Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World-Chapter 588 - 583: Taking the Initiative, Desolate Spirit Titan_1
Zhuo Chengdao?
Jia Ren doubted his own ears.
This person had come for Zhuo Chengdao?
Was it his use of Heart-Mind Sensing that had caught the man’s attention?
Jia Ren remembered that Zhuo Chengdao had an archenemy—a sworn foe who had unexpectedly broken through to the Body Integration Realm. This foe’s master, known as the Chicken-Child Master, Ancestor Jikong, had also successfully advanced to the Body Integration Realm not long after. Though this archenemy had never appeared in Jia Ren’s life, he silently influenced many people and events. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
"Elder Brother Zhuo’s enemy, it’s an honor to meet you," Jia Ren said.
The man replied, "You’re less impressive in person than your reputation suggests."
Jia Ren’s gaze swept over the person, an early-stage Nascent Soul period cultivator, likely using only a Spiritual Treasure. Not a concern.
I killed a Bizarre Person from the Xuantiandao Sect, who was at the Body Integration Realm, back when I was only in the Mid-stage of Void Refinement.
If I reach the Late Stage of Void Refinement and unleash my full combat power, killing this man shouldn’t be an issue.
"A cultivator from the Lingbao Sect? From the Hollow Sky Sect!" the man exclaimed.
"All it takes is capturing you and using your name to lure Zhuo Chengdao out of his sect to eradicate him completely—an appropriate choice indeed."
Jia Ren was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Perhaps you should pretend you haven’t seen me. Otherwise, if I kill you, fellow Daoist, wouldn’t Elder Brother Zhuo lose an enemy!"
"Elder Brother would want to personally exact revenge on his foe; it would be less satisfying if I killed him."
"Wen Ren Zong Zhu, stop hiding," Jia Ren called out. "As the master of a great sect, do you dare act but not take responsibility?"
While the two conversed, Jia Ren detected deeply concealed fluctuations in the distance. Wen Ren Li’s concealment skills were not weak; Jia Ren hadn’t noticed him before. It was only when Xue Chengyang blurted out Jia Ren’s Lingbao Sect identity that the hidden Wen Ren Li’s concealment showed a flaw.
"So, it is a high disciple of the Lingbao Sect, from the Hollow Sky Sect." Wen Ren Li’s voice emerged as his form gradually materialized from the void. "Elder Brother of Zhuo Chengdao?"
"Could it be Jia Ren, the fiend allied with the Hidden Cultivation Sect?"
With his whereabouts exposed, Wen Ren Li could no longer remain hidden.
When Xue Chengyang heard "the fiend allied with the Hidden Cultivation Sect," his attitude subtly changed. He became more cautious, his earlier arrogance gone.
The Hidden Cultivation Sect is known for its Bizarre Demons, Xue Chengyang thought. Although this person appears ordinary, who knows if he’s a Bizarre Person? Bizarre Persons can’t be judged solely by their realm and cultivation level.
"We do not wish for hostilities with the Hidden Cultivation Sect. Let’s continue the transaction," Wen Ren Li said, his voice now placating. He greatly feared the Hidden Cultivation Sect and the Sinful Denizens. He abandoned his original plan and repeatedly signaled Xue Chengyang with his eyes.
The Lingbao Sect has declined and is too stretched thin to effectively oppose the Taming Demon Sect, Wen Ren Li mused. But the Hidden Cultivation Sect and Sinful Denizens are different; they’ve become non-human. Just a few powerful Bizarre Demons released into the Taming Demon Sect’s territory could inflict heavy losses on us. The Taming Demon Sect didn’t assist the Taiqing Sect precisely because we didn’t want to invite such trouble. I don’t want to break the unspoken understanding and damage the Taming Demon Sect’s hard-won prosperity.
After a moment’s hesitation, Xue Chengyang also abandoned his initial thoughts.
Bizarre Persons can’t be killed, only sealed. And he has the Hidden Cultivation Sect and Sinful Denizens backing him. Against such troublesome entities, if you strike the tiger but do not kill it, it will inevitably return to cause future harm. The best strategy is to avoid provocation and let the transaction proceed smoothly.
A Spirit Beast Bag was opened, and two Sixth-Rank Flame Sparrows appeared. They had prepared for two contingencies, concerned that Jia Ren might be accompanied by a Body Integration Realm master, which would complicate matters. One was to kill and seize treasures. The other was a fair trade, beneficial to all parties. Their fear of the Hidden Cultivation Sect and Sinful Denizens led them to opt for the contingency plan.
Jia Ren saw this and, instead of relief, felt a surge of anger.
"So, disciples of the Lingbao Sect don’t deserve a fair and smooth transaction, but the Hidden Cultivation Sect does?" he challenged. "A top-tier, venerable sect with the longest heritage in the Mysterious Realm can’t compare to some heretical demonic power? Is this moral decay, or are you just shameless! Is this not akin to venerating the bizarre and fawning on evil—indirectly behaving like traitors to humanity! It’s truly ridiculous!"
I could complete the transaction smoothly and leave immediately, Jia Ren thought. They’re wary of my hidden Bizarre Demon-like abilities and the powers of the Hidden Cultivation Sect and Sinful Denizens behind me, so they wouldn’t dare to initiate conflict. It’s safe, no danger—the most reasonable choice. In the past, I would’ve exchanged for the Flame Sparrows without hesitation, happy to leverage others’ influence to easily achieve my goal. But this time... I don’t want to do that!
For the first time, he wanted to escalate the situation.
I am a disciple of the Lingbao Sect! I don’t want the stain of being associated with the Sinful Denizens, nor do I wish to be counted among them! Moreover, if I were an ordinary disciple, what would have happened to me? They would have killed me and seized my treasures! Elder Brother Zhuo’s enemy would capture me, use my Identity Token to lure him out, and then kill him! Without power, one has to swallow insults and humiliation. But I... I have the power now, so why should I cower before these two? Cultivation isn’t about doing whatever I want. It’s about having the right to say ’no’ when trouble comes knocking!
"I’ll cripple your cultivation, leave you with a sliver of life, and hand you over to Elder Brother Zhuo to fulfill his long-standing wish," Jia Ren declared, his gaze fixed on Xue Chengyang, whose face turned cold, killing intent surging.
"Does the Taming Demon Sect want to kill and seize treasures?" Jia Ren then addressed Wen Ren Li. "Let me see if you have the strength to do so! And for the record, I am a cultivator from the Lingbao Sect, and I have always disdained consorting with the Hidden Cultivation Sect!"
The two exchanged a glance, no longer concealing the murderous intent in their eyes. Before they could act, Jia Ren took the initiative.
"Treasure Light Body Refining Technique, activate!"
Six paths of treasure light enveloped Jia Ren, resembling a gigantic human magnet, as a massive amount of nature’s spiritual energy gathered towards him at an alarming speed.
"Dusk Treasured Light!"
Since the initial formation of Dusk Treasured Light, I’ve used it sparingly, Jia Ren thought. The one significant time was a limited activation that siphoned off half the nature’s spiritual energy from the Tianling Secret Realm. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to use it, but the repercussions are too severe. Depleting all spiritual energy transforms a vast area into an Extinguishing Spirit Zone, which would undoubtedly attract the attention of major powers. Without sufficient strength, rashly displaying this ability would invite endless trouble. The Lingbao Sect is in a precarious situation, surrounded by circling wolves; many cultivators wish for its downfall. If this is exposed, the Lingbao Sect wouldn’t be able to protect me, and others would use it as a pretext to attack the Sect. Daqian Kingdom was initially a good opportunity, but unfortunately, there was something amiss with its unique nature’s spiritual energy; I dared not interact with it. My suspicions proved correct: if a large amount of Daqian’s peculiar spiritual energy entered my body, I would become a puppet controlled by a Dead Immortal.
But now... this is a good opportunity. There are no top sects nearby. The major powers’ attention is focused on the Taiqing Sect’s territory, so few are watching this place. More importantly... the Taming Demon Sect doesn’t deserve to use nature’s spiritual energy! Let the nature’s spiritual energy here become fuel to strengthen me!
As Dusk Treasured Light activated, the six paths of treasure light coiling around Jia Ren’s body began to devour the massive influx of nature’s spiritual energy, like a Devil Devouring vortex.
"My spiritual power is draining so fast! What kind of technique is this?" Xue Chengyang cried out.
"Such a powerful divine skill!" Wen Ren Li exclaimed. "It somewhat resembles the Lingbao Sect’s Treasure Light Body Refining Technique, but I didn’t expect its power to be comparable to a Great Divine Power! This alone could be enough to establish a sect!"
Xue Chengyang and Wen Ren Li watched, aghast, as Jia Ren, surrounded by six paths of treasure light, gulped down the spiritual energy from all directions. Nature’s spiritual energy vanished at an astonishing rate; wherever the tidal wave of Dusk Treasured Light passed, an Extinguishing Spirit Zone formed.
Even as Nascent Soul period cultivators, considered flawless and without leakage, they were unable to prevent the spiritual energy within their bodies from draining at an alarming rate. With no nature’s spiritual energy nearby, Nascent Soul period cultivators couldn’t maintain their integration state. Lacking control over nature’s spiritual energy for reinforcement, their punches and kicks lost tremendous might, and even Instantaneous Movement, a technique Nascent Soul period cultivators relied upon, became unusable. The rapid consumption of their own spiritual power gave them a sensation of entering the void.
For a Void Refining Stage Cultivator to threaten Nascent Soul period cultivators by severing their integrated state with nature’s spiritual energy—calling such a technique a Great Divine Power was no exaggeration.
"Capture him!" Xue Chengyang roared, his eyes burning with a fervent heat, his longing impossible to conceal. "We must extract this divine skill from him at all costs!"
Unlike the Taming Demon Sect, my Xue Family lacks a strong heritage. I am the strongest the Xue Family has ever produced. Before reaching the Lianxu Stage, our family’s legacy was adequate; I wasn’t at the bottom among my peers. But once I reached the Body Integration Realm, all advantages vanished, and my deficiencies became glaringly obvious. Our inheritance is lacking; there are no cultivation techniques for higher realms. Our Divine Skills are weak, incomparable to those of the top sects, let alone Great Divine Powers. Our Spiritual Treasures are inferior. Nascent Soul period cultivators from sects with deep foundations all use Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures. I have no strengths in other areas, so how can I compare with other Nascent Soul period cultivators of the same rank? I am undoubtedly the weakest among my peers. Building a foundation from scratch is the hardest. High-level treasures are core inheritances of each sect and cannot be obtained no matter the price.
Xue Chengyang’s ambition to reach the Mahayana Realm, and even ascend to the Immortal Realm, meant he couldn’t shy away from extraordinary measures. This was the root of his inclination to kill for treasures. Jia Ren’s Dusk Treasured Light gave him a glimpse of hope; he wanted to capture Jia Ren alive and force out the secrets of this powerful divine skill.
"Tiger Capturing Dragon Seizing Hand!"
A massive purple and white palm materialized, reaching for Jia Ren, aiming to disrupt Dusk Treasured Light and forcefully capture him.
"Silver Horned Thunder Python!" Wen Ren Li bellowed, slapping his Control Spirit Bag. A hundred-zhang-long python, its body entirely silver and sporting a single horn, emerged with a hiss. This python was not of dragon descent but an exotic beast of the python family, innately possessing lightning power, though not quite comparable to a Thunder Roc. A silver lightning bolt shot from the lone horn atop the seventh-order Silver Horned Thunder Python, streaking towards Jia Ren.
"Demon Binding Rope!"
A blood-colored rope, bristling with barbs, vanished and instantly reappeared, coiling around Jia Ren.
I must have that Thunder Roc, and I can’t miss out on this divine skill either! Wen Ren Li thought fiercely.
In a brief period, Jia Ren had absorbed all the nature’s spiritual energy from an area of a hundred li into his body. Unlike in the past, he didn’t establish a bridge to the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower, nor did he channel the energy into the Heaven and Earth Mountain and Sea Pearl. Instead, he bore it all himself. Even with a body far surpassing Supreme Spirit Treasures in resilience, he still struggled somewhat against the massive tide of nature’s spiritual energy drawn by Dusk Treasured Light. His skin turned a deep crimson, and fine beads of blood oozed from his pores.
"That should be sufficient!" Jia Ren declared.
"Law of Heaven and Earth!"
BOOM!
The colossal amount of nature’s spiritual energy accumulated within his body found an outlet, propelling his form to expand at a stunning rate.
One thousand zhang!
Three thousand zhang!
His body instantly surpassed the previous limits he had reached when using Law of Heaven and Earth, continuing to grow larger.
Ten thousand zhang!
At this moment, his stature rivaled that of Grand Ancestor Tai Yuan of the Mahayana Realm when using Law of Heaven and Earth. But this... was not the limit.
Dusk Treasured Light continued to devour nature’s spiritual energy, relentlessly pushing his upper limit higher, until his body finally reached a towering thirty thousand zhang.
