Cultivating To Immortality

"Hey, Brother Feng, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The Elder Council has conscripted twenty or thirty Cultivators to come here for support."

Within Tiansheng Pass, several Cultivators gathered, whispering.

"That’s a good thing."

"Indeed, they arrived yesterday. I reckon our rotation shifts will be much shorter now."

The speaker glanced around: "And I heard that the young girl surnamed Zhou is going to be transferred to their side."

"Why is that?"

"I heard that the leader of this support team is Song Yan... That little Zhou is also from Cave Abyss Sect, so it’s probably Senior He’s arrangement."

"Then that’s also a good thing."

The Cultivator referred to as "Brother Feng" stroked the beard on his face: "That little girl never does anything proper, doesn’t Cultivate, just sleeps all day. She’s unreliable anyway."

By the Late Stage of Qi Refining, Cultivators could essentially replace sleep with Cultivating spiritual energy.

Sometimes, when mentally fatigued and needing rest, they wouldn’t sleep for too long.

But this little girl from Cave Abyss Sect was completely different. Everyone had only seen her do two things since her arrival.

During her shifts, she barely managed to stay awake, and as soon as her shift was over, she’d return to her residence and collapse into sleep.

She would sleep until her next shift.

This young girl, so young and so fond of sleep, where did her cultivation come from?

At this very moment, Zhou Mengdie was stationed at the Pass.

...

Her expression was dazed, her small mouth slightly agape, and clear drool trickled from the corner of her lips.

Her head bobbed incessantly, like a chick pecking at rice.

"Zhou Mengdie..."

"...Ho..."

"Zhou Mengdie!"

"Huh?" The girl’s body suddenly jolted, and she barely managed to prop open her eyelids, looking up at the person in front of her.

"Senior... Senior He, hello."

"This..."

He Huan sighed: "Little Zhou, from today onwards, you will follow the arrangements of your Senior Brother Song and will no longer participate in our shifts here."

"Oh... huh?"

Zhou Mengdie was still a bit muddled, but under He Huan’s guidance, she came to Song Yan’s temporary Immortal Cave to visit.

Song Yan looked at the young girl in front of him with a strange expression, thinking to himself that this was not good.

He Huan played this move well. He had thought this person was meticulous, but unexpectedly, he had smoothly thrown this hot potato to him.

"Are you also a Disciple of Lianyou Peak?"

"Uh... yes..."

Song Yan and He Huan had only exchanged a few pleasantries, but Zhou Mengdie was already completely dazed.

She felt like she was about to lie down and fall into a deep sleep right then and there.

"Go back to sleep first."

Song Yan smiled bitterly in his heart, losing interest in talking to her.

The ’Danxi Mind-Cultivation Technique’ states that when the spleen and stomach are afflicted by dampness, one feels lethargic, weak, lazy, and prone to lying down and sleeping.

In the past, when treating people, this drowsiness was usually caused by spleen deficiency, excessive dampness, and insufficient vital Qi.

But Zhou Mengdie was a Cultivator, after all, and had no hidden illnesses or injuries, so why would she have such a problem?

Song Yan truly couldn’t understand.

However, at this moment, he did remember such a person.

Xiang Zhaoling had once told him that she had a good friend on Lianyou Peak who only knew how to sleep all day.

It seemed this must be her.

"Senior Brother Song, although I like to sleep, I will still diligently complete any tasks you assign me."

Zhou Mengdie forced herself to stay awake, speaking a complete and clear sentence.

"Alright, for the next few days, you will be on duty here with me."

"The sooner you earn battle merits, the sooner you can return to the Sect."

Some people are simply not suited for combat; it’s not about being afraid of death, but rather their inherent nature.

In Song Yan’s view, Zhou Mengdie was such a person.

He Huan’s arrangements were orderly. With so many Cultivators coming to support, there were ample personnel.

Without any special circumstances, Song Yan didn’t really need to sit in charge at the Pass.

His Cultivation time was not much less than when he was in Red Maple Plains.

Now, Song Yan, with his Sword Formation, Violet Qi Merging with the Void, and Mirror Flower, Water Moon Sword Intent, no longer feared ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm Middle Stage Cultivators.

However, he did not become arrogant or complacent.

In such a large-scale war, a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator could only ensure their own safety in most cases. Without reaching the Golden Core Realm, they were merely pawns and cannon fodder.

The conflict between the Righteous Path and Demonic Cultivators had caused the original order to become unbalanced, with open and covert struggles being commonplace.

Doing everything possible to rapidly increase one’s strength was the most important matter in this catastrophe.

Therefore, aside from the most basic Cultivation, Song Yan dedicated all his energy and time to studying Sword Intent and Sword Formations.

Within the Grand Void Transformation Tome, throughout the entire Foundation Establishment Realm, the strongest killing move a Sword Cultivator could master was likely the Sword Domain.

However, the method of the Sword Domain was not like ordinary Formations, which could be deployed with enough Flying Swords, strong enough Divine Sense, and proficient enough sword-controlling techniques.

Firstly, it required the Sword Intent to grow and reach a state of free operation.

Song Yan had not yet achieved this.

His comprehension of Mirror Flower, Water Moon was not deep enough, far from meeting the requirements.

Secondly, it required the complete integration of several compatible Sword Formations.

Regarding this, Song Yan had already begun to consider it since the Spirit Transformation Chapter.

The Sword Formations Ring Moon and Howling Sun came from the same lineage. By learning one more Sword Formation, he could meet the requirements.

Lastly, there was the Sword Spirit. Currently, the Sword Spirit, Xianxian, was still in a deep sleep.

However, through a subtle premonition, it should awaken very soon.

Therefore, Song Yan focused his attention on the Cultivation of both Sword Intent and Sword Formations.

The last Sword Formation required for this Sword Domain needed seven Flying Swords... Outside Tiansheng Pass, about a hundred li away.

A group of Demonic Cultivators was discussing, but the atmosphere among them seemed rather tense.

"Senior Brother Chen, what should we do now?"

"What? You ask me, who should I ask?"

The Demonic Cultivator called Senior Brother Chen had a fierce expression: "Should we send another message to the Elders now, telling them there’s a Song Yan here, and ask them to dispatch a few Foundation Establishment Realm Late Stage Cultivators, and a few False Core Realm Seniors?"

"Go on!"

The person who spoke earlier was timid and dared not open his mouth.

One of the female Cultivators was alluring, but her face was full of worry: "Who would have thought that the other side would even send this killing machine over?"

To put it plainly, the main objective of the Demon Ruins was definitely in the Central Region.

Not much power was allocated to these Border Regions.

Originally, it was sufficient, but Song Yan’s appearance made their plans difficult to advance.

A yellow-robed old man next to them had flickering eyes, wondering what he was thinking.

"Alright, alright." Senior Brother Chen frowned, sighing.

Here, they had three Foundation Establishment Realm Middle Stage Cultivators and three Foundation Establishment Realm Early Stage Cultivators.

As a guerrilla force, this was actually a considerable power.

But Song Yan’s combat strength was mysterious; currently, it seemed he could at least contend with three Foundation Establishment Realm Middle Stage Cultivators.

Adding that to the original defenders, they were suddenly outmatched.

However, they didn’t dare to complain to those few False Core Realm Elders now and could only push forward grimly.

"After all, it’s just to attract the attention of the Righteous Path Cultivators. We only need to catch them off guard, kill all the Qi Refining Cultivators mining Within the Pass, and delay their actions."

"As for whether we can kill Song Yan, everyone is on their own."

"Wait."

Just as he was about to get up and leave, he heard the old man slowly speak: "Everyone says this Song Yan has extraordinary combat strength, but in the end, he is just a Foundation Establishment Realm Early Stage Cultivator."

Senior Brother Chen’s eyes narrowed: "What do you want to say?"

"This old man wants to say, why should a mere greenhorn from this Border Region cause everyone present such a headache and anxiety."

"How can we six Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators be afraid of him alone?"

The yellow-robed old man stroked his beard and said: "If we can find an opportunity, and all six of us strike at the same time, I refuse to believe that a Foundation Establishment Realm Early Stage Cultivator can cause any significant trouble."

"Are you all truly treating him like those Central Region Prodigies or Demon Ruins Daoists?"

The yellow-robed old man’s words were all reasonable.

Except for the yellow-robed old man, the others present were not old and had a certain spirit.

Indeed, Song Yan had just entered Foundation Establishment Realm. If the six of them struck first and simultaneously, the outcome was still uncertain.

They hadn’t heard of him having any special defensive measures.

A greenhorn from the Border Region, where would he have any profound background?

Thinking this way, could it be that they had all been overthinking things?

Had they overestimated Song Yan?

"Elder Xu, if you have any ideas, just say them."

...Outside Tiansheng Pass, in the Hidden Woodcutter’s Quiet Forest.

A young man in black robes sat on a barren stone, his fingertips moving slightly, Sword Qi flowing.

His entire body revealed no Qi, as if he were an ordinary person.

Between the dense trees, the low growls of Demon Beasts faintly echoed.

In an instant.

Three Late Stage Tier 1 Demon Beasts, Red Mane Boars, simultaneously charged from three directions, attacking the man.

...

The man murmured to himself, not panicking.

He joined his middle and index fingers, making a virtual stroke.

Immediately, Sword Qi surged within the Zhen Dao Sword Mansion, and seven white sword shadows, carrying gusts of wind and thunder, flew out one by one from the sword box behind him.

The Sword Qi was sharp.

The young man in black robes activated his sword art, and the seven sword shadows suddenly trembled, quickly circulating along the Big Dipper constellation.

The strong winds brought by the Sword Formation rustled the pine needles, causing them to fall.

In the Void Realm, thousands of firefly-like stars suddenly appeared.

Beneath the man, seven brilliant spiritual lights were connected by fine starlight.

In the blink of an eye, this quiet forest was enveloped by the slowly circulating scene of stars.

The three Demon Beasts did not notice any changes, or rather, their limited intelligence prevented them from contemplating what was happening.

They still charged straight at this seemingly powerless man.

The three Red Mane Boars were already less than a zhang away, their fangs sharp, their demonic claws swinging horizontally, rushing straight at him.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

The seven spiritual lights slowly floated, and the air here seemed to be gently stirred by an invisible hand.

At the same time, the charging trajectory of the boar on the left inexplicably deflected, its tusk savagely piercing into the ribcage of its companion on the right.

"Oink oink..."

The venomous flames spewed by the Demon Beast on the right, for some unknown reason, drew a sickly green arc in mid-air, landing on the back of the soaring giant boar.

And its stomping demonic hoof inexplicably kicked the spine of the one on the left.

The young man in black robes sat motionless on the stone, while the three Demon Beasts fell into a chaotic struggle, attacking each other.

The sound of bones shattering, mixed with the acrid smell of burning fur from the venomous flames, permeated the air.

The three Demon Beasts let out shrill wails in their intense pain, and before long, they all lost their lives.

"This’Shifting Stars’ Sword Formation truly has some profound secrets... It really lives up to its requirement of seven Flying Swords to be deployed."

Song Yan pondered for a moment, carefully experiencing the changes of the Sword Formation, then stood up and collected the bodies of the three Demon Beasts.

The Flying Swords he could consistently use for Sword Formations were actually only three: Unmoored Boat, Crying Moon, and Sacrificial Lord Lin.

The other Flying Swords would be overwhelmed after three to five uses.

Therefore, when practicing Sword Formations, he could only use sword shadows condensed from Sword Qi as a makeshift substitute.

As of today, he had mastered all three Sword Formations.

Next, he only needed to practice more, comprehend the Dao of the Sword, and hope to integrate these three Sword Formations as soon as possible.

After a brief period of adjustment, Song Yan returned to Tiansheng Pass.

It was his turn to be the guardian today, so it was appropriate for him to make an appearance.

Only half a month had passed since their arrival as support, when a crucial battle broke out on Red Maple Plains.

And this battle ended with a great victory for the Righteous Path Cultivators.

Near Red Maple Plains, there was a Yin Wind Gorge, easy to defend but difficult to attack.

It was named for the constant gusts of Yin wind.

Within the gorge was a Yin Wind Temple, with many Disciples, and its master was a False Core Realm Cultivator, whose strength alone was not to be underestimated.

Originally, the ancestors of this Yin Wind Temple also had some ties with the Demon Ruins. During this invasion, the Mo Xu Cultivators naturally regarded this place as a hidden chess piece.

However, perhaps accustomed to peaceful Cultivation, this False Core Realm Cultivator was unwilling to ally with the Demon Ruins.

Instead, he communicated with the Nine Pulses Cultivators of Chu State.

Then, conspiring with the representatives of the Righteous Path Cultivators, they set a trap, ambushing and killing seven or eight hundred of the nearly thousand Mo Xu Cultivators who entered the gorge.

Even three False Core Realm Cultivators from the Demon Ruins side perished, and their Golden Core Realm leader was severely wounded and fled.

In this battle, the Nine Pulses Allied Army achieved a great victory, and the morale of the Righteous Path Cultivators on Red Maple Plains was greatly boosted.

What truly made Song Yan notice this event was a name mentioned in the battle report.

Cave Abyss Sect, Qin Ying.

The detailed battle report mentioned that Qin Ying, leading her Qin Family, successfully persuaded the Master of Yin Wind Gorge.

After succeeding, she devised a strategy, inviting a Golden Core Realm Cultivator from the Nine Pulses Allied Army to strike, ultimately securing the victory.

After this battle, Qin Ying, along with the Qin Family of Immortals, saw their prestige greatly increase, showing a subtle momentum to catch up with the Yan Family.

Song Yan, in his temporary Immortal Cave, looked at the battle report delivered a few days ago and fell into contemplation.

"Qin Family..."

Originally, the hard-won victory of the Righteous Path was a matter worth celebrating.

But looking at that name, he always felt that this battle’s victory was a bit subtle, a bit too simple... After a moment of thought, he temporarily dismissed this strange idea.

"Never mind, no matter what, being able to eliminate Demonic Cultivators is always a good thing."

He put away the battle report, just about to enter a state of Cultivation, when he suddenly heard a loud noise from outside.

"Enemy attack!"

Song Yan frowned, and without much hesitation, he immediately stood up.

Xiao He transformed into a snake and slipped into his sleeve.

The man and the snake left the temporary residence and flew towards the sky above the Pass.

"It’s Mo Xu Cultivators, everyone be careful!"

As soon as they flew into the sky, they saw four streaks of light heading towards the canyon within Tiansheng Pass.

What was going on?

The main Formation guarding the Pass had not been broken, so how could the enemy pass directly through Tiansheng Pass?

Today’s duty was He Huan’s. He made a decisive decision: "Fellow Daoist Song, please take the trouble of guarding the Pass."

"We will pursue those four!"

He Huan remained calm in the face of danger. In this situation, he still made the most reasonable assignment.

With Song Yan present, even if those Mo Xu Cultivators had reinforcements, he believed they wouldn’t be able to cause any significant trouble.