Stage Heavenly Monarchs standing far above the Early Stage, and even invincible Late Stage Heavenly Monarchs.]

[Because of your existence, the Sword Dao could step into the level of an auxiliary branch. However, compared to other veteran auxiliary branches—especially those overseen by living Heavenly Monarchs—it was still slightly inferior.]

["Come, let us go welcome them together."]

[True Monarch Tianshuang immediately led the various Sword Cultivator True Monarchs down the mountain.]

[This was also to avoid giving anyone a reason to gossip and drawing the dissatisfaction of other Heavenly Monarchs onto you.]

[True Monarch Tianshuang knew his own limits very well. He knew he couldn't help you, but he definitely wouldn't drag you down either.]

["Greetings, Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood."]

[Soon, True Monarch Tianshuang arrived outside Myriad Sword Mountain and met the emerald-robed Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood.]

[Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood was a Heavenly Monarch of the Medical Dao. His medical skills could reverse life and death; as long as a sliver of consciousness remained, he could save them.]

[Therefore, Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood held immense influence among the Heavenly Monarchs. After all, even as powerful as they were, Heavenly Monarchs couldn't guarantee they would never be injured. Unlike the modern era, battles to the death occurred between Heavenly Monarchs during the ancient era, making severe injuries or even falling in battle a real possibility.]

["There is no need to be so polite."]

[Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood spoke in a genial tone. Stretching out his right hand, a fruit that looked like a humanoid figure appeared before him.]

[The humanoid fruit emanated a rich aura of life. It was clearly a fifth-tier spiritual fruit, and likely a precious one among its grade.]

["This is a Myriad Origin Fruit. The Sword Lord of your Dao has broken through to Deity Transformation, eradicated the Soul Dao Lineage outside Soul Capital with a single sword strike, and slain Heavenly Monarch Wanhua. I am truly in awe, and have come specially to offer my congratulations..."]

[Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood said with a beaming smile.]

[You had broken through to the Deity Transformation Stage from Myriad Sword Mountain and also walked the Sword Dao Lineage.]

[As a Deity Transformation Early Stage Heavenly Monarch, Heavenly Monarch Azure Wood knew his treasures probably wouldn't catch your eye, considering you had just wiped out the Soul Dao Lineage. So, he took a different approach and specifically came to visit Myriad Sword Mountain.]

[By doing so, he might just leave a good impression on you.]

["The Sword Lord eradicated the Soul Dao Lineage with a single sword strike..."]

[True Monarch Tianshuang felt his mind roar. He had made some guesses about your grudges with the Soul Dao Lineage, considering that True Monarch Chiyun—whom you had asked him to investigate—came from the Soul Dao Lineage.]

[However, True Monarch Tianshuang never imagined that because of True Monarch Chiyun, you would completely annihilate the entire Soul Dao Lineage, and even kill Heavenly Monarch Wanhua, a living Heavenly Monarch, in the process.]

[Just what kind of strength was this?]

[True Monarch Tianshuang felt as if everything was a dream.]