Cultivating To Immortality

A clear, resonant sword cry rose from the ground.

This Sword Array, Star Shift, used the opponent’s methods against them, excelling at manipulating the stars and using borrowed strength to strike.

Like the Howling Sun Sword Array, it belonged to a functional type of Sword Array.

But this did not mean it lacked offensive moves.

On the contrary, its lethality was no less than that of the Huan Yue (Ring Moon) Sword Array.

Within the Sword Array, if the illusory star suddenly blurred, the next moment, a beam of Sword Qi lit up.

Song Yan’s figure seemed to merge with the Sword Qi and stars, transforming into the Sword Qi itself!

In the night sky, this Sword Qi was incredibly fast.

The enchanting female Mo Xu Cultivator was still startled by the attack from behind when a boundless starlight suddenly illuminated her eyes.

"Array of Stars."

Within her line of sight, only an afterimage remained, but she had no time to transmit any information or speak.

The sense of crisis in the yellow-robed old man’s heart reached its peak. Seeing this sword strike, he felt his scalp instantly tingle, and a bone-chilling coldness shot from his tailbone straight to the crown of his head.

He was already extremely cautious. Almost at the moment Song Yan’s figure blurred, he placed the small ghost-head banner in his hand in front of him. The ghost heads on the banner roared, and dark light condensed into a tangible barrier.

"Ghost Soul Barrier!"

There was no sound.

Only a faint, almost negligible sound, like starlight piercing through thin mist.

Chii.

The Sword Qi passed through the swirling dark light ghost barrier without any hindrance.

The small ghost-head banner suddenly stiffened, then silently split into two halves from the middle, and the dark light instantly dissipated.

Almost at the same moment the Sword Qi swept past the ghost banner, the Mo Xu Cultivator surnamed Chen felt his right arm, which held the saber, suddenly go cold. Immediately after, the entire world seemed to spin in his eyes.

This strike, like a comet streaking across the night sky, passed through the two of them, then flickered in front of the other two Mo Xu Cultivators, leaving two deep, scorching Qi traces.

Immediately, the starlight abruptly receded.

Song Yan’s figure re-condensed, appearing several tens of feet away, standing quietly on a flying eave of the Pass, his hands hanging by his sides.

Two muffled thuds sounded almost simultaneously.

A fine golden sword mark, like cracked ice, appeared simultaneously on the yellow-robed old man’s glabella and Senior Brother Chen’s neck.

The yellow-robed old man’s eyes still held fear and disbelief, but his body had already stiffened.

The ferocity on the Mo Xu Cultivator Chen’s face also turned into bewilderment.

Immediately after, the bodies of the two men softly fell from mid-air, their vital Qi completely cut off.

It happened in the blink of an eye, in just one breath!

The entire Tiansheng Pass suddenly fell silent.

The enchanting female Cultivator and the assassination Mo Xu Cultivator who had concealed his figure felt their spiritual power stagnate, as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

That flash of Sword Qi had claimed the lives of their two strongest individuals, killing them instantly like chickens and dogs.

What kind of sword technique was this?!

Was he really at the Early Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm?!

Even He Huan and the others, whose Aura was like a rainbow, paused their movements slightly, their faces filled with astonishment.

Among them, some had witnessed the sword strike on Dragon Pool Mountain that changed the colors of the wind and clouds.

But today’s move had no grand imposing Aura whatsoever; it seemed like a casual strike, yet it had slain those two... This completely exceeded their understanding.

Everyone was astonished.

Only Song Yan knew that this killing move, Array of Stars, within the Star Shift Sword Array, though seemingly casual, was actually extremely draining.

Furthermore, it benefited from the timely assistance of He Huan and others, as well as the opponent’s complete unpreparedness for such an ultimate killing move, creating perfect timing and advantageous terrain.

At this moment, the Sword Qi within his body surged, and his Zhen Dao Sword Mansion was momentarily empty, indicating a need for a breather.

"Run—!"

The enchanting female Cultivator let out a sharp, piercing shriek, devoid of any seductive charm, leaving only the desire for survival.

She abruptly crushed a jade talisman in her hand, and a cloud of pink mist exploded around her, as she shot out of the Pass like a meteor.

The assassination Mo Xu Cultivator, without a word, instantly transformed into a shadow almost impossible to catch, moving with astonishing speed.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, the Qi Refining Mo Xu Cultivators below also fled one by one.

Shi Ping roared, "You villains, don’t run!"

He chased for a while, ultimately killing one Mo Xu Cultivator, while the other three escaped.

He Huan did not participate in the pursuit but immediately returned to the ground, calling the Qi Refining Disciples to clear the battlefield, treat the wounded, and reorganize the defenses.

Now that the grand Formation was destroyed, many matters still awaited his attention.

Of the six Foundation Establishment Mo Xu Cultivators who launched the surprise attack, three were dead and three escaped, so the remaining posed no threat.

Song Yan returned to the ground, slowly exhaling a long breath.

He pondered that the information the Mo Xu Cultivators possessed seemed to be more extensive and detailed than he had anticipated.

If he hadn’t stalled for time today, Tiansheng Pass might truly have been lost.

These circumstances would need to be thoroughly recorded and reported to the Nine Pulses Joint Elder Council.

Song Yan had no particular interest in or research into warfare or military strategy, but he vaguely felt something was odd.

These strongholds and passes, the Righteous Path would attack one today, and the Demon Ruins would attack another tomorrow.

They went back and forth, and it seemed no one held a significant advantage.

Including this time at Tiansheng Pass, a pass that had been quiet for a long time, they were suddenly asked to provide support.

Presumably, the Elder Council had received some intelligence.

Song Yan pondered, inspecting the casualties among the Disciples Within the Pass as he walked towards his Immortal Cave.

Passing a corner Within the Pass, he noticed many people gathered there, whispering amongst themselves, their faces showing difficulty.

"Hmm?"

Song Yan walked over: "What are you doing gathered here?"

Seeing the newcomer, the Disciples quickly made way.

"Senior Song."

"Senior Brother Song."

At a glance, the scene was indeed somewhat perplexing.

Zhou Mengdie was lying on the ground, sound asleep, and within a two-zhang radius around her, three people lay fallen.

The Cultivators stationed Within the Pass all wore the robes of the Six Major Sects or the specialized robes of the Nine Pulses Alliance. These three individuals should be the Mo Xu Cultivators who had just attacked.

However, these three were also lying on the ground, fast asleep and snoring.

A little further away, a few scattered Cultivators guarding the Pass lay sprawled haphazardly.

The scene was incredibly bizarre.

"What... what’s going on here?"

Song Yan was completely bewildered.

The Qi Refining Cultivators closest to him looked at each other, shaking their heads, also indicating they didn’t know.

"You two, carry them away first. Lying here isn’t good."

"Uh..."

The two Qi Refining Cultivators called by Song Yan exchanged glances, their eyes wide.

They seemed to want to say something.

But the request of a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator still made them decide to try again.

The two walked towards the fallen Cultivators guarding the Pass, cautiously, as if guarding against something.

However, at first, everything was normal, and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

They stepped forward, intending to help the individuals up.

Unexpectedly, the two suddenly went limp without warning, and right under Song Yan’s nose, they lay down on the ground.

Not long after, snores also emanated from them.

"?"

Song Yan’s eyes widened slightly.

Xiao He also poked her head out from his sleeve, curiously observing the undignified scene.

"..."

Song Yan pondered for a moment, then decided to go and see for himself what was going on.

He stepped forward.

Xiao He transformed into her human form, peeking and poking, curiously following behind him.

Walking in front of these people, nothing special happened.

However, just as he walked further, he suddenly felt an indescribable, heavy drowsiness, like a tide, sweeping over him without warning.

This drowsiness had no aggressive quality; instead, it carried a warm, peaceful sense of comfort.

It was like a mother’s lullaby, murmuring directly into the depths of his Divine Soul, making it impossible to resist in the slightest.

Song Yan’s steps paused. In his Sea of Consciousness, it felt as if a pot of warm, strong wine had been poured in, and the warm, dizzying sensation made his body sway.

Everything before his eyes was covered in a thin veil, becoming blurry and wavering.

"This..."

Just as he was about to fall into a deep sleep, the depths of his Zhen Dao Sword Mansion suddenly trembled.

The lotus phantom burst forth with brilliant light, and a sharp Qi erupted, causing the dizziness and blurriness to recede abruptly.

His vision instantly cleared, and a layer of fine cold sweat broke out on his back.

What a strange power.

Thud!

Xiao He, who was following at Song Yan’s feet, only managed to let out a muffled sound before falling headfirst into sleep.

Her human form dissipated, and the small green snake lay limply on the ground, its snake scales gently rising and falling with its steady, long breaths.

She, too, had entered a deep sleep, just like the people around her.

Song Yan, lost in thought, looked at Zhou Mengdie, who was sleeping soundly.

It was not a Formation, nor was it some secret treasure.

The range of this sleep-inducing effect was probably about two zhang.

These Cultivators seemed to have been instantly knocked out after accidentally stepping into this range.

Song Yan gestured with his sword-finger, and several gentle streams of spiritual power pulled the fallen Cultivators guarding the Pass and the three Mo Xu Cultivators out of the affected area.

As soon as these Cultivators left the range, although they remained deeply asleep, the relaxed expression of being immersed in a beautiful dream on their faces diminished slightly.

Having done all this, Song Yan immediately looked around at the bewildered Cultivators guarding the Pass, who wanted to approach but dared not.

"Everyone listen, immediately retreat ten zhang away. Do not approach here. You, wake these people up. The three Mo Xu Cultivators are to be handled by Fellow Daoist He Huan."

"There is something unusual here. Do not act rashly. I will handle it personally. For matters Within the Pass, everything is to be arranged by Senior Shi Ping and Senior He Huan."

The surrounding Cultivators nodded: "Yes, Senior Song."

After giving instructions, Song Yan bent down and gently picked up the small snake.

Snake Babe curled up in his palm, sleeping utterly unaware.

He carefully tucked her into his sleeve, supporting her with the soft lining.

Then, he cleared his mind of distractions and stepped forward to stand before Zhou Mengdie.

He did not touch her but sat down cross-legged on the spot, an arm’s length in front of her.

He calmed his mind and Qi. In his eyes, a brilliant golden sharpness was fully revealed, but this time, it was tinged with a dreamlike color... In the dream Realm.

Zhou Mengdie held her head in her hands, anxious and at a loss.

"Wuwah! It’s over, it’s over. This time I’m really going to die. I’m going to die on the battlefield."

Beside this girl, who was holding her head and scurrying around, sat a green-robed Cultivator with the hair of a crane and the face of a child, sitting cross-legged.

At this moment, he was meditating with closed eyes, but because of the girl’s incessant chatter, he frowned slightly.

He seemed a little annoyed.

Zhou Mengdie suddenly darted in front of the green-robed Cultivator, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him continuously.

"I’m going to die, Old Master Zhou, say something!"

"I say, my dear girl..." The green-robed Cultivator had truly had enough. He picked up Zhou Mengdie with one hand.

"You’re not dead yet, why are you such a coward?"

He rolled his eyes: "And ’dying on the battlefield,’ as if you’re bravely sacrificing yourself."

"You child, you haven’t done anything at all, you just scared yourself unconscious. What can I do?"

Zhou Mengdie was stunned, then scratched her head: "It seems so."

"Then what do we do now?"

"Nothing."

The green-robed Cultivator casually tossed Zhou Mengdie onto the cloud-like ground, and she bounced a little.

"Don’t worry, there’s no danger."

"If you’re really worried, just stay here. No one outside can do anything to you, and no one can come in here."

"That safe?"

Hearing this, Zhou Mengdie breathed a sigh of relief: "Then I’ll sleep for a bit."

"Still sleeping? Can’t you properly practice the incantation I passed on to you?"

By now, Zhou Mengdie had already lain down, her posture peaceful.

Hearing the green-robed Cultivator’s words, she waved her hand: "Tomorrow."

"..."

The green-robed Cultivator shook his head helplessly, and just as he was about to say something more, he frowned and looked into the distance.

"Hmm?"

A figure slowly appeared; it was Song Yan.

He observed his surroundings for a while, then finally looked down at the cloud-like ground beneath his feet.

It was very soft, very warm.

Like an boundless, enormous bed.

Looking into the distance, he could see two figures.

One was sitting cross-legged, in a green robe with white beard, appearing young, suspended in the air.

The other was lying peacefully on the ground.

It was Zhou Mengdie.

Song Yan slowly walked towards where the two were.

The green-robed man stared at him, a hint of confusion in his eyes: "You are..."

However, when he saw Song Yan’s eyes, an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

That person’s Disciple!?

Song Yan stopped in front of him and Zhou Mengdie, silent.

The green-robed man murmured to himself: "To be able to enter her dream Realm, truly incredible."

"Hmm? Grandpa Zhou, what are you muttering about? If you’re too noisy, I can’t sleep, you know..."

Zhou Mengdie’s eyes had never opened. She scratched her belly button and rolled over.

The green-robed man glanced at her, then said gently: "Someone has come."

Zhou Mengdie mumbled in her sleep: "I’m a coward, don’t talk nonsense and tease me, okay..."

Song Yan and the green-robed man exchanged glances, looking at each other.

He pondered for a moment, then still spoke to the green-robed man: "Where... is this place?"

"?!"

Hearing this voice, Zhou Mengdie suddenly opened her eyes and sprang up from the cloud.

Seeing the newcomer’s appearance, she was very surprised: "Senior Brother Song?! You... how did you get in?"

Song Yan shrugged: "I don’t know."

He wasn’t making things up.

Originally, he just wanted to use his Insightful Void Sword Eye to check on Zhou Mengdie’s condition and examine her injuries.

Unexpectedly, his Mirror Flower, Water Moon Sword Intent automatically circulated, and he found himself here.

"This is her dream Realm."

The green-robed man pointed at Zhou Mengdie.

"..."

"May I ask one more question?" Song Yan’s eyes flickered: "You are?"

"Ah, I am Zhou Zixiu."

The green-robed man generously gave his name: "Counting by generation, I am her ancestor, and also a Cultivator."

"It’s just that due to some reasons, I slept for a long time. After waking up, I had nowhere to settle, so I’m temporarily staying here."

The other party’s frankness left Song Yan speechless.

Since he was an ancestor, then this was a family matter.

In this way, Song Yan, who had casually entered someone else’s dream, felt a bit impolite himself.