txolops Chapter 215 Entering the Great Jin Dynasty! The Body Refining Technique, Mingwang Jue!
Chapter 215 Entering the Great Jin Dynasty! The Body Refining Technique, Mingwang Jue!
This beast is extremely strange in appearance.
Its body resembles a dragon, covered with bluish-black scales, long and winding, yet it is topped with an enormous bull's head, its horns curving towards the sky, and its breath carrying the sounds of wind and thunder.
The most peculiar thing is that its four feet are treading on four constantly rolling white clouds, which makes its flight both stable and fast.
However, this so-called "Heavenly Sacred Beast" was strange in appearance and huge in size. Although its spiritual energy was not weak, it did not give people a strong and violent feeling. On the contrary, its huge bull eyes seemed somewhat dull and wooden, which was quite inconsistent with its fierce appearance.
In contrast, the figure standing on the giant beast's broad back was far more eye-catching.
She was a woman dressed in a moon-white priestess robe, with cascading black hair held back only by a simple wooden hairpin. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, with delicate features, and her skin seemed to radiate a soft glow in the afterglow of the setting sun.
She stood tall and straight, with an ethereal and holy aura, like a goddess who had stepped out of a mural. However, her bright eyes now contained a cold anger and scrutiny, firmly fixed on Lin Chuan in front of her.
She was none other than the Holy Maiden of Tianlan Grassland, a woman of high status and whose cultivation had reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage!
"Cultivator ahead, halt!" The Holy Maiden's voice was clear and melodious, yet carried an undeniable air of authority, clearly carried through the wind. "In recent days, several immortal masters have fallen in my Tianlan Grassland. Is this your doing?"
Lin Chuan stopped his escape light, turned around to face the approaching giant beast and the saintess, and said calmly, "They overestimated themselves and insisted on blocking my way, only to seek their own death."
"What a foolish act of courting death!"
The Holy Maiden's eyes flashed with even colder light. "Regardless of the reason, to kill my Holy Temple's Immortal Master is to provoke my Tianlan Grassland! Today, you must give me, and the Holy Temple, an explanation!"
"Explain?"
Lin Chuan chuckled lightly, "Why should I, Lin, explain my actions to others? If you want to avenge them, just do it. Why waste words?"
"Arrogant!"
With a sharp cry, the saintess stopped talking and raised her jade hand. Countless thin, hair-like threads, shimmering with cold silver light, shot out from her sleeve like a celestial maiden scattering flowers. They instantly filled a large area of the sky and came from all directions to entwine and cut towards Lin Chuan!
These silver threads appear delicate, yet they are incredibly sharp, and they carry a chilling power that can freeze the soul, clearly indicating that it is an extremely powerful magic weapon.
"Well done!"
Lin Chuan's eyes blazed with fighting spirit. With a thought, the seventy-two Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords reappeared, and the Great Geng Sword Formation was instantly set up!
Hundreds of golden sword lights crisscrossed and collided fiercely with the silver lines filling the sky!
"Jingle bells—!"
A series of crisp, rain-like collisions rang out, as golden and silver light intertwined and exploded, and sword energy and cold air annihilated each other.
As soon as they exchanged blows, Lin Chuan realized that the Heavenly Maiden was indeed as good as her reputation suggested.
Her cultivation was solid, and her magic weapon was profound. The silver threads were flexible and cunning, penetrating everywhere. If it weren't for the Great Geng Sword Formation's integrated offense and defense, which covered everything, it would have been quite a challenge.
However, Lin Chuan's strength was ultimately superior, especially since the Great Geng Sword Formation had been honed by him over many years and was now incredibly powerful.
In just over ten rounds, the golden sword light gradually suppressed the silver threads, forcing the saintess to retreat repeatedly, her pretty face turning slightly pale.
"You do have some skill, no wonder you're so arrogant!" The saintess snorted coldly, seemingly having made up her mind. She formed hand seals, her cherry lips moved slightly, and she recited an obscure and ancient incantation.
Instantly, the Heavenly Azure Sacred Beast beneath her let out a deep roar, its dark blue-black scales gleaming brightly.
The saintess raised her hand and patted her storage bag. A beam of azure light shot into the sky, growing larger with the wind and transforming into a giant bronze cauldron several meters tall with three legs and two handles, which hovered above her head!
This ancient and grand cauldron is covered with carvings of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and various ancient patterns that are difficult to decipher, exuding a vast and boundless aura.
A faint blue mist rose from the mouth of the cauldron, and the faint sounds of wind and thunder could be heard emanating from it.
"The Heavenly Cauldron!" Lin Chuan's gaze sharpened. The aura emanating from this cauldron was somewhat similar to the Void Heaven Cauldron within his body!
Apart from slight differences in color (the Void Heaven Cauldron is more bluish-gray, while this cauldron is more bluish-green), the size, shape, and unique charm of the ancient Tongtian Lingbao are almost identical!
"go!"
With a flick of her jade finger, the Holy Maiden caused the Heavenly Azure Cauldron to spin rapidly. With its mouth aimed at Lin Chuan, countless strands of azure light surged forth, wrapping around Lin Chuan's flying sword and the Great Geng Sword Formation as if they were alive! These azure light strands were far more powerful than the previous silver threads, carrying a strange power that could imprison and decompose the spirituality of magical treasures. This caused Lin Chuan's flying sword light to stagnate, and its operation became somewhat obscure.
"Indeed, they share the same origin!"
Lin Chuan was not surprised but delighted. He no longer hesitated and focused his mind on the Void Heaven Cauldron within his body, which had already been initially cultivated by the Tongbao Technique.
"Buzz—!"
A buzzing sound, seemingly from ancient times, rang out. The void above Lin Chuan's head rippled, and a bronze cauldron of the same size, but slightly darker in color and with an even more ancient and profound aura, appeared—it was the Heavenly Treasure Void Cauldron!
As soon as the Void Heaven Cauldron appeared, it seemed to be challenged. The cauldron trembled slightly and also emitted countless light blue threads, actively meeting the light blue threads of the Heavenly Blue Sacred Cauldron!
"What?! You also have the Sacred Cauldron?!"
Upon seeing this, the Holy Maiden of Tianlan paled, her eyes filled with disbelief and shock. The Sacred Cauldron was a priceless treasure passed down through generations of the grasslands; how could a mere cultivator from Tiannan possibly possess it?
The two giant cauldrons spewed out strands of green silk that tangled, collided, and annihilated wildly in the air, emitting strange hissing sounds, and for a time they were locked in a stalemate.
Taking advantage of the moment when the two cauldrons were locked in a standoff and the Holy Maiden's attention was greatly drawn, Lin Chuan's Void Shuttle under his feet shone brightly, and his speed suddenly increased several times. His figure transformed into a blurry phantom, and with lightning speed, he bypassed the Heavenly Azure Sacred Cauldron, which was entangled with the Void Heaven Cauldron's green hair, and instantly appeared above the head of the Heavenly Azure Sacred Beast!
"roar?!"
A hint of confusion seemed to flash in the dull eyes of the Heavenly Azure Sacred Beast, as if it hadn't quite caught on.
"receive!"
Lin Chuan's mind raced, and a thick strand of green silk emerged from the Void Heaven Cauldron, like a python emerging from its cave, instantly wrapping the massive Tianlan Sacred Beast tightly around its body!
The sacred beast let out a terrified roar and struggled desperately, but its black hair was incredibly tough and contained the power of spatial confinement. No matter how strong it was, it could not break free for a time!
A powerful suction force emanated from the mouth of the Void Cauldron, causing the green hair to curl back and pull the sacred beast, attempting to draw it into the cauldron!
"Stop! How dare you steal my sacred beast?!" Saintess Tianlan was shocked and furious. She tried to activate the Tianlan Sacred Cauldron to rescue it, but she was tightly entangled by Lin Chuan's Void Heaven Cauldron and could not spare any attention.
Just as the sacred beast was about to be taken away, Lin Chuan suddenly sensed two terrifying auras, vast and boundless, far exceeding the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, rapidly approaching this place from two different directions at the edge of his powerful divine sense that covered six hundred miles!
Their speed and the strength of their aura were so great that they were clearly two Nascent Soul stage cultivators!
"The reinforcements arrived quickly."
Lin Chuan frowned.
If he gets bogged down by two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, and given that he's unfamiliar with the area, plus the presence of the Heavenly Maiden and the Sacred Cauldron, he'll likely be in trouble.
He made a decisive move, and the green hair of the Void Heaven Cauldron suddenly retracted!
With a "whoosh," the enormous Tianlan Sacred Beast was forcibly pulled into the seemingly small mouth of the Void Heaven Cauldron and disappeared!
The Void Heaven Cauldron then transformed into a beam of azure light and entered Lin Chuan's body.
"Until we meet again, Your Excellency!"
Lin Chuan left a message for the Heavenly Maiden, whose face was filled with shock, anger, and despair. He then pushed the Void Shuttle beneath his feet to its limit, transforming into a streak of azure light that nearly tore through space. In an instant, he shot towards the depths of the grassland, which was opposite to the direction of the Great Jin Dynasty. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the horizon, his speed astonishing.
"Give me back my sacred beast—!!!"
The Heavenly Maiden's piercing screams echoed across the grassland, but Lin Chuan's figure had already vanished without a trace.
A moment later, two figures descended upon the place with overwhelming aura. Looking at the empty scene and the pale-faced, trembling saintess, their expressions turned terrifyingly gloomy.
The grasslands are about to be engulfed in a huge uproar.
……
Appearing beside the Holy Maiden of Tianlan were two figures with auras as vast and unfathomable as abyss.
The man on the left is a young man who looks to be no more than thirty years old, dressed in a moon-white scholar's robe and wearing a square scarf on his head.
He had a refined appearance, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. Three long strands of beard swayed gently in the wind. He held a jade-ribbed folding fan in his hand, which made him look elegant and refined, just like a learned scholar.
However, the immense spiritual pressure emanating from him was as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, clearly indicating that he was a great cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage!
The person on the right is a woman dressed in a deep purple palace gown, with a graceful figure and an extremely alluring and seductive appearance.
Her hair was piled high, adorned with a golden phoenix-head hairpin, and her eyes exuded charm as she looked around. Her red lips were slightly upturned, a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.
However, the occasional flash of cold light in those captivating peach blossom eyes, and the terrifying aura emanating from her that was in no way inferior to that of the scholar-robed youth, also demonstrated her astonishing cultivation at the late Nascent Soul stage!
"Master Xu, Master Lin, you've arrived..."
Upon seeing the two, the Holy Maiden of Tianlan seemed to have found her pillar of support, but the worry and guilt in her eyes deepened. Pointing in the direction where Lin Chuan had disappeared, her voice trembled with urgency: "The sacred beast... the sacred beast was forcibly taken away by that Tiannan cultivator using a strange bronze cauldron!"
"What? The sacred beast has been taken away?!" The alluring woman known as "Immortal Master Lin" vanished from her smile, her eyes flashing with a fierce light, and a chilling killing intent spread out.
The scholar-official, Master Xu, frowned deeply, unconsciously tapping his palm with his folding fan, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, the sacred beast is no ordinary creature."
Though it is not the true form, but merely an incarnation formed from a wisp of the celestial soul using the power of my grassland totem, it represents the connection and grace of the celestial realm, and is even more crucial to the fate and faith of my grassland. If the sacred beast is lost, or refined, the holy spirit of the celestial realm will be angered and unleash punishment, and my grassland will likely... face a great calamity.”
"I know...it's all my fault. I was careless and failed to protect the sacred beast!"
"I know...it's all my fault. I was careless and failed to protect the sacred beast!"
The Holy Maiden of Tianlan was pale, biting her lower lip tightly. Her beautiful eyes were filled with self-reproach and determination. "The sacred beast was lost because of me. As the Holy Maiden, I have an inescapable responsibility! That person fled in the direction of the Great Jin. No matter the cost, I must retrieve the sacred beast!"
"Are you going to the Great Jin?"
Master Xu's gaze sharpened. "The cultivation world of the Great Jin Dynasty is unfathomably deep, with numerous sects and deeply entrenched forces, far more complex and dangerous than that of Tiannan. That person was able to easily snatch the sacred beast from you; their strength is likely far beyond our expectations. They are at least a top-tier existence in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, or even..."
"I know he's very strong."
Saintess Tianlan interrupted, her eyes burning with a resolute flame, "But precisely because of this, I must go. The sacred beast is connected to my mind, though forcibly separated, there is still a faint sense of connection guiding me. Since it has gone to the Great Jin, it must have some ulterior motive and will not disappear immediately. If I go in disguise and investigate secretly, there may still be an opportunity."
The alluring woman, "Immortal Master Lin," chuckled, but her voice was icy: "Holy Maiden, you certainly have guts. However, since that person dared to steal my sacred beast, he has become an enemy of the entire Tianlan. If you go alone and are discovered, you may be in danger. Perhaps..."
"What Fairy Lin said is absolutely right."
Master Xu picked up the conversation, his expression serious as he addressed the Holy Maiden, "Your Highness, if you insist on going, remember to conceal your identity and be extremely careful. The Great Jin is not our grassland, and many things will be inconvenient. Once you discover that person's whereabouts, do not alert him. Immediately use a secret method to send the message back to the grassland. At that time, I will personally go to the Great Jin to meet this audacious fellow Daoist from the South!"
"I understand. Thank you, Immortal Master Xu and Immortal Master Lin." Saintess Tianlan bowed solemnly to the two of them. Without further hesitation, the moon-white priest's robe on her body shimmered with light and quickly transformed into a set of ordinary female cultivator's attire. A veil was also added to her face, concealing her stunning beauty and some of her aura.
She glanced one last time in the direction where Lin Chuan had disappeared, then transformed into a streak of light and sped toward the border of the Great Jin Dynasty.
"Brother Xu, what do you think of the Holy Maiden's trip..." Master Lin looked at the Holy Maiden's departing figure, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable."
Master Xu gently shook his folding fan, his gaze profound. "However, the matter of the sacred beast is of great importance and cannot be entirely attributed to the Holy Maiden alone. Fairy Lin, we still need to appease the people within the grasslands and send more manpower to gather information about that person through other channels. He dares to act so recklessly in my Tianlan Grasslands; we must let him know that some things are not so easily obtained."
On the other side, Lin Chuan activated the Sky-Escape Shuttle, pushing its speed to the limit. He flew for more than ten days, completely shaking off any possible pursuers, and finally arrived at the border area between the Tianlan Grassland and the Great Jin Dynasty.
When the vast land, seemingly boundless, brimming with spiritual energy, magnificent mountains and flowing rivers, came into view, Lin Chuan knew that he had arrived at the Great Jin, the true holy land for cultivation in the human realm.
The territory of the Great Jin Dynasty is said to be more than ten times the size of the Southern Continent!
This place has spiritual veins like dragons, abundant mineral resources, and an astonishing abundance of spiritual energy, which has nurtured countless powerful cultivation sects, families, and independent cultivators.
Here, Nascent Soul cultivators are no longer a rare breed; their numbers are said to be astonishing, possibly exceeding two thousand!
The number of late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators was far greater than the few in Tiannan; it was more than ten times that number!
Even those legendary, elusive, and transcendent ancient monsters at the Nascent Soul stage do indeed exist in certain hidden corners of this land, threatening all directions.
"The Great Jin Dynasty... truly lives up to its reputation."
Lin Chuan took a deep breath. The rich spiritual energy in the air invigorated him, but at the same time, he also felt an invisible pressure.
Even with his current strength, he needs to be careful with his words and actions here.
Those ancient and powerful sects have unfathomable foundations, and their Nascent Soul cultivators possess the power to move mountains and overturn seas, and change the world. They are not people he can easily provoke at his current level.