Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 489: Chapter 299: The Root Cause_2

Xu Yang nodded, “That’s right!”

Xuan Zhen looked puzzled, “Then how did it end up in this Void Spirit Cave Heaven?”

Xu Yang shook his head, “It’s not convenient to divulge this matter, I hope you understand.”

“It was presumptuous of me.”

Xuan Zhen felt he had misspoken, apologized, and changed the subject, “Since you are not from the cultivation realm of the Northern Domain, let me introduce it to you. The Northern Domain is one of the Five Realms of the Human Realm, and also a great domain of cultivation. Within the domain, hundreds of clans stand side by side, and hundreds of schools vie for supremacy, with the three main clans being humans, demons, and monsters, and the leadership of the hundred schools consisting of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism…”

Xuan Zhen spoke solemnly, outlining the situation of the cultivation realm in the Northern Domain to Xu Yang.

Hundreds of clans standing tall, hundreds of schools contending!

The three clans of humans, demons, and monsters, the Three Teachings of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism!

And many other exotic races, as well as all sorts of scholars, side doors and heterodox teachings, numerous inheritances competing with each other.

What a great world of cultivation!

“Among the Three Teachings, Taoism takes precedence, with Mysterious Gate as its sect, and Immortals being held in highest regard!”

“Of the ten sacred places in the Northern Domain, there are six great Tao Veins, which are the orthodox lineage of the Mysterious Gate and the inheritance of True Immortals, containing Mahayana True Immortals and even ancestors from the Upper Realm, with profound virtue and flourishing fortune. They have been passed down for tens of thousands of years and still enjoy an abundant and vigorous following to this day!”

“The remaining four sects are blessed with the fortunes divided by the Buddhist and Confucian sects, both being massive entities!”

“This Void Spirit Cave Heaven is related to one of the six sacred lands, the Five Elements Immortal Sect.”

With these words, Xuan Zhen revealed the key point of the matter.

“Five Elements Immortal Sect?”

Xu Yang’s eyes sharpened, and he asked in a deep voice, “What do you mean?”

“Hehe!”

Xuan Zhen chuckled, finally revealing his true nature, and spoke with a gossipy air, “It all starts with the Five Elements Immortal Sect’s Sect’s Treasure, the Five Directions Merit Pool.”

“This Five Directions Merit Pool, ranking at the seventh tier, is a Superior Immortal Implement. It can draw upon the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit to cultivate the Essence of the Five Elements, turning it into a pool of water. Even a mundane person without a Spiritual Root who bathes in it can be reborn and obtain a Five Elements Spiritual Root comparable to a Superior Heavenly Spirit.”

“If someone already possesses a Five Elements Spiritual Root, it can further purify it and elevate it to a Five Elements Spiritual Body, comparable to the Big Dipper Star Body of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect and the Great Sun Fire Body of the Great Sun Immortal Sect. These are top-tier cultivation bodies, enabling rapid progression and extraordinary creation. Before Integration, there are no bottlenecks, and there is even the hope of advancing to Mahayana.”

“Being able to nurture a Five Elements Spiritual Body, the Five Directions Merit Pool is as valuable to the Five Elements Immortal Sect as their lifeblood, a key part of their inheritance and foundation, and the secret to the sect’s decades of brilliance.”

“But, a thousand years ago, a traitor emerged from the Five Elements Immortal Sect!”

Xuan Zhen painted the picture vividly, “This traitor was the Void Spirit Monarch. This individual was extraordinarily talented, with an Innate Five Elements Spiritual Body, and was taken into the sect by the Five Elements Immortal Sect at an early age and declared the Saint Heir.”

“The individual did not disappoint and entered the Integration Realm at the tender age of three thousand, even surpassing the holy sons of other sacred lands. It was said there was hope of advancing to Mahayana before the age of five thousand, adding another True Immortal to the Five Elements Immortal Sect.”

“But such a person, who carried the hopes of many, ultimately betrayed the Five Elements Immortal Sect.”

After saying this, Xuan Zhen smiled and looked at Xu Yang, “Do you know the reason, my friend?”

Xu Yang pondered for a moment, then spoke, “Is it related to that Five Directions Merit Pool?”

“Exactly!”

Xuan Zhen nodded, “The Void Spirit Monarch somehow came across a Five Elements Immortal Spirit Tree of Superior Immortal Spirit grade. It’s said that this tree can bear Five Elements Immortal Fruits which, once consumed, can transform a Five Elements Spiritual Body into a Five Elements Immortal Spiritual Body. Not only would it stabilize advancement into Mahayana, but there would also be hopes of reaching the Heavenly Immortal realm in the future.”

“Overjoyed by obtaining this root, the Void Spirit Monarch plotted using the Five Directions Merit Pool to nurture it. Knowing he couldn’t speak of it openly, as it was an object with the potential for the Heavenly Immortal path, he used his status as the Holy Son to secretly nurture this Five Elements Root during his cultivation in the Merit Pool.”

“Initially, there were no issues, but as the Five Elements Immortal Spirit Tree grew, its requirements for the Five Elements treasures increased significantly. Finally, as it was about to mature, its roots penetrated into the spring of the Five Directions Merit Pool, drawing the essence of this Superior Immortal Implement.”

Xuan Zhen described vividly, “Now things have gotten serious. Even the Tribulation-Passing Ancestor of the Five Elements Immortal Sect was alerted and rushed over in a hurry, only to find that the Void Spirit Monarch had already fled with the Five Elements Immortal Spirit Tree, and the Five Directions Merit Pool was broken with a large hole, its origin greatly damaged and its quality rank plummeted.”

“Seeing this, the group of ancestors from the Five Elements Immortal Sect were so furious that they leaped up like thunder, and two Integration True Immortals immediately gave chase, determined to capture the Void Spirit Monarch and take back that Five Elements Immortal Spirit Tree to repair the damage to the Five Directions Merit Pool.”

“However, the Void Spirit Monarch was also a genius. Using various means, he actually managed to escape from the two Integration pursuers. Though he was critically injured to death in the end, he still managed to set up this Void Spirit Cave Heaven.”

Though he was but a soul remnant, Xuan Zhen still took a deep breath when he reached this point, “This Void Spirit Cave Heaven was arranged by the Void Spirit Monarch himself. It not only contains all the treasures he collected, but also that Five Elements Immortal Root he came across in a fortuitous encounter as well as an Ancient Immortal Mansion, packed with countless treasures within.”

“The Five Elements Immortal Sect has always been looking for the whereabouts of the Void Spirit Monarch. The sacred places of the Northern Domain are also quite interested in this, and rumors have even spread among the people, attracting cultivators from all directions to search. I am one of them.”

Xuan Zhen’s eyes turned cold, a flicker of hatred visible, “I too am of the Five Elements Spiritual Root, and although I did not join the Five Elements Immortal Sect, I have made a name for myself with it and have some achievements, especially in the knowledge of Array Formation. I am quite a figure in the Northern Domain.”

“But alas, blinded by appearances, failing to see people’s true colors, I actually became acquainted with Zhou Tian Shu, that sanctimonious Big Dipper Immortal Sect Holy Son with wolfish ambitions!”

Xuan Zhen clenched his teeth tightly and said coldly, “This boy has the appearance of a saint but harbors wolfish ambitions. He once stumbled upon the remnants of the Immortal Mansion left by the Void Spirit Monarch. Because of this, he befriended me and later took me to the remnants of that Immortal Mansion.”

“Though the treasures inside the Immortal Mansion had already been taken by the Void Spirit Monarch, there was still a Cultivation Technique inscribed on the Immortal Stele, an immovable object, therefore it was left behind.”

“The three people, including Zhou Tian Shu, brought me there, and had me practice the Cultivation Technique of the Immortal Stele. They then used this to sense the location of the Five Elements Immortal Spirit Root, and finally found this Void Spirit Cave Heaven!”

“After that, the boy revealed his true colors. Together with the two Dao Protection old ghosts who were with him, they destroyed my physical body, shattered my Primordial Spirit, and only left behind this remnant soul, which was placed within a magical item and drifted into this Void Spirit Cave Heaven.”

Xuan Zhen took another deep breath and then looked at Xu Yang, “This is the story of how I came to be in the Void Spirit Cave Heaven.”

“I see,”

Xu Yang nodded and then asked, “What about the Five Elements Cultivation Skills that are circulating in the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country?”

Xuan Zhen gave a bitter smile, “Indeed, those are the inheritances of the Five Elements Immortal Sect. That Zhou Tian Shu had his followers spread these skills, aiming to lure out the hidden Five Elements Immortal Mansion of the Void Spirit Monarch, or the reborn body of the Void Spirit Monarch, but I think it’s a waste of effort. Even at his worst, the Void Spirit Monarch wouldn’t fall for such tricks.”

Regarding this, Xu Yang was noncommittal and only said, “I am interested in these skills too. I wonder if my friend would teach me; I can exchange them for equivalent Cultivation Techniques. Besides, there are also some Magical Treasures and pills here…”

With that, he swept his sleeve, revealing many Spiritual Objects.

Xuan Zhen saw this and his face showed difficulty, “Not to deceive my friend, but that Immortal Stele has a great Mana, with a prohibition on the Divine Soul that prevents the Cultivation Technique from being shared. So I can only inform you about the location of that Immortal Stele, I’m truly powerless to do more.”

The words were calm, but still tense. Xiao Miao, at his side, was clenching her fists in secrecy, worried that this Spell King before them would turn against them and resort to Soul-Searching Technique.

“That’s really a pity,”

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang also sighed, “Thank you, my friend, for clearing up the confusion. These will serve as a return gift then.”

After speaking, he swept away the Spiritual Objects in front of him, which landed in front of Xiao Miao.

“This…”

Xiao Miao looked at the Magical Treasures and pills in front of her, her expression tense and at a loss.

Xuan Zhen just offered a smile and a cupped-fist salute, “My friend truly is a genuine cultivator of moral integrity, it is admirable.”

Xu Yang smiled and said no more, “Before I subdued a group of Tianshu cultivators and learned through the Soul-Searching Technique that the matter of the Void Spirit Cave Heaven has been exposed. Now the outside world is in turmoil, with heroes converging. The sacred places of the Northern Domain have heard the news and are on their way. Once the Void Spirit Cave Heaven is breached, a great battle will ensue. Make early preparations, my friend.”

After saying this, he didn’t wait for the two to react. He waved his sleeve, rode the wind, and left amid the clouds.

“This…”

Watching the figure that was fading away, eventually disappearing into the sky, Xiao Miao and Xuan Zhen looked at each other with uncertainty, not knowing what to do.

So this Spell King, was he always this free-spirited, coming and going as he pleases?

Doesn’t he care about the relics of the Void Spirit Monarch, the Five Elements Immortal Mansion, the Immortal-grade Spiritual Root that all the Sacred Places and Integration Mahayana are eager to find?

Is this person really a cultivator?