Chapter 217 - Arc 13: Wild Beast Plains | Chapter 217: Jile Patriarch
Translator: Lynn
Sponsored chapter (4/4)
The Soul Lamp is a unique treasure imbued with a cultivator’s essence, and its refinement is a challenging process.
When a cultivator submits to another’s authority, they often leave a trace of their soul or primordial spirit on the Soul Lamp, entrusted to the care of others.
This arrangement ensures that any harm inflicted upon the master of the Soul Lamp is mirrored by the lamp itself. In times of need, the Soul Lamp can be used to locate the cultivator, enabling timely rescue efforts. The identity of the assailant can also be deduced from their unique essence.
Presently, twelve consecutive lamps had been extinguished—eight belonging to peak individuals in the Golden Core period, and four to those in the late Golden Core Formation period. The latter situation was somewhat more favorable, as there were still several surviving cultivators, but only a handful remained from the peak Golden Core Daoist. Understandably, the feminine man was furious.
Jile Patriarch, whose a master in the Nascent Soul stage, suffered a significant loss in skilled disciples. After a few deep breaths, he emerged from the cave, his sleeves fluttering.
Once in the outer chamber, he flicked his fingers, releasing two white lights that sped outside, intending to summon assistance.
Shortly after, two Golden Core-stage individuals rushed in. Witnessing the stern expression of the patriarch, they immediately kneeled before him.
Jile Patriarch’s countenance was grim, his eyes filled with menace. “I’ve entrusted the management of the peak to you two, but now I want to know why so many Soul Lamps have been extinguished.” He crushed a piece of spiritual jade, causing a shockwave that reverberated through the entire cave. “Tell me quickly, who ordered their departure!”
Both individuals prostrated themselves, and one of them, trembling with fear, spoke up, “It was the second young master. He commanded us to kill Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing to settle his grudge.”
The other added, “The young master enlisted eight seniors to handle Yun Lie and four outstanding disciples to deal with Xu Ziqing. It should have been a secure operation…”
Jile Patriarch erupted in anger, “Yet I ended up facing adversity and suffered significant losses!”
His roar unleashed a surge of true energy, injuring the two Golden Core-stage individuals with its soundwaves. Despite this, they dared not complain, continuing to kowtow and plead for mercy.
Furiously, the Jile Patriarch demanded, “Where is Sheng’er?”
Upon hearing this, the two individuals breathed a sigh of relief and quickly responded, “Since the second young master left the water prison, he has been in seclusion and undergoing penance. A few days ago, our master tasked us with monitoring the movements of those two. Through contacts in the sect, we learned they had visited the border city half a year ago. That’s the information we’ve gathered.”
“The informant conveyed this to the second young master, and he decided to pursue the matter.”
Having listened attentively, Jile Patriarch, being a Nascent Soul cultivator with a steadfast Dao Xin, gradually calmed down. His subsequent words were not as harsh, “I understand. You may leave. If similar incidents occur in the future, report to me first before making decisions.”
The two individuals, relieved at the absence of punishment, expressed gratitude, “Thank you for your leniency. We will be more cautious henceforth and avoid further mistakes.” They then exited the cave together.
Left alone in the cavern, Jile Patriarch sighed softly, sat cross-legged, and retrieved a mirror.
The light within the mirror flickered, revealing a silhouette that sought to console him, “Don’t be upset; this loss of golden elixir is insignificant compared to the potential of Nascent Soul cultivator. In the future, when I successfully breakthrough, I will gladly follow your commands and compensate for the injustices you faced today, alright?”
Although still aggrieved by the loss of the eight skilled disciples, Jile Patriarch remained silent.
The figure in the mirror sighed, and suddenly, an arm extended from it.
This pristine, jade-like arm seized Jile Patriarch and pulled him into the mirror.
Without resistance, Jile Patriarch transformed into a white light, plunging into the mirror.
Within a stone chamber, a bubbling pool of water emanated a bright, light-red glow. The water contained a potent fire element, and the surroundings were crafted from valuable spiritual grass, constituting an extraordinary and rare treasure.
Before this pool of water, a man sat cross-legged, exuding a commanding presence. Towering in stature, his robust muscles resembled hardened rock, and his features conveyed exceptional fortitude. His bare body, with fair skin devoid of any visible traces of blood, contrasted sharply with tightly closed eyes and a slightly bowed head, indicating a thin but discernible breath. Simultaneously, seven red threads extended from the back of his heart, submerged in the pool, agitating the flames and continuously channeling them into his body.
Strangely, positioned to his right, there was another figure identical to him, but faintly visible, appearing almost ethereal. Despite its illusory nature, the figure emitted a subtle black glow, signifying that it wasn’t a mere human soul but a more advanced and unique entity—the soul of a cultivator.
From the current perspective, it was evident that the man’s primordial spirit had separated from his physical form, unable to return for some mysterious reason. Yet, as commonly known, if a cultivator’s soul remains detached for an extended period, the inevitable outcome is physical death.
Jile Patriarch, draped in brocade, half-kneeled before the man’s body. His hand reached out to caress the man’s cheek, his gaze shifting to the primordial spirit. He voiced his anger swiftly, “Why do you dare to pull me in at this moment? You’re being expelled now, and I’m afraid you’ll sustain injuries again!”
The man’s primordial spirit approached, arms outstretched as if embracing Jile Patriarch. Softly, he responded, “You’re so furious; I’m concerned you won’t take care of yourself if you’re seriously hurt.”
Upon hearing this, most of the resentment in Jile Patriarch’s expression dissipated instantly, and his tone softened, “Ah, if your body gets hurt, wouldn’t I feel sorry for you!”
The man’s primordial spirit wore a faint smile and spoke gently, “As long as you’re well, everything is worth it.”
Coaxed by the man, Jile Patriarch transformed his anger into joy and finally laughed, “Smooth talker.” He then asked with concern, “How do you feel now? Even with numerous flame crystals turned into this pool for you, I’m unsure how long it can sustain you.”
The man sighed, “The physical body is well-nourished, but it’s regrettable that the primordial spirit still can’t return. My cultivation has reached its peak. I only need to find a virgin with a single fire root, extract its pure yang essence to refine the impurities in my body, devour its spirit and soul, and ignite the real fire. This will lead to the perfection of my cultivation, achieving the pure Yang Taoist body and directly entering the Nascent Soul stage. Then, we can meet, and I can also guide you to transform into a positive Yin body, accelerating your progress in subsequent exercises. In a short time, both of us will make rapid advancements, and ascending to immortality won’t be an issue.”
Enthralled by the prospects, Jile Patriarch spoke softly, “By then, I won’t have to worry about your demonic energy being exposed. Although this technique appears mysterious, after cultivating to its depths, it won’t differ much from the appearance of an immortal practitioner.”
The man concurred, “Exactly.”
After a prolonged contemplation, Jile Patriarch decisively declared, “Although the Wuling Immortal Sect has many talented disciples, single spiritual roots are scarce, and fire-type single spiritual roots are even rarer. Additionally, that god fire monster always interferes, making the situation vexing. Moreover, this pool of flames is likely to deplete pure crystal’s flames. Without those subordinates, things will become significantly more challenging. I can’t do without you. If I were to search for a high-quality crystal like this again, it would be exceedingly difficult without those subordinates.”
“There’s no time to delay now. If something unexpected occurs one day, I’ll take you on a journey. In the past, I harbored many reservations, but this time, I must ask you to break through!”
The man sensed a change in the air and inquired, “What do you mean, venture into the other three domains?”
Jile Patriarch nodded, “Those places harbor complex forces, providing opportunities to exploit chaos. If that doesn’t work, I can also resort to abduction. The rest, I’m not overly concerned about.”
The principle of ‘if at first you don’t succeed, you’ll be benevolent’ reflected their previous belief that time was enough and they could await the acceptance of a single-fire spiritual root disciple. Little did they know that Jile Patriarch initially underestimated Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing, viewing them as having minimal potential. Now, realizing the potential threat posed by their growth, he decided to cast aside all taboos and anxieties, prioritizing the cultivation of his heart and soul into a Taoist body.
Failure in the transfer process would result in the person he loves in losing their soul. Contemplating this, Jile Patriarch felt a determination emerging on his usually feminine face.
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All matters were openly shared with his Shixiong, including Rongjin’s progress and the fox girl’s care for her child. Yun Lie remained silent, absorbing the information attentively.
Once these topics were covered, Xu Ziqing brought up Nan Zhengya again.
Yun Lie patiently waited for Xu Ziqing to conclude before remarking, “You and Nan Zhengya seem to have some karmic connection.”
Affirming this observation, Xu Ziqing responded, “I believe so too, which is why I treat him kindly. Our temperaments differ, but he has been treating me well since our encounter. Despite his sarcastic words, there’s no malice behind them.”
Yun Lie commented, “You judge character well.”
A smile graced Xu Ziqing’s face. While he trusted Nan Zhengya, his utmost trust remained with his Shixiong. His Shixiong’s approval reassured him. After pondering for a moment, Xu Ziqing recalled the recent ambush on his Shixiong and inquired, “I heard that Shixiong was ambushed today, and those involved were the eight peak Golden Core cultivators?”
Yun Lie confirmed with a simple “Yes.”
Feeling a sense of relief, Xu Ziqing refrained from delving into the details of the confrontation. He knew that with his Shixiong’s involvement, the assailants wouldn’t escape unscathed. Having narrowly escaped an attack himself and then witnessing the arrival of his admired Shixiong, an indescribable joy filled his heart. Strangely, a trace of cunning unexpectedly surfaced within him.
With a secretive smile, Xu Ziqing suddenly produced a beast card. In a flash of white light, a snow-white furball appeared in his arms.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand and tossed the white ball toward his Shixiong.
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