Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

As soon as the mysterious monk wearing a black mask finished speaking...

A low murmur of agreement rang out from inside the underground palace.

But this agreement didn't last long, as several voices filled with doubt soon followed—

Many of the more astute individuals noticed some suspicious points.

This time!

A cultivator dressed in a blue-patterned Taoist robe, with a composed aura, spoke first.
His tone was full of confusion and wariness, and his voice, coming through the mask, carried a subtle but palpable gravity:
Something's not right!
What if the president of the Cultivator Association isn't the legendary ancient rogue cultivator, but a contemporary cultivator like us...?
How exactly did he break through to the Nascent Soul Realm?

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

Many cultivators nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with even greater doubt.

Another monk, whose face was hidden in the shadows, immediately spoke, his tone full of certainty.
And with a hint of disbelief:

"You should know that the amount of spiritual energy required to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm is astronomical, an enormous amount!"

The meager spiritual energy of ordinary spiritual veins is simply insufficient to support the terrifying energy expenditure required for a breakthrough.
Even the large spiritual veins that nourish a major sect are far from enough!

He paused, his tone growing increasingly heavy, as if he had witnessed the tragic consequences of insufficient spiritual energy leading to failed breakthroughs:
"If the spiritual energy is cut off midway through the breakthrough, not only will you be unable to glimpse the path to the Nascent Soul Realm, but you will also suffer a terrible backlash from the spiritual energy."

Moreover, the higher the cultivation level, the more terrifying the backlash becomes.
At best, one's cultivation level will plummet; at worst, one's soul will be scattered.
Even if one miraculously survives, an insurmountable Dao injury will be left on their Dao foundation, preventing any further progress in this life.

"More importantly..."
Given the current resources of this world, there simply is no treasure that can perfectly eliminate this hidden danger of Dao injury.

Without a treasure to resolve the hidden dangers, it's naturally impossible to have the possibility of attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm again.

This is something that all of you fellow Daoists present here are surely well aware of.

Upon hearing this, many cultivators in the hall paled.
He clearly agreed wholeheartedly.

After a moment of silence...
Another impassioned voice rang out, carrying a sense of unwavering resolve:
"Besides!"
In the current cultivation world, looking across the entire world, there are only three giant spiritual veins that can barely supply the terrifying spiritual energy required to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

However, during the years that the three major alliances ruled the cultivation world...
Apart from the core disciples and senior experts of top sects like us, no other cultivator has been able to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.
Isn't that strange?

Then,

A cultivator skilled in array formations added, his tone full of seriousness:
"Moreover, the spiritual energy fluctuations during the breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm were too terrifying, overwhelming and impossible to conceal."

Even if someone uses a top-tier law array to deliberately conceal themselves, such an earth-shattering consumption of spiritual energy, like a river overflowing its banks, will eventually reveal clues.

It's absolutely impossible to do it without leaving a trace.

A deathly silence fell over the hall; all the cultivators were deep in thought…
Eliminate one impossible scenario after another.

a long time,

A glint of light flashed in the eyes of the Taoist cultivator in the blue-patterned robe who had first raised his doubts.
His tone was filled with certainty and awe as he slowly began to speak:
"After eliminating all the impossibilities, only one possibility remains—"

The reclusive Nascent Soul cultivator and president of the Cultivator Association has discovered a colossal spiritual vein that has remained undiscovered by the world!

Upon hearing this,
The hall erupted in chaos once again, with many cultivators displaying expressions of disbelief.

But soon, some monks raised new concerns:
"However, the spiritual energy emanating from the giant spiritual vein is dense and vast."
Like an invisible tide, even if hidden in a desolate place, it cannot remain hidden for countless years without being discovered.
It was even less likely to escape the notice of the three major leagues—

The three major alliances control all the spiritual veins in the world, and cultivators patrol them year-round. How could they possibly overlook such a vital, gigantic spiritual vein?

"so,"

The cultivator wearing the jade fox mask suddenly spoke, his hoarse voice breaking the chaos.

The tone carried a hint of speculation.

"The giant spiritual vein discovered by the president of the Cultivator Association is very likely to exist in some secret realm or cave."

Those secret realms and grotto-heavens form their own worlds, capable of isolating spiritual energy from leakage and concealing all traces.

He paused, then continued, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes:
"Moreover, during the reign of the three major alliances, none of us noticed a single trace of this Nascent Soul cultivator."
Therefore, it is highly likely that this Nascent Soul cultivator has been secretly cultivating within that secret realm or grotto-heaven, rarely venturing into the world.

He never shows off his talents in ordinary times.

That's why he left no trace in the cultivation world.

"···"

The group of mysterious cultivators were all deep in thought, repeatedly considering and refining this hypothesis.

Some agree, others remain skeptical...

A heavy and oppressive atmosphere permeated the hall.

at this time,

A hoarse voice, like the scraping of rusty iron, suddenly broke the silence from a cold stone seat in the hall.

next moment,
The gazes of all the cultivators in the underground palace, like spotlights, were all focused on the cultivator wearing the jade fox mask—

The voice just now came from his mouth.

The cultivator in the jade fox mask slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall.
The tone was somewhat tentative:

"Do you think it's possible that the old monster possesses some profound and unfathomable secret method to slow down the passage of life?"

The voice paused slightly.

His gaze suddenly fell on the mysterious monk who had remained silent and wore a black mask, and he continued slowly:

"Therefore, fellow Daoist, you were able to conclude that he would have a long lifespan when you used the extraordinary talisman to calculate his lifespan—"

He was not a cultivator of this world; rather, his lifespan had been forcibly slowed down by a secret technique.

Upon hearing this,

A brief silence fell over the hall once more, and a look of realization flashed in the eyes of many cultivators.
This speculation seems to make some sense.

But soon, a cold and piercing voice rang out in the underground palace, carrying an undeniable resolve, shattering the moment of surprise:
"impossible!"

The cultivator, clad in black robes and radiating a chilling aura, spoke in an icy tone, each word clear and distinct:

Millions of years have passed, time is merciless, and no matter how exquisite or profound the secret technique...
Even if one cultivates to the point of perfection, it is absolutely impossible for a cultivator to have such a long lifespan remaining.

Lifespan is predetermined; going against the will of Heaven will ultimately lead to retribution from the laws of nature.
Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to achieve such a result.

"Not bad!"

Another voice immediately echoed, its tone full of agreement.
"There is absolutely no possibility of this. Lifespan is predetermined by the will of Heaven."
Even if there were secret methods to temporarily extend its lifespan, it would be impossible for it to last for millions of years.
That has already exceeded the limitations of this realm.

Just as everyone was agreeing that this theory couldn't be true...
A different opinion suddenly emerged, its tone carrying a hint of rebuttal and insistence:
"wrong!
It's not impossible.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the speaker was an old-looking cultivator dressed in a gray robe.
He spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of melancholy:

"Fellow Daoists, the secret techniques of this world are indeed unable to achieve this, but that does not mean that there are no such heaven-defying secret techniques in the world."

The world is vast and full of wonders.
Perhaps, in places unknown to us, there exist supreme methods that can defy fate and slow the passage of life.

Upon hearing this, the underground palace fell into a deathly silence.

All the cultivators were deep in thought about those words, their eyes filled with shock and confusion—

They spent their entire lives cultivating immortality and seeking the Dao, never imagining that there truly existed a secret method that could defy fate and change one's predetermined lifespan.

Then, a voice carrying a probing tone slowly drifted over.
His tone was full of uncertainty, yet tinged with a hint of anticipation:

"That's actually quite possible."

Legend has it that such heaven-defying secret techniques might be recorded in the Heavenly Book of the Spirit Realm—

The Heavenly Book of the Spirit Realm is a supreme treasure passed down from the ancient Spirit Realm, containing countless earth-shattering secret techniques and profound principles.

If one could obtain even a single page of it, the benefits would be immeasurable.

"Although the celestial books that have now fallen into this world are all incomplete fragments and do not explicitly record such a secret method to slow down the passage of life,

But no one can guarantee that some hidden fragment might not contain records of such extraordinary abilities.

Another monk then added, his tone carrying a certainty.

"Not bad!"

A cultivator dressed in purple robes, exuding a noble aura, spoke up in agreement.
His tone was full of agreement.
"Although the ancient texts record that the fragments of the Heavenly Book of the Spirit Realm circulating in the world do not contain such secret methods, this does not mean that they do not exist."

Besides,

After obtaining fragments of the Heavenly Book of the Spirit Realm, most cultivators would keep it a secret and cultivate alone, never revealing a single word to the outside world.

Therefore, no one knows exactly how many fragments of the Heavenly Book have ended up in this world.

What other heaven-defying secret techniques are recorded?

"That makes sense!"

On a stone throne, a cultivator with a powerful aura slowly spoke.
His tone carried a hint of approval.

"As far as I know, the secret techniques recorded in the fragments of the Heavenly Book of the Spirit Realm have extremely high cultivation thresholds, often requiring extraordinary opportunities and massive resources."
They may even have to bear the risk of backlash from the laws of nature.
But regardless of the specific secret technique, they all possess the power to defy fate and change destiny, enabling them to do things that other secret techniques in this world cannot.

Therefore, I also acknowledge that this is possible—

That old monster might have actually obtained a fragment of the Spirit Realm's Heavenly Book and cultivated the secret technique within it to slow down the passage of life.

"···"

The hall was once again filled with lively discussion...

Some agree, while others remain skeptical, each holding their own opinion, yet no conclusion has been reached.

Then,

After a long silence, the mysterious monk wearing a black mask finally spoke slowly.
His voice was deep and resonant, carrying an unquestionable authority that instantly silenced all the discussions in the hall.

"Fellow Daoists,"

The black-masked cultivator's gaze slowly swept over everyone in the hall, his tone calm yet tinged with seriousness.

"Regardless of whether that old monster is an ancient rogue cultivator or not."

Regardless of whether he cultivated a heaven-defying secret technique to slow down the loss of his lifespan,
However, it is an indisputable fact that he has an exceptionally long remaining lifespan.

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly firm:
"On this point, I have sworn a solemn oath to all my fellow Daoists, and I will never utter a single falsehood."

Of course, I wouldn't deceive my fellow Daoists.

The black-masked monk continued, his tone carrying a hint of urgency:
"Furthermore, given that old monster's current attitude, as long as our major sects don't produce any Nascent Soul cultivators, they will be secretly suppressed and hampered by him."

And as time goes by...

It's highly likely that our major sects will suffer from a decline in talent and gradually weaken.

If this continues, over the next few hundred or even a thousand years, all our major sects may gradually decline and eventually perish.

"The most crucial thing is,"

His tone grew increasingly heavy, each word spoken with deliberation.
It struck the hearts of all the cultivators like a heavy hammer.
"None of us can guarantee that during this old monster's reign over the cultivation world, someone will be able to successfully break through to the Nascent Soul Realm and break his monopoly and suppression."

Once we lose the ability to resist, annihilation will be the only fate awaiting our various sects.

Speaking of which,

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd again, his tone carrying a mixture of determination and inquiry:
"Therefore, killing this old monster is now an urgent matter."

Fellow Daoists, what are your thoughts?

Upon hearing this, the mysterious cultivators in the underground palace immediately fell into a deathly silence.

For a time,

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was deep in thought, pondering the black-masked cultivator's words, weighing the pros and cons in their minds—

Killing a Nascent Soul cultivator is extremely dangerous; the slightest mistake could result in death and the annihilation of one's cultivation.

It could even implicate the entire sect;

However, if we don't kill him and let him continue to suppress us, the sect will eventually be destroyed.

A short while later,

The mysterious cultivator wearing the jade fox mask was the first to break the silence.

He slowly stood up, his hoarse voice echoing in the hall, carrying a hint of determination and agreement:
"I agree!"
That old monster's lifespan is far too long, posing a fatal threat to all our sects.

If we continue to tolerate this, our major sects will gradually decline, and the extinction of our lineage will be inevitable.

He paused, his tone becoming more seductive, and slowly said:
"Besides!"
If that old monster is truly an ancient cultivator, or has cultivated a heaven-defying secret technique from a fragment of the Spirit Realm's Heavenly Book...
He must possess an unparalleled secret method to increase lifespan or slow down its decline.

If we can kill that old monster and seize his secret techniques and treasures, we will also be able to glimpse the secrets of this supreme technique.
They might even cultivate together and embark on the path to immortality.

This is an immense opportunity for every cultivator and for every sect.

The words of the cultivator with the jade fox mask instantly struck a chord with all the cultivators.

The mysterious cultivators inside the underground palace, perhaps fearing the extinction of their sect's lineage, were unknown.
Still, I was moved by this secret method of immortality and the unparalleled opportunity...
Immediately, many cultivators chimed in to agree.

"What you two fellow Daoists say is correct!"

For the sake of our sect's legacy and our own path to immortality, we cannot delay any longer; we must kill that old monster as soon as possible!

"···"

...(End of this chapter)