Translator: CinderTL
Great Shang Royal Capital.
Li Chunjun immediately prepared for Nirvana.
Jiang Yuqiu, a Nascent Soul True Lord, along with Jiang Yuxue and others, personally stood guard outside.
At the control center of the City Protection Grand Formation, Huan Ming swiftly issued orders, instructing You Long to gather cultivators proficient in Curse Arts to search for relevant clues.
Simultaneously, Lei Yuan was tasked with accompanying members of the Wu Ji Sect and the Chiyang Sword Sect to ensure their departure without damaging the remaining traces.
Additionally, the True Inheritors from the other eight provinces almost simultaneously received orders to be on high alert, ready for a full-scale conflict with the Wu Ji Sect, Chiyang Sword Sect, Xian Tian Sect, and three other sects.
As for Huan Ming himself...
He contacted the higher-ups of the Taixu Sword Sect and directly reported, applying for a comprehensive combat directive against the Chiyang Sword Sect.
The entire Taixu Sword Sect was enveloped in an unprecedented atmosphere of severity.
Time flew by.
Nearly half a month had passed.
...
In the cultivation chamber once used by Zhou Wu Gou, a former True Inheritor Disciple of the Great Shang Royal Capital.
Li Chunjun concluded his cultivation.
Glancing at the Scarlet Sky Sword, its cold light shimmering, and feeling a deeper understanding of the "Destruction Sword Intent," he slowly exhaled.
The process of Rebirth Through Fire...
Was not pleasant for him.
No matter how swift the Rebirth Through Fire, it would leave him in a weakened state for several days.
During this period, if a crisis arose, he would be utterly defenseless.
He had essentially entrusted his life and death entirely to others.
Therefore, compared to Rebirth Through Fire, he still preferred the complete recovery brought by an increase in life level.
However...
His excavation of the Flaming Phoenix Power was only at the second level, and after two Rebirths Through Fire, the Flaming Phoenix Power in his bloodline was nearly exhausted. Attempting another Rebirth Through Fire was now beyond his capability.
For a moment, Li Chunjun couldn't help but turn his gaze to the "Human Emperor Banner" within his spiritual world.
...
"Killed a Level 23 creature, experience +1748!"
...
[Life Level: 27 (12446/70000)]
...
With his life level increased to 27, the experience gained from killing ordinary True Core cultivators ranged only from 400 to 500, and even a Level 23 Golden Core cultivator provided only around 1500.
Thus, to elevate his life level further, he would need to kill approximately 150 True Core or 50 Golden Core cultivators.
Even with his current progress value exceeding ten thousand, the number of True Core and Golden Core cultivators he needed to kill still amounted to three digits.
"Nascent Soul..."
Li Chunjun pondered the advantages he held in a confrontation with a Nascent Soul.
A top-tier Mystic Treasure-grade Lifebound Flying Sword!
A perfected Sword Intent! These two aspects were not just one, but two levels above an ordinary Nascent Soul.
However, his Arcane Arts and Secret Arts were also two levels below that of a Nascent Soul.
Additionally, although his Divine Sense barely met the Nascent Soul standard, it was not outstanding.
Moreover, his experience, Qi accumulation, and diversity of techniques still fell short of a Nascent Soul.
After a comprehensive assessment...
His combat power should be at the level of an ordinary Nascent Soul.
Slightly stronger than those who can contend with a Nascent Soul, even capable of defeating newly advanced Nascent Souls with insufficient foundation, but clearly lacking the strength to kill a Nascent Soul.
Ultimately, there was still a realm's difference.
As realms continue to ascend, the gap between the two sides is being increasingly widened.
This is true for Nascent Souls, and the same applies to Primordial Spirits.
In that realm, cultivators must undergo nine layers of Primordial Spirit Tribulation, each layer a world apart.
The strongest Primordial Spirit can often take on a hundred of the weakest.
It's important to note that this is within the same realm.
The disparity between the two sides is akin to the difference between Li Chunjun and an ordinary Core Formation cultivator.
"Currently, I am only at the True Core Realm. Once I advance further and step into the Golden Core Realm, my combat power will once again be enhanced. At that point, not only will I be able to defeat those newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivators who lack profound foundations, but even killing them would not be an unrealistic expectation," Li Chunjun pondered.
"Moreover, as my life level continues to rise, my foundation will become increasingly solid. By then, whether it's forbidden arts, secret techniques, or mystical powers, my cultivation speed will surpass that of Nascent Soul cultivators at the same level. In the future, it's not impossible for me to master mystical powers as well."
Even if he couldn't grasp mystical powers between levels 27 and 30, the state of enlightenment at the peak of level 30 would undoubtedly cause his strength to surge significantly.
At that time, not only mystical powers, high-level mystical powers, or top-tier mystical powers, but even the great mystic powers required by Primordial Spirit True Monarchs could be comprehended in one go.
The key now lies in whether the Taixu Sword Sect is willing to cooperate and help him rapidly elevate his life level.
At the moment, he tidied himself up and walked out of the cultivation chamber.
Outside the chamber, Jiang Yuqiu was still waiting.
The fact that she, a Nascent Soul cultivator, was guarding him personally showed just how much the Peak Lord of Flaming Phoenix Peak valued him. Seeing him emerge from the chamber, the Nascent Soul True Lord immediately stood up and asked, "How is it?"
"I've fully recovered," Li Chunjun replied without any small talk, getting straight to the point. "It's been almost half a month. Has the sect made any progress in investigating the curse?"
Jiang Yuqiu's expression darkened.
After a while, she finally spoke, "We discovered a blood sacrifice formation not far from the capital and found some residual traces. Based on these traces, we deduced that the one who used the Bloodline Curse to kill you was a Servitor of the Sun Worshipping Sect."
After saying this, she snorted lightly, "However, this matter must have been instigated by the Chiyang Sword Sect and the Wu Ji Sect. Otherwise, it wouldn't have happened so coincidentally."
These words didn't carry much significance.
"And the result?" Li Chunjun asked, "What does the Taixu Sword Sect say?"
"The Sect Master has consulted the higher sect and intends to use this as a reason to retaliate against the Chiyang Sword Sect, but..." Jiang Yuqiu paused, "The higher sect refused, citing a lack of evidence."
"Evidence?" Li Chunjun looked at Jiang Yuqiu, "Everyone knows that the Chiyang Sword Sect and the Wu Ji Sect want to eliminate me, the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, at all costs. This is already an open secret. Just because there's no evidence, the Taixu Sword Sect plans to do nothing?"
"The higher sect... does not agree to go to war with the Chiyang Sword Sect at this time," Jiang Yuqiu said with a bitter smile. "The Believers of the Sun Worshipping Sect have so far refused to abandon the Blue Star Minor Realm. It's highly likely that they have been lingering and wandering outside. The Star Gate, which the nine great immortal sects have jointly built, is nearing completion. When it is finished, the Sun Worshipping Sect will inevitably launch a large-scale attack on the newly constructed Star Gate. If the Taixu Sword Sect and the Chiyang Sword Sect were to engage in full-scale war at this time... wouldn't that only bring pain to our allies and joy to our enemies?"
She glanced at Li Chunjun and sighed, "I know this is somewhat unfair to you, but the higher-ups are more concerned with the stability of Blue Star. They don't want to see chaos break out just as the Star Gate is about to open. So... if we are to fully retaliate against the Chiyang Sword Sect, it will have to wait until the Star Gate is completed and the situation stabilizes."
"Stabilize..." Li Chunjun asked calmly, "When?"
"The completion of the Star Gate should be imminent, and the situation will stabilize..."
Jiang Yuqiu pondered for a moment: "Judging by the intensity of the Sun Worshipping Sect's actions, it could take as little as ten years, or at most, no more than sixty years."
After speaking, she forced a smile: "Coincidentally, by that time, you will have reached the Nascent Soul stage, and even be among the top Nascent Soul cultivators. You can directly participate in the battle against the Chiyang Sword Sect and make them pay dearly for their actions."
Li Chunjun listened but remained silent.
Jiang Yuqiu understood that this approach must have caused Li Chunjun some grievance.
She then spoke in a serious tone: "Rest assured, although the higher-ups have not permitted a full-scale war between our Taixu Sword Sect and the Chiyang Sword Sect, you are the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy. From now on, if any Core Formation cultivators from the Chiyang Sword Sect dare to leave their mountain, you can freely intercept and kill them—one by one, or two by two! Make the Chiyang Sword Sect's presence on Blue Star exist in name only!"
"What if the Chiyang Sword Sect stays behind closed doors?"
Li Chunjun asked.
Jiang Yuqiu paused, then said: "The Core Formation cultivators of the Taixu Sword Sect will also cooperate with you, but... the Chiyang Sword Sect's mountain gate, as well as the multiple formations on their other territories, can only be breached by Core Formation cultivators."
Nascent Soul cultivators cannot take action.
And without Nascent Soul cultivators, forcefully attacking a fourth-order, or even fifth-order formation...
Li Chunjun would find it extremely difficult.
The formation in the capital of Great Shang was broken because Zhou Wu Gou deliberately opened it, luring Li Chunjun inside, and then he released a Sky Sword Cloud Severing Talisman from within, disrupting the formation's operation.
Under normal circumstances, even if Li Chunjun brought a hundred Core Formation cultivators, he wouldn't be able to forcibly break through several fourth-order formations combined to unleash the power of a fifth-order formation.
"Peak Lord Jiang, if I weren't the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy, without the power of Rebirth Through Fire, under that curse, even if I didn't die on the spot, my foundation would have been completely destroyed, right?"
Li Chunjun said.
Jiang Yuqiu's eyes were filled with guilt.
After a while, she sighed and said: "The Taixu Sword Sect... is not quite the same as the Chiyang Sword Sect, the Wu Ji Sect, or the Piao Miao Sect."
She paused, then continued: "The Taixu Sword Sect hasn't been part of the Immortal Alliance for very long. To the Wu Ji Sect, the Chiyang Sword Sect, and others, we are newcomers."
Li Chunjun remained silent.
Jiang Yuqiu carefully chose her words: "Before joining the Immortal Alliance, the Taixu Sword Sect was known as... the Taixu Demon Sect."
"Demon Sect?"
Li Chunjun was somewhat surprised.
"Not a true demon sect."
Jiang Yuqiu explained: "It's just that our Taixu Sword Sect prefers to act directly, and... some of our actions were quite blatant, offending many factions, which led to us being labeled as a demon sect. If we were truly a demonic sect practicing demonic arts, the Immortal Alliance would never have allowed us to join."
"I see."
Li Chunjun responded noncommittally.
"The Taixu Sword Sect of the past... had a rather poor reputation. So, after joining the Immortal Alliance, in order to better integrate into this community, the higher-ups implemented a strategy of recuperation and goodwill..."
Jiang Yuqiu spoke with some helplessness: "Our Taixu Sword Sect is inherently strong enough, and by showing goodwill, the various sects of the Immortal Alliance naturally gave us due respect... but the lower ranks... found it hard to adapt."
Li Chunjun understood after hearing this.
His approach to handling matters had changed.
In the past, he had no choice, but now, he wanted to be a good person.
Unfortunately, those under him had not fully corrected their ways.
The current situation was that the overbearing actions of those below had made many enemies, but those above refused to back them up and repeatedly demanded that they follow the rules.
Who wouldn't feel uncomfortable in such a situation?
At this moment, Li Chunjun also realized something: "So, the previous Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy wasn't forced to leave because he had cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage. Instead, he was transferred by those above?"
(End of the Chapter)
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