The Old Heavenly Master stood atop the mountain, his body radiating a dense golden light, one of his signature techniques, the Golden Light Incantation. Recently, he had been delving into this technique, attempting to advance it further. Newest update provided by novelꞁire.net
“I wonder how my Golden Light Incantation compares to the Golden Armor Manifestation created by Wudang’s Little Immortal,” he murmured to himself.
Ever since Zhang Lingyu returned from Wudang, having witnessed Jin Ling’s Golden Armor Manifestation, the Old Heavenly Master had felt a competitive urge.
The golden armor of the Golden Armor Manifestation was remarkably similar to his Golden Light Incantation. When used for protection, the Golden Light Incantation could form an armor-like effect. However, its offensive capabilities differed from the Golden Armor Manifestation.
Upon hearing that Jin Ling’s Golden Armor Manifestation was impenetrable even to Heaven-Man experts, the Old Heavenly Master became eager to test his skills. The golden light danced on his fingertips and flowed through his body like a living entity, bringing a smile to his face.
“Next time, I’ll have Lingyu test it,” he said, stroking his beard and retracting the golden light. Suddenly, he looked towards Wudang, his eyes filled with surprise. He had just been thinking about Wudang, and now he sensed a disturbance.
“This is… the breakthrough of a Land Immortal. It’s that boy, Zhang Sanfeng. The Taiji Dao is indeed profound. Wudang is truly blessed, producing such remarkable individuals in succession. Our Daoist sects are flourishing!”
The Old Heavenly Master couldn’t help but smile. Wudang and Mount Longhu, both Daoist sects, were naturally closer. Frequent exchanges and mutual visits had strengthened their relationship, and he was genuinely happy for Wudang.
“It’s a pity it’s not the Little Immortal. If he stepped into the Land Immortal realm, even I might not be his match. But I suppose he’s not far from that realm.
Immortal Dao, Immortal Dao… I wonder if he can succeed?”
The Old Heavenly Master sighed. When Wudang destroyed the Dragon-Slaying Saber, Yue Buqun had questioned Ning Changge, who had declared his path to be the Immortal Dao.
At the time, everyone was shocked, thinking Ning Changge had grand ambitions. But as his combat prowess became increasingly formidable, especially after severing the Evil Emperor’s limbs on Mount Emei, the Land Immortal experts couldn’t help but wonder what the Immortal Dao truly was.
They leaned towards the idea that the Immortal Dao was a path to the Land Immortal realm, but many questions remained.
At the Ming border, in a small town.
“Move along, don’t block the way! How unlucky!” A waiter shoved an old beggar out of the tavern and slammed the door shut.
The old beggar didn’t mind, laughing, “You missed a great opportunity. If you learned my peerless swordsmanship and practiced for ten years, you could dominate the martial world. What a pity!”
He picked up a withered page from the ground, shaking his head. From inside, the waiter shouted, “Get lost! I’ve seen your kind a dozen times. Go to the east side of town; there’s a bunch of beggars like you!”
The old beggar chuckled, shaking his head as he walked away. The waiter had good swordsmanship potential but lacked the fortune. As Dugu Qiubai, he knew his sword techniques could cause a stir in the martial world, yet here he was, trading them for a meal and still being thrown out.
But Dugu Qiubai enjoyed this. Wandering the martial world was part of his sword enlightenment. He hadn’t drawn his sword in two decades and felt lonely.
Suddenly, he squinted and looked up at the sky, sensing the Taiji intent in the waves of energy. He nodded approvingly but then shook his head. “It’s a pity it’s not the Little Immortal attaining the Dao. Otherwise, I would visit Wudang. A swordsman should duel with other swordsmen. Unfortunately, there aren’t many worthy opponents in this vast martial world.”
Dugu Qiubai moved on, thinking that perhaps other kingdoms had suitable opponents, but he went wherever fate took him. In recent years, only Ning Changge had piqued his interest.
Land Immortals across Ming sensed the phenomenon, possibly amplified by the Seven Stars Gathering Spirit Formation. Even distant places near Ming felt it. However, one person far away in Qin also sensed it.
At the Ninety-Nine Zhang Ascension Pavilion, the First Emperor stood alone, absorbing the dragon energy from the palace. His eyes reflected roaring dragons and a vast star river, exuding a fleeting aura of dominance. This was the path of the emperor, intertwined with the nation’s fate. Dragon energy accelerated his cultivation, and upon reaching the Land Immortal realm, he could resonate with more of the world’s power, hence the saying that emperors of the Nine Provinces were never weak.
But there was a downside. If the nation fell, the emperor’s fate would be dire. However, Qin, the leading kingdom of the Nine Provinces, had no such worries. Only small border nations had such concerns.
The First Emperor glanced towards Ming, sensing the phenomenon despite the distance.
“The Taiji Dao… It seems Master Zhang of Wudang has attained the Dao. This path is commendable. It’s a pity it’s not the Little Immortal becoming a Land Immortal. I would like to see what his Immortal Dao truly is.” His eyes showed anticipation.
Pursuing the Dao for immortality, he remained interested in Ning Changge’s path as long as hope persisted.
“Send a grand gift to Wudang, congratulating Master Zhang on attaining the Land Immortal realm,” he ordered.