Chapter 125: Two Items Must Be Surrendered

Chapter 125: Two Items That Must Be Handed Over (Second Update)

Upon hearing Daoist Tianhe’s reply, none of the juniors seemed surprised. The sect had put in great effort to nurture them and secure their spots; how could these old fogies not demand anything in return? Were they fools? No one asked what the two items were, knowing full well that Daoist Tianhe would disclose them.

"The first item is called the Life-Extending Fruit. It is a spiritual root that can prolong one’s lifespan. Whether we old folks can live a few more years and secure enough time to strike at the Mortal Shedding Realm all depends on you."

As expected!

Daoist Tianhe continued, "Well? This request isn't too much to ask, is it? Those who bring it back will be heavily rewarded by the sect."

Hearing this, the juniors secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They were still far from the end of their lifespans and had no need for such items, so handing them over to the sect was no great loss. That a spiritual root capable of extending life—a treasure always sought but never found—actually existed in the Bottomless Light Realm was truly astonishing.

...

"Kid, don't forget our agreement. If you still want that final Blood-Draining Pill, you must snatch back every spiritual root, fruit, or liquid you find in there for me!"

Chunyu Qian’s somewhat sinister voice suddenly echoed in Fang Junmei’s mind.

Almost forgetting about that, Fang Junmei glanced at Chunyu Qian and gave a slight nod. At this moment, Daoist Tianhe had already manifested a mirror of dharma, revealing the appearance of the Life-Extending Fruit and the herb that bore it. The group kept it in mind, though the specifics need not be mentioned here.

"The second item is called the Forget-Dust Immortal Liquid. I will not tell you what this item is used for. In any case, once you obtain it, you must hand it over to me!"

Daoist Tianhe’s tone was uncharacteristically overbearing. The elders present wore stony expressions, clearly unwilling to divulge any details either. The juniors were naturally left completely bewildered. Daoist Tianhe once again displayed the appearance of the Forget-Dust Immortal Liquid and explained the likely locations where it might appear, though the details shall also be omitted for now.

...

"Everyone, you must now swear an oath by your ancestors to me. Once you obtain these two items, you must hand them over and not keep them for yourselves. Those who refuse to swear need not go!"

Daoist Tianhe added, resorting to the binding power of an oath to constrain them. After a moment of contemplation, the juniors eventually took the oath one by one, and the elders nodded in satisfaction.

"Are there any other questions?" Daoist Tianhe’s gaze swept over them again.

"Grandmaster!" Fang Junmei stepped forward at this moment and asked, "I would like to ask, how many people will be entering in total? Since the Luofu Sword Sect has been destroyed, how were their entry spots redistributed?"

Hearing this, the others looked at Fang Junmei with peculiar expressions, sensing that what he was really asking about was the power struggle between the top brass of the Four Great Orthodox Sects and the Five Great Demonic Sects.

Daoist Tianhe, that old fox, hesitated for a moment before replying with a bitter smile, "There are only one hundred and twenty spots in total for the Bottomless Light Realm. Previously, they were divided among the ten major sects, with twelve spots each. Now that the Luofu Sword Sect is gone, their spots have been—taken by the five demonic sects."

"What?"

"Our Taoyuan Sword Sect didn't get a single one?"

The juniors exclaimed in surprise.

"How they divided them, I do not know. As for the specific reasons, I will say no more. The struggles involved are not something you can participate in right now." Daoist Tianhe’s expression grew even more bitter. The elders looked grim. The juniors all realized that at some point unknown to them, these big shots must have had a significant meeting and confrontation with the demonic side, and the four orthodox sects had clearly suffered a great loss.

"Do not speculate. When you are meant to know, you will be told," Daoist Tianhe said with a stern face. "Now, focus on the upcoming journey to the Bottomless Light Realm. Are there any other questions?"

"How big is this Bottomless Light Realm? How do we enter and exit? Is there a map? What dangers and opportunities lie within? Which areas have already been explored?" Linghu Jinjiu rattled off a series of questions, carrying himself like a seasoned veteran.

From the different questions asked by different people, one could discern the breadth of a cultivator’s vision and character.

Daoist Tianhe replied, "We will discuss these details on the road. For this journey, Junior Brothers Tianfeng, Tianzhu, Guxing, and Junior Sister Piaoxue will accompany you and escort you back."

The group nodded, and no more was said.

"Do not spread word of today’s events." After Daoist Tianhe said this, he withdrew the restrictions and opened the hall doors.

"You three, look after each other along the way. Do not let the desire for fortune ruin your camaraderie." After Daoist Cuotuo gave this warning to Fang Junmei and the others, he took his leave. The other elders who were not accompanying them did much the same.

Soon, Daoists Tianfeng and Tianzhu, along with Real persons Guxing and Piaoxue, led the eleven disciples to a secluded spot in the mountains. Daoist Tianfeng produced a jade boat, a travel artifact. It was exquisitely crafted and radiated the aura of a high-grade magical treasure. The group boarded the vessel. Daoist Tianzhu quietly lifted part of the formation restrictions in the sky above, and the jade boat broke through the clouds, silently leaving the sect.

Once on their way, Daoist Tianfeng and the others explained the details of the Bottomless Light Realm to the eleven disciples. The jade boat could be powered by Daoist Tianfeng’s dharma and soul, or by the formations and spirit stones in its hull, making it an excellent travel artifact that required no recovery time. The juniors watched in envy.

...

The jade boat pierced the clouds, heading south.

Meanwhile, in the west, a ship-like artifact carrying over a dozen cultivators glided between the white clouds. The ship was jet-black, appearing as if forged from cold, heavy iron. It radiated a chilly, imposing aura, and its shape resembled a sharp, angular scimitar.

The dozen cultivators on board stood in small groups, chatting idly. Only one man stood alone at the stern, overlooking the landscape below. In his deep, tiger-like eyes, a mesmerizing luster, vast as the ocean, flickered. Clad in black armor with a silver-white cloak, his stature was as majestic as a mountain, and his face was rugged and resolute, exuding a strong, masculine presence.

This man was Long Jinyi, and the ship was carrying the disciples of the Jedi Sword Palace to the Bottomless Light Realm. Long Jinyi was fortunate; had his cultivation been any higher, crossing into the Dragon Gate Realm, the opportunities in this secret realm would have had nothing to do with him.

He had been forced into the Jedi Sword Palace, and due to his arrogant nature, he rarely interacted with his peers. Even on this small ship, he remained alone. Perhaps thinking of something, a hint of warmth appeared on Long Jinyi’s face.

"Brother Jinyi, what are you thinking about? It is rare to see you so happy."

A clear, resonant male voice came from behind, accompanied by footsteps. The approaching cultivator was a young man in black training gear, in his early thirties. He was heroic in appearance with a powerful build. A sword hilt protruded from behind his left shoulder, and he possessed the cultivation of the mid-Dao Embryo stage.

He wore a smiling expression, seemingly amiable, but deep in his eyes, a flicker of killing intent and jealousy flashed by. His name was Wu Zixu. Before Long Jinyi joined, he had been the most brilliant genius of the Jedi Sword Palace, the center of attention. After Long Jinyi arrived, Wu Zixu remained the senior brother, but rumors began to circulate that Long Jinyi would replace him as the leader and eventually become the next sect master.

Consumed by jealousy, Wu Zixu had finally provoked Long Jinyi.

What kind of character was Long Jinyi? A man who might show restraint before old monsters would, when faced with a provocation from a peer of his own level, launch an attack immediately—without regard for time, place, or mercy! Supported by the sect master of the Jedi Sword Palace—who had gone to such lengths to lure Long Jinyi into the sect, surely not to ruin him—Long Jinyi had, in broad daylight and before everyone's eyes, utterly crushed Wu Zixu, leaving him with no dignity left.

Before that, few realized what an incredible, peerless monster Long Jinyi was. They had thought Wu Zixu was already formidable, but reality slapped them hard. Wu Zixu had been so ashamed he wished he could crawl into a hole. After a long time, his composure finally returned, and he never provoked Long Jinyi again, becoming much more low-key and disguising himself as a dormant viper.

Now, perhaps Wu Zixu had finally waited for a good opportunity to slaughter Long Jinyi.

...

Long Jinyi heard him but paid no mind, the smile on his face vanishing. Seeing this, Wu Zixu narrowed his eyes slightly and walked up to stand beside him. How Long Jinyi was lured into the Jedi Sword Palace was known only to the sect master and Long Jinyi himself; others assumed Long Jinyi was merely jealous of Gu Xijin’s status and greedy for the benefits of the Jedi Sword Palace.

"Brother Jinyi, I estimate that Gu Xijin will definitely go this time. If you plan to do something, we will follow your lead," Wu Zixu whispered.

Long Jinyi smiled and replied, "Many thanks for your kind offer, Brother Wu. In that case, please find an opportunity to test how much Gu Xijin has progressed for me."

Wu Zixu had only been speaking casually to probe Long Jinyi’s thoughts; he did not expect the other to unceremoniously order him around. After a slight pause, Wu Zixu recovered his smile. "Of course, no problem. I have long wanted to witness Gu Xijin’s methods myself."

*As if you are worthy!* Long Jinyi scoffed inwardly, nodding slightly as his gaze turned unfathomable.

The two chatted sporadically. Long Jinyi had been in a genuinely good mood lately; otherwise, he likely wouldn't have even bothered with Wu Zixu. And after this millennium-long opportunity concluded, perhaps only one of them would survive.