Chapter 749 - 266: Spirit Manifestation (Part 6)
As he was feeling perplexed, Shen Chongming suddenly spoke from afar.
Recovering his senses, Shen Wen’an immediately flashed to the front of the Underworld creature bound by the Thunder Rope. After a brief moment of contemplation, he directly summoned his Lifebound Flying Sword.
The three-inch Golden Sword pierced directly into the creature’s body.
The creature’s violently struggling body instantly froze, and then, like a deflated balloon, within a few breaths, it was drained to just a skin by Shen Wen’an’s Lifebound Flying Sword.
This scene left Xu Zhan and Shen Chongming dumbfounded.
"Third Uncle, how is your Lifebound Flying Sword more formidable than my Evil Demon?"
Xu Zhan asked curiously.
His Evil Demon required bite by bite to devour when dealing with someone from the Underworld.
Yet Shen Wen’an’s Lifebound Flying Sword only needed to stab the opponent, and within a few breaths absorbed the creature completely.
In fact, Shen Wen’an didn’t quite understand what the Underworld-related Rune Mark on his Lifebound Flying Sword did.
He merely felt an instinctive awareness that completing that Rune Mark should bring unimaginable benefits.
This time, since the Lifebound Flying Sword drained an Underworld Yin General, it should be enough to complete the Rune Mark.
"You have now achieved the Golden Core Dao, delay the matter of Golden Nature for now."
"The safety of Yunshui City is temporarily in your hands with Xu Zhan, Third Uncle urgently needs to go into seclusion."
Retrieving his Lifebound Flying Sword back into his Dantian, Shen Wen’an looked at Shen Chongming and spoke.
Shen Chongming nodded: "Rest assured, Third Uncle, I and Xu Zhan will surely safeguard Yunshui City."
"Mm, first go check on your grandfather and your father, and inform them of Third Uncle’s seclusion."
Shen Wen’an pondered for a moment, then solemnly finished speaking and flew directly towards the small courtyard at the foot of the mountain.
...
Inside the secret chamber.
Shen Wen’an sat cross-legged on a meditation mat.
This time in seclusion, he had two matters to attend to.
The primary task was to thoroughly investigate the purpose of the Underworld Rune on his Lifebound Flying Sword.
The second task was regarding the Broken Sword he seized from the Crane Demon at Celestial Sandalwood Mountain.
The Broken Sword and the Cyan Yuan Sword Nurturing Gourd in his possession were obviously part of a set, and if what the Crane Demon said was not false, combining the two segments of the Broken Sword could transform it into a Spiritual Artifact.
This time, whether or not the Cyan Yuan Sword Nurturing Gourd could nurture this Spiritual Artifact into a perfect state was something that required thorough research.
He calmed his breath, eliminated all distracting thoughts in his heart, and Shen Wen’an slowly immersed his Heart Spirit into his Dantian, beginning to study the Lifebound Flying Sword within.
Meanwhile, outside, when Shen Chongming and Xu Zhan returned to the old mansion, many of the Shen Family’s cultivators and younger members enthusiastically greeted them.
"Congratulations, Ah Die, on achieving the Golden Core Dao!"
"Congratulations to the Patriarch on achieving the Golden Core Dao!"
Amidst everyone’s respectful congratulations, Shen Chongming approached his father, Shen Wenxing, and bowed respectfully.
"Father."
Shen Wenxing nodded with a smile on his face.
"Not bad, you finally surpassed your old man."
Seeing his son surpass himself, Shen Wenxing’s heart was filled with both wonder and joy.
He was amazed because the child had achieved success and no longer needed the protection and care of an old father.
He was happy because the Shen Family had gained another Golden Core, and his son had now also become a Great Cultivator capable of shouldering responsibilities for the Shen Family.
"Where is your Third Uncle?"
Suppressing the emotions in his heart, Shen Wenxing looked behind the two, curious as he didn’t see Shen Wen’an’s figure and asked.
"Third Uncle has gone into seclusion."
Xu Zhan replied with a smile, bowing his hands.
"Is your Third Uncle injured?" Shen Wenxing quickly asked again.
"No, Third Uncle is fine."
Shen Chongming shook his head, smiling.
After some pleasantries, as the other Shen Family cultivators gradually left the old mansion, only then did the father and son along with Xu Zhan sit down in the side room.
With no outsiders around, Xu Zhan faced Shen Wenxing with a serious expression, respectfully saying: "Master, after this encounter with the people of the Underworld, your disciple has obtained some secrets."
He recounted the secrets he had learned earlier from a White-named Yin General and his own conjectures.
After listening, Shen Wenxing spoke in a deep voice: "So, you’re saying that for us Body Cultivators to truly achieve the Fifth Realm, we must seize the Golden Nature of other Golden Core Cultivators to refine an Impeccable Golden Body?"
Xu Zhan nodded.
"The person from the Underworld said, Heaven does not favor Body Cultivators."
"It is clearly impossible for us to acquire Golden Nature on our own."
After a pause, Xu Zhan continued, "Disciple plans to soon thoroughly comprehend and see what the connection is between Golden Nature and the Impeccable Golden Body."
"How can Body Cultivators use Golden Nature to cultivate the Impeccable Golden Body?"
Shen Wenxing nodded again, "I can’t help you much with this matter as your teacher."
"But... be extra careful with everything."
"For some reason, hearing you say these things, Master has a sense of unease."
The Underworld robbing cultivators of their Golden Nature and now Body Cultivators wanting to achieve a true Fifth Realm must also seize the Golden Nature from other Golden Core Cultivators—this behavior seems somewhat sinister.
Though unable to pinpoint what might be inappropriate about this act, Shen Wenxing always felt something was amiss.
Yet, at this point, he could not persuade Xu Zhan to stop trying.
After all, without achieving the Impeccable Golden Body, as the only Fifth Realm Body Cultivator in Yangnao Land and the Southern Border, he would constantly be targeted by those old figures.
If by chance it attracted some Purple Mansion Realm old monster nearing the end of its life, it would be another disaster for the Shen Family.
"Master, rest assured, disciple will be cautious."
The matter of refining others’ Golden Cores and Golden Nature is something Xu Zhan could not afford to be careless about.
After all, a Golden Core concentrates the entire Dao practice and Divine Spirit of a Golden Core Cultivator.
The Yin Tiger Demon King died at the hands of the Shen Family, and its Golden Core must contain extreme resentment towards the Shen Family.
If not careful, leaving behind some hidden danger, and allowing it to take advantage in the future, it would be a big problem.
After another round of casual conversation among the three.
Shen Wenxing then turned to Shen Chongming and said, "Now that you’ve successfully broken through, the position of Patriarch is returned to you."
"I also plan to take this time to cultivate well and see if I can make further progress."
"Master plans to go into seclusion!?" Xu Zhan asked, with a hint of worry crossing his face.
Shen Wenxing glanced at him and said with a faint smile, "I know my own limits."
"There’s no rush for the seclusion, I just want to take advantage of the time before the great catastrophe arrives to research the ’Nine Fiends Gathering Body Technique’ that you’ve been cultivating."
Xu Zhan had previously advised him to switch to cultivating ’Nine Fiends Gathering Body Technique’, but he had refused.
However, just now, hearing that the Evil Demon cultivated from ’Nine Fiends Gathering Body Technique’ could perfectly restrain the people of the Underworld, Shen Wenxing decided to research it properly, even if he doesn’t cultivate it, he needs to understand what this Evil Demon is all about.
Could ’Azure Dragon Force’ not cultivate something similar to the Evil Demon?
The two brothers watched Shen Wenxing leave the side room, and just as Xu Zhan was about to leave, he saw a Shen Family cultivator hurriedly approaching with Wind Manipulation from afar.
The cultivator came forward, bowed, and said, "Patriarch, Lord Xu."
"Reliable news has come from Celestial Aromatic Mountain, a Spiritual Transformation has appeared!"
Has a Spiritual Transformation appeared on Celestial Aromatic Mountain!?
Upon hearing this, the two looked genuinely astonished.
"Tell us in detail."
Xu Zhan spoke, after which the cultivator bowed and said, "The day before yesterday, we received news that all the sects on Celestial Aromatic Mountain gathered and executed those cultivators from Yangnao Land that they captured from around the area."
"The blood stained the entire Celestial Aromatic Mountain red."
"Today, it seems like the six major forces of the Southern Border have reached some kind of agreement and secretly executed some cultivators under their rule."
"Before I came, there was a phenomenon of red glowing clouds appearing in the section of the north slope of Celestial Aromatic Mountain controlled by the Huangsheng Sect, suspected to be a sign of a Spiritual Transformation."
"Currently, all the sects are itching to move, and I estimate, once the Spiritual Transformation fully reveals itself, even the land within a thousand miles surrounding Celestial Aromatic Mountain will be broken apart."
With a brief pause in his voice, the cultivator expressed eagerly, "Patriarch, this Spiritual Transformation, our Shen Family..."
Shen Chongming pondered for a moment with a solemn face and shook his head, "Our Shen Family will not involve itself in this matter."
"You are to immediately head to Xiwu City, inform Elder Pei, and urgently relocate all the disciples of Qiyun Valley to Hidden Dragon Mountain."
"In passing, also inform Luoxia Mountain of this news."
"Ask them to withdraw their foundation there as much as possible to avoid encountering a calamity at that time."
"Yes!" After receiving orders, the cultivator promptly manipulated the wind to rush into the distance.
Shen Chongming gazed with a heavy heart into the void afar.
Beside him, Xu Zhan asked in some confusion, "What is Brother worrying about?"
"Since the Shen Family doesn’t intend to fight for the Spiritual Transformation, just let them fight among themselves."
Shen Chongming pondered for a moment and murmured, "I’m worried that with the appearance of this Spiritual Transformation, the old monster from the Purple Mansion Realm at Celestial Sandalwood Mountain might descend upon Yangnao Land."