Chapter 383.1: The Poison of Cultivation Techniques, Mark of Sustenance

"Naturally, it's an incredibly awesome, invincibly explosive, grand plan!" Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Qi Yuan. "The names of my previous plans were all too crude. They lacked depth, which made me seem uncultured in comparison. I can't be so hands-off anymore!"

Jiang Lingsu's eyes twinkled like pools of clear spring water. "What will you name it this time then?"

He declared seriously, "Qi Yuan Eliminates the Great Calamity!"

Jiang Lingsu rolled her eyes. She should have known not to expect anything. Then, she tilted her head, her fair hand supporting her delicate cheek. "What Great Calamity?"

His expression became solemn, radiating righteous conviction. "Naturally, the Great Calamity that will turn all of us into sustenance!"

Surprise flashed across Jiang Lingsu’s eyes. Didn't that sound somewhat similar to the notion that cultivation techniques were tainted? If that was the case, wouldn't that mean their entire path of cultivation had been wrong?

That was when she recalled the peculiar painter, who had created many bizarre paintings. Jiang Lingsu had once asked about the meaning behind one of them.

In the painting, terrifying immortals of calamity ravaged the world. Then, a powerful immortal rose to oppose them, an endless sea of blood stretching behind him. According to the painter, heaven and earth had long since become one with the Calamity Immortals. Should the Calamity Immortals perish, heaven and earth would also fall.

Jiang Lingsu's face grew somewhat pale. "Senior Brother, are you confident in dealing with that Great Calamity?"

She didn't know exactly what Qi Yuan meant and merely regarded it as some powerful enemy.

He replied happily, "I am! After all, I'm now the Divine Radiance Sect's first Violet Palace cultivator!"

Shouldn't such news be announced to the world?

After thinking for a moment, he immediately took out the Divine Flower Society jade slip and posted a server-wide announcement.

Warm Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Qi Yuan for Becoming the Divine Radiance Sect's First Violet Palace cultivator!

Qi Yuan felt extremely pleased. The feeling of abusing privilege really was wonderful. No wonder everyone liked being beneficiaries of special treatment.

Jiang Lingsu hadn't opened her Divine Flower Society jade slip, so she naturally knew nothing about it. She sighed in relief and softly said, "As long as you are confident. Beat that fellow into mush!"

"Don't worry. I never hold back against my enemies."

Jiang Lingsu recalled the scenes she had witnessed through her clan's treasured artifact, along with the painter's words. "Senior Brother, If fighting this Great Calamity meant the entire Divine Radiance Sect—including me—would perish, would you still choose to go?"

Qi Yuan fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.

His junior sister recalled yet another of the painter's works. "If I faced such a great enemy, I'd definitely hide far away with you, Senior Brother. Rather than a butterfly dying for love, I’d rather be a turtle basking in the sun on the beach."

Jiang Lingsu's thoughts were simple. Even if she could defeat the enemy, if the people she cared about would die, then she'd rather flee far away.

"Being a turtle isn't good either. You’d easily end up as turtle soup," he said seriously. "But your question is very interesting. It also reminded me of something."

Though he had never practiced this world's tainted cultivation methods, everyone else had. They even reached profound realms and left their names upon the Mythic Stele. Then, the Great Calamity would descend at regular intervals to harvest these sources of sustenance. What would happen to those who had practiced the tainted techniques? Would they be branded with a mark, their lives hanging by a thread?

Qi Yuan immediately ordered, "Junior Sister, stretch out your hand. I need to examine your body."

He wanted to study the effects these cultivation methods had on the people of Canglan World.

"Huh? But I'm not sick!"

Nonetheless, Jiang Lingsu extended her slender, jade-like hand. She trusted him deeply. After all, he had cured her previous ailments.

As he rested his hand on the back of Jiang Lingsu's hand, divine spiritual energy flowed into her. He carefully investigated. Jiang Lingsu remained motionless and offered no resistance.

In truth, this was an extremely dangerous thing to do. If Qi Yuan wasn’t careful, she could suffer severe backlash or even perish. His divine spiritual energy was so vast that it surpassed that of ordinary Yang Spirits. Thankfully, his control was precise enough that Jiang Lingsu had no chance of being harmed.

Qi Yuan furrowed his brow. He had discovered a subtle, sun-shaped mark upon Jiang Lingsu's True Spirit.

[Taihuang Palace Master's Mark. Everyone who practices this world’s techniques will bear this mark, becoming sustenance. Their life and death are controlled by the Taihuang Palace Master.]

On a closer inspection, the mark did resemble the original sun in the sky. His desire to shoot it down grew even stronger.

Jiang Lingsu turned pale. "What's wrong?"

It was the first time she had ever seen him make such an expression. Could it be that something was wrong with her?

Qi Yuan smiled calmly. "It's nothing."

Even he was unable to remove that mark. The mark had no effect on everyday life. However, if its master so wished, they could wipe out every mark-bearer at any moment. It was almost like a curse.

"You're fine. I'm the one with a problem. It seems the Qi Yuan Eliminates the Great Calamity plan requires more details."

He added a new sub-objective to his plan: eliminate or isolate the marks.

She said softly, displaying a rare gentleness, "It definitely needs to be more detailed. Enemies can be spared, but lives must be preserved."

He decided to examine more people for these marks. "Junior Sister, how about we prepare and head to Helan Province to meet that painter?"

If he could discover a solution, then all would be well.

"Huh? Alright, wait for me. I'll go pack up."

"Okay. I'll also go inform the sect master of the joyous news that I've entered the Violet Palace realm. Haa... Divine Radiance Sect really has ancestral graves emitting green smoke to have produced such an outstanding disciple as me!"