Cultivating To Immortality

Chapter 775: Life and Death Warrant

After a few casual words, Song Yan naturally shifted the topic to the Demonic Path.

"Senior Brother Lin, what you mentioned about the Demonic Path’s invasion is now less than a year away."

"But after my return, I deliberately paid attention to Sect records, intelligence from the Hall of Affairs, and various movements, yet I found no trace related to this matter."

"If the Demonic Path is indeed going to make a move within a year, an operation of such scale would surely leave some signs."

"Senior Brother Lin, will this matter...change because you and I, or rather, the Sect Master, know about it?"

Song Yan voiced the doubts that had long lurked in his heart.

Lin Qing remained silent for a moment, a hint of confusion flashing across his brows.

"By all accounts, the Demonic Path should be stirring by now; it shouldn’t be completely silent."

"However, based on what I’ve pieced together, some minor incidents may have deviated from the old path, but major Sect plans and the movements of various forces show no change..."

"Sigh."

Lin Qing suddenly patted Song Yan’s shoulder.

"Since the Sect Master now knows, I’m sure he has his own arrangements. If there are any abnormal movements from the Demonic Path, with his means, he would certainly not be unaware."

Calamity is intertwined with fortune, and fortune conceals calamity.

Ever since Sect Master Chen Linyuan learned of this matter, Lin Qing’s state of mind had become much more open.

Perhaps he had given up on himself.

Lin Qing knew he was just an ordinary person, with no great ambitions or profound strategies.

Before his Rebirth, his greatest wish was to become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in his lifetime and serve as a mid-level Deacon in the Sect.

He did admire Senior Sister Qin Ying in his heart, but he also knew he wasn’t qualified to stand before her.

It wasn’t until the Sect’s destruction and his own Rebirth that he harbored some ambition for the Dao.

However, he still had deep feelings for the Cave Abyss Sect.

Otherwise, he would have left as soon as he was Reborn.

"Alright."

Song Yan nodded.

If that was the case, then the most urgent task at hand was to leverage the Dragon Pool Gathering to enhance his strength as much as possible.

One more bit of cultivation meant one more possibility of surviving the Demonic Path’s invasion.

With that said, the two stopped talking, their figures quickly disappearing on the path to their respective Immortal Caves.

Dragon Pool Mountain, Hu Family.

A young man returned to his Family, walking quickly towards the ancestral hall of the main Family.

Hu Haotian, the current Family Head of the Hu Family, was kneeling respectfully before the ancestral tablets, holding incense and kowtowing.

Noticing the young man’s arrival, he glanced sideways, then continued to complete the ritual according to custom.

He placed the incense he held in front of the altar.

"How did the task I gave you go?"

"Reporting to the Family Head, this time, in the name of the Dragon Pool Mountain Hu Family, I paid my respects to the Foreign Affairs Elders of the Six Major Sects one by one."

"Spiritual gifts and courtesies have also been delivered."

Hu Haotian asked, "How did they react?"

"They didn’t say much; they probably didn’t suspect anything."

"Heh heh..."

Listening to the young man’s words, Hu Haotian sneered, facing the ancestors: "They didn’t suspect anything..."

"Of course they wouldn’t suspect anything, because they don’t even put our Hu Family in their eyes."

Hu Haotian spoke with gritted teeth.

"Family history records that our Hu Family ancestors were Golden Core Immortal Masters. At that time, our Hu Family was quite formidable in the entire Chu Kingdom Cultivation World."

"Now that we’ve declined, anyone can bully us."

"Now that the Yang Family has produced a young man who is expected to inherit the Nuo Mask, where will our Hu Family have a place to survive in the future?"

The Family Head’s words caused the young man’s heart to sink.

That young man from the Yang Family was of the same generation as him, both on Dragon Pool Mountain, so it was inevitable that people would compare them.

But now the other party was already a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator, while he was still only at Qi Refining.

How could they compare?

"Never mind, it’s only a matter of a dozen or so days."

"By then, the Chu Kingdom will usher in a new era, and the Hu Family will also have a place here."

Colluding with Demonic Cultivators was like seeking a tiger’s skin.

Hu Haotian naturally knew this.

But if the Hu Family wasn’t currently in such a precarious state, being bullied everywhere, who would forsake stable development to take such a risk?

Don’t look at how peaceful things are now; the downfall of the clan might happen in an instant.

Families, big and small, near Dragon Pool Mountain, appeared and disappeared.

Hu Haotian had seen too many, and many of them even had their Hu Family directly involved.

In his eyes, if there was no change, the future of the Hu Family could truly be seen at a glance.

A trace of unwillingness and resentment flashed in Hu Haotian’s eyes.

Both the Yang and Hu families were considered vassals of the Profound Origin Sect. Both families were long-established Cultivation Families with a long history.

However, compared to the Hu Family, which had once produced a Golden Core Cultivator, the Profound Origin Sect clearly favored the more easily controlled Yang Family.

Resources, opportunities, the Hu Family would never get better ones.

What if one day they lost their usefulness and could no longer provide Spirit Stones?

That would be wonderful.

It would be a perfect excuse to seize the Golden Core Legacy, which only existed in rumors, under the guise of taking over.

Vassal families?

They were merely dispensable things.

Hu Haotian sighed in his heart and said, "You may leave first."

"Yes, Family Head."

Silence returned to the ancestral hall.

Hu Haotian faced the spirit tablets, took a deep breath: "Ancestors above..."

"Please bless the Hu Family to continue on..."

... The next day.

Deep in Dragon Pool Mountain, north of Wangling Immortal Valley.

A mountain range, like the spine of a giant beast, lay dormant amidst the clouds and mist.

Strange and grand mountains, layer upon layer.

This was the selection ground for the one hundred and eighteen new generation Disciples of this Dragon Pool Gathering.

The new generation Disciples, being more numerous, were in the strange and grand mountains north of Wangling Immortal Valley, while the older generation Disciples were in the Luohan Forest south of Wangling Immortal Valley.

The two sides were separated.

At the edge of the foothills, on a large open plaza artificially cleared.

Heads bobbed, Spiritual Qi steamed.

Cultivators, dressed in various colored Daoist robes, representing the different forces of the Nine Pulses of the Chu Kingdom, gathered here.

Among these people, some had calm expressions, while others were excited and nervous.

Excitement, fear, eagerness.

All sorts of emotions appeared on faces that were equally young, but not equally alike.

There was a low murmur on the plaza, somewhat noisy.

The Cave Abyss Sect contingent of more than ten people stood to one side of the crowd. Li Yi, with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp, swept over the formidable opponents.

Song Yan stood beside him.

Several Cultivators dressed in Spirit Talisman Sect Daoist robes stood on a high platform, one of them eloquently introducing the rules.

It was basically no different from what Elder Zhang Guangyuan had said last night.

The crowd seemed calm, but in reality, many Cultivators were secretly observing and sizing up their peers for this competition.

Most notable, naturally, were the three leading figures of the Profound Origin Sect.

Zhou Liu, Xi Shuyan, and Fan Dongchen.

All three were at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

There were even rumors that Zhou Liu was already close to breaking through to the Middle Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm; his talent and Aptitude were truly astonishing.

Besides them, the most attention was on a Loose Cultivator named Jiang Ming.

It wasn’t that this person was particularly outstanding, but rather because his master was the Loose Cultivator Jiang Chaosheng, who had recently attained Golden Core and was enjoying unparalleled fame.

Song Yan, as a dark horse in the Foundation Establishment Realm, also attracted many watchful gazes.

"Hehe, this Song Yan is really good-looking, I feel happy just looking at him."

Xi Shuyan smiled, not hiding her gaze at all: "It would be great if he could be my cultivation partner."

"Hmph." Fan Dongchen snorted: "I’ll make him beg for mercy on his knees within ten moves."

"..."

Xi Shuyan rolled her eyes, too lazy to say another word to this person.

Zhou Liu kept his eyes closed, resting, seemingly uninterested in anything.

To be able to stand here, without a doubt, meant they had all won their way through.

No one would submit to anyone, especially the Prodigies of the Profound Origin Sect.

The rules for the selection had already been announced by the leaders of each pulse last night, and today was just a repetition, so few people listened carefully.

A moment later, it finally concluded.

"The rules have been stated. Now, all participating Cultivators, step forward and sign the Life and Death Warrant."

Most of those who had reached this stage were not mediocre.

Once it involved fighting and snatching, then without a doubt, everyone, even Cultivators from their own pulse.

Could be an enemy.

Those who aspired to pursue the Great Dao of Immortality were surely individuals of firm will.

Whether to team up against an enemy or to kill each other, they needed to make their own decisions.

If one didn’t have this spirit, no one would force them; they could voluntarily withdraw.

The remaining people would be very grateful.

Seeking Immortality and the Dao was like sailing against the current; one either advanced or retreated.

It was that simple.

Spiritual light flickered on his fingertips, and the Life and Death Warrant was signed.

Although Song Yan had experienced countless life-and-death battles, signing such a contract was a first for him.

"Collect your respective Talisman Caskets."

The voice echoed through the valley.

After all Cultivators had signed the Life and Death Warrant, they each drew a palm-sized black ebony box from the stone railings on either side of the high platform.

Simple Seal runes were engraved on the surface of the box.

This selection was also strange; from this first step, it was already different.

Out of one hundred and eighteen people, there were only thirty-six Yin, thirty-six Yang, and the remaining forty-six were blank.

That is to say, these forty-six Cultivators were at a disadvantage compared to the others from the start.

Song Yan followed the line and casually drew one.

Opening the lid, a grayish-white Talisman lay quietly in the brocade recess at the bottom of the box.

Ha! Sure enough!

To be fair, he had never been very lucky in these small matters.

A blank Talisman meant that he had to snatch a Yin Talisman and a Yang Talisman from others during the selection period, which significantly increased the difficulty.

Never mind, it’s not bad to have more skirmishes with people.

Anyway, the rules didn’t say that once Yin and Yang were gathered, one had to leave; one could snatch more.

At that time, the extra qualifications could be given to one’s own Disciples or sold.

The rules didn’t forbid it.

A flash of spiritual light activated the Talisman.

This blank Talisman slowly rotated beside him.

Song Yan naturally wouldn’t underestimate his opponents.

In past selections, and even subsequent grand competitions, although there were rules limiting fatal combat, serious injuries and even deaths were not uncommon.

It should be said... they happened every session.

Cultivators vying for supremacy, especially under these rules, could face unpredictable consequences if they held back or were ambushed.

Possessing a treasure invites trouble; holders of blank Talismans sometimes also became unstable factors that other Talisman holders would eliminate early.

A moment later, the Cultivator on the high platform shouted in a deep voice, "All Talisman Caskets have been claimed, all Cultivators, enter the formation."

Buzz!

Centered on the giant stone tablet in the middle of the plaza, a vast and majestic wave of spiritual power instantly swept across the edge of the entire strange and grand mountain range.

Profound runes appeared and disappeared in the air.

In an instant, the figures of the one hundred and eighteen new generation Cultivators on the open ground twisted violently, disappearing without a trace in a flash.

The slight dizziness of spatial teleportation was fleeting.

He didn’t know if it was due to the training with the liangyi pearl before, but now Song Yan felt completely at ease.

He looked up.

Deep in the ancient forest, towering giant trees stood, their canopies like covers, blocking most of the light, making the forest dim.

He immediately released his Divine Sense, while simultaneously activating his Insightful Void Sword Eye, carefully sensing every rustle of wind and blade of grass around him.

The selection only lasted one day. As long as one gathered both Yin and Yang Talismans, they could go to the exit and be teleported out early.

"Although it’s somewhat different from the previous Sect Sword Wipe selection, in the end, it’s still about snatching other people’s Talismans..."

There was no essential difference.

It was just that this place was more like a more dangerous and vast primeval hunting ground, simulating the cruelest screening closest to actual combat.

As his thoughts churned, his Divine Sense detected an uninvited guest.

Dozens of feet to his front right, in a low-lying area dense with ferns.

A very faint Spiritual Pressure fluctuation and breathing sound, the aura somewhat unstable.

It seemed someone had fled from elsewhere, was in poor condition, and unexpectedly ran into Song Yan, now trying hard to hide himself.

Did this person get beaten as soon as he landed?

What bad luck.

Song Yan didn’t hesitate at all, his Foundation Establishment Realm aura completely erupted, and he raised his hand, sending two azure snake Sword Qi, slithering towards where the person was hiding.

This was a Foundation Establishment Realm Loose Cultivator.

Then, whoever was able to injure him must have been one or even multiple Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Bang!

The Cultivator no longer hid, flying out.

A pure white Talisman encircled his green robe, clearly a Yang Talisman.

His aura was chaotic, and he was not lightly injured.

His luck after teleporting was somewhat poor; when he landed, there was a Hanging Sword Mountain Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator behind him.

Under a surprise attack, he was first injured and then fled.

Looking at the two surging azure Sword Qi, this person regarded them as a formidable enemy, continuously activating Talismans around his body, constantly dodging.

He barely managed to withstand the two Sword Qi.

"Song Yan..."

The person muttered, but his heart was icy cold.

Song Yan’s name had also been widely spread on Dragon Pool Mountain recently.

Many Loose Cultivators brought up his past "great achievements" in Changping, adding embellishments as they recounted them.

This was a genuine killing machine.

He never expected that he would be unlucky enough to encounter an attack from a Hanging Sword Mountain Cultivator as soon as he landed.

Trying to escape, he then ran into this harbinger of death from the Cave Abyss Sect.

The news of his Foundation Establishment had already spread, and he was a target that unattached Loose Cultivators and Disciples from small families paid special attention to and needed to avoid.

Being attacked from front and back by these two great Sect Disciples, it was simply impossible to escape.

It seemed Song Yan had very bad luck; he had a blank Talisman.

At the same time, in the shadows of the low-lying area behind him, a Hanging Sword Mountain Disciple materialized.

A black Yin Talisman encircled his body.