Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

The brilliant light receded, and Ling Xiao closed his eyes again. Inside his Purple Mansion, all the bloody, malevolent energy vanished from the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword. It transformed entirely into a simple, ancient silver-white longsword. All of its Sword Intent and momentum were drawn inward, not a single trace leaking out. The entire blade now exuded the incomparably dignified and noble aura of a sovereign!

The sword sent out feelings of intimacy toward Ling Xiao, frolicking like one of his own children within his Purple Mansion. It grew and shrank at will, weaving through the endless ocean of energy left behind by the Deep Sea Demon Chapter.

At this point, all remnants of the Deep Sea Demon Chapter’s consciousness had been purged! The energy now remaining in Ling Xiao’s Purple Mansion was incomparably pure, without a single trace of resentment within it.

’This Deep Sea Demon Chapter had long surpassed the scope of a Tier Nine Magical Beast,’ Ling Xiao thought. ’It had already developed a rudimentary Divine Format! Thankfully, the Ice Sea Secret Race only had several hundred members. Although their strength was immense, their numbers were ultimately limited. If this Deep Sea Demon Chapter had truly entered the human world, with its methods, it could have secretly attracted countless followers and absorbed their Faith Elemental Power. One day, this Deep Sea Demon Chapter could have attained the Dao and ascended!’

It was cultivating another kind of Path!

And it was definitely one of the Great Paths!

’The Path of Faith—absorbing a portion of devout believers’ energy for one’s own use. This had actually existed in the Cultivation Realm during the Ancient Era. There were even many wars fought over followers!’

’Eventually, the Spiritual Qi in the Cultivation Realm grew thin, and the people of the Mortal World were constantly tempted by all sorts of desires. There was no longer such pure Faith Elemental Power to be found. Thus, in the Cultivation Realm of my era, everyone focused on individual cultivation. They avoided Faith Elemental Power and did not become entangled in great karma. That way, when facing their tribulations, they wouldn’t suffer any disadvantages from bearing great karma!’

’Just because I didn’t cultivate this Path didn’t mean I didn’t understand it. On the contrary, the Cultivation Realm had many detailed texts about the power of faith, and I had read many of them. However, I disliked this method of borrowing power from others.’

’The more followers one had, the larger the group, and the more karma one would be entangled in. This was because you couldn’t guarantee that every follower’s heart was pure and without a single impurity. Even I couldn’t guarantee that for myself. I too have selfish and greedy thoughts. How could I possibly guarantee the purity of my followers’ hearts?’

’If truly wicked and evil people were to become devout believers, then that evil power would also be received by the one being worshiped. With millions of followers, if this evil power accumulated, the object of their worship would also be affected. Someone with an unsteady state of mind might even fall into depravity because of it!’

’Therefore, I actually feel a sense of admiration for the Deep Sea Demon Chapter. To think that a top-tier Magical Beast in this world could achieve such a feat. If it hadn’t encountered me and had been allowed to continue developing, who knows what kind of powerful monster it might have become!’

Thinking of this, a faint smile appeared on Ling Xiao’s face.

"Slaying you can be considered ridding the world of a great evil! I’ve accumulated immense merit!"

’Even if I don’t pay much attention to karma,’ he thought, ’the positive aspect of this is of no small help in elevating my state of mind. Therefore, I don’t mind performing a few more of these great deeds of kindness!’

The immense power within his Purple Mansion surged madly and continuously into Ling Xiao’s Dantian. It finally stretched his Dantian, causing it to grow larger and larger, as if it would explode at any moment!

Ling Xiao suddenly roared, "Core Formation!"

All the power condensed into a single point and abruptly contracted. Then, a golden speck of light the size of a fava bean appeared inside Ling Xiao’s Dantian. It began to madly absorb the incomparably pure, majestic energy.

The pillar of light in the sky grew ever brighter and more dazzling. At this moment, the soul-cleansing sounds had stopped, but the overwhelming pressure grew even stronger!

The Clan Leader of the Ice Sea Secret Race was completely immersed in his devout worship. Suddenly, he felt a faint connection form between himself and the pillar of light, and he was so overcome with excitement that he nearly cried out!

For so many years, he had been a devout believer in the Great God of the Deep Sea Demon Chapter, but this was the absolute first time he had experienced such a spiritual communion!

"Great and almighty God, what do you need your servant to do for you?" The old Clan Leader of the Ice Sea Secret Race was trembling from extreme excitement as he used his soul power to communicate tremulously with Ling Xiao.

At that moment, however, Ling Xiao was at the most critical stage of condensing his Golden Core. Although he heard the Ice Sea Secret Race’s Clan Leader’s call, how could he possibly have the energy to answer him?

Ling Xiao focused his mind and calmed his spirit, guiding the majestic energy and continuously surging it toward the tiny Golden Core inside his Dantian.

Although he received no instructions from his god, he also wasn’t rejected. The old Clan Leader of the Ice Sea Secret Race knelt there, incomparably excited, and continuously professed his faith to Ling Xiao, expressing his willingness to sacrifice his life for his god... He was so long-winded that Ling Xiao had the urge to jump out and send him flying with a kick!

At this critical moment of condensing his Golden Core, Ling Xiao focused all his energy on guiding the power left behind by the Deep Sea Demon Chapter. He had no time for anything else.

The Golden Core inside his Dantian, however, grew brighter and larger!

By the time Ling Xiao had integrated all of the energy into the Golden Core, it was already the size of a baby’s fist!

The power obtained from refining the Deep Sea Demon Chapter had actually helped Ling Xiao step onto the Golden Core Path in one fell swoop! Furthermore, he had reached the peak of the Early Golden Core Stage!

This joy was simply impossible to describe with words. ’In my previous life,’ Ling Xiao thought, ’it took me fifty years to step onto the Golden Core Path in a world where Spiritual Qi was incredibly scarce.’

’In this life, in just under two years, I’ve gone from possessing the body of a Celestial Vein Master to cultivating to the peak of the Early Golden Core Stage. What immense luck and great fortune this required!’

’I can’t help but wonder... if, in the unseen world, the ancestors of my sect are helping me. How else could I have obtained such a massive opportunity? Could it be... that this too was the will of heaven?’

Ling Xiao couldn’t help but let out a long, clear cry as he leaped out from the Urgently Cold Cauldron, which he casually put away into his ring. Then, the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword, now returned to its original simplicity, shot out from Ling Xiao’s Purple Mansion like a bolt of lightning.

The pillar of light that had been shooting into the clouds finally vanished.

The Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword expanded rapidly in the wind, growing to over ten meters long and more than a meter wide. Ling Xiao leaped onto the sword. Then... BANG! With a loud roar, Ling Xiao, who had been buried under countless massive rocks, burst out with an incomparably fierce momentum!

Outside, the sky was already filled with stars. The majestic, sovereign aura from the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword left everyone below completely stunned. But what was even more stunning was the man standing on that enormous sword!

Song Mingyue had been standing there the whole time, gazing at Ling Xiao’s figure in the sky. Her eyes shone with endless love. ’I knew it. I knew you would come back. You wouldn’t abandon me!’

Ling Xiao stood upon the sword and spoke softly to the great blade beneath his feet, "Your demonic energy is gone, your red lotus withdrawn. Your malevolent demonic aura has been purified by pure energy into a simple, restrained, and authentic killing intent. From this day forward, you are now a true and proper sword of a Cultivator!"

The great sword beneath Ling Xiao’s feet gave a low cry, bursting forth in a long white streak that shot across the night sky! A moment later, Ling Xiao returned, swooping down toward Song Mingyue. Under the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd, he grabbed Song Mingyue’s soft little hand and pulled her onto the body of the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword.

Then, he once again rode the wind and soared away!

-------------------------------------------------------------

Man, I almost died. My uncle came back from out of town for the New Year and is staying at my (Xiaodao’s) place for a night to see my kid. His train got in at 4:30 AM, so I haven’t slept at all, not even during the day. Then my older cousin and brother-in-law came over too. My house hasn’t been this lively in a long time, and in my excitement, I drank five bottles of beer... I overestimated my body’s current tolerance. I woke up with my stomach churning like crazy and basically threw my guts out. My stomach feels awful right now. I’m sure any of you who’ve been through this can sympathize... So, I’m really sorry that today’s update is late. But I won’t miss a Chapter for you all. No matter how late, I’ll definitely get the update out. So, if you have any votes, please send them Xiaodao’s way!