Chapter 559 - 515: Mid-Stage Nascent Soul

Chapter 559: Chapter 515: Mid-Stage Nascent Soul

The Ao Family’s Ancestor dared to act so unscrupulously, most likely because he was relying on that rumored Treasure.

In thirty years, the situation in the war between the two races had not improved at all; the Demon Race still held the upper hand.

This news instantly sank the good mood Bai Zichen had from his recent breakthrough.

Although Shan Zhi of the Evil Fate Sect’s inference about the future had painted him as the key figure to break the stalemate in the war...

...the vision had shown the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword, not him personally.

This might mean that he himself wasn’t important to the war’s progress. The key was this Demon Extermination Sword, which had belonged to an Upper Realm Sword Immortal.

Bai Zichen had a very clear understanding of his own abilities. To even the weakest Divinity Transformation Cultivator, his current strength was merely that of slightly tougher cannon fodder.

This was to say nothing of the Ao Family’s Elder Dragon, who was clearly superior to his peers at the Divinity Transformation realm.

Therefore, he was very interested in what Po Jun Star Monarch had written next.

’I can’t believe there’s even a clue about a Tier Five Flying Sword... But then again, the Star Palace was founded for the sole purpose of cracking the Taibai Sword Sect’s Trial Secret Realm. Everything they do serves that goal. Over ten thousand years, so many Nascent Soul Star Masters have exchanged information and explored together. It’s only natural that after all this time, they’ve finally uncovered the origins of a Tier Five Flying Sword.’

A Tier Five Flying Sword was, of course, something Bai Zichen was very interested in.

However, having the precedent of the Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword, he knew very well that a Flying Sword of this tier possessed Spiritual Wisdom no different from a human’s.

For a mere Nascent Soul Cultivator to subdue a Tier Five Flying Sword, it would have to be a special case, like with the Life-Killing Demon Sword.

The Sword Refiner had sacrificed his life, seizing a near-impossible opportunity to elevate the Flying Sword to Tier Five, making it acknowledge its master from the moment of its birth.

The Sword Spirit was heavily influenced by Xiangg Ji, so it was naturally much easier for Kong Bai to wield it.

Another possibility was for the Flying Sword to sense a person’s talent and willingly submit to them.

But this kind of situation typically only happened with Tier Four Flying Swords.

A Tier Five Flying Sword, unless trapped in a Desolate Land, had no need to worry about its spiritual nature being damaged or its tier being demoted.

To tempt a Tier Five Flying Sword, one would have to show it the possibility of advancing to Tier Six.

But how could a Cultivator in the Human World who hadn’t even reached Divinity Transformation possibly display the talent needed to help a Lifebound Flying Sword transcend Tier Five?

The Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword had only agreed to a pact after seeing that the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword, which was far superior to it, had already acknowledged a master, and with the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box as an added enticement. As long as Bai Zichen reached Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivation, it would acknowledge him as its master and be at his command.

Since then, it had hidden itself away in the Sword Box, remaining completely still.

That was why even a Divinity Transformation Great Power would more often adopt a cooperative stance toward a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure that didn’t advance alongside them—such as a Sect’s legacy treasure or one obtained by chance—and would rarely refine it into a Lifebound Magical Treasure.

For one, if the Artifact Spirit didn’t give its full approval, the time required to refine a Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure was something even a Divinity Transformation Great Power couldn’t afford.

Secondly, if it was a Sect’s legacy treasure that a previous owner had refined into their Lifebound Magical Treasure, by the time they passed away and it was handed down to the next successor...

...just re-refining it would take over a hundred years, which was a huge waste of time.

’Po Jun has been scheming for this Tier Five Flying Sword for a long time. He must have his own methods for gaining the Sword Spirit’s approval. Otherwise, it would be far too disappointing if the Star Palace, with its ten thousand years of heritage dedicated to researching the Sword Dao, didn’t even have that much capability.’

Bai Zichen would be the first to refuse to believe that Po Jun Star Monarch could obtain a Tier Five Flying Sword but have no way to command its Sword Spirit.

Besides, the Tier Five Flying Sword was just an appetizer. The main course was the Trial Secret Realm that came after.

Judging from the records left by the three seniors who founded the Star Palace, the core of the Star Palace Secret Realm most likely led directly to the legendary Sword-Cleansing Grotto Heaven.

The Sword-Cleansing Grotto Heaven was where every Sword Cultivator of the Taibai Sword Sect went to cleanse and refine their Flying Swords and achieve breakthroughs in the Sword Dao.

Legend had it that one year of Sword Refinement there was equivalent to a hundred years in the outside world.

Even if they couldn’t obtain the most important Cave Profound Godslaying Sword Scripture, the Sword-Cleansing Grotto Heaven would surely contain other, second-tier Sword Dao inheritances.

After all, back in the day, not every disciple of the Taibai Sword Sect had the qualifications or talent to practice this Supreme Sword Scripture.

Coupled with the various Sword Array inheritances and the legends of Sword Refinement that could make one a match for a hundred, the Sword-Cleansing Grotto Heaven had always been a Holy Land in the minds of Sword Cultivators.

As long as the Star Palace could get inside, relying on the inheritances of the Sword-Cleansing Grotto Heaven, these already powerful Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators would all see a massive boost in their strength.

They could even use this as their golden calling card to truly assemble a magnificent lineup of Fourteen Star Masters and become a pivotal, clandestine organization in the Cultivation Realm.

Bai Zichen recorded his name on the Memory Stone and also left a message for Po Jun Star Monarch, informing him that he had already mastered the Sword Light Division Realm.

He had already fulfilled one of the two conditions to open the Core Secret Realm; all that was left was to obtain the Tier Five Flying Sword.

If the Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword could acknowledge him as its master ahead of schedule, he could even meet the entry conditions all by himself.

Letting Po Jun Star Monarch know this would serve as reassurance, encouraging him to proceed with acquiring the Tier Five Flying Sword as quickly as possible.

After doing all this, Bai Zichen returned to the Tower Temple and activated the restrictions.

He went up to the top floor of the Tower Temple, found the Array inscribed on the ground, and placed a Top-Grade Spirit Stone on it.

Instantly, a green barrier of light rose up, tightly shielding the Tower Temple.

’Under normal circumstances, this Array could draw on the Spiritual Power within the Grotto Heaven to operate. But it has lost its spiritual quality over time, so now it can only rely on an external power source... If I break through quickly enough, I should only use up about half the Spiritual Power in this Top-Grade Spirit Stone.’

This was a realm breakthrough, after all, different from regular Cultivation. If any accident caused his True Essence to run amok, it could very well end in Qigong Deviation.

To be safe, it was better to activate a protective Array.

He sat down cross-legged and reviewed his Cultivation Technique, and his mind quickly grew calm.

Thirty years in the River of Time wasn’t an especially long period for a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

But for the person experiencing it, there was no sensation of time passing. They would only feel themselves moving forward endlessly in that river, with no idea when it would end.

Someone with weaker mental fortitude would have gone mad in the River of Time long ago.

Of course, such a person would have never been able to comprehend Time True Intent in the first place.

However, it also served as a wake-up call for Bai Zichen. Time was merciless, and dealing with it was like treading on thin ice.

Unlike other Great Dao True Intents, he had only touched upon and begun to understand the Time Path; he was far from mastering it.

Just as the best swimmers can drown, those who touch upon time face similar dangers.

When the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword struck at other Cultivators, it was unstoppable. No one could resist it in the slightest.

But the sword cut both ways. Compared to others, he only had a tiny bit more resistance.

If he fell into the true River of Time, a single misstep could mean he would be ancient and near the end of his lifespan by the time he got out.

Still, that journey through the River of Time had brought his state of mind closer to Perfection. Few external things could stir his heart now.

’After Breaking Realm, the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture will be completely useless to me... If I can’t find a Taibai Sword Sect Cultivation Technique, I’ll have to settle for the next best thing and practice a Star God Technique for now.’

The matter of a Top-Tier Cultivation Technique was now an urgent priority for Bai Zichen.

He absolutely could not bear the thought of his Cultivation stagnating for decades or even a century.

The absolute best option was undoubtedly the Cave Profound Godslaying Sword Scripture, a name he had heard so often his ears were sore, which was hidden in the core of the Star Palace Secret Realm.

As his mind was still pondering his future path, a Fire Dragon materialized behind him. Its horns were menacing, and its Dragon’s Majesty washed over everything.

The aura of a True Dragon, more powerful than ever before, was pushed to its absolute limit.

With every breath, with every draconic roar, the illusory Fire Dragon representing his mastery of the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture grew stronger and more corporeal.

The scales on its body and the wisps of flame on its claws gradually manifested, as if it were about to truly enter the world.

When the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture was circulating at its peak and his True Essence could no longer be contained, the Nascent Soul Xiaobai in his Dantian Qi Sea opened its eyes, and two crimson beams of light flashed out.

It stood up and let out a long cry, swallowing the Fire Dragon and all the other phenomena behind it.

The Nascent Soul Xiaobai smacked its lips a couple of times and let out a satisfied burp, its little face flushed red.

Its Nascent Soul aura surged dramatically, the feedback spreading throughout his entire body.

Mid-Stage Nascent Soul. It was a natural success!

Feeling his True Essence limit increase by about fifty percent and the range of his Divine Sense extend to twenty miles, Bai Zichen smiled calmly, stood up, and dusted off his Daoist Robe.