novelraw Chapter 458 - 244, Chiming Imperial Dynasty, Tianci Emperor
Chapter 458 - 244, Chiming Imperial Dynasty, Tianci Emperor
Danger approached. If Elder Zuo Qiu were to die, the Butian Sect would inevitably decline and become the laughing stock of East Huangzhou. Therefore, Xu Xing planned to approach the Emperor’s Son Pavilion in Nanyan Continent and look for clues about the cause of Elder Zuo Qiu’s sudden death among these people from the Upper Realm.
In the year 247 of the Tiande Era, Xu Xing began to investigate the Emperor’s Son Pavilion secretly under the identities of the Elder of the Immeasurable Sect and a disciple of the Pill Cauldron Sect. Finally, after seven years of perseverance, Xu Xing happened to witness a scene where cultivators from the Emperor’s Son Pavilion slaughtered Nascent Soul cultivators of the Shang Yang View in Qi Country, a neighboring country of Chu Kingdom.
In the year 255 of the Tiande Era, Xu Xing consulted with the Golden Rainbow Ancestor and Ze Sheng Ancestor, the two Nascent Soul Daoist Lords of the Immeasurable Sect, to destroy their mortal enemy, the Silver Ring Zhai. Ze Sheng Ancestor was nearing the end of his lifespan and about to pass away, so he had no objections to this proposal.
The next year, the great battle began. The Immeasurable Sect and three allied sects of the North Yue Country jointly attacked the Silver Ring Zhai. In this fierce battle, many Nascent Soul Ancestors fought until the heavens and earth seemed to darken, with casualties on both sides. It was in this conflict that Ancestor Xing Tian, Chang Kun, gained great renown, personally slaying two Nascent Soul Daoist Lords.
In the Year 258 of the Tiande Era, the Emperor’s Son Pavilion of the Chiming Imperial Dynasty dispatched cultivators to recruit Xu Xing and Yan Luanqing as retainers. Within the Emperor’s Son Pavilion, there were countless resources, cultivation methods, and secrets from the various kingdoms and sects of Nanyan Continent. Among them was the Pill Cauldron Sect’s Primordial Spirit level cultivation method, "Profound Spiritual Enlightenment." However, Xu Xing’s position and contributions within the Emperor’s Son Pavilion were far from sufficient to obtain a Primordial Spirit level cultivation method.
In the year 267 of the Tiande Era, Xu Xing had a disagreement with the Emperor’s Son Pavilion’s Extreme Yin Elder. So, he secretly attacked and killed him, seizing his soul. Heaven never seals off all exits; from extremity arises reversal. After spending nine years in the Emperor’s Son Pavilion, Xu Xing had not gained any useful information on curing the Nanhua Sect’s Elder Zuo Qiu. However, using a Soul Searching technique, Xu Xing found a possible clue within Extreme Yin Elder’s memories.
The Emperor’s Son Pavilion slaughtered the Nascent Soul cultivators of Nanyan Continent not to refine any Demon Way Magical Artifacts or spiritual objects, but to follow the Imperial Decree of the Tianci Emperor of the Chiming Imperial Dynasty. The Imperial Decree ordered that within a thousand years in Nanyan Continent, there should be no more than three Primordial Spirit Realm cultivators and no more than fifty Nascent Soul Realm cultivators.
In the year 269 of the Tiande Era, Xu Xing left the Nanhua Sect and Elder Zuo Qiu, heading to the Starfall Sect to find another escape route for the Butian Sect. Before leaving, Xu Xing pondered for a long time. One shouldn’t be too ruthless in one’s actions and should leave a way out for oneself. It’s also an opportunity to test the strength of the Upper Realm’s enemies. Thus, under a false name, he secretly informed Elder Zuo Qiu about the Chiming Imperial Dynasty’s hunt for Primordial Spirit Saint Monarchs.
The year 271 of the Tiande Era arrived, the year of Elder Zuo Qiu’s foretold sudden death. During that year, Xu Xing waited for a long time near the mountain gate of the Nanhua Sect. One day, he witnessed a large array suddenly activate within the Nanhua Sect as its members engaged a mysterious figure in a black robe. Two Sage Monarchs from the Nanhua Sect, aided by their sect’s array techniques, fought the single black-robed individual. The battle was intense and evenly matched, with fortunes swinging back and forth. Later, seeing that a quick victory was impossible, the black-robed figure vanished instantly without a trace.
In the 274th year of the Tiande Era, Elder Zuo Qiu of the Nanhua Sect passed away in his prime due to unknown reasons. Before his death, he left behind the cryptic three-word message: "Unaging Pill."
In the 275th year of the Tiande Era, the various sects were alarmed upon hearing the news from the Nanhua Sect. They believed Elder Zuo Qiu’s death was inextricably linked to the black-robed man’s assassination attempt. Upon hearing this, Mao Ri Saint Lord of the Seven Stars Sect grew immediately uneasy. The Seven Stars Sect was the weakest among the Ten Great Upper Sects, and with him as its sole Primordial Spirit Saint Monarch, they could not possibly resist the black-robed man as easily as the Nanhua Sect had, especially since he was also old.
Seeing this situation, Xu Xing thought, This is a great opportunity for the Butian Sect to seize the foundation of the Seven Stars Sect. So, in his capacity as Sect Leader, he personally visited the Seven Stars Sect to discuss an alliance with Mao Ri Saint Lord, proposing they join forces to resist the black-robed man’s hunt.
In the 278th year of the Tiande Era, after several years of discussion, the Seven Stars Sect agreed to ally with the Butian Sect for mutual aid and support. After forming the alliance with the Seven Stars Sect, the Butian Sect’s resource situation eased somewhat, but they were still stretched thin.
「Two Years Later」
All members of the Butian Sect mobilized. Eight Dao Lords from the Butian Sect joined forces with five Dao Lords from the Seven Stars Sect and the Starfall Sect to launch an assault on the Godslayer Sect.
In the Year 283 of the Tiande Era, the Godslayer Sect was eliminated from East Huangzhou. The Butian Sect, having occupied the Godslayer Sect’s territory, became the foremost major sect ranked just below the Ten Great Upper Sects.
In the 315th year of the Tiande Era, Mao Ri Saint Lord foresaw future troubles stemming from the Butian Sect’s growing strength and planned to get rid of them—a case of "once the rabbits are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked." However, Mao Ri Saint Lord was wary of the Butian Sect’s reputation as a member of the Righteous Path and dared not oppose them directly. So, using a minor issue as a pretext, he tore up their agreement and severed ties with the Butian Sect. Overnight, the Butian Sect once again became like homeless dogs, with nowhere to find refuge in the North Wilderness.
In the 321st year of the Tiande Era, Xu Xing used the Seven Star Begonia Poison from the remnants of the Godslayer Sect to weaken Mao Ri Saint Lord’s cultivation. Then, he audaciously struck, and despite being only in the Nascent Soul Realm, he managed to slay the Primordial Spirit cultivator. After this battle, the Butian Sect replaced the Seven Stars Sect and absorbed all the smaller sects under its banner, becoming the foremost power within the North Wilderness’s Righteous Path. However, as Mao Ri Saint Lord’s Daoist artifacts and the high-level members of the Seven Stars Sect had destroyed the sect’s heritage before their deaths in battle, Xu Xing did not obtain the Seven Stars Sect’s Primordial Spirit inheritance—the "Seven Stars Immortal Scripture"—after annihilating them.
In the 322nd year of the Tiande Era, the Yin Wind Gate observed that the Butian Sect, after wiping out the Seven Stars Sect, had incurred public outrage from the Righteous Path. Furthermore, seeing that the Butian Sect currently had no Primordial Spirit Saint Monarch of its own, Yin Wind Gate immediately resolved to devour this "juicy morsel," thereby strengthening the Demon Way and aiming to dominate the North Wilderness. After several large-scale battles between the two sects, the Butian Sect was forced into a continuous retreat, losing all the territory formerly held by the Godslayer Sect and a good portion of the Seven Stars Sect’s lands.
In the 325th year of the Tiande Era, Xu Xing sought help from the Dragon Mountain Villa, intending to leverage their power to temporarily stall the Yin Wind Gate’s offensive and preserve his sect.