Innate Immortal Seed

With a lead on the Holy Beast Essence Blood, Bai Zichen was in high spirits and stayed on Hanxiu Peak for two extra days.

He took Genggeng around Hanxiu Peak a couple of times and discovered that only in the Ancestral Hall could it feel that terrifying aura that made it tremble.

Everywhere else was completely normal.

’It seems Bai Mucheng must have used a special method when he placed the Holy Beast Essence Blood, confining its aura to the Ancestral Hall.’

’This way, even a Core Formation True Man wouldn’t be able to discover the Holy Beast Essence Blood upon arriving at Hanxiu Peak.’

’Unless they had a clear objective, headed straight for the Ancestral Hall, and then fully extended their Divine Sense.’

During these few days, he used the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror to examine every member of the Bai Clan’s younger generation, offering his guidance.

Of course, the feedback came from the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror itself.

If you were to ask Bai Zichen to explain the ins and outs, he would just tell you to cultivate all the way to the end and then enter seclusion to break through to the next Realm.

’Do you really need any special tricks?’

’I should pass the Dragon Transformation Scripture to the Bai Clan Members later. With the Bai Clan’s current strength, they definitely couldn’t protect a Top-Level Cultivation Technique that leads directly to the Nascent Soul Realm... After all, I haven’t reached Golden Core yet. No matter how close I am to Core Formation, there’s still a gap. My reputation alone might not be enough to protect the Clan.’

The Dragon Transformation Scripture, which he had seized from Meng Shigui of the Youlong Sect, was originally one of the top-level cultivation techniques of the Fish Dragon Sect.

It was only fitting that it had now come full circle and returned to a descendant of a Fish Dragon Sect disciple.

However, letting the Bai Family possess such an overwhelmingly valuable Treasure was not entirely a good thing.

’Great power without the virtue to match it will surely lead to disaster.’

After some thought, Bai Zichen put the Jade Scroll containing the complete Dragon Transformation Scripture back.

In any case, for a Bai Clan whose strongest member was only at the Peak of Early-Stage Foundation Establishment, a Top-Level Cultivation Technique was certainly not what they needed most right now.

Over the past two days, Bai Xianzhong had visited him several times, even bringing Bai Jiu’an along. The gist of their words was that the Bai Family intended to expand outwards and hoped for his support.

Bai Zichen’s stance on this was very clear.

With the Ghost Spirit Sect having just retreated and public morale still unstable, the Sect would absolutely not permit a situation where Cultivation Families fought and squabbled endlessly amongst themselves.

Expanding their influence was fine.

North of Feiyue Lake was all unclaimed land. As long as they could drive out the Demon Beasts, occupy the territory, and develop it, the Qingfeng Sect would recognize their ownership.

"The few mountain peaks the Bai Family voluntarily gave up back then can now be reclaimed legitimately... but if you want to encroach on the territory of other clans, you’d be better off organizing a team to open up a new Spirit Vein."

Bai Zichen thought about the environment around Feiyue Lake, like the Nameless Valley he had discovered, and saw great potential.

Previously, because Feiyue Lake had just been secured, the construction on the Tier Three Spirit Vein, the modification of the water-body, the ten-thousand-acre Spirit Field project, and so on had all taken up a great deal of manpower.

This was immediately followed by the Ghost Spirit Sect’s invasion, which was why development around Feiyue Lake had been extremely limited.

"It’s not difficult to find a Tier Two Spirit Vein north of Feiyue Lake... If the Bai Clan’s population has grown too large for the area around Hanxiu Peak to support, I will personally help the Bai Family find a suitable new place to settle."

Hearing the firm resolve in his words, Bai Xianzhong could only mutter in agreement and withdraw.

"However, those few Cultivation Families that secretly colluded with the Demon Path will be uprooted in a while... As for the clans that were wiped out during the Ghost Spirit Sect’s invasion, the Bai Family can claim their territories and leftover resources based on its own ability."

This one sentence from Bai Zichen before seeing them out made Bai Xianzhong’s eyes light up, and he nodded repeatedly.

With this advance notice, the Bai Family could naturally prepare and get the largest slice of the cake.

When the Ghost Spirit Sect’s army bore down on them, several Cultivation Families believed the Qingfeng Sect was on the verge of collapse and secretly pledged allegiance to the Ghost Spirit Sect.

Setting aside those who wavered and hedged their bets, there were a total of three Cultivation Families that had completely sided with the Ghost Spirit Sect and passed on intelligence.

The intelligence had long been gathered, and a copy had even been sent to the desk of the Law Enforcement Hall’s Supervisor Elder.

It was only out of consideration to avoid too great an impact that no action had been taken.

Now, several years had passed, and the Qingfeng Sect had two new Core Formation True Men to stabilize the situation. It was time to settle accounts with these Cultivation Families that had colluded with the Demon Path.

The next morning, the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Bai Family and a group of clansmen came to see Bai Zichen off, watching as he boarded the Colorful Cloud Robe and slowly disappeared over the horizon.

"Chongwu, this is the Hundred Herbs Life Pill that Elder Bai gifted you... After taking it, your injuries should mostly heal. Remember to report to the Grand Elder and return to duty in the patrol team."

Bai Xianzhong pushed a Jade Bottle forward, and it flew into the hands of a tall, sickly-looking Cultivator at the back of the group.

The Grand Elder he mentioned was none other than Bai Jiu’an.

"Thank you, Elder Bai, for bestowing this pill. Thank you, Clan Leader..."

Bai Chongwu caught the Jade Bottle, his hands trembling as he spoke with excitement.

"Bai Ling, Jiu’an, let’s go back to the clan’s main hall and discuss which family to target first, and which Ore Vein to occupy... If this is handled properly, the Bai Clan’s power can rise to another level."

When Bai Xianzhong had been stuck at Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment for nearly twenty years with no signs of breaking through his bottleneck, he knew he would never be able to covet a higher Realm in this lifetime.

Therefore, his goal was to strengthen the Bai Clan as much as possible, to not fail the trust the previous Clan Leader had placed in him when handing over the Clan.

"Bai Ling, have you prepared those two Golden-Winged Thunder Rocs? I’ll invite an elder from the Liu Family of Monkey Mountain to take a look. We might have a chance to refine a Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact..."

...

"Just a half-frontage shop costs six thousand Spirit Stones to rent for ten years... No wonder the Market is the Sect’s most profitable department. So many people want to elevate it to a separate hall."

Bai Zichen had already paid the first ten years’ rent to Lang Zhongping. After returning to the Market, Lang Zhongping would handle the leasing procedures for him.

Then he would notify the Bai Family to move in, and after setting everything up, the shop would officially open.

Given Lang Zhongping’s fawning and obsequious attitude, this rental price was certainly the lowest possible. It was also unlikely that anyone in the Sect would still try to take advantage of him in such matters.

Bai Zichen lay on the Colorful Cloud Robe, a simple map spread open in his hand, with several circles sketched on it in light-colored charcoal.

’Senior Sister Zhou said Su Li had a Tier Three Talisman to protect his life, so normally a Tier Two Demon Beast wouldn’t be able to trap him... But if he had run into a Tier Three Demon King, his Soul Lamp would have been extinguished long ago. How could it have flickered for years like a candle in the wind, looking like it could go out at any moment but never doing so.’

Based on Su Li’s tracks after leaving Feiyue Lake and the notes found in his Cave Mansion, Zhou Suqing had deduced three of the most likely routes.

After ruling out locations that couldn’t possibly pose a threat to Su Li and Spirit Veins suspected of housing Tier Three Demon Kings, there were only a few places left where he could have been trapped.

The greatest possibility was that he was trapped within an Array or a restriction.

’I’ll just follow the route Senior Sister Zhou gave me. But my knowledge of Arrays is superficial... If Su Li really did stumble into an ancient Array, I don’t have the ability to get him out. I’d have to go back and ask Senior Sister Zhou for help.’

Bai Zichen adjusted the flight direction of the Colorful Cloud Robe according to the simple map.

With his current strength, there were few situations in the Black Mountain Range that would require him to take a detour.

As long as he didn’t run into a Tier Three Demon King, he had no fear, even if surrounded by a large pack of Tier Two Demon Beasts.

’However, Celestial Thunder Cliff is up ahead. I’d better go around.’

Just a few days ago, Bai Zichen had slain two Golden-Winged Thunder Rocs as a congratulatory gift for Bai Ling, waiting for the perfect opportunity when the two Demon Beasts were preoccupied with each other, away from their flock.

The Sword Light struck like lightning, instantly piercing through the bodies of the two Golden-Winged Thunder Rocs. The Sword Light then erupted, extinguishing all life within them.

It was so fast that even the Golden-Winged Thunder Roc King, a Demon King, couldn’t react in time.

He had already flown a great distance on his sword when he faintly heard a piercing screech, accompanied by streaks of thunder crashing to the ground.

But he had a guilty conscience. After all, he had just killed two Golden-Winged Thunder Rocs. If that Tier Three flying Demon King decided to target him, it would be a huge headache.

’Better to stay far away before I reach Core Formation.’

’But the improvement in my Realm has had a huge impact on my strength... If I were still at Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, it would have been very difficult to take down two Golden-Winged Thunder Rocs so effortlessly. It definitely would have caused a significant commotion.’

Bai Zichen assessed the change in his own strength. He hadn’t fought another Cultivator in a while, so he could only use Tier Two Demon Beasts as a reference point.

But he estimated that among ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators, whether early-stage or mid-stage, anyone who could survive three exchanges under his sword would be considered an expert.

If he were to face Meng Shigui now, he wouldn’t need to detonate his Glazed Body at all; his conventional strength would be enough to win.

But facing a Core Formation True Man or a Tier Three Demon King was still out of the question.

The gap between Great Realms was not something that could be bridged with ordinary means.

Unless it was a Heaven-Defying Divine Power like the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword, or a Supreme Sword Array like the Star River Sword Array that simultaneously used an Array formation and integrated the Great Dao True Intent, only then could one cross a Great Realm and make an opponent feel a genuine threat.

After bypassing Celestial Thunder Cliff, he soon left Feiyue Lake behind him, heading toward the first target marked by Zhou Suqing.

He rested for a moment on the Colorful Cloud Robe. When a sharp, pungent smell of sulfur appeared, the sky overhead darkened, and debris from a volcanic eruption was scattered in the air.

Bai Zichen knew he had arrived at the first location.

This was an active volcano that erupted year-round. Each eruption scorched the surrounding area, covering the ground with a thick layer of igneous rock.

"Genggeng, get a good sense of the area. Are there any powerful auras hiding near the volcano?"

Having performed a great service by discovering the trail of the Spirit Beast Essence Blood, Genggeng’s status in Bai Zichen’s mind had risen dramatically.

It had gone from a creature that did nothing but eat and sleep all day with no sign of improvement, on the verge of becoming a mere ornamental Spirit Beast, to one with immense value for cultivation.

In the environment of the Black Mountain Range, which was teeming with Demon Beasts, as long as he had Genggeng sense the area first, even a Tier Three Demon King deliberately hiding its aura in ambush couldn’t escape its Spiritual Sense.

If it advanced to a Tier Two Spirit Beast and its sensory abilities rose another level, Genggeng could probably even detect a Core Formation True Man trying to ambush him with an Array.

Now, although Genggeng’s combat power was negligible, it was like having an all-weather-surveillance Magical Treasure.

’However, I can’t become completely dependent on it.’

’Otherwise, if someone found a way to counter it, or a Secret Treasure that could block Genggeng’s senses, they could use that to turn the tables and lure me into a trap.’

’My own Divine Sense must keep pace. Only by having these two paths complement each other can I be truly foolproof.’