Chapter 1107 - 740: Immortal Was Once Mortal

Chapter 1107: Chapter 740: Immortal Was Once Mortal

The Spiritual Boat sailed through the clouds, steadily heading towards Starlight Island.

The land below was in ruins.

The villages that once emitted curling smoke now only had remnants of walls and ruins.

In the wilderness, white bones were occasionally seen scattered among the withered grass, none to collect them.

Often, within hundreds of miles, there was not a soul in sight.

Only the low moans of the wind sweeping past the ruins, combined with the occasional piercing caws of crows, intertwined to form a haunting picture.

Mo Kexin stood beside Shen Xuan and softly narrated the current state of Starlight Island and the Cultivation Realm of Song Country.

Now, Starlight Island was no longer the remote overseas island it once was.

It has become the sacred land of cultivation in the hearts of Song Country and surrounding loose cultivators.

The population of cultivators on the island has increased dramatically.

Loose cultivators from all directions flocked ceaselessly.

Early settlers found stability and began to propagate and multiply.

The Long Family continuously sent clan members to the island, consolidating their foundation.

Qin Yuehan, with the assistance of Li Ruyi, Qin Baohua, Zhuang Xueqin, Long Xiaoyun, and Shen Yucheng, had the care of Purple Maple True Monarch internally and the alliance of Purple Essence Tree Emperor and Tiger Whale Emperor externally, implementing the policies set by Shen Xuan in the past, thus managing to stabilize the situation.

However, the internal and external situation faced by the Cultivation Realm of Song Country has become increasingly complex in recent years.

Inside Yan Country, channels to the Demon Realm appeared one after another, major sects were overwhelmed, and various demon races and demon beasts wreaked havoc.

In Liang Country, the six major Demon Sects have mostly sided with the Demon Race.

The Dark Star Alliance, which operated covertly in the past, now operated openly within Liang Country, its arrogance rampant.

The Daoist Demon War, originally confined to the Song and Liang Border, unknowingly breached the bottom line, infiltrating into the heartlands of Song Country.

What surprised Shen Xuan was.

The pinnacle sect of Song Country, Profound Celestial Sect itself, showed signs of instability.

Rumor has it that Purple Maple True Monarch, growing old, gradually passed the sect’s power to True Monarch Jin Hua.

Meanwhile, Golden Sun Sect introduced a new True Monarch Haori thirty years ago, coupled with True Monarch Guangxian who is at Nascent Soul Middle Stage, competing equally with Profound Celestial Sect in top-tier strength.

This rendered the leadership contest among Song Country’s sects obscure, the undercurrents surging.

Danxia Sect’s branch in Song Country formally detached from its main sect in Yan Country, renaming itself Medicine God Valley.

It declared independence externally, stating no longer having a subordinate relationship with Danxia Sect in Yan Country.

This move began to ease relationships between Medicine God Valley and the remaining six sects in Song Country, restoring Spirit Pill trade.

The cultivation influences in Song Country subtly divided into two camps.

Divine Sword Sect and Cyan Cloud Sect became closer with Golden Sun Sect.

Beast Emperor Pavilion and Thousand Mechanism Sect still looked up to Profound Celestial Sect.

Medicine God Valley remained neutral, focusing on expanding Spirit Pill trade.

The entire Cultivation Realm of Song Country faced internal worries and external threats, each acting according to its own interest.

Meanwhile, Liang Country’s Demon Sect, incited by the Demon Race, was restless, sharpening weapons and preparing for action.

They tore up the alliance agreement and prematurely triggered the Daoist Demon War between Liang and Song.

Hehuan Sect, which always maintained neutrality, unexpectedly sent its Saint Child and Saintess to participate in the battle.

If Hehuan Sect joined forces with Blood Spirit Sect to command Liang Country’s Demon Sect and march south towards Song Country.

Given the current status of Song Country’s Cultivation Realm, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Hehuan Sect’s style has always been steady. Without seventy to eighty percent certainty of victory, they would not actively take the field and launch a national war-level expedition."

Shen Xuan looked towards the distant sea of clouds, contemplating silently.

The intelligence Mo Kexin brought was limited by her realm cultivation, unable to touch the layouts of the major sects’ high levels.

"The apparent enemies of Song Country’s sects seem to be Liang Country’s Demon Sect and the Dark Star Alliance. Actually, the true enemy is the Gold Spirit Race from the Demon Realm."

"In the Demon Realm, the Gold Spirit Race is a medium-sized clan, yet possesses terrifying strength to overthrow the cultivation influences of Yan, Liang, Song, Lu, and Yue Five Countries..."

Thinking of this, Shen Xuan couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

The world is difficult.

Cultivators are not exempt.

Even if Shen Xuan succeeds in cultivation, he never forgets his roots.

He was originally a mortal.

In his previous life, and likewise in this life.

The myths he knows, those revered great gods and true immortals, many originated from mortal backgrounds.

They are not lofty entities beyond worldly pleasures.

Rather, they opened the heavens and earth, repaired the sky’s crack, managed floods, tasted hundreds of herbs, subdued demons and monsters, guarding the human world.

This subtly aligns with the "Heavenly Dao" that Shen Xuan comprehended.

Unity of Heaven and Man.

My fate lies not in the heavens but within myself.

Even with mortal flesh, harboring the ambition towards the Dao, moving forward resolutely, can lead one to become god or immortal.

"I am mortal, yet also immortal."

"Immortals were once mortals!"

Precisely because of this, Shen Xuan never views mundane mortals as inferior beings nor sees loose cultivators at the Qi Cultivation Realm as disposable.

Within his capabilities, he strives to treat low-tier cultivators and mundane mortals well.

Especially towards those around him.

This isn’t being a saint.

It’s following his true heart.

It’s his understanding of the "Heavenly Dao," his adherence to his "true self."

What Shen Xuan pursues is transcendence, freedom.

Not the cold indifference that obliterates humanity.

Training one’s heart in the red dust, demonstrating the Dao through trials of warfare.

The original intention behind founding the Starlight Research Institute was to cultivate some cultivators with faith, making this Cultivation Realm slightly better.

Even just a little bit.

It is his way of returning the favor of the Heavenly Dao’s grace here.

...

Several days later.

The Spiritual Boat smoothly navigated through the clouds.

Ahead, the sky suddenly resounded with a sharp whistle piercing the air.

Two rays of escape light, one chasing the other, sped swiftly towards the direction of the Spiritual Boat like meteors chasing the moon.

The escape light ahead was earthy-yellow in color, transformed from a Flying Sword.

The sword controller was at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, with considerable escape speed, surpassing cultivators of the same realm.

Clearly, the person excelled in the art of Sword Escape.

"Dean!"

Mo Kexin concentrated on gazing forward, softly said, "It’s Senior Brother Wang Hao. The first cohort disciple of the institute."

Shen Xuan’s Divine Sense gently swept over, capturing the situation ahead completely.