Chapter 344: Iron Sword Sect
Chapter 344: Iron Sword Sect
Green Mountain Mental Hospital.
"The Federation... is tainted once again."
Xu Sanyang had dark circles under his eyes, his hair was disheveled, and he wore a hospital gown, looking like a mess.
Upon seeing Fang Xing, he immediately spoke these words.
Decades had passed, but this Martial Saint still maintained his youthful vigor.
After all, Martial Saints had long lifespans, and he was still in his adolescent phase.
However, Dean Ye Lingxin by his side revealed a pained expression, "Sanyang's condition has been deteriorating over the years. Now, he can only stay awake for about an hour each month. For the rest of the time, he is either asleep, raving, or delirious... I've spent a lot of effort to ensure his body doesn't undergo 'demonic transformation,' but his mental state is another matter..."
"You little rascal, you came to see me through projection with empty hands. How can you visit a patient without a gift?" Xu Sanyang, seeing Fang Xing's empty hands, shook his head, "And I'm fine... even though I'm mostly unconscious."
"What did you mean by what you said before?"
Fang Xing remained silent for a moment before asking.
"During my lucid moments, I haven't given up on the investigation... Recently, with the clues you provided, the Federation has tracked down some people. Some were dealt with, while others weren't..."
Xu Sanyang sighed, "Because of their backgrounds, power, and considerations... even my family, the Xus, wouldn't want to offend so many powerful figures for a useless person like me. This is different from the last time; these are truly 'powerful figures'!"
"The Coexistence Faction? Or the Escapist Faction?"
Fang Xing immediately thought of the suspects.
Even with the 'Laplace Demon,' there were likely corrupt elements within the upper echelons of the Blue Star Federation.
Yet, the mech master Heng Dong hadn't mentioned anything about it today.
It wasn't just caution, but possibly indifference... after all, they were just two Martial Saints.
"So what if you know? What can we do?" Xu Sanyang's eyes gradually lost focus, "Even if we advance to Martial Gods, we might not have enough strength for revenge."
"Give me a name." Fang Xing's voice was low and deep.
"So many stars... stars are flying..." But Xu Sanyang had completely fallen into delirium, hugging his knees and crouching in the corner of the room, staring into the void.
"This time, he was only lucid for 59 minutes and 12 seconds..." Dean Ye Lingxin looked at Xu Sanyang with a face full of worry.
"Thank you, Dean, for your continued care."
Fang Xing's projection dissipated.
Star River Island.
'Does Xu Sanyang not know, or is he unable to speak?'
Fang Xing stepped out of the holographic virtual cabin, deep in thought.
'After all... the virtual network is definitely monitored.'
'And he can't hold on much longer... it seems that the avatar of our school's leader needs to make an appearance soon... whether it's for saving people or for revenge!'
...
Han Sea Immortal Realm, Dark Koi Island.
Sea City Teleportation Array.
Buzz!
A flash of light, and several figures appeared, including men and women, old and young, most of them at the Core Formation stage.
"Greetings, welcome to the Outer Sea Immortal Realm. I am Ni Huolong, the Elder of Dark Koi Island!"
Ni Huolong cheerfully inspected the array formation and exchanged greetings with the Core Formation cultivators before handing out a few local jade slips containing the island's rules.
This was a routine he had grown accustomed to over the decades, almost to the point of numbness.
"So it's Elder Ni. Dark Koi Island's reputation is renowned in the Immortal Realm, and you've even fought the Peng Demon Island Lord to a draw. We will certainly follow the rules."
Several Core Formation cultivators bowed in gratitude and then left the bronze hall, blending into the sea city like drops of water.
Among them was a Core Formation cultivator at the early stage, accompanied by two Foundation Establishment junior disciples. After strolling through the market for a while, they entered a cave abode.
This was a cave abode rented out by Dark Koi Island, supplied with third-grade top-quality spiritual veins.
For Core Formation cultivators, this was more than sufficient for cultivation.
The early-stage Core Formation cultivator entered a cave abode with third-grade middle-quality spiritual veins. Surrounding the cave abode was a plantation of second-grade Iron Heart Bamboo, a type of spirit plant with a black ink color and a tall, pine-like stature. It could only grow on metal ore veins and was an excellent material for refining spiritual weapons and flying swords.
Although most flying swords were made from metal materials, they were still susceptible to being countered by special Yuan veins.
Replacing them with wooden attribute flying swords would eliminate this weakness.
The early-stage Core Formation cultivator walked into the bamboo grove, easily passing through a layer of illusion formation, and entered the cave abode.
The cave abode was, in fact, a small palace with a huge stone tablet at the entrance, inscribed with the bold characters 'Iron Sword Sect.'
Several streams of light flew out, all of them Core Formation cultivators, and upon seeing the three newcomers, their faces lit up with joy, "Junior Brother Zhou, and the two junior disciples, you've arrived?"
"Yes, our journey had some setbacks, and we even encountered a third-grade 'Sea-Raiding Swallow' attack... But it wasn't too dangerous, and I managed to kill the beast king and take its inner core..."
Junior Brother Zhou smiled and took out a grayish-white third-grade inner core, "I'll give this to Elder Huolong to refine some pills to enhance the sect members' cultivation..."
At this mention, a female cultivator among the Core Formation cultivators hesitated, "Now that our Iron Sword Sect has ventured into the Outer Sea, we need to focus on quick results. We might have to use beast cores to cultivate false core cultivators..."
"False core cultivators? Can they be considered Core Formation cultivators?"
"Zhou Shidi scowled in disdain."
"Alas... You two, take our junior martial brothers to settle down first, then go see Fire Dragon Shixiong." The female cultivator sighed.
Moments later, Zhou Shidi entered a cave abode, immediately feeling the scorching heat of fire.
Inside the abode was a Fire Dragon Furnace, and seated in front of it was a bearded warrior.
His eyebrows were crimson, and his aura was as sharp as a sword. His cultivation had reached the Late Core Formation stage, making him one of the top cultivators in the Outer Sea.
"Fire Dragon Shixiong," Zhou Shidi immediately paid his respects.
This person was none other than the highest-cultivated Iron Sword Sect member in the Outer Sea—Fire Dragon Zhenren!
"Hmm." Fire Dragon Zhenren nodded.
Fire Dragon Zhenren flicked his fingers, unleashing countless intricate restrictions to seal the entire cave abode.
His technique was incredibly profound.
"Shixiong's 'Diversionary Array' has become even more profound. Even the master of Dark Koi Island would likely struggle to probe it." Zhou Shidi expressed his admiration.
"The master of Dark Koi Island is rumored to be able to match a Nascent Soul Mid-stage cultivator, not to mention he also has a senior backing him up, making him even more formidable..." Zhou Shidi continued, "This restriction can ensure that even a Nascent Soul Mid-stage cultivator's divine perception won't go unnoticed. But against a Great True Monarch's perception, it's useless."
Fire Dragon Zhenren shook his head.
A Great True Monarch at the Nascent Soul Late-stage possessed a surge in both cultivation and perception, far surpassing ordinary Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
He sighed and turned serious, looking at Zhou Shidi, "How is the Inner Sea...?"
"I just received news from the Inner Sea, Shidi. The False Cloud Great True Monarch fought with the Thunder Sword Great True Monarch, destroying his body and capturing his Nascent Soul. The Thunder Sword Lineage is likely finished." Zhou Shidi's expression grew solemn.
"Damn it!" Fire Dragon Zhenren's anger surged. "If our Primordial Spirit Sword Sect still existed, how dare a mere Great True Monarch capture and kill our Nascent Soul True Monarch?"
Zhou Shidi fell silent.
Ever since the Primordial Spirit Sword Sect sank, the disciples outside had faced all sorts of greedy eyes.
Even the Nascent Soul True Monarchs who happened to be traveling in the Outer Sea met with misfortune, making it a veritable feast for the entire cultivation world.
Only a few 'Hidden' lineages, which had no apparent connection with the Primordial Spirit Sword Sect, managed to survive.
But the risk of exposure remained ever-present.
Fire Dragon Zhenren thought for a moment and sighed again. "The Thunder Sword Lineage possesses the Thundering Thunder Sword Canon, a rare lightning-attributed sword art in the cultivation world. Even after changing its name, it was manageable at the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation stages. However, at the Nascent Soul stage and beyond, if one wishes to reach Divine Transformation, they must eventually return to the true path of the Thundering Thunder Sword Canon. If they engage in an all-out battle, their foundation will be exposed, which is inevitable..."
"Among the five lineages of the sect, the Golden Sword Lineage has long fled to the outer realms, leaving no trace. The Slaughter Sword Lineage only accepts one disciple per generation and is the most mysterious. The Flying Immortal Lineage has pledged allegiance to the Ethereal Immortal Palace, and now with the Thunder Sword Lineage's destruction, only our Ten Thousand Transformations Lineage remains as the orthodoxy of the Vast Sea Immortal World."
Zhou Shidi nodded, as if recalling the earnest instructions and vows of his master: "Our Ten Thousand Transformations Lineage inherited the Diversionary Ten Thousand Methods Sword Canon, known as the 'Ten Thousand Transformations Without Form.' It can transform into any intermediate or lower-level sword art. Our founder foresaw this, using the Five Elements Sword Art to dominate the cultivation world. Since the Five Elements Sword Art is widespread, it draws less suspicion..."
"Our founder only hoped that our Iron Sword Sect would prosper, producing a Great True Monarch who could retrieve the Spirit Void Sword Scripture from our ancestral land, thus reviving the glory of the Primordial Spirit Sword Sect..."
Fire Dragon Zhenren smiled bitterly. "But after the master's passing, I was unable to uphold the sect's legacy, and we couldn't even stay in the Inner Sea..."
"This isn't your fault, Shixiong..." Zhou Shidi consoled, taking out a jade box from his storage bag. "This is what Yan Shijie asked me to give to you. She fought many battles for this item and is now being hunted down by the Transformation Hall in the Inner Sea. I fear she might..."
"Yan Shimei..." Fire Dragon Zhenren felt a wave of sadness. His mind flashed back to his youth in the Iron Sword Sect, carefree and sparring with his junior martial sister.
He sighed and blew gently.
A Fire Dragon True Essence appeared and floated into the talisman on the jade box.
The talisman ignited on its own, slowly opening the jade box to reveal a crimson inner core within.
Inside the core, a fierce monkey roared towards the sky.
"It's the essence soul great core of a fourth-stage demon beast?" Zhou Shidi stared, his eyes widening.
He only knew Yan Shijie had something important to deliver, but he didn't expect it to be this significant.
The talisman on the jade box required the Fire Dragon True Essence as a key to open it; otherwise, the item inside would be destroyed.
"Yan Shimei truly went all out... It seems our Iron Sword Sect's resources in the Inner Sea were all used to obtain this Essence Soul Great Core." Fire Dragon Zhenren exhaled.
The Essence Soul Great Core had many uses, but for Core Formation cultivators, its most significant application was in refining the Embryo Condensation Pill with other spiritual herbs.
However, using the Essence Soul Great Core often resulted in only one pill being successfully refined, with severe wastage of auxiliary herbs and less effectiveness compared to genuine Embryo Condensation Pills.
But it was a rare Embryo Condensation opportunity in the Vast Sea Immortal World!
(End of Chapter)
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