Translator: CinderTL
Outskirts of the capital of East Province.
A somewhat remote new residential area.
Though not particularly bustling, the neighborhood was well-equipped with all necessary facilities.
The martial arts training area, a staple in every community, was quite spacious.
At this moment, Ling Feng, the head of the neighborhood security team, watched Ling Zhi practicing martial arts diligently, a hint of pity in his eyes.
Seeing her finish her training, he couldn't help but step forward and say, "With your talent, no matter how hard you train, reaching the Unity Realm would be your limit. Unless you're willing to go to the Taixu Sword Sect with this token, forget about undergoing Primordial Qi Infusion to become a cultivator—even the Innate Realm would be out of reach."
He sighed, "Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"
Ling Zhi shook her head, still silent.
She wiped the sweat from her delicate face, exuding youthful vitality.
"I know you think that using this token would change the nature of your relationship, but... if you don't use it and don't become a cultivator, the gap between you two will only grow wider. One day, you won't even be able to see his shadow, and by then..."
"Uncle, if you really want to use it, go ahead. I'm doing fine now. Although some of our family's assets were sold at a low price during the move, it doesn't affect our daily life," Ling Zhi said.
Ling Feng shook his head, "That won't do. This token is clearly meant for you. How it's used is entirely up to you."
"Then let's keep it for now. You can use it whenever you think it's necessary. I really don't need it right now," Ling Zhi said earnestly.
Ling Feng fell silent.
After a long while, he sighed deeply, "If you don't use the token to become a cultivator, you'll really..."
"Uncle, I'm still young," Ling Zhi interrupted softly. "I don't yet understand the vastness of the world, can't distinguish childhood sweet talk, and have made mistakes in confusion, missed many sights, and lost precious opportunities. Looking back in the future, I might regret it for the rest of my life..."
She looked up, gazing into the distance.
The sky was clear.
Blue skies and white clouds.
"But life is like this, stumbling forward on a path that may be wrong or full of struggles. Even if I miss some spectacular views, the ordinary path I've walked might still become a precious memory in my life."
She turned to look at Ling Feng, "So, Uncle... I mean it, if you want to use it, take it."
"But..."
Ling Feng wanted to say more.
"I know he's out there, successful, shining brightly, living well," Ling Zhi smiled. "I'm here, the sky is warm, the breeze is gentle, and that's fine too."
For a moment, Ling Feng chuckled bitterly.
After a while, he said, "You have no idea what you're going to miss."
Then he shook his head, "But I respect your choice. Perhaps..."
This Internal Training Martial Artist, who had always wanted to elevate the Ling family and achieve a class leap, thought of the hardships they endured while fleeing to the Taixu Sword Sect.
Perhaps, living an ordinary life wasn't such a bad choice.
But...
In this world, if you don't devour others, someone will devour you.
He reached into his pocket, clutching the token...
What a foolish girl.
She'll regret it in the future.
But for now...
He could only join this foolish girl in her folly.
No matter what, the token hasn't been used yet.
If they truly encountered an injustice they couldn't resolve, at least there was a safety net, wasn't there?
...
"Let's go."
Several miles away.
Li Chunjun spoke to Qin Zhou and Jiang Yuxue, who had followed him, then turned and left.
"Aren't you going to meet them?"
Qin Zhou couldn't help but chase after him and ask.
"There's nothing to see. Since they've made this choice, we should respect it."
Li Chunjun said calmly.
Qin Zhou and Jiang Yuxue exchanged glances.
But they quickly followed Li Chunjun.
However, as they left, Jiang Yuxue, who was more sensitive and observant, instinctively noticed that the Sword Prodigy's gaze toward that young girl seemed somewhat different.
She couldn't quite pinpoint what kind of difference it was.
But...
This didn't stop her from secretly contacting a family member who happened to be working at the garrison office to provide some care.
The three of them soared through the air on their swords, returning to the Taixu Sword Sect.
Along the way, the atmosphere was quite relaxed.
"Speaking of which, recently, our sect and the Chiyang Sword Sect have been in an uproar over the compensation for the Sword Prodigy's assassination attempt. It seems like it's going to escalate to a duel between true disciples."
Qin Zhou said with a smile.
"The outcome won't change. No matter how much the Chiyang Sword Sect tries to deny it, the fact that a Core Formation cultivator from their sect attempted to assassinate the Sword Prodigy is undeniable. Whether they agree or not, they'll have to hand over their territory in the Great Shang."
Jiang Yuxue responded.
"So, has the fight started yet?"
Li Chunjun asked.
He had been in seclusion for the past half month, so he wasn't fully aware of the changes outside.
"It should be soon. It depends on the scale, but our Taixu Sword Sect is already prepared. We'll strike first to avoid being struck later. We need to use this battle to subdue the surrounding sects and make them behave, so that incidents like the Sword Prodigy's assassination attempt won't happen again."
Jiang Yuxue said.
"Hmm." Li Chunjun acknowledged.
If this battle dragged on a bit longer, he might even have the chance to participate.
At that moment, Jiang Yuxue seemed to sense something and suddenly said, "We're being followed."
"Us?"
Qin Zhou was startled, then his expression turned serious: "No one knew about the Sword Prodigy's trip, how could..."
As soon as he finished speaking, he quickly realized something, and his expression turned grim.
If the Sword Prodigy was still exposed under these circumstances, didn't that mean there were hidden pawns even on Flaming Phoenix Peak?
Li Chunjun didn't say anything.
This was why he didn't fully trust even Jiang Yuqiu.
In a world driven solely by interests, any loyalty could be betrayed for the sake of profit.
Just like Jiang Yuqiu, for his sake, he didn't doubt that she would fight to the death against a Nascent Soul cultivator, or even a Primordial Spirit True Monarch.
But if that Primordial Spirit True Monarch offered a Spirit Treasure, or even a Dao Artifact or Immortal Artifact—something that could significantly increase the activation probability of the Flaming Phoenix Bloodline—would she still hold onto her beliefs?
"Sword Prodigy, I'll take you on my sword!"
Jiang Yuxue said gravely.
She was a Golden Core cultivator, and although her sword speed couldn't match Zhou Yuechen's, it was still faster than Qin Zhou's.
However, just as she was about to take Li Chunjun away, an invisible ripple spread out, like an extremely sharp blade, directly cutting through the space where Li Chunjun stood.
In an instant, the space he occupied seemed to be stripped away from the normal world, vanishing from the perception of Jiang Yuxue and Qin Zhou.
"Is it the Mirror Divine Kingdom!?"
"Divine Race Believers!?"
The expressions of Jiang Yuxue and Qin Zhou changed drastically.
Divine Race Believers!
East Province, though not part of Central Province, was near the capital! How could there be Divine Race Believers here!?
And believers who had mastered the Mirror Divine Kingdom, a Divine Spirit Treasure!? Thirty years ago, all Divine Spirit Treasures had been confiscated by the Nine Great Immortal Sects following the eradication of the Sun Worshipping Sect. Yet now, one had resurfaced, fallen into the hands of the Evil God's followers, and appeared here of all places!?
"Chiyang Sword Sect!"
Jiang Yuxue shouted, "Quick! Break the Mirror Divine Kingdom! We must not let Sword Prodigy Li be corrupted! Even the slightest corruption... and his path to immortality will be severed forever!"
"How do we break it!? I can't even locate the Mirror Divine Kingdom!"
"Follow me!"
Jiang Yuxue barked, activating a secret perception technique. A ripple of magical energy spread out from her.
Under the impact of this ripple, an anomalous space quickly manifested before them.
Seeing this, Qin Zhou hesitated no longer. He swiftly unleashed his strongest attack, directing it at the void.
...
Inside the Mirror Divine Kingdom.
Li Chunjun appeared remarkably calm.
"As expected."
Since the Chiyang Sword Sect had targeted Qin Chuan, Fang Yushu, and Zhao Bai, how could they have left the Ling family, whom he had once cared for, untouched? Their method of operation...
Must have been surveillance.
That was why, after forging his Lifebound Flying Sword, Li Chunjun had personally traveled from the Taixu Sword Sect to the capital of East Province.
He had assumed that the Taixu Sword Sect had already completed the purge of Core Formation cultivators within their territory. He never expected the attackers to be not Core Formation cultivators from the Chiyang Sword Sect, but Divine Race Believers.
Believers who had summoned the Mirror Divine Kingdom, a treasure of such caliber.
Now, trapped within the Mirror Divine Kingdom, he could clearly sense a towering figure in the heavens above.
Endless divine light, carrying a vast and overwhelming will, radiated from this figure, instilling in any creature who beheld it a deep sense of awe and submission.
Even under the illumination of this divine light, Li Chunjun's ears, and even his mind, seemed to echo with sacred hymns, attempting to twist his thoughts, perceptions, and cognition.
"Trying to corrupt me?"
Li Chunjun thought to himself.
In the next moment, his mental power erupted. A Sword Intent imbued with pure destructive force shot into the sky, instantly dispersing the divine light.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar shook the entire Mirror Divine Kingdom.
Dozens of believers' figures emerged.
They united their powers, channeling them into one individual, who chanted praises to the deity in a high-pitched voice, causing the divine figure to grow even more majestic and radiate even more dazzling light.
The divine light shone everywhere.
Li Chunjun's soaring Sword Intent seemed to be on the verge of being worn down and purified by the divine light.
"They even know about my Sword Intent?"
Li Chunjun frowned slightly.
However, this level of Evil God's corruption might work against novice Sword Intent cultivators, but against him...
In the next moment, an even more intense, violent, and destructive Sword Intent erupted from the void.
Above the Mirror Divine Kingdom, a chaotic void seemed to explode, voraciously devouring and annihilating all the radiance emanating from the phantom of the Evil God.
Under the annihilation of this Sword Intent, the Mirror Divine Kingdom trembled even more violently, as if it would collapse completely at any moment.
"The Spirit Treasure is insufficient. At the very least, a semi-divine artifact must be summoned."
Li Chunjun spread his hand, and a vast Sword Intent surged unrestrainedly, sweeping across the Divine Kingdom.
"How dare you defile our Lord!"
The leading Divine Race Believer, seeing that he could not corrupt Li Chunjun, roared in fury: "Kill him!"
Behind him, over a dozen Believers stood up simultaneously.
But almost at the moment they rose, Li Chunjun activated a Talisman.
A fourth-tier lower-grade Divine Suppression Talisman! Under the effect of the Talisman, the Believers who had just stood up froze in place.
In the next instant, a sword light shot forth from Li Chunjun, piercing through the bodies of all the Believers in a flash!
(End of the Chapter)
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