Chapter 968: Chapter 962: Eternal Spirit-Refining Eight Directions Formation
The border of Westfall Prefecture.
Li Xinnian was currently gathering with Master Yuming of the Great Ming King Temple from Azure Cloud Prefecture, Patriarch Sun Haotian of the Sun Clan, and Feng Chunlin of the Feng Clan from Azure Cloud Prefecture, bringing along over a thousand cultivators.
On one side were the people of the Eternal Immortal Sect, also numbering over a thousand.
The Eternal sect now had eleven elders.
The Eternal Immortal Sect adhered to the principle of “where respect and authority are derived from one’s actual cultivation realm and enlightenment, rather than just age or strict seniority,” so there was not much petty calculation or bickering within the sect.
Those who reached the Void Refinement Realm could become elders.
Disciples of each lineage respectfully addressed their respective elder as “Master.”
If one truly lacked a direct inheritance, they could still address the elders as “Teacher.”
Every year, the elders would hold sessions to preach the Dao.
The Azure Cloud Li Clan and the Eternal Immortal Sect had cooperated for many years, and the Eternal Immortal Sect knew full well that the Li Clan viewed them as Azure Cloud’s “natural barrier.”
Amidst the chaos of the Wu Race’s invasion, the two factions had long since begun sharing resources to cover each other’s shortcomings.
Should the Wu Race ever breach their territory, they would also need the Li Clan’s assistance.
The one leading the Eternal Immortal Sect’s forces on this expedition was named Duanmu Yushu, a junior from the clan of the current Sect Master, Duanmu Qi.
Duanmu Yushu was a sword cultivator as elegant and striking as a jade tree facing the wind.
At not even four hundred years old, he had already reached the middle stage of the Divinity Transformation realm, making him one of the descendants Duanmu Qi valued the most within the Duanmu Clan.
“Brother Xinnian, the Wu Race has already carved a path of slaughter into Deston Prefecture.
The Central Plains are now occupied by the Wu Race.
Recently, the number of Wu Race members trespassing into our Westfall Prefecture has been steadily increasing, and this time, a Divinity Transformation realm expert is actually hiding among them.”
Duanmu Yushu smiled at Li Xinnian.
“The grand tides of the world are shifting. Brother Xinnian, you should carefully consider whether you wish to act alongside me.”
The moment the phrase “act alongside me” was spoken, Li Xinnian’s brow furrowed deeply.
[Special Event — Eternal Spirit-Refining Eight Directions Formation]
[In this world of chaos, the Wu Race and the Human Race are engaged in a bitter, protracted battle.
Taking advantage of the turmoil in the Western Border, various human factions have charged into the Endless Forest.
Cultivators above the Divinity Transformation realm are no longer bound by any restrictions.
Duanmu Yushu, a disciple of the Eternal Immortal Sect, has been good friends with Li Xinnian for many years, sharing a mutual appreciation.
Unwilling to remain stagnant at the middle stage of the Divinity Transformation realm, he secretly acquired a formation designed to sacrifice and refine living beings.
He intends to head into Wu Race territory and use the lives of an entire large tribe to break through to the peak of the Divinity Transformation realm.]
[This method, which severely harms the harmony of Heaven, yields incredibly rich rewards.
It requires years of meticulous planning, lying dormant within the Wu Race, and setting up eight hundred and eighty-eight array nodes.]
Li Xinnian had been in Azure Cloud Prefecture for many years, yet he had never committed such an utterly depraved act.
Over the years, he had made quite a few friends, with Duanmu Yushu being the foremost among them.
The Eternal Immortal Sect was such a resplendent and orthodox grand sect; he never imagined that Duanmu Yushu would be secretly plotting to “eat people.”
“Brother Yushu, I cannot bring myself to do it.” Li Xinnian let out a long breath.
“There is karma in all worldly affairs, and I do not wish to entangle myself with such causes.
However, please rest assured, Brother Yushu. This matter remains strictly between you and me.
If you manage to achieve the position of an elder within the Eternal Immortal Sect, I only ask that you offer us your assistance in the future.”
“Sigh.”
Seeing Li Xinnian’s sincere tone, Duanmu Yushu sighed,
“Brother Xinnian, the world is in great chaos today, and cultivators are resorting to any means necessary. Why must you rigidly adhere to human morality and conventional ethics?
Even within the Wu Race, they devour one another, and when have the Wu Race ever treated our human race as actual human beings?
Furthermore, the mighty figures of our human race…”
Seeing that Li Xinnian still stood firm in his convictions, Duanmu Yushu no longer tried to persuade him and had no choice but to lead his sect members away.
Among those sect members, a disciple who knew of the matter frowned and said,
“Senior Brother, this fellow Li Xinnian really doesn’t know what’s good for him.
You kindly offered to pull him along, yet he was completely unswayed.”
“Hmph!”
Duanmu Yushu gave a cold snort.
“What do you know? We cultivators all walk different paths.
Brother Xinnian possesses outstanding innate talent; at nearly four hundred years of age, he is already at the early stage of the Divinity Transformation realm, and his future prospects are boundless.
He doesn’t seek shortcuts because he adheres to his true heart.
How many people in this world can resist the temptation of a sudden leap in their cultivation base? How could you possibly be qualified to judge Li Xinnian?”
Flying through the cloudy sky, after Duanmu Yushu finished scolding his junior brother, his face broke out into a broad smile.
Over the years, Li Xinnian had helped their Duanmu Clan quite a bit, assisting them in entering the imperial court, which was how the two had originally become acquainted.
The more he interacted with him, the more he admired Li Xinnian.
“In this world, there will definitely be a place for both me and Brother Xinnian.”
From Westfall Prefecture back to Azure Cloud, a journey of three days was required.
The family’s Dark Crow had arrived. The various powerhouses, having concluded their matters, had already dispersed.
Standing at the bow of the spiritual boat, Li Xinnian read the letter brought by the Dark Crow, his expression turning exceedingly gloomy.
“Yun Manlou and Bi Shihu are both in Deston Prefecture? Good, excellent. That certainly saves us some effort.”
Regarding the tragedy at the Western Border pass, Old Ancestor Tianyue’s defeat was not a failure of her martial prowess.
The underlying connections were highly complex, yet it had all occurred during his tenure managing the family.
This caused Li Xinnian to bitterly reflect on his own shortcomings.
“Why didn’t I perceive it earlier? I allowed the Old Ancestor to become a pawn for all those different factions.
This sin rests on my shoulders.
If I do not settle these accounts one by one, how can I console the spirit of the High Ancestor in heaven?”
The spiritual boat pressed onward, bypassing the Merit City Grotto-Heaven and heading straight for the South Sea.
Midway through the journey, a dark shadow suddenly flew over and landed behind Li Xinnian.
Shockingly, it was the very same Eternal sect disciple who had spoken disrespectfully beside Duanmu Yushu three days prior.
The disciple’s expression was deeply respectful. “Greetings, Patriarch Li.”
As the man bowed in greeting, a flash of light gleamed from the spatial ring on his index finger, and an ancient slip appeared in his cupped hands.
“Senior Brother has already led his people, using a sect secret technique to disguise themselves as members of the Wu Race.
They have gone into hiding within Wu territory, plotting a thirty-year grand scheme to harvest and consume the lives of the Wu Race.
This is the copy of the Eternal Spirit-Refining Eight Directions Array that your subordinate managed to secretly transcribe from Senior Brother’s hands over the years.
I humbly ask Patriarch Li to accept it.”
The ancient slip landed in Li Xinnian’s hands.
The immortal sect disciple’s eyes darted about, and after a moment of hesitation, he asked, “Patriarch Li, regarding your subordinate’s matter…”
“Very good. It is indeed the grand array.”
Li Xinnian smiled and said,
“Continue to stay by Brother Duanmu’s side, devising schemes and strategies for him. Do not harbor any treacherous intentions.
Your fortuitous encounter to break through to the Divinity Transformation realm lies within the Wu Race; someone will naturally make the arrangements.
As for your descendants at home, I will have them attain the position of a Region Prince. It is a matter as simple as flipping my hand.”
“Yes, yes! Thank you, Patriarch Li!”
The Eternal sect disciple departed with joy.
Not long after, Scholar Wuwen of the Heavenly Principle Hall arrived, holding a scroll in his hand.
This number one figure of the True Yang Faction now held a crucial position within the Heavenly Principle Hall, ranking within the top five among its Thirty-Six Commanders.
His words became law, and he was protected by the Righteous Qi of Heaven and Earth.
The scroll in his hands was also a high-grade Dharma Treasure gifted by the Li Clan.
Without even turning his head, Li Xinnian tossed the ancient slip, which had already been emptied of its copied contents, to Scholar Wuwen.
“I must trouble you, Sir, to make a trip to the Wu Race territory. The aura of a person harboring treacherous intentions lingers upon this ancient slip.
This person is about to obtain a fortuitous encounter to break through to the Divinity Transformation realm.
Sir, bring it back for me, so that it may help the Heavenly Principle Hall produce another Divinity Transformation realm cultivator.”
“Excellent.”
Scholar Wuwen smiled faintly. Over the years, the Heavenly Principle Hall had served multiple masters, jointly governed by the members of the Li Clan.
Compared to Li Changyao’s forceful suppression through martial prowess, now that it was in the hands of Patriarch Li Xinnian, their good days had finally arrived.
The matters Li Xinnian handled might be a bit dirty, but he considered the overall situation far more comprehensively. At the very least, they were able to claim half the benefits.
Scholar Wuwen departed.
Li Xinnian’s spiritual boat soon arrived at the South Sea.
The South Sea region was once a boundless expanse, stretching as far as the eye could see.
However, since Li Xinnian became the Patriarch of the Li Clan, numerous islands had sprung up out of nowhere over the short span of three hundred years.
Traces of living beings could be seen upon these islands, bringing with them a multitude of disputes.
The coastal commoners all lamented that ever since the number of small islands increased, the weather had become highly volatile, completely unaware that these changes were actually the result of cultivators engaged in brutal life-and-death struggles.
The moment Li Xinnian arrived at the South Sea, streaks of light representing Nascent Soul and Primordial Spirit cultivators approached from the cloudy sky, acting with the utmost reverence.
“Greetings, Patriarch Li!”
Ever since taking on the role of Patriarch, Li Xinnian had welcomed cultivators from all over the world who could no longer survive within the imperial dynasty to come to the Southern Border; the South Sea region became their sanctuary.
Relying on his excellent reputation among the “evil factions,” even Li Xinnian himself couldn’t accurately calculate just how many minor factions—rumored to have committed all sorts of atrocities—were hiding in the South Sea.
Over the past two hundred years, these factions still couldn’t change their foul habits in the South Sea, constantly engaging in disputes with one another as they developed the maritime regions.
Yet, in such a chaotic land, Li Xinnian walked through as easily as if traversing an uninhabited realm.
Upon arriving at one of the islands, he chanted an incantation and sank beneath the surface.
Beneath the island lay what appeared to be an entirely different world, possessing a marvelous similarity in design to the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
Nangong Qingya was also present in this place.
Below lay a vast pool of blood, with inscriptions carved everywhere.
The air carried a sweet fragrance. Li Xinnian took a deep breath, an intoxicated expression on his face. “Qingya, are the major sects here still faring well?”
“Same as always.”
The Li Clan’s matriarch furrowed her dark, elegant brows.
“These factions you are raising fight day and night without end.
It is only because they are out on the sea; if they were within our Azure Cloud Prefecture’s borders, who knows how much trouble they would cause.
The Nightmare Demon Sect hasn’t been doing too badly these past few years, though. Their methods of killing in dreams are infallible.
I heard their Sect Master, Dream Demon, has already reached the Void Refinement Realm and excels at devouring souls in dreams.
Xinnian, you must be on guard against them turning on you.”
“I will go meet Dream Demon. I happen to be making a trip to Deston Prefecture, and his dream-killing arts will be of great assistance.” Li Xinnian began to undress.
“Deston Prefecture?”
Nangong Qingya was already chanting a Dharma incantation.
The talisman array on the ground gradually absorbed the bloody water from the pool, causing the blood pool to boil in an instant.
Nangong Qingya asked in a deep voice, “Is it regarding the matter of the High Ancestor?”
Having stripped completely naked, Li Xinnian lay upon the blood pool.
The pool naturally guided him toward its center.
With a look of absolute comfort on his face, Li Xinnian felt the blood crawl all over his physique, as if he were donning a layer of armor.
He replied, “For Min Tiange to pay such a massive price to allow the Wu Race to breach the pass and slaughter their way into the Central Plains, he must have an ulterior motive.
The same goes for the Nirvana Sage Elders of the Wu Race crossing our borders.”
“There must be some underlying connection between them.
Their mutual conflicts are nothing more than a desire to break through to the Mahayana Realm. Yet, they viewed my High Ancestor Tianyue as a mere ant and treated our Li Clan as outsiders.
The elders of our clan are stepping onto the board, and this time, I too shall enter the game.”
“Besides that, the situation in Deston Prefecture is critical. The imperial dynasty has ordered our Azure Cloud Prefecture to send troops, and we have no choice but to go.”
Hearing this, Nangong Qingya’s expression changed. “Xinnian… Min Tiange. Is the clan going to fight Min Tiange?”
“Yes.”
Li Xinnian gazed calmly at the rocky dome above.
The boiling water of the blood pool made him feel as though the sweet, divine blood was gradually transforming his physique, flooding his body with Spiritual power.
“The divine blood of Ling Tian’s Three Corpses is like heavenly assistance to me.
The Blood Illusion Demonic Art you obtained in your dreams is truly exceptional.
With this formation, coupled with the Blood Illusion Demonic Art, it is comparable to a Heaven-tier cultivation method.”
[Your descendant Li Xinnian, having served as the Patriarch for many years, has obtained a great deal of intelligence and peculiar cultivation methods through the matters within Nangong Qingya’s dreams.
Acquired the Blood Illusion Demonic Art and the Bloodthirsty Spirit Formation.
When combined, these two are comparable to a Heaven-tier cultivation method, capable of absorbing human blood and converting it into Spiritual power, making his physique akin to that of a body cultivator. Acquired Trait: Blood Demon Physique]
[Devouring human blood increases cultivation speed by 1 to 10 times, depending on the potency of the blood. Has a certain probability of acquiring special physiques.]
[Over the past few years, he has utilized the blood of the family’s Ling Tian Three Corpses, integrating it into the blood pool to obtain Mahayana-level blood.
After many days of cultivation, Acquired Trait: Divine Strength]
Her husband wanted to change the subject, but Nangong Qingya’s face had already turned deathly pale, as if she had recalled something terrifying.
“Xinnian, in my memories of the great world war, the one who attains the imperial throne is Min Tiange!”
Nangong Qingya lightly tapped her index finger against her glabella, and a white phantom drifted into the space between Li Xinnian’s eyebrows.
Li Xinnian let out a long breath.
He saw the scene from Nangong Qingya’s dream.
Mountains were collapsing, the earth was splitting apart, and heavenly lightning rolled overhead. Corpses floated in the cloudy sky, as if frozen in time.
A young man, possessing the ethereal air of an immortal, stepped toward the cloudy void.
With every step he took, a jade stair materialized beneath his feet.
It was as if something in the heavens was drawing him straight upwards.
The floating corpses in all directions invariably parted to make way for him, while the multitudes of cultivators gathered all around gazed at him as if looking upon a divine being.
The young man turned his head, looking down upon the people of the world with absolute disdain.
“Today, I ascend to the heavens in a single step. You all should look upon me as the Heavens themselves. Why do you not bow?”
—
Donate on Ko-fi ➡️ [] ⬅️
Get Early Access to 90 Chapters: Search for “Dark Tea” on Ko-fi (Explore tab) and join my membership to read ahead!