Born with immortal seed

Chapter 512 The Traces of the Five Strange Insects

The Northern Liang Kingdom, located in the Black Mountain Range.

From high above, the third-tier spiritual veins are like pearls, adorning the entire mountain range.

Towering palaces and pavilions, crisscrossing paths, and enthusiastic monks coming and going—a scene of prosperity and flourishing.

"Brother Yue, is this the sect you came from? The world is in chaos, the elders in the sect are all panicked, and Elder Jiang is fighting with the patriarch, leading a group of disciples to break out of the sect... I never thought there would be such a paradise in the Northern Region."

A male and female cultivator stopped on the outskirts of Black Mountain, looking around. The man was filled with emotion, while the woman looked on with curiosity.

The Qingfeng Sect of today is no longer what it was when it rose to prominence.

With two Nascent Soul True Monarchs in charge, both in their prime and with long lifespans, the sect is experiencing a period of rapid growth that is visible to the naked eye.

The Black Mountain Range has long been a forbidden area for the Qingfeng Sect. Any outsider who enters without authorization is a provocation against the sect.

Spirit boats frequently patrol the skies to prevent non-Qingfeng Sect cultivators from entering.

The cultivation families that originally lived in Black Mountain began to withdraw voluntarily and return the spiritual land to their respective sects.

Anyway, there are still quite a few unclaimed lands in the mountains and spiritual veins of Hejian Sect. Second-grade low-level spiritual land in Black Mountain can be exchanged for second-grade high-level spiritual land in Hejian County.

Only a few cultivation families who had close ties with the Qingfeng Sect and were unwilling to stray far from the sect's core remained in Black Mountain after receiving permission from the upper sect.

Such as the Bai family of Mozhu and the Liu family of Houshan.

"Yes, I grew up here with my master since I was a child... It's been a hundred years since I returned, and it feels a bit unfamiliar."

The man was dressed in white, with a detached demeanor and a calm composure that suggested he had experienced many hardships.

Although he doesn't look very old, his temples are gray, his eyes are wrinkled, and his face is covered with scars that won't fade.

Only his eyes remained pure and innocent, and one could still vaguely see the sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes of his youth, and his handsome face.

"Brother Yue, don't be sad. No matter where you go, I'll be with you..."

The woman held the male cultivator's arm and patted it gently. Her appearance was not particularly beautiful, but rather ordinary, like a delicate little white flower.

"Your two patriarchs are already famous throughout the world. Bai Zhenjun even forced the Great Zhenjun of the Jiunan Sect to flee in a sorry state by himself with just one sword. When my grandfather came to find me after receiving the news, I had never seen that conflicted expression on his face before. He specially gave me many treasures and said, 'Brother Yue, you haven't returned to the sect for a long time. Come back to Qingfeng Sect more often when you have time.'"

"With war raging outside, it's hard to say when the demon race might attack the Northern Region... The far north of Black Mountain is a safer place."

Currently, the Eastern Region is engulfed in war, with demonic beasts roaming freely, and has become the domain of the demon race.

Only a few scattered human forces are still resisting, and if they stay in one place for too long, they will be completely destroyed.

The hidden strength of Rotten Axe Mountain, in particular, far exceeds the assessment of the cultivation world.

More than twenty transformed demons emerged from Rotten Axe Mountain and, together with the demons of the outer seas, occupied all the important passes, sacred mountains, and great rivers of the Eastern Region.

They then deployed countless troops, facing off against the army of cultivators from the Central Region across the Ji River, which was a thousand feet wide.

The cultivation world had always estimated that Rotten Axe Mountain had only a handful of fully-formed demons, and their actual strength reflected that.

However, the appearance of a large number of unfamiliar powerful demons this time proves that the Jin Yue Sect's supervision of the demon race's holy land has completely failed.

Whether it's the fourth-tier demons from various regions who flocked to Rotten Axe Mountain, or those who hid in caves and used unknown secret techniques to conceal the traces of their tribulation, such a large numerical discrepancy is a major dereliction of duty by the Golden Yue Sect.

With the death of the Supreme Elder in battle, and the legendary Nascent Soul Ancestor who did not appear until the moment the entire sect moved away, the Jin Yue Sect had already been stripped of its title as a super sect.

Living as guests in the Central Region, and with their disciples suffering heavy casualties, their situation is no different from that of ordinary Nascent Soul sects.

The white ape that killed Jin Yuezong became famous and became a powerful figure in the new generation of the demon race. With such great strength at only the middle level of the fourth rank, it will surely become a major threat to the human race in the future.

According to a sect cultivator who surrendered to the demon race but did not sever ties with the Central Region, the white ape is a bloodline of the Red-Eared Demon Lord of Rotten Axe Mountain that was left behind.

He survived the heavenly tribulation on his own, completed the path of transformation, and only received the bloodline inheritance after returning to Rotten Axe Mountain.

The Red-Eared Demon Lord bestowed upon him his personal treasures, keeping him by his side and carefully nurturing him, regarding him as the next successor of Rotten Axe Mountain.

Faced with the overwhelming force of the demon race from the Eastern Region, various sects in the Central Region are drawing on cultivators to reorganize their armies.

With the Moral Sect suffering a crushing defeat and the demon race displaying strength, no Nascent Soul cultivator has yet stepped forward to stabilize the situation in the Central Region, causing widespread anxiety.

Every cultivator in the Central Region felt a dark cloud hanging over their hearts, sensing the approaching great battle.

For countless millennia, neither the powerful demons nor the ancient demons of the upper realms could wreak havoc in the other four domains.

Even if they enter the Central Region, they will be suppressed by various powerful figures before long, so the scope of their influence will be limited.

However, the current monster frenzy is clearly unlikely to subside in the short term, and the pride of the cultivators in the Central Region is being shattered.

In contrast, Liang, a small country located in the north and lacking in resources, was relatively calm and unaffected by the external situation.

The two unfamiliar cultivators stood still on Black Mountain, which quickly attracted the attention of the Qingfeng Sect's law enforcement disciples.

A speeding shuttle landed, and Qiu Jingrong, looking travel-worn, led a group of disciples down.

As the first cultivator in the Qingfeng Sect in nearly ten years to be granted the status of elder immediately after successfully establishing his foundation, some say that he has caught the eye of a prominent figure in the sect and is being groomed for special training.

Only he himself knew that this was the treatment he received in exchange for handing over the family inheritance.

Only by rapidly growing through this elder position can one gain a foothold in the sect, rise to a high position, and have the opportunity to avenge the annihilation of one's clan.

"What brings you two esteemed guests to Montenegro?"

Qiu Jingrong was shocked when he saw the cultivation levels of the man and woman in front of him; they were actually two Core Formation Realm cultivators.

The Qingfeng Sect occupies two prefectures, but its influence extends even further, encompassing nearly one-third of the territory of the cultivation world in Liang Kingdom.

It has completely surpassed the Heavenly Principle Sect, the Holy Lotus Sect, and the Ice Soul Palace to become the number one sect in Liang Kingdom, but it only has six True Persons and two third-tier spirit beasts.

Most of the Nascent Soul cultivators in the vicinity have their photos taken at the Law Enforcement Hall, so it's clear that this man and woman are not acquainted with each other.

"Who is the current leader of this sect?"

The man in white glanced at the group of disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall, his expression complex, and then spoke.

"Senior, do you have a past relationship with our sect? The two patriarchs have decreed that Uncle Wei will be in charge of all sect affairs, large and small."

When Qiu Jingrong noticed the strange question, his heart skipped a beat, and he guessed that the person was a friend rather than an enemy.

Otherwise, if two Core Formation cultivators were to force their way into Black Mountain, it wouldn't be something that a few spirit boats from the Enforcement Hall could stop them from doing.

As long as it doesn't get close to a vital spiritual vein, the protective range of the mountain-protecting formation isn't that large.

"Go and inform Senior Brother Wei that Qi Yue has returned with his wife and requests to return to the Qingfeng Sect..."

After a long silence, Qi Yue sighed and said desolately.

……

A third-tier peak Azure Water Poison Frog, just one step away from transforming into human form, lay on its back on the ground.

A sword hole pierced his forehead, running through his entire body, and gushing blood stained the soil beneath him.

On the hilltop, hundreds of second-order poisonous frogs were croaking incessantly, which was quite irritating.

In the next instant, all the poisonous frogs were swept away by a sword light, their heads flying into the air.

Whether at the foot of the mountain or at the summit, the croaking of frogs disappears simultaneously, without the slightest difference.

In the Frog King's lair, a seven-petaled white flower grew quietly. A spirit hoe dug up the soil and removed it along with its roots.

A drop of water fell from a white flower, splashing onto the ground, instantly turning the yellow mud black and corroding it with a sizzling sound.

"The Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower only grows one petal every two hundred years, and this one has grown for a full fourteen hundred years. It's truly remarkable..."

Bai Zichen wrapped the Corrupted Bone Spirit Flower in a brocade cloth woven from ice silkworm silver threads to withstand the poison in its stamen.

Otherwise, even a special jade box would be corroded and pitted.

An additional procedure was added, and a special ice jade box was placed to set up a restriction before the matter was considered closed.

This item is one of the 999 poisons used in cultivating the Hundred Poisons Jade Scale Bone technique, and it is also one of the few remaining poisons that have not yet been collected.

"With these, only the last eighteen items remain, and we can finally see the dawn of refining immortal bones."

During the five years that Bai Zichen was comprehending the Dao of Sword, even the Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the Dian Kingdom sects personally took action, leaving the remaining poisonous creatures truly powerless.

The remaining poisonous creatures either lack a specific target, or are powerful in themselves or are protected by formidable insects or beasts; even a Nascent Soul True Monarch is not entirely certain of their existence.

The infamous reputation of the Ten Thousand Evil Mountains meant that the deaths and injuries of low-level cultivators were nothing to worry about, but the fact that five of the few Nascent Soul cultivators in the Southern Border had perished there before the results were obtained was quite remarkable.

Just like this Corrupting Bone Spirit Flower, it was only unlucky to encounter True Monarch Bai. If it were a Nascent Soul cultivator, the Azure Water Poison Frog could have lasted for several rounds.

In addition, the poisonous frogs that roam the mountain will shatter their poison sacs when they croak after the Demon King dies, causing the already highly poisonous Bone-Rotting Spirit Flower to wither away.

Only by killing the poisonous frogs simultaneously within three breaths can the Corrupting Bone Spirit Flower be preserved.

This would require at least several hundred cultivators, and they would need to be strong enough to instantly kill a second-tier poisonous frog to ensure everything goes smoothly.

If Bai Zichen hadn't finally grasped the concept of sword light differentiation, he really wouldn't have dared to choose the Corrupted Bone Spirit Flower as his first target.

After quickly packing up their spoils, they rushed off to the next location.

The latest map of the Southern Frontier in his hand was created by generations of cultivators in the Southern Region at the cost of their lives, recording the distribution points of various insects and beasts.

The poisons required for the Hundred Poisons Jade Scale Bone are all found deeper and deeper into the Ten Thousand Evil Mountains.

"According to what Yu Baichan said, there is likely a fifth-order demonic insect in the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Evil Mountains. We cannot be careless... I have only just entered the fourth realm of swordsmanship. It can only be said that I have indeed improved a lot, but even if I set up the Star River Sword Formation, I am not yet at the point of being able to fight against a fifth-order demonic insect."

The area where Yu Baichan encountered the fifth-tier demonic insect was designated as an absolute forbidden zone by Bai Zichen, who didn't even consider heading in that direction.

As for the existence of a second fifth-tier being in the Ten Thousand Evil Mountains, such a possibility is extremely low.

Three months later, the Jade Vine was harvested; it was both a powerful tonic and a deadly poison.

Cut into small pieces and swallowed raw, it can replenish blood and qi. Even weak children who are born with deficiencies and find it difficult to embark on the path of cultivation can recover to the level of a normal person after eating a piece.

Taking up to three doses consecutively will invigorate your Qi and blood, replenish your vital energy, and accelerate your cultivation speed before forming your core.

Even the legendary Nine Yin Meridians can be saved by the Jade Vine.

Grind it into powder and mix it with a specific spiritual water, and it can keep the Nine Yin Meridian boy, who originally had a maximum lifespan of twenty years, in a normal state, allowing him to live at least twenty more years.

It should be noted that the cultivation speed of those who possess the Nine Yin Meridians is comparable to that of those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots.

By curbing negative states, one can establish a foundation before the end of one's lifespan.

Once you reach a higher level of understanding, you'll find other ways to save yourself.

However, once the Jade Vine is placed in the alchemy furnace, any attempt to add it as a spiritual herb to the elixir will turn it into a highly poisonous substance.

A mere speck of powder from the refined elixir can kill a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Even if a Nascent Soul True Monarch consumes it, he will be corroded, and his death will be horrific, with his Nascent Soul turning completely black and dying.

This time, Bai Zichen faced a fourth-tier dragon sparrow that could speak human language but had not yet successfully transformed into human form.

It is clearly endowed with the bloodline of a wild beast, which, while granting it immense power, also restricts its development.

The fight with this dragon sparrow lasted less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. The main purpose was to practice the sword light differentiation realm. Right from the start, the two swords transformed into layers of sword light, rising and falling in waves.

The dragon sparrow's feathers fell off violently, and even several supernatural powers could not stop it. It had no choice but to ruthlessly pluck out the true feather from its tail, which merged into a ball of five-colored light and flew away to escape.

Bai Zichen thought for a moment and decided not to press the matter further.

After all, there are still beings he can't deal with hidden in the Ten Thousand Evil Mountains, so it's not worth taking too much risk for a dragon sparrow.

……

Time flies, day and night rise and fall.

After purifying his robes and shaving his head with his palms, Bai Zichen lived as a wild man in the Ten Thousand Evils Mountain for three years.

They traveled almost non-stop between mountains, searching for poisonous creatures.

If the information is incorrect or has already been taken by someone else, immediately change the target.

During this time, he even saw the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insect, one of the Five Great Strange Insects, which appeared as a dark mass in the distance.

It almost blocked out the sunlight for miles around, like a moving dark cloud.

Bai Zichen neither dodged nor avoided the approach, nor did he take the initiative to step forward.

It was the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects that smelled the scent of blood and flesh, and they frantically flapped their wings and flew over, surrounding him in a sphere.

"The Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insect at the peak of the third tier has a body stronger than refined iron, impervious to swords and blades, and can devour everything... Given enough time, it can devour even your spiritual treasures and protective divine light."

Feeling the intense shock transmitted from the sword light, one can only say that there must be a reason why it is listed as one of the five great strange insects.

Even a fourth-tier demonic insect couldn't shake his sword light, yet the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insect bit a small hole in it.

Thousands upon thousands of poisonous gold-devouring insects frantically gnawed at the sword light, creating a small hole in the originally impenetrable barrier in just a few breaths.

Fortunately, he had already grasped the concept of sword light splitting. With a flick of his two flying swords, countless sword lights spread out, scattering the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects layer by layer.

Otherwise, without using some of my most powerful and secret techniques, it would be quite difficult to deal with the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects.

Refining swords into threads can easily penetrate an insect's body, but it requires extremely high precision and speed from the user of the flying sword; each sword strike has its own requirements.

Faced with such numbers, the speed of killing the enemy is woefully inadequate.

This is why the Hundred Poison Gold-Devouring Insects at the peak of the third tier, once their numbers increase, can even devour a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Bai Zichen didn't go that far, but he only killed about a hundred of the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects. The swarm of insects flew away when they saw that it was a tough nut to crack, and he didn't have a good way to deal with it.

This moment is different; it's like a torrential downpour, with the corpses of the Hundred Poison Gold-Eating Insects falling like a torrential rain.

In the blink of an eye, a thick layer had accumulated on the ground.

(End of this chapter)