Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World-Chapter 535: The 530th - : Heavenly Calamity Shakes the Tiger, Fierce Sword Flexes its Might_1
Jia Ren held no fondness for Demon Cultivators, striking with the swiftness of lightning and the force of a storm.
With a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure combined with Jikong’s Finger, he instantly killed the Demon Cultivator. No matter the myriad divine skills or countless techniques the Demon Cultivator possessed, he had no chance to employ them.
Jia Ren approached the Demon Cultivator’s corpse and quickly disposed of the remains.
He has the Ghost Mark? But he’s not a Thrall Ghost. Could he be bait?
By killing this man, could I have drawn the Nightmare Tiger’s attention?!
Jia Ren’s expression shifted subtly. He decisively stuffed the Treasure-seeking Mouse back into the Heaven and Earth Mountain and Sea Pearl, then used flames to burn the body and erase all traces.
Having done all this, he activated his Escape Light, departing from the area at an astonishing speed.
The Nightmare Tiger possessed formidable abilities. It was imperceptible by both Heart-Mind Sensing and the Demon-Spotting Talisman. No one could be sure where the beast was, or if it would launch an unforeseen, stealthy attack.
In a state beyond sensing, not even Whims of the Heart could guarantee safety. Leaving the Source Treasure Cave Heaven doesn’t require haste. There’s no need to put myself in peril; another suitable time will present itself. Even a one percent risk isn’t worth taking.
Mixing his Escape Light with the Five Metals Divine Escape, Jia Ren flew towards the Lingbao Sect at a remarkable speed.
Neither Jia Ren’s Heart-Mind Sensing nor his Demon-Spotting Talisman yielded any results, yet he had an ominous feeling of being watched.
Four shadowy figures in black robes emerged, blocking his path.
Their aura was undeniably that of Thrall Ghosts. This confirms my suspicion—I’m indeed being targeted by the Nightmare Tiger! The Demon Cultivator was bait for it. The conspicuous aura of Thrall Ghosts could also attract the attention of high-order cultivators from the Lingbao Sect. The Nightmare Tiger, having previously suffered at the hands of the Birthless Killing Sword, doesn’t want to confront Sect Master Cloud Tiger and thus resorted to these tactics. Besides transforming some into Thrall Ghosts, the Nightmare Tiger marked others to serve as lures. As soon as a marked Demon Cultivator encounters Lingbao Sect Cultivators, the Nightmare Tiger will be swiftly notified.
Jia Ren took out a Virtual Spirit Pill and placed it in his mouth, ready to activate it at any moment.
"Scram!"
A blood-red sword light flared and flashed. The four figures blocking his path were instantly bisected, their life force extinguished.
Jia Ren’s Escape Light didn’t pause for a moment; he ignored the corpses of the four Demon Cultivators and continued his escape.
Demon Cultivators’ treasures are good, but one needs to be alive to take them.
The blood-red sword light circled nearby, manifesting as a small sword—it was the half-step Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure, the Birthless Killing Sword.
Having been enhanced by the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower, it had astonishingly reached Body Integration Completion, unleashing prodigious lethality in its first trial.
"Birthless Killing Sword?! I will kill you!" a voice roared.
Two tiger eyes emerged from the darkness, fixing their gaze on both the Birthless Killing Sword and Jia Ren, eyes brimming with bone-deep hatred.
The chance for revenge has finally arrived! the Nightmare Tiger thought.
Instead of activating the Virtual Spirit Pill, Jia Ren... extended his finger and imprinted a rune onto the Birthless Killing Sword.
The final missing piece of the puzzle was now in place. The Birthless Killing Sword’s long-accumulated power finally found its breakthrough, its Spiritual Nature growing at an incredible rate.
In a short time, it had already taken the form of a child with blood-red hair.
Even before undergoing the baptism of a Heavenly Tribulation, the Birthless Killing Sword had birthed a Sky-reaching spirit.
High above, dense dark clouds gathered, pressing down. Countless lightning snakes danced within the clouds, and a heavy, oppressive pressure descended first.
A Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure Tribulation!
The Nightmare Tiger, just as it was about to strike, suddenly sensed the unexpected Heavenly Tribulation and shuddered with fear.
Heavenly Tribulations were what Magical Beasts feared most, their ultimate nemesis.
Sensing the aura of the Heavenly Tribulation, the Nightmare Tiger decisively retreated, distancing itself from the tribulation’s affected area to avoid drawing the lightning to itself.
It really works! Jia Ren thought.
He had originally planned to upgrade the Birthless Killing Sword to a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure within the Lingbao Sect. However, considering his deep dive into the Source Treasure Cave Heaven might lead to encounters with seventh-order Magical Beasts, he had deliberately kept this option in reserve.
Many secret records about Spiritual Treasures noted that Magical Beasts feared Heavenly Tribulations; it was a life-saving tactic against them.
Besides, this could also serve as a way to call for help from the Lingbao Sect. With a Heavenly Tribulation appearing, wouldn’t Sect Master Cloud Tiger come? It might even save me a Virtual Spirit Pill. If the plan fails, I don’t lose anything. The possibility of the Birthless Killing Sword not being able to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation isn’t even a concern. If a Birthless Killing Sword of this quality can’t overcome a Heavenly Tribulation, then no Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures will ever be born in the Mysterious Realm again.
"The Chief of Lingbao Sect will arrive shortly. You wouldn’t want your other leg crippled too, would you?" Jia Ren said, keeping the Virtual Spirit Pill in his mouth, ready to consume it. He intentionally adopted a relaxed posture, attempting to scare off the Nightmare Tiger.
The Nightmare Tiger’s eyes darkened as its dream-inducing power silently activated, attempting to drag Jia Ren into a dreamscape and kill him there.
HUM!
The Soul-Shaking Bell appeared, enveloped in purple light, forcefully repelling the dream-inducing power.
"I’ll remember you!" the Nightmare Tiger snarled.
Its attempt to induce a dream foiled, the Nightmare Tiger’s shadowy eyes gave Jia Ren one last look, then it turned to flee.
The newly birthed spirit of the Birthless Killing Sword, brimming with killing intent, suddenly defied the Heavenly Tribulation and slashed towards the Nightmare Tiger.
The sword light struck, and the terrifying aura of the Heavenly Tribulation followed close behind. The Nightmare Tiger was so terrified its soul almost fled its body as it vanished into the void as a streak of dark light.
A flash of light, and tiger blood rained down from the void.
The Nightmare Tiger’s other hind leg now bore a sword mark, and it disappeared completely.
Such a tough body! Jia Ren thought. I thought this sword strike could sever the Nightmare Tiger’s hind leg, but it only left a wound. No wonder it’s a seventh-order Magical Beast!
The Body Integration Realm marked a qualitative transformation for cultivators. For Magical Beasts, which were born with powerful physiques, the change was even more significant.
Magical Beasts of this level had physical strength only slightly inferior to Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures, and some even surpassed them.
The most crucial point is that my cultivation level is too low. I can’t perfectly unleash the full power of the Birthless Killing Sword. If Sect Master Cloud Tiger used this Birthless Killing Sword, he could truly sever one of the Nightmare Tiger’s legs.
After wounding the seventh-order Magical Beast, the Birthless Killing Sword flew into the sky. The blood-red sword light, like a dragon, pierced through the dark curtain formed by the Heavenly Tribulation’s lightning.
A ray of blood-red light shone through the opening, illuminating the land below. Its glow intensified, completely overpowering the light of the tribulation lightning.
Bathed in the tribulation lightning, the Birthless Killing Sword began its transformation.
Sect Master Cloud Tiger, who had appeared at some point, stared at the Birthless Killing Sword, his eyes burning with fervor. What a sword! Such a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure! I’ve only seen its like once in my entire life! I thought the Birthless Killing Sword Jia Ren refined last time was already impressive, but compared to this one, they’re not even on the same level. It hasn’t even passed its Heavenly Tribulation yet, merely undergoing the baptism of lightning, and it can already wound the Nightmare Tiger. Once it fully transforms into a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure, what kind of power will it possess?
A blood-red sword light flickered, and the Birthless Killing Sword quietly appeared by Jia Ren’s side. It condensed into the figure of a young man with blood-red hair.
He looked exactly like Jia Ren but with eyes full of murderous intent and cold cruelty—a veritable butcher version of Jia Ren.
This was, astonishingly, the Sky-reaching spirit of the Birthless Killing Sword.
Not a child, but a youth.
This was the result of the Birthless Killing Sword being enhanced by Sacrificial Fire, a culmination of long-accumulated power.
"Hall Master Jia," Sect Master Cloud Tiger began, "let’s make a deal. How about I trade my Birthless Killing Sword plus two pieces of Heavenly Spirit Material for yours?"
Cloud Tiger produced a Birthless Killing Sword—it was clearly the version Jia Ren had originally refined.
Both being Birthless Killing Swords, the one with the child-like Sky-reaching spirit trembled, earning a disdainful look from the youth-like Sky-reaching spirit, which clearly didn’t want to be associated with it.
It was indeed a profitable deal.
Unfortunately, this Birthless Killing Sword has been integrated into the Demon-Sealing Pagoda System and has been upgraded to Body Integration Completion. How could I possibly trade it away? Jia Ren thought.
"I appreciate the Sect Master’s kind offer, but I am very fond of this killing sword and prefer not to trade it," Jia Ren declined.
Cloud Tiger was unwilling to give up. He smiled and said, "This sword of yours has excessive killing intent. I’m afraid there’s a risk of it turning on its master. Compared to it, this Birthless Killing Sword of mine is far more stable."
Jia Ren still shook his head, raising his hand to take back his Birthless Killing Sword.
The trade having failed, Cloud Tiger was not annoyed.
As a Heaven-reaching Refiner, Jia Ren will refine more Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures in the future. If worst comes to worst, I can ask him to craft one for me later, Cloud Tiger mused.
Seeing the newly birthed Birthless Killing Sword, Cloud Tiger’s earlier reservations about Jia Ren wavered.
As long as this man doesn’t perish, he will surely become a Heaven-reaching Refiner second only to our founding patriarch. It’s just a pity he doesn’t possess the Heavenly Treasure Body... so he can’t refine Mysterious Heavenly Spiritual Treasures. If only Jia Ren could swap bodies with Ma Tianbao and gain the Heavenly Treasure Body! Cloud Tiger thought. He then recalled a Demonic Sect Forbidden Art he had come across in his early years. However, the thought of sect members turning on each other made him cast the idea to the back of his mind.
"I’ll escort you back to prevent that vengeful Nightmare Tiger from retaliating," Cloud Tiger offered.
Jia Ren did not refuse this kind offer. Before returning to the Sect, he went back to the place where he had slain the four Demon Cultivator Thrall Ghosts and collected their treasures.
The two flew side by side, soon arriving back at the Sect.
Cloud Tiger explained to the gathered cultivators, "I initially thought an Eighth-order Magical Beast had appeared and was undergoing its Heavenly Tribulation. It turned out to be a false alarm."
If an Eighth-order Magical Beast, comparable to the Mahayana Realm, were to appear in the Lingbao Cave Heaven, it would not be an easy matter to resolve. For the safety of the Sect and its disciples, they would have had to evacuate the Source Treasure Cave Heaven.
The scale of this Heavenly Tribulation was too small; it was more like one for a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure.
A few Void Refinement Cultivators learned the truth from Cloud Tiger and secretly sighed in relief. Their gazes towards Jia Ren were filled with a strange curiosity.
He refined a Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure to its final step and then deliberately left the Sect for its tribulation. Was he afraid of the consequences if it *did* successfully pass the Heavenly Tribulation inside the Sect?
Once people learned that Jia Ren had refined another Birthless Killing Sword, they came forward to congratulate him.
"Congratulations, Hall Master Jia, for advancing further on the path of Artifact Refining!"
"Thanks to Hall Master Jia’s warning, we avoided the calamity of the seventh-order Magical Beast!"
With Jia Ren having refined a second Birthless Killing Sword and having warned them about the seventh-order Magical Beast, no one in the Sect was any longer discontent with his position as Refiner Hall Master.
His status was now on par with Elder Qing’s, and there were quiet indications he was on track to become the Head Refiner Hall Master.
Moreover, many people now intentionally omitted the "Deputy" prefix when addressing him.
Jia Ren wasn’t particularly interested in becoming the Head Refiner Hall Master. Upon returning to the Sect, his first action was to tidy up his own cave dwelling within the Sect and then report to the Internal Affairs Hall.
"I am going to leave the Sect to build a new cave dwelling outside," he declared.
The cultivators of the Second Spirit Treasure Sect were incredulous upon hearing this news.
With Demon Cultivators at the Lianxu Stage active outside the Sect, the recent consecutive assaults by two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts on the city, and the Seventh-Order Nightmare Tiger setting traps, the depths of the Source Treasure Cave Heaven are extremely dangerous. Many who had built cave dwellings outside the Sect have chosen to return, unwilling to take risks. Jia Ren is going against the current, actively choosing to build his cave dwelling outside the Sect. It’s truly puzzling. He’s the first Artifact Refiner to establish a cave dwelling outside the Lingbao Sect!
Several acquaintances came forward to try and dissuade him.
Jia Ren declined them all, his decision firm.
After leaving the Sect, my actions will attract less attention. I’ll be heading to the Mysterious Realm next, and my return date is uncertain. Building a cave dwelling outside the Sect will make things more convenient, Jia Ren reasoned.
