Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 776 - 775: The Initial Formation of the Sword Seed
Chapter 776: Chapter 775: The Initial Formation of the Sword Seed
Greed was the murderer who killed three assassins.
No matter how resolute their wills, they couldn’t resist the sensation of being possessed by an immortal. So, they eagerly wished to taste the power that could destroy heaven and earth with a flick of an immortal’s hand. Such temptation was irresistible, just like how a beggar who suddenly finds himself rich beyond measure wouldn’t be able to help indulging in pleasures and gluttony.
They were aware that this feeling was only temporary and that they could revert to their original state at any moment, which made the opportunity seem all the more precious and fleeting.
Every sensation during this period was immensely valuable, opening up a new world before them; it not only revealed what was beyond Nascent Transformation and the path forward but also presented countless systematic cultivation concepts. By comparison, their current understanding was as different as clouds are from mud.
It was foreseeable that after this remarkable encounter, they would embark on a journey wholly unlike that of other cultivators. It also made them aware of the deficiencies in their current state of cultivation. A new world had opened up before them, and if they could survive, who else but they to break the Heaven and Earth Chains?
An assassination attempt instead became an immense opportunity for them.
If they had only glimpsed one or two levels above Nascent Transformation, the impact might have been negligible, but being possessed by an immortal, who could resist the urge to see where the true immortals live? What does it look like? What does Thirty-Six Heavens mean?
This is a curiosity inherent in all of humanity, regardless of mortal cultivation, regardless of gender... But this one glance brought about great trouble, a burden they could not bear!
The collapse began in the Sea of Consciousness and spun out of control!
...Hou Niao was the last one to merge his consciousness with that clump of grass-like Qi, but he was only slightly slower than the rest. At least, when he felt himself become the grass, he was temporarily safe. The other three powerful beings couldn’t harm him, for his roots were intertwined with the entire continent, a connection not even the power of gods could destroy.
He didn’t face the same challenges as the other three because he was just a blade of grass, a Qi Stone Orchid about to break through the soil and sprout, with no awareness of the outside world.
This was where he was fortunate; otherwise, it’s hard to say whether he would peek at where the immortals in heaven lived, or whether he would learn about the immortals’ private secrets.
To be honest, this wasn’t a matter of willpower, but of curiosity, and humans have always been a curious species. So they would likely have looked, just like those three, and then suffered the same collapse of the Sea of Consciousness, with their souls returning to the netherworld.
But the trials set by the heavens are indiscriminate, not showing favoritism, only varying in the manner of testing!
Just as his consciousness blended with the grass, feeling on the verge of breaking through the soil, he was suddenly struck by an intuition that absorbing the dissipated spiritual essence of the three fallen Golden Core Dao would help the Sword Seed within his Purple Mansion grow rapidly, reaching or even surpassing the state he had dreamt of.
This temptation was almost irresistible for him, something he had yearned for ten years or even nearly a hundred years of cultivation. Now, it lay before him, within easy reach.
Without time for mental struggle, the more he wrestled with it, the more he wanted to follow his intuition. He only asked himself one question,
Has the Qi Stone Orchid been successfully cultivated? Yes, it has.
Has the Sword Seed been planted? Yes, it has.
The objective has been achieved. Would it be appropriate to ask for more? If the Flying Sword were to fully recover or even far surpass its former glory, would he be able to resist the next temptation?
No! Taking advantage once started never ends, and such power obtained too easily didn’t sit right with him because it wasn’t truly his.
So, he no longer coveted more, focusing only on the growth of the Qi Stone Orchid and the quality of the Sword Seed, disregarding everything else.
Three Daoist phenomena were restrained within the limited space around the courtyard, just like what had happened thousands of years ago; reflections couldn’t change the true course of history, everything must return to dust, earth to earth, hasty gifts to the bridegroom, and initial pain to the bride...
When everything had calmed down, the sky was still that sky, the earth still that patch of land, the sunlight was bright and beautiful, and birds sang amongst the fragrant flowers, as if what they had just experienced was nothing but a dream.
The three assassins sat quietly in the Stone Formation, even in death their faces bore a trace of utter satisfaction. In terms of cultivation, their deaths were not unjust, for they had seen what even Nascent Transformation Masters had not.
Hear the Dao in the morning, gladly die at night; and thus, they truly died.
Hou Niao was still somewhat stunned. This was the most baffling success he had encountered since starting his cultivation, the most bewildering victory. From beginning to end, he was unclear about what exactly had happened, why it had occurred; he had merely made a few inconsequential choices.
Checking his body first, within the Purple Mansion, a small Sword Seed was crystal clear, with Five Elements Qi circulating within it, filled with hunger.
Had he succeeded so inadvertently?
He himself found it somewhat unbelievable.
Turning his gaze to the strange orchid at his feet, it was growing nicely, and the issues that once troubled it had vanished without a trace; or rather, the courtyard had finally returned to normal, just like the rest of Sui Mo City, and no longer carried that mysterious air.
With too many incomprehensions, too many questions, Hou Niao knew that if anyone knew the story behind it all, it would surely be the blind elder, that mysterious old man.
Standing up, as if awaking from a dream, he had to put aside his many puzzles for the future. Right now, he needed to deal with the troubles at hand.
Three Golden Cores represented three moving treasure troves. He had no qualms about taking their possessions, for they should have been prepared for this from the moment they took action. In the Cultivation World, either you kill or you are killed; it was fair and reasonable.
Just as he finished gathering the treasures from the three of them, movement came from the courtyard door. Bai Qingqian walked in with a calm facade,
"What a hassle, this person insisted on bringing me back, claiming he wanted me to witness for him, to prove his adherence to the rules of the Dao."
A Daoist’s figure appeared behind the woman; it was Tang Yan, the Golden Core Upper Cultivator from the Wu Sect. The two exchanged glances with a touch of embarrassment. Just as Tang Yan was about to speak, Hou Niao interrupted him,
"I understand what you mean, when Daoists meet, life and death are determined by fate; to every drink and peck, there is a reason. You wanted to kill me, I don’t blame you. If you can follow the rules, then you may continue.
Take these three people away; upon our next meeting, I hope Tang Daoist remains the disciplined Daoist that you are. Thus, our grievances will remain just between us."
Tang Yan thought it over, ultimately unsure of what to say—whether to persist or yield wasn’t what he desired. His authority seemed powerless in his heart, even standing in front of this small cultivator from the Natural Realm, he had no prestige to speak of.
Finally, he could only sigh, give a bow, gather the three bodies, and turn to leave.
Watching him leave hastily, Hou Niao smiled slightly behind him. This man was not necessary to kill, for his will had already collapsed. Why should he cause ripples in this beautiful city?
What defeated Tang Yan was none other than himself.
