Daily Divination From Market Rogue Cultivator To Immortal Venerable - Chapter 384

Chapter 384 The Demonic Path’s Invitation, An Ancient Prayer (Please Subscribe)

Cui Ling’s attitude.   He was practically a half-patriarch of the Cui family.   However, the affairs of the Cui family had been entirely controlled by Li Chang’an.   From beginning to end, Li Chang’an hadn’t given him the slightest bit of face.   Any other Nascent Soul cultivator would feel resentful and dissatisfied being treated this way by Li Chang’an.   Furthermore ,   Cui Ling was right.   Most rogue cultivators were selfish and had no sense of belonging to any place; they were unlikely to risk their lives to compete with the demonic Nascent Soul cultivators for treasures.   Just then, Zi Xi, through a communication treasure, extended an invitation to Li Chang’an.   ”Fellow Daoist Lin, we wish to compete for a treasure of destiny to enhance our righteous path’s fortune. Would you be willing to join us?”   Her fair hand gripped the communication treasure tightly, awaiting Li Chang’an’s reply.   The place immediately fell silent.   They all wanted to see if Li Chang’an would actually come.   Not long after,   Li Chang’an’s reply rang out.   ”A treasure of destiny? My knowledge is limited; I’ve never heard of such a treasure before. Please, Fellow Daoist Zixia, tell me about it. If this item is crucial to the righteous path, I will come.”   Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in Zixia Zhenjun’s beautiful eyes.   She had also thought Li Chang’an wouldn’t come.   But Li Chang’an’s response surprised her.   She immediately relayed Li Chang’an’s reply to the other Nascent Soul True Monarchs present.   After hearing it,   everyone was somewhat surprised.   ”This Fellow Daoist Lin, if he truly cares about the righteous path, why didn’t he join us in investigating the demonic spies?”   ”Perhaps he’s just interested in that treasure of destiny.”   ”Never mind, in any case, one more person is always good.”   While they were discussing,   Li Chang’an sat cross-legged in his cave, awaiting Zixia Zhenjun’s response.   The previous divination only indicated a struggle for a treasure, without specifying what it was.   He had indeed never heard of   the “treasure of destiny” that Zixia had mentioned .   ”Luck is invisible and intangible, yet there are treasures that can enhance it?”   Li Chang’an summoned Long Niu and asked him about it.   Long Niu, however, knew nothing about it either.   He simply stated, “There are countless strange things in this world; anything can happen. It’s normal for treasures to enhance luck.”   ”That’s true,”   Li Chang’an nodded slightly, agreeing. Just   because he hadn’t seen it didn’t mean it didn’t exist.   The cultivation world today is extremely barren; too many treasures and inheritances have been erased by time. Who knows how prosperous the cultivation world once was?   The Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, before the Nine Great Immortal Sects, was even more powerful than the Nine Great Immortal Sects.   In the years before the Great Jin,   there was likely a more prosperous cultivation civilization.   Just then,   the voice of True Monarch Zixia rang out.   ”Fellow Daoist Lin, that treasure of fortune is called the ‘Altar of Fortune,’ a treasure built by ancient human powerhouses, capable of gathering fortune for a region.”   ”Its construction method has long been lost, and even records of it are scarce. We know of it because the Great Qi Immortal Dynasty unexpectedly obtained an ancient book…”   True Monarch Zixia’s voice was gentle as she slowly recounted the story.   Not long ago,   at the border between the Zhao and Yan kingdoms, the earth suddenly collapsed.   A dazzling five-colored light rose from the depths of the earth, shooting straight into the sky, dyeing the entire firmament in five colors, before dissipating after a long time.   Initially, not many people paid attention.   After the third earthquake,   various strange phenomena appeared from time to time throughout the cultivation world.   However,   Emperor Qi Jiuyang of the Great Qi quickly discovered that the five-colored light was very similar to the scene of the “Altar of Fortune’s emergence” recorded in the ancient book.   According to the records, the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty possessed the Altar of Fortune, using it to maintain its national prosperity.   If it weren’t for the last emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty insisting on the entire nation ascending to immortality, the Great Jin Dynasty could have continued for countless more years.   Zixia and Qi Jiuyang, along with other powerful figures of the righteous path, didn’t know how to use the Altar of Fortune.   They planned   to seize it first and then study it slowly.   ”According to what I know, the demonic path is also gathering forces to seize the Altar of Fortune. Please, Fellow Daoist Lin, lend us a hand!”   ”Alright!”   Li Chang’an immediately agreed.   Since the divination showed “auspiciousness,” as long as he was cautious, nothing unexpected should happen.   He immediately left Changqing Mountain and headed to the Zixia Sect.   On the way,   True Monarch Zixia continued to recount the records about the Altar of Fortune to him.   Not long after, Li Chang’an arrived at the Zixia Sect.   Before even entering the mountain gate, he sensed the auras of more than twenty Nascent Soul True Monarchs.   ”Zixia, Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, White Tiger…”   Some of the True Monarchs were familiar to him, while others were relatively unfamiliar, and he had never seen them before.   Among them were several auras of mid-Nascent Soul cultivators.   ”Huh, True Monarch Mingxia has broken through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage?”   Li Chang’an was somewhat surprised.   True Monarch Mingxia was the master of True Monarch Zixia, and was already eight hundred years old.   The last time they met, she was only at the early Nascent Soul stage.   Logically speaking   , at this age, the possibility of breaking through was slim.   ”Perhaps she broke through long ago, but has been hiding her cultivation,”   Li Chang’an thought to himself.   In the vast world of cultivation, he wasn’t the only one who would hide his power.   He didn’t slow down, and in an instant, he entered the Zixia Sect, landing in the sect’s main hall.   In an instant,   more than twenty Nascent Soul True Monarchs turned their gazes towards him.

Many people looked at Li Chang’an, a rogue Nascent Soul cultivator, with scrutinizing eyes.

After a brief silence, the crowd began to speak.

“Fellow Daoist Lin!”

“This must be Fellow Daoist Lin Fan.”

“Truly young, I’m afraid Fellow Daoist Lin is not even three hundred years old…”

“…”

Li Chang’an responded to these greetings with a smile.

Then, he walked to True Monarch Mingxia and congratulated her.

“Congratulations on your breakthrough, Fellow Daoist Mingxia.”

Hearing this, True Monarch Mingxia smiled gently.

She parted her lips slightly and explained to Li Chang’an, “Fellow Daoist Lin, I broke through many years ago, but I didn’t reveal it to the outside world.”

“I see!”

This was roughly what Li Chang’an had guessed.

After some pleasantries,

True Monarch Mingxia introduced him to two other mid-Nascent Soul cultivators present.

One of them was dressed in white, with a handsome face and a square scarf on his head, resembling an ordinary scholar. His Daoist name was “Jade Tiger,” and he was the master of True Monarch White Tiger.

The other was dressed in black robes, dark-skinned and thin, with the Daoist name “Black Sand,” and he was the master of True Monarch Yellow Sand.

These two had been in seclusion for years, striving to take the final step and become late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. They rarely ventured out.

If not for this war between righteous and demonic forces,

they might have remained in seclusion until the end of their lives.

After introducing these two,

True Monarch Mingxia introduced the remaining True and False Nascent Soul cultivators to Li Chang’an. Most of the Nascent Soul cultivators

from the righteous paths of both countries

were present .

A small number of Nascent Soul cultivators and fourth-tier demon lords remained to guard their sects and clan territories, presiding over the fourth-tier grand formations to prevent attacks from demonic cultivators.

After the introductions,

Li Chang’an sat beside True Monarch Mingxia, discussing the upcoming operation with the others.

Qi Jiuyang informed them, “There are three locations where the five-colored immortal light appeared, indicating the emergence of three auspicious altars. We must split up and try to seize all three!”

They quickly made arrangements.

Three mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators each led several Nascent Soul True Monarchs to their respective locations.

Soon after,

the group set off.

As they approached the border between the two countries, the Nascent Soul cultivators split into three groups, each heading to different locations.

Li Chang’an naturally followed True Monarch Mingxia, as he wasn’t very familiar with the other two mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Beside him were familiar faces:

True Monarch Zixia, True Monarch Qinglong, True Monarch Zhuque, True Monarch Baihu, and the fellow disciples Cui Ling.

A moment later,

they arrived at their destination.

Before them lay a deep pit, tens of thousands of feet in size.

At the bottom of the pit

were countless tiny openings

, each seemingly leading to a deeper part of the earth, its depths unfathomable.

“That altar of destiny should be deep within this place.”

“With so many openings, which one should we choose?”

“This is simple, no need to choose. Just burrow into the depths of the earth to investigate…”

Cui Ling released a Golden Core servant, instructing it to use a teleportation technique.

The servant immediately transformed into a streak of light, rushing towards the bottom of the pit, attempting to enter.

However,

a deafening “boom” resounded.

This man’s earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique that allows one to escape into the ground) was ineffective, and he crashed straight into the ground at the bottom of the pit.

After that, he tried many times, using various escape techniques, but none of them succeeded.

“Could it be that escape techniques cannot be used here?”

Everyone felt strange and descended to the bottom of the pit.

They tried to use escape techniques one after another, but all ended in failure. Even True Monarch Mingxia could not escape underground.

Thus,

if they wanted to enter the depths of the earth, they could only do so through these countless cave entrances.

But there were thousands upon thousands of cave entrances here; who knew which one would lead to the Altar of Fortune?

Perhaps any of them would work, or perhaps only one would.

“We will all release our servants and puppets and try them one by one.”

“Fellow Daoist Lin, please set up a fourth-order formation here.” “

Fellow Daoist Qinglong, please use the ‘Azure Dragon Eye’ to probe the aura of the treasure…”

“…”

Mingxia’s voice was gentle as she made arrangements for everyone .

As a fourth-order formation master, Li Chang’an naturally took on the task of setting up the formation.

If a demonic Nascent Soul cultivator attacked, the fourth-order formation could hold them off for a moment, preventing them from being caught off guard.

In addition,

True Monarch Qinglong possessed a special treasure called “Azure Dragon Eye,” said to be crafted from the eye of a naturally born dragon with a precious pupil.

This item could be used to find treasures and locate their locations.

True Monarch Baihu and his fellow disciple Cui Ling had also brought out a platinum tiger demon sculpture, which could also be used for treasure hunting.

Zixia and Zhuque also employed their respective treasure-hunting methods.

Having reached the Nascent Soul realm,

almost everyone possessed numerous techniques.

For some time afterward, the group continued to venture deeper into the various cave entrances, but progress remained slow.

Each entrance led into the depths of the earth, seemingly without end.

The underground passages were winding and intricate, sometimes branching off, sometimes connecting with other passages, resembling a vast underground labyrinth.

“Not only can we not use escape techniques here, but even our divine sense is suppressed, unable to extend too far.”

“In my opinion, perhaps every cave entrance leads to the innermost altar of destiny.”

Azure Dragon True Monarch spoke slowly, his expression solemn, holding the Azure Dragon Eye.

“I wish to venture into one cave entrance; please wait here.”

“Alright!”

Li Chang’an and the others agreed.

However,

before Azure Dragon True Monarch could even depart,

several unfamiliar Nascent Soul auras appeared in their senses.

“Demonic Nascent Souls!”

The group’s eyes turned cold as they looked towards the horizon.

Seven streaks of rainbow light ripped through the sky, instantly arriving outside the array set up by Li Chang’an.

The first figure, clad in a red robe, with blood-red eyes, exuded the aura of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Blood River!”

True Monarch Mingxia’s expression was cold as she confronted him from afar.

“You’ve actually broken through.”

“Heh, Fellow Daoist Mingxia, haven’t you also broken through?”

True Monarch Blood River smiled, his blood-red robe fluttering in the wind.

Beside him, among the other six demonic Nascent Soul cultivators, two were acquaintances of Li Chang’an.

“True Monarch Thousand Corpses, True Monarch Ten Thousand Souls.”

Li Chang’an’s gaze swept over the two, then turned to the other four.

Both sides scrutinized each other.

After a moment,

True Monarch Blood River asked with a smile, “You’ve all come here, presumably for the Altar of Fortune. I see the terrain here is quite complex; perhaps we could help you search for it?”

True Monarch Mingxia coldly replied, “No need, please return.”

“Heh, now that we’re here, how can we leave so easily?”

As he spoke…

A flash of crimson light appeared in Blood River True Monarch’s hand, revealing nine blood-red spears.

Each spear exuded a deadly aura, making Li Chang’an feel considerable pressure.

He could currently exchange blows with someone at the early Nascent Soul stage.

But against someone at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, he could only avoid their attacks, keeping as far away as possible!

“Boom!”

The nine blood spears suddenly flew out, like streaks of crimson lightning, instantly striking the fourth-tier grand formation Li Chang’an had set up.

Moreover, each spear struck precisely at a weak point in the formation.

There were several weak points that

even Li Chang’an himself hadn’t noticed.

“A mid-grade fourth-tier formation master!”

Li Chang’an’s gaze sharpened, immediately realizing that this person’s formation skills were far superior to his own.

Furthermore,

these nine blood spears were all formation-breaking treasures!

Before he could even repair the formation, the entire formation collapsed on the spot, no longer able to protect this place.

“Whoosh!”

The nine blood spears didn’t return; they headed straight for him.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, step back!”

True Monarch Mingxia swayed, blocking his path and casting a spell to deflect all nine blood spears.

In the blink of an eye,

the nine blood spears flew back into True Monarch Xuehe’s hand.

He still smiled and said to Li Chang’an, “This must be Fellow Daoist Lin Fan, who recently formed his Nascent Soul. Your array formation skills are good, but there are still shortcomings. Would you be willing to come to my Yellow Springs Sect? I can give you a fourth-tier mid-grade array formation inheritance and personally guide you.”

Hearing this, Li Chang’an’s expression turned cold, and he responded indifferently.

“I am a righteous cultivator and have no intention of entering the demonic path.”

“Fellow Daoist Lin is just a rogue cultivator, what talk of righteousness versus demonicity?”

True Monarch Xuehe maintained his smile, his tone very calm.

He indicated to Li Chang’an that

the gates of the Yellow Springs Sect were always open to him.

As long as he thought it through, he could enter the Yellow Springs Sect at any time and become a Nascent Soul guest elder.

“Enough!”

True Monarch Mingxia suddenly shouted coldly.

Her eyes were icy as she stared at Blood River True Monarch and said, “Blood River, give up on that idea. Fellow Daoist Lin will never join your Yellow Springs Sect!”

“Heh, it’s too early to say. No need for such a decisive statement.”

Blood River True Monarch seemed quite confident that he could win Li Chang’an over.

Of course,

regardless of whether it succeeded or not,

his attempt to win him over today would become a thorn in the side of many righteous cultivators.

No one knew whether Li Chang’an, this rogue cultivator, might secretly agree to become a spy for the demonic path.

The seed of suspicion had been planted, and it might soon take root and sprout.

That was why

True Monarch Mingxia interrupted him.

A flash of spiritual light appeared in her hand, transforming into a bright yellow longsword. Without a word, she immediately attacked True Monarch Blood River.

Subsequently, Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, and others also joined the fray, battling several other demonic cultivators.

Rumble!

The violent Nascent Soul power clashed continuously, the booming sound resounding throughout the heavens and earth.

Li Chang’an was dealing with his old rival,

True Monarch Thousand Corpses!

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged more than ten blows.

Compared to their last encounter, True Monarch Thousand Corpses hadn’t improved much; his strength among the many Nascent Soul cultivators remained among the weakest.

Li Chang’an unleashed a series of spells, steadily suppressing him.

Just then,

he suddenly sensed something, and his entire body vanished from his original spot, reappearing in another location.

Almost simultaneously, a cold, dark arrow pierced the sky, striking the spot where his head had been.

Had he been a fraction slower in dodging,

even if he hadn’t been injured, he would have been forced into a sorry state by the arrow.

“Ten Thousand Souls!”

Li Chang’an’s eyes flashed coldly as he looked in another direction. The one

who fired that arrow was none other than Ten Thousand Souls True Monarch, the senior brother of Thousand Corpse True Monarch and also Wu Ze’s master.

His opponent was White Tiger True Monarch.

Both were at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, so their strength shouldn’t be too far apart.

However, Ten Thousand Souls True Monarch had been famous for many years, possessed a deeper foundation, and had a fourth-tier main soul to aid him, almost completely overwhelming White Tiger True Monarch.

That’s why

he had the spare strength to help Thousand Corpse True Monarch.

“This White Tiger True Monarch was quite formidable during the internal wars of the righteous path; he even dared to block the entrance of the Purple Cloud Sect back then, but his performance in external battles is so poor.”

Li Chang’an was somewhat speechless.

He had to divide his attention, dealing with Thousand Corpse True Monarch on one hand and guarding against Ten Thousand Souls True Monarch’s sneak attack on the other.

Soon, the group had exchanged over a thousand blows, yet neither side could gain the upper hand.

They learned through their communication treasures that

similar battles were raging at two other locations.

Over forty Nascent Soul True Monarchs from both the righteous and demonic paths were locked in a fierce struggle across three locations, the outcome uncertain.

Just then

, the entire pit trembled slightly.

“Buzz—”

It seemed as if some change was about to occur.

The group simultaneously stopped fighting, separating to either side, facing each other from a distance.

The next instant ,

a dazzling five-colored light rose from the depths of the earth, its brilliance dazzling and radiant, converging into a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.

At the same time, countless indistinct prayers faintly echoed in their ears.

These voices included men and women, young and old, numbering in the thousands, blending together as if they were deities worshipped by all living beings.

This feeling

was not unfamiliar to Li Chang’an.

He had experienced a similar sensation when cultivating the Universal Respect for the Emperor’s Path.

However, the prayers of the beings in the Fire Cloud Secret Realm were mostly for favorable weather, family safety, and a just and efficient government.

The prayers that rang out at this moment were almost all related to the “human race”:

“Heaven bless us, may our human race no longer be oppressed.”

“I have no other wish in this life, only that the human race prosper…

“

Gradually, these voices weakened, and the soaring five-colored light began to dim.

Li Chang’an looked at the bottom of the deep pit.

Light was emanating from almost every one of the countless openings.

As time passed, the prayers of the beings grew weaker and weaker, and the light emanating from each opening disappeared one by one.

(End of Chapter)