Chapter 152: The Heavenly Mandate Decree: Nightfall Approaches!

Chapter 152: The Heavenly Mandate Decree: Nightfall Approaches!

After asking some basic questions, Chen Xiu sat silently on a pile of snow, deep in thought.

On the Xuantian Continent, there was no concept of nations.

Instead, there were sects, families, and other similar entities.

There were numerous human settlements, such as cities, bazaars, and towns. These places were often built by sects or families, and they had to pay a certain amount of tax to their affiliated sects annually. In return, the sects would provide protection.

Some of the older outer sect disciples, who had reached the limit of their cultivation progress, would go to these cities or bazaars to oversee their sect's businesses or establish their own families. Although they were not direct subordinates, they maintained a close relationship with their original sect.

The town behind him was known as "Death Sentence Town."

It was not built by any sect but formed naturally due to the gathering of numerous hunters.

The town was located at the foot of a massive cliff, providing excellent shelter from the raging snowstorms. Initially, only one hunter had built a stone house here, but gradually, more hunters settled, and some elderly hunters started businesses, selling food, leather armor, and talismans.

The snow-capped mountain behind them was called the Endless Snow Mountain, stretching for tens of thousands of miles with its peak hidden in the clouds. Almost half of the time, it was covered in blizzards.

This area was under the jurisdiction of the Yuanzong Sect, and apart from them, there were four cities that belonged to the Yuanzong Sect, which were also significant sources of spirit stones for the sect.

The Sect Leader of Yuanzong was the most powerful cultivator in the region, having reached the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. However, he had secluded himself for years and rarely made public appearances.

According to rumors, he hadn't shown himself in over a hundred years.

".

Chen Xiu remained silent, having already grasped the basic situation. The Xuantian Continent was vast, and this hunter was only concerned with the affairs of his region, showing little interest in other areas.

The mountain behind him was also called the Endless Snow Mountain, and it seemed like they were on the other side of the same mountain. The hunter had specifically told Chen Xiu that he hadn't been to the other side, but he had heard that it was inhabited by another group of hunters. This suggested that Daxia Country might not be on the other side of the Endless Snow Mountain; perhaps it was sealed at the mountain's summit.

To return to Daxia, one would need to reach the summit of the Endless Snow Mountain.

The hunter gave Chen Xiu a book called "The Record of Oddities," which documented some intriguing events, though it was difficult to discern fact from fiction, and the information was outdated, with the earliest entries dating back twenty years.

However, it still provided a glimpse into the world.

For instance, a branch member of the Jiang Family had once relied on a term called "Eternal Love" to expand his family's territory with the help of his wife. This branch member had only reached the middle stage of the Golden Core realm.

The effect of the term "Eternal Love" was that if either you or your beloved Dao companion developed feelings for someone else, all three of you would self-destruct together.

As a result, no one dared to confront this formidable couple, fearing that they might be liked by them and have no choice but to self-destruct. Wherever this couple went, others would retreat in fear.

However, love was uncontrollable once it blossomed.

In the end, the branch member's wife fell in love with the latest rising talent from the main branch of the Jiang Family. The tragic conclusion was that all three of them self-destructed, and the explosion of their Golden Cores killed many low-level disciples of the Jiang Family.

Since then, the Jiang Family had gradually declined, and this incident became widely known, bringing joy to many who took pleasure in others' misfortunes.

The term "Eternal Love" was so powerful that one could fall in love with someone just by looking at their image on a stone tablet, but one had to know the person's appearance and physique beforehand; a name alone was insufficient.

".

Chen Xiu's lips twitched slightly, but he remained silent. This strange story was likely true because he had randomly obtained the term "Eternal Love" during his last choice of terms. Now he finally understood why the names of the Heaven's Pride could be revealed, but not their appearances—it was probably to prevent this very situation.

Due to this, the powerful cultivators on the Xuantian Continent rarely revealed themselves. When they had to, they would manipulate the surrounding heaven and earth's power to conceal their features, and they would leave no survivors when they attacked.

This was to avoid falling victim to mysterious rules.

The term "Eternal Love" was difficult to obtain randomly, but it was quite famous on the Xuantian Continent. It wasn't the only term with rule-based killing, but it was the only one without cultivation restrictions.

When used correctly, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could annihilate a Heavenly Emperor.

In theory, this was possible, but in practice, it was incredibly challenging due to the various countermeasures Heavenly Emperors possessed.

However, the unpredictable nature of this term made it highly risky, often leading to self-inflicted harm.

There were other strange stories as well, such as:

"A sect with a thousand-year-old evil lineage had slaughtered dozens of sects, and the death toll from their hands exceeded millions. However, thirty years ago, this sect suddenly transformed into a righteous path sect overnight."

"There's also a sect called the 'Invincible Sect,' which possesses a unique inherited item. When touched by a disciple, it grants a fixed term called 'Universe Exploding.' The effect is simple: upon death, the Golden Core will automatically self-destruct with ten times the usual power. In mystic realms, disciples of the Invincible Sect are often regarded as harbingers of destruction."

And so on.

The chaos on the Xuantian Continent far surpassed that of Daxia Country. In Daxia, there was at least the Daxia government to maintain order, and the Daxia laws kept the sects and families in check, preventing excessive chaos.

In the Xuantian Continent, there are no laws or regulations to speak of. Poisoning, assassination, and ambushes are common. The Seven-Li Fragrant Worm, a deadly poison that can be administered upon seeing one's face, and the Yarrow Cult, a sect that can predict one's fate upon hearing one's name, are just a few examples of the chaos that reigns.

In this world, if one possesses a supreme treasure that doesn't match their cultivation level, they won't be recruited; instead, they'll face endless pursuit until their treasure matches the cultivation level of others.

The only law that exists is the Heavenly Dao. Slaughtering too many people may invite heavenly retribution, making it difficult to pass the tribulation, and it may also attract the pursuit of the corresponding sect in the region. Aside from this, there are no laws.

Cultivation is the way, and strength is everything.

Chen Xiu exhaled deeply, not lingering any longer. He left fifty low-grade Spirit Stones for the hunter before him and then turned, shooting off into the distance to find a place to enter a pocket world.

Fifty low-grade Spirit Stones was the most he could spare. With these stones, he repaid his debt of gratitude.

If he left more, like a medium-grade Spirit Stone, it might not be considered repayment. If the news got out, many Foundation Establishment cultivators would be willing to come and take it.

The middle-aged hunter, who had been kneeling in the snow for a long time without hearing any sounds, cautiously lifted his head. To his surprise, the young man had already disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only fifty low-grade Spirit Stones.

A look of astonishment flashed in his eyes, and then he excitedly collected the fifty Spirit Stones into his storage ring, checking to ensure no one had seen him. Once he was certain, he hurried into town at a jog.

Today, he had truly encountered an immortal.

Inside the pocket world, Chen Xiu had fully recovered his spirit energy and sat in the Sect Leader's chair in the grand hall. He took the healing pill from Fat Dragon, swallowed a few, and then spoke softly to the SkyMock Sect disciples below.

"You must have felt the disappearance of the restraints on your Golden Core, right?"

"I don't know the Incarnation Formation Art yet."

"Try to restrain yourselves and avoid any hasty attempts at Soul Formation."

"Yes, sir!"

The SkyMock Sect disciples in the grand hall, their faces flushed with excitement, shouted in unison. At this moment, they all clearly felt the disappearance of the restraints on their Golden Cores, and they seemed to be on the verge of Nascent Soul breakthrough at any moment.

However, without knowing the Incarnation Formation Art, any hasty attempt would risk their lives.

They had already waited so many years; a few more days wouldn't matter.

Half a cup of tea later, Chen Xiu, Fat Dragon, and Scholar walked through the icy snow, with no other pedestrians or traces of demonic beasts around. This was an uninhabited area.

Chen Xiu furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

How could he obtain the Incarnation Formation Art? The fastest way was through a sect disciple, as a Golden Core Peak cultivator would surely know the art.

However, if he wasn't decisive enough, he might face endless pursuit.

From the previous miscellaneous records, Chen Xiu knew that in the Xuantian Continent, Peak Nascent Soul wasn't the strongest. Above that were the Divine Transformation cultivators, who could control the power of heaven and earth with a wave of their hand.

His destination was a city thousands of miles away, governed by the Yuanzong Sect—Dayuan City.

After making his decision, he didn't linger and immediately transformed into a stream of light with Scholar and the others, shooting towards Dayuan City. Along the way, he sensed many other cultivators heading in the same direction, but everyone was restrained, avoiding any contact.

In the Xuantian Continent, unsolicited contact from strangers often led to trouble.

Soon, they arrived outside Dayuan City, several miles away, where the snowstorm had ceased.

With spring approaching, the temperature was quite comfortable.

At the city gate, a line of people waited to enter, and occasionally, disciples in Yuanzong Sect clothing would exit and shoot off into the distance.

After paying an entry fee of one Spirit Stone, they entered the city without incident.

Finding an inn, Chen Xiu sat alone in a room, sending Fat Dragon and Scholar to gather information. Fat Dragon was skilled in this regard, far better than Chen Xiu, and with a communication ring, he could ensure that he'd be the first to know if anything unexpected happened.

At the Dragon Gate Inn in Dayuan City, Chen Xiu sat alone by the window, his mind wandering as he gazed out. He held a teacup in mid-air but didn't drink, lost in thought. He had spent over a thousand years trying to escape the Daxia Cage, and now he was finally in the Xuantian Continent.

But upon arriving, he felt little difference between this place and the Great Xia Kingdom. The architectural styles were similar, and the clothing was much the same. Moreover, the concentration of spirit energy here was weaker than in Great Xia!

Or perhaps it was similar to the spirit energy in Xuzhou but weaker than in South State.

The only difference was the lack of restraints; as long as one had strength and sufficient opportunities, they could continuously advance their cultivation.

At that moment, Fat Dragon and Scholar entered the room. Fat Dragon strode forward, handing Chen Xiu a jade slip, his expression grim as he rasped, "Brother Chen, the situation is not good. We seem to have entered the territory of a demon sect."

"What's worse is that night is approaching."

"A demon sect?"

Chen Xiu raised his eyebrows slightly. The name Yuanzong didn't sound like a demon sect, but upon probing the jade slip, he realized that it indeed was one.

The disciples of this sect often said, "This object has a connection with me."

They were experts in killing, looting, and burning, but they weren't demon cultivators.

They merely acted like demon cultivators.

The Xuantian Continent was divided into the Upper Nine States, the Middle State, and the Lower Nine States. The Middle State had the densest spirit energy, and the strongest sect powers were often gathered there. The Upper and Lower Nine States had thinner spirit energy.

Chen Xiu's current location was in one of the nine states of the lower realm, Quzhou.

Chen Xiu's expression gradually turned peculiar as he quickly understood what Fat Dragon meant by the approaching darkness. In the Xuantian Continent, there were many special random Heavenly Dao events as well as fixed Heavenly Dao events.

One of the fixed Heavenly Dao events was "Before Dawn."

Before Chen Xiu arrived on the Xuantian Continent, this fixed Heavenly Dao event had already issued a Heavenly Mandate Decree. This Heavenly Dao event occurred once every month, rotating through all nine states.

Regardless of which state it was, it would not cover the entire state but would only affect an area with a city as the center, covering a hundred li in radius.

This time, it was the turn of Quzhou, Dayuan City!

"Heavenly Mandate Decree: Nightfall Approaches in Quzhou, Dayuan City. After nightfall, for six hours, all cultivators outside the city will be unable to use defensive essence energy, divine sense detection, Nascent Soul protection, or defensive treasures for self-defense and probing."

It sounded a bit complicated.

But in simple terms, it was a night of slaughter.

After darkness fell, everyone would be unable to use defensive or probing means. In the pitch-black night, they would fight for the Heavenly Materials outside the city. Moreover, even if you killed a disciple from a major sect during this time, their Life Seal would not be able to trace back to you.

It was as if the already scarce order was completely shattered.

Of course, if you felt the outside world was too dangerous, you could simply hide within the city, which was safe.

Furthermore, with everyone unable to use self-defense means, the gap in cultivation levels was greatly reduced. Even if you were a Nascent Soul cultivator, without any defensive measures, you would still die if surrounded and attacked by several Golden Core Peak cultivators.

Those who dared to leave the city before nightfall were all reckless cultivators. During this event, the danger outside the city would rapidly increase as darkness approached.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Xiu continued to look at the information within the jade slip.

Inside the jade slip, there was information about the conditions and Heavenly Materials required for each rank of Nascent Soul, from the first rank to the tenth rank. Fat Dragon had mentioned that the Incarnation Formation Art was not a secret, and it was easy to purchase the related information. However, the information only went up to the tenth rank, with no details beyond that.

Chen Xiu's divine sense probed into the jade slip and quickly obtained the relevant information.

"First Rank Nascent Soul: Upon naturally breaking through in cultivation, one can form a First Rank Nascent Soul."

"Second Rank Nascent Soul: By using a Nascent Soul body as the incarnation material, one can form a Second Rank Nascent Soul."

"Third Rank Nascent Soul: By using three Nascent Soul bodies, a Malevolent Wood, and with all cultivation methods at the Grand Completion stage, one can form a Third Rank Nascent Soul."

"Fourth Rank Nascent Soul: By using a Spirit Transformation body as the incarnation material, one can form a Fourth Rank Nascent Soul."

"Fifth Rank Nascent Soul: By using a Spirit Transformation body, a strand of Heavenly Dao fortune, and with a foundation free of any hidden injuries, one can form a Fifth Rank Nascent Soul."

"..."

"Tenth Rank Nascent Soul: Requires the following prerequisites: Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, a seven-colored keyword, and a Tenth Rank Golden Core. Additionally, one must use ten keywords of any rank, three Spirit Transformation bodies, a strand of Heaven's Pride fortune, nine Second Rank Nascent Soul bodies, one Eight Directions Fruit, and a Malevolent Wood as incarnation materials to form a Tenth Rank Nascent Soul."

"..."

There wasn't even any information about the Twelfth Rank Nascent Soul.

However, he hadn't had information about the Twelfth Rank Golden Core either. After fulfilling the conditions of the Tenth Rank Golden Core, he had successfully forged a Twelfth Rank Golden Core using the "Eight-Petaled Fire Lotus."

Similarly,

Once he fulfilled the conditions for the Tenth Rank Nascent Soul, he would most likely be able to forge a Twelfth Rank Nascent Soul using the four wondrous flowers within the Pocket World.

But...

Chen Xiu remained silent for a long time before his lips twitched slightly. He looked up at Fat Dragon and asked, "It requires three Spirit Transformation bodies?"

"Hmm?"

Fat Dragon also felt it was a bit unreasonable and scratched his head, speaking in a low voice, "How about a Third Rank or Second Rank Nascent Soul instead? The conditions for the Tenth Rank Nascent Soul are too extreme."

Three Spirit Transformation bodies!

Those were the bodies of Divine Transformation cultivators, a level higher than the Nascent Soul Realm! It wasn't difficult to obtain a Spirit Transformation body; one just needed to kill a Divine Transformation cultivator. But the problem was that a cultivator at the Golden Core Peak Realm was trying to kill a Divine Transformation cultivator!

That was crossing two major cultivation realms!

Were these conditions too harsh?

After a moment, Chen Xiu picked up the cloak on the table that could block divine sense and put it on, his expression helpless as he walked out of the inn. "I'll take a walk outside."

He had already started considering giving up on the Tenth Rank Nascent Soul and even the Twelfth Rank Nascent Soul.

There was no other way.

The conditions were too harsh, and the requirement for Spirit Transformation bodies had stopped him in his tracks. As of now, he felt that the Third Rank Nascent Soul was probably his limit. He no longer planned to wait for the Heaven's Pride Road.

The Golden Core Realm provided little security on the Xuantian Continent.

It was better to advance to the Nascent Soul Realm as soon as possible.

For instance, he didn't plan to participate in tonight's "Nightfall Approaches" Heavenly Dao event, as it was too dangerous. It was best to keep a low profile after arriving on the Xuantian Continent and focus on cultivation for now.

He had the "Omniscient" keyword and wanted to see if he could find any bargains at the street stalls.

Dayuan City had a large number of wanderers, Yuanzong Sect cultivators, and his own sect's cultivators.

At this time, a large number of people had gathered in Dayuan City, all from nearby areas seeking refuge. After nightfall, with the "Nightfall Approaches" event, it would be dangerous outside the city.

Along the way,

Almost all cultivators were either wearing cloaks that could block divine sense or masks that could do the same. Even the Yuanzong Sect disciples were wearing masks.

Chen Xiu, wearing a cloak, didn't seem out of place. He was currently squatting in front of a stall, carefully inspecting the Heavenly Materials and Treasures on display.

This street was like a small bazaar.

Both sides of the street were filled with peddlers selling various items, including weapon fragments and medicinal herbs that seemed to have their own spirit. What exactly these items were depended on the peddlers' descriptions.

"Fellow Daoist, you've struck gold here."

Chen Qiu stood before a bald merchant at a stall, who was eyeing the sword tip fragment Chen Qiu was toying with. After glancing around discreetly, the merchant leaned in and whispered.

"Do you know about the great battle that swept through Quzhou thousands of years ago?"

"Indeed!"

"My great-great-great-great-grandfather was an eyewitness to that battle. It was so fierce that it darkened the skies. This sword tip fragment is from a shattered weapon from that very battle, imbued with supreme Sword Intent. If you can comprehend it, you'll become the number one Sword Immortal of Quzhou!"

"I'll sell it to you for ten Medium-grade Spirit Stones."

"Mhm."

Chen Qiu nodded slightly, casually scanning the items on the stall. As his gaze fell on each item, a cloud-shrouded panel appeared above his Dantian, providing detailed information about the object.

The sword tip fragment in his hand was appraised as trash.

Everything on the stall was junk, not a single genuine item. Just as he was about to leave, he overheard a conversation nearby.

"Are you going out of the city tonight?"

"Why? Do you want to join the Nightfall Approaches event? Think carefully, a few years back, hundreds of Golden Core disciples died during Nightfall Approaches in Quzhou."

"I'm still undecided. I heard that a Spirit Transformation Body will appear during tonight's event. I'm fast with my Body Technique, so if I manage to get it, I can directly forge a Fourth Rank Nascent Soul. Once I break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, I'll be invincible among my peers!"

Chen Qiu's body stiffened slightly as he listened. His grip on the sword tip fragment tightened, and he glanced at the two wanderers walking away. The mention of a Spirit Transformation Body during Nightfall Approaches piqued his interest.

Perhaps it was time to reconsider his decision about his Tenth Rank Nascent Soul.

The first step is always the hardest, but once he obtained the first one, the rest would follow.

The merchant noticed Chen Qiu's reaction and his eyes lit up, thinking Chen Qiu had misjudged the item. He quickly spoke up, seizing the opportunity.

"Fellow Daoist, this sword tip fragment is from a Supreme Divine Artifact. I'm only selling it because my family's fortunes have declined. Ten Medium-grade Spirit Stones is a fair price, I assure you."

Chen Qiu, who was about to leave, glanced at the merchant and said, "How about eight Medium-grade Spirit Stones? I'll take it."

"This..."

The merchant's breathing quickened, but he managed to control his excitement. With difficulty, he said, "Fellow Daoist, I can't lower the price any further. You know the value of this item. If..."

Before the merchant could finish, Chen Qiu stood up, accompanied by Fei Long, and walked away from the stall.

The merchant, stunned, hurriedly called out, "I'll sell it! I'll take eight Medium-grade Spirit Stones, as you said!"

But Chen Qiu and his companions showed no signs of stopping.

"Seven!"

"Three!"

"One! Just one, please!"

No matter how desperately the merchant pleaded, Chen Qiu and his group continued walking away, their distance increasing. Left behind, the merchant stood there, filled with regret and self-blame, slapping his face and beating his chest in anguish.

Why did he have to pretend just then?

If he hadn't, the deal might have been sealed for eight Medium-grade Spirit Stones.

Chen Qiu felt rather pleased with himself. Perhaps it was the thrill of teasing the merchant or the news about the Spirit Transformation Body during Nightfall Approaches, but his mood had improved significantly since his arrival.

When he first descended upon the Xuantian Continent, he felt a sense of oppression, unable to fully relax.

But now, he felt much more at ease.

Just then, he noticed something on a nearby stall—

"Treasure Name: Demon-Slaying Bracelet"

"Acquisition Source: High-grade Earth Rank Heavenly Mandate Treasure, bestowed by the Heavenly Dao."

"Usage Effect:

1. Heavily polluted by malevolent energy, rendering it unusable. Requires purification with ten Malevolent Woods and ten days of nurturing in the Dantian to restore its power."

Chen Qiu's expression grew peculiar as he discovered a Heavenly Mandate Treasure on a random stall. The stall was filled with broken weapon fragments, damaged jade slips, and various weeds masquerading as spirit herbs. Each item faintly emanated a trace of spirit qi, a common trick used by merchants.

By crushing a spirit stone, they infused the items with a hint of spirit qi, passing them off as spiritual treasures.

Whether they could sell them or not depended solely on their persuasive skills.

In a corner of the stall, a rusty copper bracelet lay, seemingly insignificant. It was covered in dirt, as if freshly unearthed.

Chen Qiu stopped and crouched before the stall. After a moment, he looked up at the merchant and casually asked, "I'll take this bracelet. How much?"

"One hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

The merchant was a female cultivator, perhaps new to the trade, as her voice lacked confidence and trembled slightly. "Don't underestimate this bracelet. Do you know about the great battle that darkened Quzhou thousands of years ago?"

"My great-great-great-great-grandfather witnessed that battle. This bracelet..."

Before she could finish, Chen Qiu chuckled and waved his hand, signaling Fei Long to pay. He then picked up the bracelet and left, leaving behind a few words.

"That bald merchant over there is your relative, isn't he?"

"You two have the same sales pitch."

"When lying, always look into the person's eyes and sound confident."

"You must deceive yourself before you can deceive others. Without self-belief, how can you convince others?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end