Chapter 200 - Arc 12: Ruyi Xianzhuang | Chapter 200: Zifu Xiao Qiankun
Translator: Lynn
Ruyi Xianzhuang was already in a state of decline, and many sects chose not to cause any further trouble.
However, it was evident that many sects had lost a significant number of their disciples. In some smaller sects, the loss of their most promising young cultivators had left them without any potential successors. This situation necessitated the recruitment of new disciples with great talents, followed by extensive training to fill the void.
The fallen disciples weren’t ignorant of the substantial investments that their respective sects had made in their development. If they had perished during regular practice or while facing dangers, it might have been acceptable, given the unpredictability of the path to Immortality. But this time, the audacious actions of the demonic faction, which included many high-cultivation demon leaders hunting them for blood sacrifices, left no room for forgiveness.
Consequently, after ensuring the safety of the surviving disciples, many sects, both large and small, took the initiative to gather, led by the Sect Master of Wuling Immortal Sect, to address this pressing matter.
Ultimately, it became clear that no party could tolerate the transgressions any longer, leading to a decision being reached.
From that point onward, all the immortal sects in the Eastern Region jointly issued a “kill order,” pledging to hunt down the Blood God Sect and Yu Nongqing and adding them to the reward lists of each respective sect.
This order was also communicated to the Western, Southern, and Northern regions, and it was stated that it would remain in effect for the next 100,000 years.
Furthermore, individuals from the demonic faction were banned from entering the Eastern Region, and should they be encountered, they would be swiftly eliminated without exception!
Several powerful individuals immediately unleashed their spiritual consciousness to thoroughly search the entire Eastern Region, examining both righteous and malevolent forces, and eliminating the demonic and dark Daoist sects hidden in remote areas.
Within a mere three days, the Eastern Region had been entirely purged, leaving behind only the immortal way and no trace of the demonic path.
Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but hold his breath. While it was true that evildoers were typically ruthless, there were undoubtedly a few who didn’t deserve to die, and now, following this cleansing, they had all perished.
It seemed that those in the immortal way felt that they had been overly lenient towards the demonic path in the past, allowing them to become so audacious that they dared to commit such heinous acts, effectively slapping the face of the entire realm of immortals.
In light of these circumstances, those in the immortal way had decided to act swiftly and started killing.
However, the relationship between immortals and demons had become increasingly strained. Should this continue, it might eventually lead to a confrontation between the two, with the outcome of such a battle remaining uncertain.
Xu Ziqing felt a weight on his heart. Just recently, he had been celebrating someone’s birthday, filled with laughter and conversation. Now, in the blink of an eye, countless lives had been lost, leaving a lingering unease. He resolved to be more cautious in the future when encountering individuals from the demonic path, knowing how ruthless the demon leaders were. Failing to do so would only lead to his own demise. After some reflection, he began to feel somewhat better.
Then, Xu Ziqing finally recollected that he had intended to inspect his own condition. With pain coursing throughout his body, he lay still, channeling his true energy within and directing it into his inner world for an evaluation. Seeing the results, he couldn’t help but offer a wry smile.
Almost every meridian was damaged, his muscles bore contusions, his internal organs were shattered and in disrepair, and there seemed to be a sense of blockage in his dantian. Considering the intermittent surges of pain, it appeared that his condition was even worse than he had initially thought.
The aftermath of those formidable battles had left a mark, especially for a cultivator like him, with the wood element Spiritual Root. In his case, the injuries to his dantian and meridians were particularly problematic. The powerful true energy condensed by those great beings was tens of thousands of times stronger than that of lower-level monks like him. Their swift and aggressive expulsion was also the biggest obstacle to his recovery.
Sighing, Xu Ziqing shifted his thoughts away from his own predicament. Instead, he gazed at Yun Lie and inquired, “Shixiong, do you have any idea how long I’ve been unconscious?”
Yun Lie responded, “It’s been over five days.”
Xu Ziqing nodded, increasingly realizing the gravity of his injuries. Subsequently, he inquired further, “How is Shixiong faring?”
While he anticipated that his senior brother would be in relatively good health, considering he had been taking care of him, the seriousness of his own injuries had given rise to unexpected concerns. Additionally, his senior brother had always maintained a stoic and enigmatic demeanor, which made it difficult to ascertain his well-being.
Right after posing the question, but before Yun Lie could respond, Xu Ziqing suddenly noticed something amiss about Yun Lie.
He had been pondering over Ruyi Xianzhuang earlier without realizing it, but now he spotted a faint scar between Yun Lie’s eyebrows.
Xu Ziqing was taken aback and asked urgently, “Shixiong, are you truly injured?”
If his observation was correct, the mark was exceptionally sharp, unmistakably a sword wound. Yet his senior brother was highly skilled in swordsmanship, so who could have injured him at such a critical point? Was it the work of someone from the demonic path, or did a powerful figure from the immortal way inadvertently harm his brother?
Countless conjectures raced through his mind, each one deeply concerning him.
Observing Xu Ziqing’s anxiety, Yun Lie’s expression shifted slightly. He then replied, “I wasn’t injured.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing felt a sense of relief. He had always trusted his senior brother’s words. It was just that there remained a scar between his brother’s eyebrows, and if it wasn’t due to an injury, what could it be? After pondering it, he extended his hand forward.
Initially, Yun Lie didn’t move, but upon seeing Xu Ziqing extending his arm, he momentarily set aside his own injury and rose to sit at the head of the bed.
This move allowed Xu Ziqing to avoid forcing himself to stand.
Xu Ziqing hadn’t expected Yun Lie to do this, and he felt a growing warmth in his heart. His fingers brushed against his senior brother’s eyebrows, and he softly inquired, “Shixiong, there’s a sword mark here, why is that?”
Having heard the question, Xu Ziqing finally understood why his junior brother had been worried earlier. Yun Lie clarified, “It’s not an injury; it’s the result of splitting the Zifu to create the Xiao Qiankun.”
Xiao Qiankun?
Xu Ziqing blinked in mild surprise. After giving it some thought, he realized he had never heard of it before. Nonetheless, he was intrigued and couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, what is Xiao Qiankun?”
Yun Lie glanced at him before delving into the origin of this concept.
It turned out that the Xiao Qiankun was also known as the Zifu Xiao Qiankun.
It was essentially a world cultivated by high-level monks after reaching a certain level of proficiency.
Xu Ziqing was astonished, “My own world?”
This revelation was a shock to him. He was already aware that cultivators at higher levels possessed the ability to command the elements with ease, but they were still operating within the boundaries set by the laws of the universe. Even if they transcended to a higher realm, they would still be traversing a higher-level world. However, he was now hearing that monks could create their own worlds, and this was a revelation he couldn’t easily dismiss.
Noticing his junior brother’s astonishment, Yun Lie provided further clarification.
Realizing that this small universe was also known as the Zifu Xiao Qiankun, Xu Ziqing began to grasp the concept more clearly. He understood that it wasn’t actually an entire world but rather the foundation of a monk’s existence.
When a monk reached a particular level of cultivation, they could conceive the Dao Seed, which then gave rise to a Golden Core, forming the embryonic form of the Dao. This Dao, in turn, was enriched through the embryonic form, ultimately merging with the Dao of Heaven, achieving “Harmonious Dao,” and allowing the cultivator to become an immortal.
The Dao Seed, initially formed in the dantian, resided not in the lower dantian, which stored essence, but in the upper dantian, the domain of the gods. This region initially appeared chaotic but held the potential to establish a foundation for creating a world when the Zifu was opened.
Nonetheless, creating this world required both a “god” and “power.”
The “god” was consciousness, and when it descended onto a cultivator, it became the primordial spirit. The “power” was the rule, or the path of immortal cultivation chosen by the monk. This power, marking the beginning of the formation of the path, wasn’t the Dao Seed itself.
Subsequently, the primordial spirit became the deity of the Xiao Qiankun within one’s own body, and the Dao Seed established the Dao, essentially the law governing the world of one’s body.
As a result, when a monk reached the Zifu stage and the three souls and seven souls transformed into the primordial spirit, they gave birth to their unique Daoism. Once all the conditions were met, the monk could find an opportunity to “create their own world.”
For instance, when a monk cultivated a portion of the primordial spirit, they could achieve the Golden Gore stage. In the Golden Core stage, the three souls and seven souls would transform, and only when they completed the transformation would they progress to the primordial infant stage.
To create their Zifu Xiao Qiankun, a monk typically needed to reach the Nascent Soul stage.
Yun Lie hadn’t been injured; instead, he had come under great pressure at Ruyi Xianzhuang, while numerous factions posed a threat. Under this duress, he employed sword energy to split open the world of his Zifu, causing the Zifu Xiao Qiankun to burst open. The mark between his eyebrows was simply a scar that would fade away over time.
After hearing this, Xu Ziqing remembered, “Shixiong, just before I lost consciousness, I saw the elders summon a powerful barrier to resist the pressure from above…”
Yun Lie slightly nodded, explaining, “That was the elders’ projection, countering the pressure with the power of Xiao Qiankun.”
Gradually comprehending, Xu Ziqing wondered whether it was the same opportunity his senior brother had seized to split Xiao Qiankun.
Regular monks typically require the power of their Primordial Spirit at the Nascent Soul Stage to cooperate with their spiritual species in order to open the Zifu Xiao Qiankun. However, in Yun Lie’s case, he was clearly only at the early stage of the Golden Core, and his Primordial Spirit was merely a faint trace. Yet he harnessed such formidable power to support his cultivation of Xiao Qiankun. This level of potential was likely unparalleled in the world. As his senior brother’s soul underwent a complete transformation, it was likely that Zifu Xiao Qiankun would undergo substantial changes.
Xu Ziqing held profound admiration for his senior brother’s power while recognizing the need to learn from him. The further he delved into his own cultivation, the more he realized his own insignificance. Each time he achieved a small milestone, he was aware that others were ahead of him. In the world of immortality, there were no defined limits to the accomplishments one could attain. He needed to maintain constant vigilance and never become complacent.
A mountain remained as towering as ever, and he contemplated what he could possibly achieve by condensing the Qingyun Needle during the foundational stages. Yet, as long as he remembered that his senior brother was continually advancing, with him closely trailing behind, it fueled him with boundless motivation.
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Translator’s Notes:
Thanks for reading!!!
We have reached chapter 200!!!
As mentioned in the T/N of Chapter 199, I will take a short break to organize earlier chapters and make the glossary. I swear to God that this world-building is so intricate that there are sooo many canon fodders and names. I have made a small note taking place on my personal server in Discord, but it’s getting too much and messy. I realized that I needed to make a proper document for notes and a glossary, specifically for this novel.
See you in the next arc! I need to finish the glossary before we get to the sweet, tooth-rotting parts. Romance is getting closer, guys!
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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