Chapter 299 – Ancient Fiend Nine Realms, The Cruel Thousand Mountains Province

Sealing Heaven Sword Mountain—a unique secret technique that, while not classified as a Great Divine Power, rivals one in potency.

The might of this Sword Mountain depends not only on Lu Chen’s cultivation base but equally on his comprehension of the Sword Path.

Combining the Fiend-Slaying Sword Formation—a Great Divine Power—with his Transcendent Golden Core, the summoned Sword Mountain is beyond ordinary comparison.

Whether it was Lu Chen’s illusion or not, as his cultivation advanced, the manifested Sword Mountain grew increasingly distinct. He could even discern the unique Dao rhythms etched across its surface.

These Dao rhythms were profoundly mysterious; even Lu Chen struggled to decipher their secrets. He prided himself on being able to grasp the underlying principles of any Great Divine Power below the level of immortal techniques—unless it belonged to the Enlightenment Realm. Yet, the Dao rhythms of the Sealing Heaven Sword Mountain eluded his understanding, hinting at hidden profundities.

However, such matters were not his immediate concern.

Beneath the Sword Mountain, the Azurefall Temple’s Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator and the surrounding ordinary Cultivators had descended into chaos. The Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, realizing he couldn’t withstand the terrifying Sword Mountain in the slightest, felt unprecedented fear peak within him.

He braced against the Sword Mountain with both hands, his Law of Heaven and Earth transformation into a half-serpent form releasing vast clouds of poisonous mist. He hoped to corrode and destroy the Sealing Heaven Sword Mountain, thus breaking this certain-kill situation.

But when he witnessed the interaction between his toxic mist and the Sword Mountain, his last shred of hope vanished. His pride—the Azure Falls Poison capable of eroding even a Cultivator’s Nascent Soul—had no effect whatsoever on the Sealing Heaven Sword Mountain.

The descending Sword Mountain loomed like an insurmountable peak, pressing him down inch by inch.

Boom!

With an earth-shattering roar outside Caihua County, a terrifying crater over several kilometers in diameter appeared before everyone’s eyes. Within this pit, the Azurefall Temple’s Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, who had earlier manifested the Law of Heaven and Earth, now had his Physical Body shattered, leaving only a damaged Nascent Soul fleeing into the distance.

As for the ordinary Disciples of Azurefall Temple around him and the nearby Chen Kingdom troops, they were utterly annihilated by the catastrophic aftershocks of this clash. Even if Lu Chen had not intended it, battles at the Nascent Soul Stage were not spectacles for ordinary beings to witness.

With a mere wave, tens of thousands of Chen Kingdom troops turned to dust.

The Chen Kingdom soldiers wreaking havoc in the city, upon seeing the terrifying commotion outside the county, halted their actions and stood frozen in place. Staring at the distant colossal crater, an indescribable dread seized their hearts.

In the next moment, they all dropped to their knees, kowtowing repeatedly toward the black figure in the distant sky, begging for mercy. They hoped such supplication would spare their lives.

Yet, Lu Chen paid no attention to their reactions. His gaze fixed on the Azurefall Temple’s Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, who had transformed into a green streak of light fleeing toward the horizon, he slowly raised his right hand.A vast amount of Primordial Qi transformed into countless white chains, sweeping toward the remaining Nascent Soul from all directions.

Faced with this overwhelming onslaught of white chains, even though the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator from the Cultivator Family tried his utmost to evade, he ultimately couldn’t escape.

In the end, Lu Chen captured him on the spot.

After accomplishing this, Lu Chen immediately vanished from everyone’s sight, taking the opponent’s Nascent Soul with him.

Watching Lu Chen disappear, the previously panicked soldiers of the Chen Kingdom collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

After experiencing the joy of surviving a near-death situation, they promptly left Caihua County.

After all, they couldn’t guarantee that Lu Chen wouldn’t turn back and return.

If they didn’t leave now and waited for Lu Chen to come back…

A mere million-strong army wouldn’t be able to cause him the slightest trouble.

The massive crater outside Caihua County served as the clearest proof.

A million troops?

Just a dozen more such craters would suffice.

A million soldiers would be nothing but dried bones in a pit.

In an unnamed mountain forest within the Xia Dynasty…

After capturing the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator from Azurefall Temple, Lu Chen brought him to a pre-prepared Cave Residence.

In such a location, Lu Chen could ensure that unless a Transformation Soul Stage cultivator made a move…

No one would be able to disturb him.

Entering the Cave Residence, Lu Chen released the Divine Soul of the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator from Azurefall Temple.

The Azurefall Temple Nascent Soul Stage cultivator no longer possessed the confident demeanor he had during their initial encounter.

His eyes were filled with terror as he looked at Lu Chen.

This unknown Sword Cultivator from Pine Mountain Temple had demonstrated power that left him in despair.

Although the opponent was only at the Golden Core Stage, his strength completely overwhelmed him.

In his presence, it felt as if he were the Golden Core Stage cultivator, while the other was the Nascent Soul Stage expert.

To survive, the Azurefall Temple Nascent Soul Stage cultivator began pleading for mercy the moment he appeared.

“Please spare me, sir! As long as you let this humble one live, I’ll agree to anything you ask!”

After speaking, the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator looked at Lu Chen with fearful apprehension.

Waiting for Lu Chen’s response.

After a moment of silence, Lu Chen spoke: “Tell me everything you know about the Great Thousand Mountains. Otherwise…”Lu Chen paused, then a pale, ethereal flame materialized out of thin air, beginning to burn the incomplete Nascent Soul of the Azurefall Temple cultivator.”

“Ahhh!!!”

A piercing scream suddenly echoed through the Cave Residence.

The Nascent Soul Stage cultivator couldn’t endure even a few seconds before begging Lu Chen to withdraw his Divine Ability.

The terror of Samadhi True Fire made the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator profoundly understand what it meant to wish for death over life.

If Lu Chen hadn’t held back…

Just a few seconds of the Samadhi True Fire would have caused his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, ensuring he could never reincarnate.

After experiencing the agony of being burned by Samadhi True Fire…

The Nascent Soul Stage cultivator truly held nothing back, revealing everything he knew.

Soon, through the other’s description, Lu Chen gained a more comprehensive understanding of the current Ancient Fiend World.

Moreover, Lu Chen wasn’t worried about being deceived.

With the Truth Listener present, unless someone’s cultivation far surpassed Lu Chen’s or possessed some special Divine Ability or destiny…

Others were as transparent as glass before Lu Chen, with no secrets able to be concealed.

The earring on Lu Chen’s ear, transformed from the Truth Listener, served as proof that Lu Chen was utilizing the Truth Listener’s power.The so-called Ancient Fiend Nine Realms are essentially nine great provinces that have merged with one another.

This number coincidentally corresponds to the Nine Provinces from Lu Chen’s previous life.

Whether this is mere coincidence or there is some connection, Lu Chen has no way of knowing for now.

And the place he currently finds himself in is the Thousand Mountains Province, where the Great Thousand Mountains are located.

Although this province has many mortal dynasties and cultivator sects,

they all operate under the control of the Great Thousand Mountains.

Every ten years, they must provide sufficient tribute to the Great Thousand Mountains.

This tribute includes both rare natural treasures and individuals with exceptional cultivation aptitude,

essentially covering all aspects.

The reason these sects are willing to do this rather than unite to resist the Great Thousand Mountains

lies in the fact that the Great Thousand Mountains controls all the ‘Dao Fruits’ above the Nascent Soul Stage in Thousand Mountains Province.

That’s right, breakthroughs for cultivator families are never achieved through effort alone.

Instead, they require an available position.

This available position is the Dao Fruit.

Without a Dao Fruit, no matter how exceptionally talented you are, you cannot achieve a breakthrough in the Ancient Fiend World.

This is a rule of the Ancient Fiend World that even the Ancient Fiends themselves cannot break.

Therefore, to compete for Dao Fruits, the sects within Thousand Mountains Province engage in conflict with each other every few years.

Each time, several sects suffer heavy losses, with some even being completely annihilated.

However, due to the unique cultivation methods of cultivator families,

this does not lead to a significant decline in the overall strength of Thousand Mountains Province.

Because every sect that is destroyed becomes the prize of the victor,

thoroughly absorbed and transformed into the victor’s power, helping them advance further.

As a result, a few top-tier sects emerge in Thousand Mountains Province each year.

But this ‘top-tier’ status is only relative to ordinary sects.

To a behemoth like the Great Thousand Mountains,

ordinary sects can be wiped out with a mere wave of the hand.

Although the Great Thousand Mountains does not concern itself with the survival of minor sects below,

this does not mean that disciples of the Great Thousand Mountains will not interfere.

In fact, it could be said that many sect destructions have the involvement of Great Thousand Mountains disciples behind the scenes.

After all, the Great Thousand Mountains is the Great Thousand Mountains, and its disciples are its disciples.

The former is a massive sect machinery,

while the latter are flesh-and-blood individuals with their own interests and demands.

Therefore, as long as the conditions proposed by a Great Thousand Mountains disciple are met,

they might not hesitate to directly intervene and help one sect eliminate another.

This is the Great Thousand Mountains, and this is the Ancient Fiend World.

The reason why the Azure Falls and Flowing Cloud Observatories dare to take action against Pine Mountain now

is because they managed to persuade the Great Thousand Mountains disciple overseeing these three territories

not to intervene.

After all, Azure Falls and Flowing Cloud have made deals with this Great Thousand Mountains disciple.

Naturally, Pine Mountain has as well.

It’s just that the price offered by Pine Mountain is far inferior to that offered by the other two observatories,

which led to the current situation.

However, their deal with the Great Thousand Mountains disciple only ensures that he will not help Pine Mountain.

Nothing more.

Therefore, if Lu Chen pretends to be a Pine Mountain cultivator and attacks the Flowing Cloud and Azure Falls Observatories, the disciple will not react.

After all, regardless of who the final victor is, it will not change the fact that the Great Thousand Mountains stands above the thousand sects of Thousand Mountains Province.

After understanding all this, the last trace of hesitation in Lu Chen’s heart completely vanished.

After all, he had previously worried that if he went too far, he might attract the attention of the Great Thousand Mountains.It now appeared that the coldness and cruelty of the Ancient Fiend World far exceeded his expectations.

With these realizations, Lu Chen began to adjust his plans.

For instance… directly taking over Pine Mountain’s position and using it as a starting point to continuously attack surrounding Sects, thereby completing his main mission.

Thinking this, Lu Chen immediately turned his gaze to the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator from Azurefall Temple before him.

Seeing the calmness in Lu Chen’s eyes, the other instantly understood his intention.

He immediately attempted to flee outside.

But at this point, where could he possibly escape to?

Amidst the flames of Samadhi True Fire, the other’s body quickly transformed into streams of pure Divine Soul power, which flowed into Lu Chen’s body.

Although Lu Chen’s current body was merely a Heretical Avatar,

once this Heretical Avatar returned, he could absorb all the power from this body to enhance his own cultivation.

Not to mention that by slaying a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator Family member, Lu Chen would also receive experience points as a reward.

It was truly killing two birds with one stone, winning twice.

After absorbing all the refined Divine Soul power from this Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator Family member,

Lu Chen’s cultivation reached the third revolution of the Golden Core Stage.

The Divine Soul power of a mere Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator Family member was naturally insufficient for Lu Chen to advance his cultivation this much.

The bulk of this third revolution Golden Core cultivation primarily came from the previous Heterodox Immortal bone.

If he could obtain five or six more Heterodox Immortal bones of this level, or devour the Divine Soul power of a hundred Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators,

he might be able to advance his cultivation to Golden Core Perfection without using experience points.

However, neither of these options would be easy to accomplish.

Lu Chen didn’t insist on achieving this, preferring to let nature take its course.

After stabilizing his cultivation, Lu Chen left the temporary Cave Residence and flew toward Pine Mountain.

Since the Great Thousand Mountains wouldn’t care about the survival of minor Sects below,

he need not hold back too much.

Lu Chen planned to openly use the identity of Pine Mountain’s Lu Yuan, completely replacing the current Pine Mountain Temple master to become the new lord of Pine Mountain.

He even intended to use this as a bridgehead, collaborating with the Azure Cloud Sect to counter-invade the Ancient Fiend World.

However, that would require Lu Chen to find methods other than the Nine Realms Gate to enter the Ancient Fiend World.

After all, he only possessed one Nine Realms Token.

The Nine Realms Gate it opened only permitted his own passage,

preventing others from using it to enter the Ancient Fiend World.

Lu Chen estimated that once his cultivation reached the Nascent Soul Stage,

he might discover a stable method to open a passage between the two worlds.

At that time, many of his plans could be set in motion.

Before that, securing Pine Mountain for himself remained the top priority.

Meanwhile, Lu Chen’s actions in Caihua County

began to spread at an astonishing speed throughout the Xia, Zhou, and Chen Kingdoms.

The three Temples behind them—Pine Mountain, Flowing Cloud, and Azurefall—upon learning that Lu Chen had effortlessly slain a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator Family member with a single Sword strike,

were both shocked and began pondering the deeper implications behind this.

After all, incidents where an unknown Cultivator suddenly emerged and forcefully suppressed rival Sects

were not uncommon in Thousand Mountains Province.

Many Great Thousand Mountains Disciples had used such methods to eliminate other Sects.

Consequently, Lu Chen was also perceived by them as a Great Thousand Mountains Disciple unwilling to reveal his true identity.As a result, the Flowing Cloud and Azure Falls temples immediately ceased their actions and began continuous investigations.

A disciple from Great Thousand Mountains, especially one hostile to them.

This was certainly not good news for them…

But for Pine Mountain Temple, Lu Chen’s appearance was an immense blessing.

However, they didn’t know that the person they regarded as Pine Mountain’s savior had already arrived at the foot of Pine Mountain.

And was walking… toward the mountain peak.

(End of Chapter)