Born with immortal seed

Chapter 706 The Greatest Crisis at Rotten Axe Mountain

The Holy Lord of the Daode Sect has never appeared; only the various peaks maintain their own status quo.

With the Black Sea newly settled and the demon race wiped out, Cunsi Peak was able to maintain its position thanks to the power of the Time Sword Lord.

The chaos in the interior will not affect overseas areas in the short term.

However, in the Central Region, the rebellious cultivators of the four hidden sects, who called themselves the Great Harmony Army, were no longer so easy to suppress.

The four hidden sects, which have been secretly accumulating strength, are not weak.

Moreover, after stirring up this pool of water, it is clear that many sects dissatisfied with the current distribution have also joined in.

Even the Central Region, which was not affected by the most dangerous period of the war between the human and demon races, is now engulfed in flames of war.

Many sects and cultivation families were quickly submerged under the onslaught of the Datong Army, like a reef in the ocean, without even a splash.

Or perhaps they could be incorporated into the Datong Army, becoming one of its members, waving flags and shouting slogans.

Over the past decade, many areas in the Central Region have been looted and turned into wasteland.

The roads are littered with the corpses of the starving, their white bones exposed in the wilderness.

As the center of the cultivation world, such a tragic scene has not been seen for at least ten thousand years.

No one dared to provoke the Daodezong sect near its mountain gate, but the Datong army had already appeared within the Great Zhou territory.

With just the Heavenly Punishment Peak alone, they've long been unable to manage the manpower.

The disciples of Yangxing Peak in the Nine Luminaries Grotto-Heaven, the disciples of Huangting Peak who discuss metaphysics and study the classics, and the disciples of Wubu Peak who die young and poor...

The disciples of the Three Peaks had to leave behind their past routines and begin learning combat techniques they didn't necessarily enjoy, throwing themselves into the battlefield.

The Daode Sect was relatively better off; the worst off were those close associates and affiliated sects.

Even with all the firefighters rushing around to put out the fires, it was too late, and the casualties and losses were increasing day by day.

Take the Taiping Sect, which has a good relationship with Bai Zichen, as an example. In recent years, it has been attacked more than ten times and is in a state of great distress.

Fortunately, as the number one talisman sect in the cultivation world, they had a deep enough foundation to forcefully repel the attack with the talisman sea and control the casualty rate.

With the Taoist Master Baoxuan having largely recovered from his injuries, he fought to a draw with two Great True Lords from the Four Hidden Sects, wielding the Taiping Mother Talisman.

This is why, even though Taipingzong became a key target of the Datong army, they managed to prevent serious chaos from occurring within their territory.

The reason why people in Lankeshan were able to learn about these things is because Pan Shizhen of the Taiping Sect risked his life to travel here some time ago.

The main purpose was to express apologies for being unable to provide assistance and to inform the public of the latest situation in Zhongyu.

At the same time, a complete set of twelve fourth-tier talismans was left behind, including three single-target damage talismans, three area-of-effect damage talismans, two life-saving talismans, and one teleportation talisman.

Hopefully, these fourth-tier talismans can help the Qingfeng Sect resist the increasingly dire situation in the upcoming battle.

The Qingfeng Sect occupies the most abundant spiritual vein in the entire Eastern Region; it would be strange if no one was envious.

In the past, with the Sword Master of Time guarding the place, everyone subconsciously regarded Rotten Axe Mountain as his training ground, so naturally no one stood up to object.

Now that the Sword Master of Time has been gone for decades and chaos has arisen, there will be no shortage of people who want to ruin Ke Mountain.

The top sects might still consider the possibility of the return of the Time Sword Lord, but the near-top sects are more willing to go all out.

Whether or not a sect possesses a fifth-tier spiritual land represents a qualitative change.

In the world of cultivation, there is no such thing as a risk-free, safe, and secure path. Immortality and longevity are inherently a path against the grain.

This potential hazard is negligible compared to the benefits brought by Rotten Axe Mountain.

Pan Shizhen originally wanted to persuade the disciples of Qingfeng Sect to abandon Rotten Axe Mountain and return to their home mountain, as this was not a foundation they could hold onto.

But after thinking about it, I still didn't say it.

Giving up Rotten Axe Mountain sounds simple, but if you were in a different location, even the Taiping Sect would find it difficult to make such a decision.

Giving up the fifth-tier spiritual vein earned by one's ancestor so easily would likely bring eternal infamy and endless torment upon oneself.

Before falling asleep at midnight, before passing away peacefully at the end of one's life...

They would question themselves again and again, fearing they would never be at peace until death.

And now, even if they wanted to get away, they couldn't.

Rotten Ke Mountain had long been targeted, and Pan Shizhen sensed several Nascent Soul auras as soon as he entered.

Once the Qingfeng Sect disciples leave the great formation, they will inevitably face endless pursuit and killing.

How can the new owner of the spiritual vein live in peace and be free from legal troubles if the previous resident is killed so that he cannot speak?

In addition, Pan Shizhen brought bad news.

Six months ago, the Jiunan Sect's formation was breached by the Datong Army, who stormed the mountain gate.

Three Nascent Soul True Monarchs died in battle, and their disciples were all slaughtered. Flames soared into the sky, illuminating half the sky red, and lasted for more than ten days before being extinguished.

The Nine Difficulties Sect became the first Nascent Soul level sect to be officially destroyed after the chaos began.

Upon hearing this news, sects across the world felt the same way and experienced a real sense of crisis.

The previous strategy of fortifying the mountains and waiting for the chaos to end was no longer feasible.

With the assistance of the four hidden sects, the Datong Army now possesses the strength to annihilate most Nascent Soul level sects.

The Taiping Sect was under considerable pressure. After Pan Shizhen delivered the talisman and made a brief appearance, they had to immediately return to the Central Region.

The offensive against Lankeshan subsided for a few days, probably because they were unsure of Pan Shizhen's attitude.

Given the grand formation and spiritual veins of Rotten Axe Mountain, the difficulty of attacking it would rise to another level if a Nascent Soul cultivator were stationed there.

A full month later, perhaps having learned through other means that Pan Shizhen had not stayed behind, these people returned once again.

Among the cultivators who made the move, there were already Nascent Soul cultivators, whose casual strikes could cause ripples in the array's protective barrier.

Fortunately, Mo Zhu came to Rotten Axe Mountain, where a fourth-level array master was in charge of the array, allowing it to unleash its full power.

The formation was activated in a timely manner, and the nodes were connected to the earth's veins, making it capable of dealing with several Nascent Soul cultivators at the same time.

However, the group outside Rotten Axe Mountain clearly intended to wage a protracted war, showing no impatience or eagerness, and had no intention of taking it all at once.

In addition, the Qingfeng Sect still has too few people. There are at least 10,000 cultivators attacking the formation, but only one-tenth of them are disciples in the formation.

After a fierce attack, the formation will be stretched thin and its weaknesses will be exposed.

To prevent the loopholes from expanding, the only option was to use the lives of their disciples to fill the gaps.

Some died from the backlash of the array's shockwaves, others were exhausted by the depletion of their true essence, and still others voluntarily went out to fight the cultivators who had sneaked up on them, and never returned.

The protective array of Rotten Axe Mountain was breached once before, and because it was left by the demon race, even after it was repaired, many problems remained.

After every few laps, an attack blind spot will appear, making it impossible to attack nearby enemies below the mountain.

During the long war, this weakness was quickly discovered and exploited.

To prevent these people from damaging the array nodes, Qingfeng Sect disciples have no choice but to risk their lives to stop them at this time.

It doesn't matter whether you kill the enemy or stall for time.

This is how Ma Ruoxi got her many scars.

Fortunately, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs in the attacking army were unwilling to take such a risk; otherwise, the mountain-protecting formation would have been in grave danger long ago.

In addition, two disciples on Rotten Axe Mountain have successfully formed their Golden Cores in recent years, which has relieved a lot of pressure.

One of them was the true master of Tianyangsheng.

"Rotten Axe Mountain is my master's dojo. It was earned by him slaying the Nascent Soul Demon Lord and saving all living beings... Even if I die, I will only die on Rotten Axe Mountain. I will never abandon the mountain to return to the sect, nor do I have the strength to leave the Eastern Region. If any of my fellow disciples think that they can return to Black Mountain alone after losing the protection of the great formation, they may as well go and give it a try."

Holding the flying sword bestowed upon her by the Sword Lord of Time, Ma Ruoxi showed neither an aggressive attitude nor indignation; her expression remained calm and composed.

“Junior Sister Ma, Junior Brother Qiu doesn’t mean to give up on Rotten Axe Mountain. He’s just thinking about whether he can retire to Black Mountain in the future.”

Wei Dao spoke up to smooth things over for the one-armed cultivator, lest the atmosphere in the hall become even more oppressive.

"I am merely stating my position: I will live and die with Rotten Axe Mountain in this lifetime... My sword wound from the past two days has not yet healed, so I must take my leave to recuperate. I will need to trouble you with other matters, Senior Brother."

Ma Ruoxi lowered her eyes, stood up, and walked out of the hall.

Tian Yangsheng immediately stood up, bowed to his fellow disciples as a junior, and followed closely in his master's footsteps.

"Tell me, where is Master right now?"

Ma Ruoxi stood in front of the palace, facing the Black Sea, revealing a hint of confusion and weakness in front of her disciple.

It was only when Bai Zichen was away that she realized how well her master had protected her and the entire sect.

If Bai Zichen were still alive, no matter how much trouble the Datong Army caused, no one would dare to mess with Keshan.

"Our grandmaster's strength is unfathomable, and he is always capable of creating miracles. This time is no exception... I estimate that he is trapped somewhere, and he will be able to escape and return in a while!"

Tian Yangsheng had even more confidence in Bai Zichen than Ma Ruoxi did, and never hesitated or wavered for a moment.

"Yes, Master has always fought his way out of the most difficult situations..."

Ma Ruoxi's face regained its decisive expression, sweeping away her dejection, and she became energetic again.

"Defending Rotten Axe Mountain is the bottom line, there is no room for maneuver... Fellow disciples may complain in their hearts, but all I have to do is cut off any tentacles and thoughts that may slide into that kind of thinking."

“I will keep an eye on things for Master. Only a minority of disciples have this idea.”

Tian Yangsheng had only been in the Core Formation stage for a few years, and the disciples he could contact represented the true thoughts of the Qingfeng Sect disciples on Lanke Mountain.

These disciples all joined the Qingfeng Sect during its heyday, and throughout their growth, they heard about the sect's various great achievements, its rich heritage, and its noble lineage.

Bai Laozu was invincible, repeatedly defeating strong teams, and his status in the cultivation world grew higher and higher.

Everyone was used to Bai Zichen's invincibility, his ability to fight beyond his level, and the incredible miracles he created.

Few people believed that Old Ancestor Bai had perished; in fact, their optimism surpassed that of Core Formation cultivators.

Ma Ruoxi remained silent, only tightening her grip on the flying sword in her hand.

She was not good at administrative tasks, nor was she good at communication or making friends. The only thing she was proud of was the kendo she had achieved through her unremitting efforts.

Yet, given the vast difference in their levels of understanding, they appear so weak and powerless.

She could only express her attitude in the most blunt and stilted way.

……

The speed at which the Datong Army expanded was beyond the expectations of even the most pessimistic cultivators.

Within three months, another Nascent Soul level sect had its gates breached; this one was the Dragon Emperor Sword Sect.

These people, while turning the Central Region into a wasteland, are radiating outwards and contacting sects in the other four regions.

In the surrounding four regions, there is no one that is clearly superior and can dominate a region.

This allowed the Datong Army to expand faster than anticipated, and it quickly gained a large number of followers in the four regions as well.

For the first time, the flag of the Datong Army appeared among the large army near Lankeshan.

"I am deeply grateful to you for coming to my aid, senior..."

In the military camp, the sharp-browed Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Wu performed the ancient rituals one by one, showing utmost respect.

However, his words implied that he had already placed himself in the position of the master of Rotten Axe Mountain, and was extremely wary of anyone who might try to take the fruit.

His family originally belonged to the Nascent Soul sect in the Eastern Region. During the war between the two races, they fled quickly and made it to the Central Region unharmed, thus preserving their strength.

When they launched a counterattack on the Eastern Region, they were again at the forefront, making great contributions and earning back even more spiritual veins than before.

As a long-established sect in the Eastern Region, the Tianyu Sect's ambitions extend far beyond this, especially after the former hegemon, the Jinyue Sect, showed obvious signs of decline and failed to revive in the short term.

The original idea was to cling to the powerful Sword Lord of Time and wait for this peerless sword immortal to ascend before expanding extensively in the Eastern Region.

Unexpectedly, the Eastern Region had only been stable for a few years when the Sword Lord of Time disappeared, which immediately aroused different thoughts among the Tianyu Sect.

After years of probing, patient waiting, alliances, and exchanges of benefits, they finally managed to subdue the other sects in the Eastern Region and dissuade those forces that also harbored ulterior motives towards Rotten Axe Mountain.

With everyone assembled, they began planning their grand undertaking at Rotten Axe Mountain.

It doesn't rely on anything else, it relies solely on the number of Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Originally, the entire sect only had one Nascent Soul cultivator, but after the great war broke out and they moved to the Central Region, a Nascent Soul cultivator who had reached the peak of Core Formation was successfully cultivated the following year.

Upon returning to the Central Region, Wu Jiang, without taking the Nascent Soul Pill, also survived the Heavenly Tribulation without any major incidents and became a True Monarch.

With the addition of a Nascent Soul cultivator they hired at great expense, the Heavenly Feather Sect already stood out among all rivals in the Eastern Region, which had yet to recover its strength.

In terms of strength, they certainly have the right to covet Rotten Axe Mountain.

If we can seize Rotten Axe Mountain and have a fifth-order spiritual vein in hand, it's equivalent to having a foundation for eternity.

In an instant, they could leap from a second-tier sect in the cultivation world to a first-tier one.

The brilliance lies in the fact that the Datong army is in rebellion, and it doesn't seem like it can be quelled in a short time.

Even if the Daode Sect disliked it and wanted to set things right, it would be impossible for them to intervene.

The entire Tianyu Sect unanimously believed that their fortunes were favored by heaven and earth, and that if they conquered Rotten Axe Mountain in one fell swoop, a new Nascent Soul level sect might be added to the cultivation world in a few hundred years.

And all of them are destined to become the revivers of their sect.

Things were proceeding smoothly according to the Tianyu Sect's plan, but the sudden arrival of the Datong Army disrupted the entire plan.

The more than 100,000 Datong soldiers were in complete disarray, clearly lacking rigorous training. Their war weapons and robes were a motley collection, their origins unknown.

It had little effect and consumed several times the logistical resources.

That's fine, but the key point is that there was a Grand True Lord in the late Nascent Soul stage traveling with them in the Datong army.

Suddenly, the roles of host and guest are reversed, and the strengths are misaligned.

Wu Jiang had a bad feeling. The appearance of the Datong Army was probably not accidental, and they were up to no good.

(End of this chapter)