“You still dream of Nirvana? Impossible! You’ll just become a sarira!”
With that, the middle-aged man left.
The crowd gasped in alarm. “That’s a High Monk from Ling Mountain Temple!”
“Don’t you dare corrupt Master Wuwu’s Dao Heart!”
“How despicable of Ling Mountain Temple!”
The middle-aged man chuckled, turning to depart. The crowd escorted Wuwu back to the main hall, where he sat cross-legged, beginning his contemplation.
Once everyone had left, Wuwu gently caressed the string of seven jade beads hanging on his chest—his Seven Lives Dao Fruit. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes.
The High Monk from Ling Mountain Temple’s question touched upon the very core of his existence. After severing his past self, who would he be? He felt as if he would become a blank slate, or perhaps, simply cease to exist.
Wuwu sighed silently. “On this journey west, I must find the answer to this question.”
His path had become fraught with peril. Firstly, the Western Desert Demon Race knew he was heading to Tianling Mountain and sought to seize his Seven Lives Dao Fruit along the way. Secondly, Ling Mountain Temple itself desired his Dao Fruit. Thirdly, after severing his past self, empty and hollow, what would remain of him? Wuwu’s gaze clouded with uncertainty.
***
Grand Dao Sect, Azure Mystery Peak.
Time flew by.
Xuanji Holy Lord cultivated the Dao of Eerie Scripture, using Eerie Power to rebuild her cultivation. Her progress surged dramatically. When not cultivating, her favorite pastime was cooking.
When she first arrived at the Grand Dao Sect’s Ancestral Land, Dao Yuan Old Ancestor personally greeted her.
“Fellow Daoist Baili, is there something you need?”
Xuanji Holy Lord retrieved a freshly prepared meal from her Storage Ring. “Care to try?”
Dao Yuan Old Ancestor was somewhat surprised. “The power of three Heavenly Treasures! Thank you, Fellow Daoist Baili.”
Xuanji Holy Lord tilted her snow-white neck slightly, nodded, and departed. Dao Yuan Old Ancestor returned to the Ancestral Land with the food.
The Old Ancestors of the Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Dao lineages all gathered around. Everyone was astonished. “Xuanji Holy Lord came to Azure Mystery Peak and actually started cooking.”
Cangxuan Old Ancestor remarked, “I was just as surprised when I first learned Fuyao was cooking for Lu Xuan.”
They began to eat. In an instant, expressions of agony contorted every face. Two words: utterly terrible.
The next day, Xuanji Holy Lord arrived again. Dao Yuan Old Ancestor instantly petrified. Xuanji Holy Lord was using them as taste testers! Who could possibly endure this?
Besides the Ancestral Land, Xuanji Holy Lord also visited the Sect Master Peak, Body Refinement Peak, Misty Peak… The various Peak Masters cried out in distress. The Sect Master secretly sought help from Lu Xuan.
“Lu Xuan, please tell Xuanji Holy Lord that our entire sect has already begun abstaining from grain.”
Lu Xuan relayed the message to Xuanji Holy Lord. She nodded, her gaze drifting into the distance. “We’ll see when I get to the Eastern Wilds.”
Lu Xuan felt a pang of worry for the Eastern Wilds.
Time passed quickly. In less than a month, Xuanji Holy Lord’s aura transformed, and she directly broke through to Half-step Supreme!
At the same time, the System’s voice echoed in Lu Xuan’s ears.
“Ding! Host’s fourth disciple has broken through to Half-step Supreme! Initiating cultivation synchronization!”
As the voice fell, an incomparably pure torrent of spiritual energy surged into Lu Xuan’s body, impacting him like a mighty river. Lu Xuan instantly broke through to One-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme! A tingling sensation, like lightning, coursed through his entire body.
A few days later, the System’s voice sounded again!
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for completing the limited-time disciple cultivation quest! Distributing rewards!”
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for acquiring a large amount of cultivation foundation!”
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for acquiring two Cultivation Infusion Jade Slips!”
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for acquiring one Spirit Fire Source Seed!”
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for acquiring one Three-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme Experience Card!”
As the voice fell, another surge of pure spiritual energy poured into his body, bringing him a step closer to Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme!
Next, he examined the two ancient jade slips from the System.
Cultivation Infusion Jade Slips! He had used them once before in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, instantly boosting Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen to Five-star Great Emperor!
The System prompted, “These two jade slips can directly elevate Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao to Nine-star Great Emperor Late-stage!”
Lu Xuan’s eyes gleamed. “Not bad,” he murmured. “Another wave of cultivation boosts.”
Then, he looked at a greenish seed in his spatial dimension. A Spirit Fire Source Seed! With a thought, a verdant, ancient seed appeared in Lu Xuan’s hand, surging with the Rule Power of the Path of Spirit Fire, incredibly profound and obscure.
The System prompted, “This Spirit Fire Source Seed can fuse two different spirit fires.”
Lu Xuan pondered. “That’s quite good. I recall there’s an Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames in the Northern Plains. I’ll give this Spirit Fire Source Seed to Fuyao.”
He still glanced disdainfully at the System’s Three-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme Experience Card. ‘Tasteless to eat, a pity to discard!’ he thought. The System already had a Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme Experience Card lying around.
***
At mealtime, Lu Xuan and his five disciples gathered around the stone table. The aroma of food wafted through the air.
Lu Xuan looked at Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen and asked, “Do you want to break through to Nine-star Great Emperor?”
Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen were stunned. Ye Chen immediately exclaimed excitedly, “Yes!”
Ji Fuyao’s eyes sparkled, her delicate lips parting slightly. “Master, I want it!”
Nine-star Great Emperor! Just over a month ago, they had only broken through from One-star Great Emperor to Five-star Great Emperor! Their last breakthrough was perfect, even more so than if they had cultivated themselves! And now, Master was going to boost their cultivation again?
Chen Changsheng and Xuanji Holy Lord also showed surprise in their eyes. Lu Xuan’s methods were simply too heaven-defying! He was truly too good to his disciples.
Lu Xuan chuckled. “We’ll talk after dinner.”
Before long, Lu Xuan had finished eating and was lounging on his recliner.
Chen Changsheng asked, “Master, are you going to open the Supreme Path in the Southern Wilds?”
Lu Xuan nodded faintly. “The time is just about right.”
“When the time comes, we’ll split into three paths. Ye Chen will remain in the Southern Wilds, Fuyao will go to the Northern Plains, and Baili will head to the Eastern Wilds. As for you, third junior brother?”
“I’ll stay on Azure Mystery Peak,” Chen Changsheng replied.
“Suit yourself,” Lu Xuan said casually.
Several hours later, Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao finished their meal and rushed to Lu Xuan’s side, their faces alight with excitement.
Ji Fuyao felt as if she were dreaming. Was she truly about to become a Nine-star Great Emperor? In her previous life, she had only been a One-star Great Emperor! One Stage, One World! Who would have thought that in this life, by becoming Lu Xuan’s disciple, she would effortlessly reach Nine-star Great Emperor? It was truly as easy as eating and drinking!
Watching their excited expressions, Lu Xuan directly took out the two Cultivation Infusion Jade Slips. With a casual flick, he crushed them!
Crack! His two hands descended.
Boom! An incomparably terrifying torrent of power surged directly into their bodies, causing brilliant light to erupt around them. Their cultivation foundation, like a mighty river, surged through their meridians, constantly churning!
Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen’s cultivation began to skyrocket! Five-star Great Emperor! Six-star Great Emperor!…Nine-star Great Emperor! Both of them instantly broke through to Nine-star Great Emperor Late-stage!
Boom! In an instant, the terrifying pressure of the Nine-star Emperor Realm surged outwards like a tidal wave. The entire Grand Dao Sect was startled. Even the Old Ancestors in the Ancestral Land were alarmed! “Who is breaking through to Nine-star Great Emperor?”