Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

One sword, shattering all laws! Annihilation of reincarnation!

"puff--!"

With the secret technique broken, the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator suffered a terrifying backlash, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. His aura instantly weakened to the extreme, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable fear and despair!
"Impossible...you...what kind of monster are you...?"

Fu Shaoping's face was also somewhat pale. That sword strike had almost drained most of his sword energy, but it had deepened his understanding of the Falling Clouds Sword Dao. Without any hesitation, his sword flashed again, ending the life of this powerful enemy.

With their leader killed, the remaining three Netherworld Cult members suffered a crushing defeat and were quickly killed by the patrol team.

The battle was over, and the cave was in ruins. Only the skull altar and the black bead on it, which had become extremely unstable due to the interruption of the ritual, remained, still slowly rotating and emanating an ominous aura.

"This is... the prototype of the 'Ten Thousand Soul Pearl'!" A knowledgeable team member recognized the object and gasped. "To create such an evil artifact, they must have slaughtered countless lives!"

Fu Shaoping's gaze was icy. He took a step forward, intending to destroy the evil bead, when suddenly, he sensed something and abruptly looked up into the depths of the cave!

The stone walls deep within the cave, which had been concealed by the array, now rippled like water, revealing a deep passage that emitted spatial fluctuations.
At the other end of the passage, a more refined and ancient demonic energy emanated, along with a chilling pressure that made one's soul tremble!

"This place... is actually connected to a stronghold of the Netherworld Cult, or... a small world?" Fu Shaoping was shocked!

Just then, a cold, majestic thought, seemingly from the depths of the netherworld, swept over from the other end of the passage as if it were a tangible entity!
"Who... dares to destroy my sacred altar?"

With this thought, a giant black hand, formed entirely from pure demonic energy, suddenly emerged from the passage, carrying a terrifying aura capable of annihilating everything, and grabbed at Fu Shaoping and the others!
The pressure emanating from this giant hand far surpassed that of the previous late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and was even more terrifying than the feeling Elder Han gave him!
A Core Formation stage cultivator! And a demonic cultivator at the mid-Core Formation stage or higher!

"Retreat!" Fu Shaoping's scalp tingled, and he shouted sharply. At the same time, he poured all the remaining Chaos Sword Essence into the Flowing Fire Sword without hesitation, and once again unleashed a sword strike containing the meaning of annihilation and reincarnation, trying to block the giant hand!

"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!" A disdainful snort came from the other end of the passage.

The chaotic sword light struck the giant hand, dissolving some of the demonic energy, but compared to the hand's immense size and solidity, the effect was negligible! The giant hand only paused slightly before continuing its grab!
Just as everyone was about to be crushed by this demonic hand—

At the critical moment!
"You old ghost of the underworld, how dare you overstep your bounds and interfere! Stay here and face me!"

A cold, angry shout, like the shattering of ice in the heavens, echoed throughout the entire cave!
A white sword aura, seemingly capable of freezing everything, struck first despite being delayed, slashing at the wrist of the giant black hand!

"Crack!"

Like ice crystals shattering, the mighty demonic hand was actually severed by this white sword energy! The broken section was instantly covered with thick black ice, which then dissipated into a sky full of demonic energy!

A muffled groan came from the other end of the passage, clearly indicating that someone had suffered a loss.

"Han Tianshuang! This matter is not over!" The Netherworld Cult demon cultivator uttered a harsh word, and the passage quickly closed and disappeared.

Elder Han, the garrison commander of Xuanbing Fortress, has arrived just in time!

His figure appeared at the cave entrance, his face cold and stern. He glanced at the messy scene and the unstable prototype of the Myriad Soul Pearl, then looked at Fu Shaoping, whose face was pale but whose eyes were bright, and nodded slightly.

"Well done."

With a flick of his sleeve, he unleashed a profound rune that completely sealed and stored away the nascent Myriad Soul Pearl.

"We cannot linger here. Come with me back to the fortress immediately!"

Having survived the ordeal, the group dared not delay and immediately followed Elder Han to leave the dangerous cave.

On the way back to the fortress, Yan Feng arrived with reinforcements. After learning what had happened, he looked at Fu Shaoping with even more admiration.

After this battle, Fu Shaoping's name will surely spread rapidly throughout the entire Xuanbing Fortress and even the Qingxuan Sect along with this counterattack in the Ice Rift Valley!
He also understood that the situation in the North was far more complex and dangerous than he had imagined. The tentacles of the Netherworld Cult had already reached this region and established a secret stronghold.

His trials had only just begun. And his sword, destined to be tempered and refined to its fullest sharpness in this northern land of ice and fire, drinking in demonic blood! Returning to the Xuanbing Fortress, the atmosphere was as heavy as iron. The news of the Netherworld Cult's stronghold and spatial passage being discovered in Ice Rift Valley was like pouring cold water into boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire fortress.

Elder Han immediately ordered the fortress to enter a state of highest combat readiness, with all patrol areas contracted and all defensive formations activated. At the same time, the message was urgently sent to the Qingxuan Sect headquarters using the highest-level communication secret method.

As the key figure in this incident, Fu Shaoping was personally summoned by Elder Han, who inquired in detail about every aspect of the cave, especially the aura emanating from the other end of the spatial passage and the power of the giant demonic hand.

“Late stage of Core Formation, or even Great Perfection…” Elder Han frowned and looked grim after hearing Fu Shaoping’s description. “The Netherworld Sect has been secretly operating in the Northern Territory for a long time, and their ambitions are not small. That prototype of the Myriad Soul Pearl is probably just part of their plan.”

He looked at Fu Shaoping with a complicated expression: "You have made a great contribution this time. You not only thwarted their plot to forge evil artifacts, but also discovered this hidden passage, giving the sect a warning. However, you have also been completely exposed to the Netherworld Sect's sight. You must be extremely careful in the future."

"Disciple understands," Fu Shaoping replied in a deep voice. He had been mentally prepared; from the moment he received the Luo Xia inheritance, he knew the road ahead would not be smooth. "Go back and rest first. Your merits have been recorded, and the sect will surely reward you soon," Elder Han waved his hand.

Fu Shaoping bowed and took his leave. As he walked out of the main hall, he could feel the gazes of all the disciples along the way, filled with admiration, curiosity, and even a hint of looking up to them. The story of how he, with his early Foundation Establishment cultivation, had directly repelled the late Foundation Establishment Netherworld Cult members in the battle of Ice Rift Valley, and survived a remote attack from a Core Formation demonic cultivator, had spread like wildfire throughout the fortress.

He ignored the stares and went straight back to his stone hut. Closing the door to shut out the outside noise, he immediately sat cross-legged and examined himself.

The fierce battle with the late-stage Foundation Establishment Netherworld Cultist, especially the final sword strike that transcended limits and merged three realms of intent, almost exhausted his Chaos Sword Essence, and his meridians were also faintly aching. However, the immense pressure of life and death during the moment of exchanging blows with the Core Formation Demon Cultivator also gave him a deeper understanding of the Sunset Sword Dao, especially the true meaning of "living towards death" contained in "Setting Sun".

He swallowed the elixir and circulated the ancient Sunset Sword Technique. His chaotic sword essence slowly recovered and became more refined and pure. The sword domain autonomously evolved within his sea of ​​consciousness, and the cycle of sunset glow, flowing clouds, and setting sun became increasingly natural and harmonious.

Three days later, Fu Shaoping had fully recovered from his injuries, and his cultivation had even made a slight improvement. He had just finished cultivating when he received a message from Elder Han, asking him to go to the Military Merit Hall.

Inside the Hall of Merit, a large crowd was gathered, with many disciples exchanging supplies or handing over missions. When Fu Shaoping walked in, the hall instantly quieted down, and countless eyes focused on him.

Upon seeing him, the disciple in charge of recording merits immediately stood up respectfully: "Uncle-Master Fu, you've arrived. Elder Han has decreed that for your outstanding contributions in discovering the Netherworld Sect's stronghold, disrupting the forging of evil artifacts, and providing early warning of the spatial passage, you are hereby awarded 100,000 merit points! You may also choose any treasure from the 'Mysterious Ice Vault'!"

100,000 merit points! Choose any treasure from the Mystic Ice Vault!
Upon hearing this, a collective gasp filled the entire Hall of Merit! One hundred thousand merits were enough for an ordinary Foundation Establishment disciple to accumulate over several years! Moreover, the Mysterious Ice Vault contained rare treasures obtained from the fortress's years of conquest and allocated by the sect, which ordinary disciples had no chance to enter!
Fu Shaoping was also slightly shaken; this reward was undeniably generous. He calmly accepted the jade token representing his merit and an ice key to enter the secret vault, thanked the recipient, and left amidst the envious gazes of the crowd.

He didn't rush to the secret vault, but returned to the stone house first. While 100,000 merit points were a lot, what he needed most right now wasn't ordinary resources. He was more eager to find special treasures in the Mystic Ice Vault that could help him improve his swordsmanship or cope with the extreme environment of the Northern Territory.

After meditating for half a day, Fu Shaoping, holding the Ice Key, arrived at the Xuanbing Secret Vault, located in the core area of ​​the fortress and protected by multiple arrays.

After the elder guards verified his identity, the heavy, mysterious ice gate slowly opened, and a strange aura mixed with ancient, cold, and various treasure scents wafted out.

The secret vault was spacious inside, with shelves made of ten-thousand-year-old black ice displaying various magical artifacts, pills, materials, and jade slips, all gleaming with a dazzling light.

Fu Shaoping did not search aimlessly. He closed his eyes, silently circulated the Sunset Sword Intent, and carefully sensed the items that resonated with his own swordsmanship.

His divine sense swept past the magical artifacts and materials imbued with the properties of ice, finally settling on an inconspicuous ice box in a corner. The surface of the ice box was devoid of any luster, yet it faintly emanated a peculiar fluctuation that resonated with the sense of annihilation of the "setting sun," while also carrying a hint of eternal icy confinement.

He stepped forward and opened the ice box. Inside was not the sword or elixir he had expected, but a palm-sized, irregularly shaped, dark red crystal. Inside the crystal, it seemed to contain a flickering, dying flame, or like solidified twilight, radiating a faint yet incredibly pure aura of annihilation and reincarnation.

Beside it was a jade slip, which introduced the item as follows: "Nameless strange stone, obtained from the 'Eternal Night Abyss' in the far north. It is suspected to be formed from the intertwining of the Daoist charm and the power of extreme cold after the death of an ancient great being. It contains a trace of the true meaning of reincarnation and the power of eternal icy silence. Its attributes and uses are unknown, and the risk of refining it is extremely high."

"Eternal Silence... the true meaning of reincarnation..." Fu Shaoping's eyes lit up! This item was practically tailor-made for him! His Sunset Sword Dao, especially the "Setting Sun" move, pursued the birth of new life from annihilation and the initiation of reincarnation from the end. If he could comprehend and integrate the "Eternal Silence" power contained in this strange stone, it might cause a qualitative change in his "Setting Sun" sword intent, and even touch upon a trace of the mystery of "Nirvana"!

As for the risks of refining? Where on the path of cultivation is there no risk?
He chose the nameless, strange stone without hesitation.

Returning to the stone house with the strange stone, Fu Shaoping immediately began to study it. He tried to envelop it with Chaos Sword Essence, but the stone showed no reaction. He then probed it with his divine sense, but it was as if he had fallen into an absolute cold and darkness, where even his divine sense was about to be frozen and extinguished.

Undeterred, he pondered for a moment, then, as if struck by inspiration, activated the "setting sun" conception within his sword domain and slowly approached the strange stone.

When that illusory, blood-red, and desolate phantom of the setting sun touched the surface of the strange stone—

"Buzz!"

The strange stone trembled violently, and the dark red luster on its surface suddenly shone brightly. The wisp of flame inside, which seemed to have solidified, came to life and began to sway slowly! A pure and refined Daoist aura, mixed with extreme annihilation and a trace of faint vitality, flowed like a trickle into his sea of ​​consciousness, merging into the phantom of the setting sun, following his sword intent!

In that instant, Fu Shaoping seemed to see a scene: an endless abyss of eternal night, where an ancient great being, at the end of his life, fused his own Dao fruit with the power of extreme cold, turning it into this stone, intending to preserve a spark of reincarnation in the eternal silence!

At the same time, his understanding of "the setting sun like blood" increased dramatically! It was not just an end, but the ultimate transformation of a state, the boundary between movement and stillness, the bridge between life and death! If he could master it, a single sword strike could bring all things back to eternal silence, or plant the seeds of new life in the stillness!

The chaotic sword domain around him involuntarily unfolded, and the "setting sun" scene within the domain became even more realistic. The blood-red setting sun seemed to be stained with a layer of crystal frost, exuding a heart-palpitating aura of eternal annihilation. However, deep within its core, the faint light representing "Nirvana" seemed to brighten a little!
After an unknown amount of time, the light from the strange stone gradually dimmed, and the wisp of flame inside solidified once more. Fu Shaoping also awoke from his profound realization.

He felt that his "Setting Sun" sword intent had undergone a qualitative leap, with its power increasing by at least 30%! More importantly, he found a way to integrate the power of "Eternal Ice Silence" into his swordsmanship, thereby glimpsing the mysteries of "Nirvana"!

This nameless, extraordinary stone is worth far more than 100,000 merits!
Just as he was basking in the joy of his improved swordsmanship, the fortress's alarm bells rang out suddenly and shrilly!

"Dong-dong-dong-!"

The bells tolled incessantly, each one more urgent than the last! This was the highest level of warning—a beast horde was attacking the city!
Fu Shaoping suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and piercing. He stood up abruptly, and an incomparably fierce sword intent soared into the sky, forcing back the chill in the stone house.

His figure transformed into a golden rainbow, shooting without hesitation towards the direction from which the bell tolled—the fortress wall!
The real test has arrived. His sword is eager to drink blood! The alarm bells rang, shattering the ancient silence of the Northern Frontier. The Xuanbing Fortress, like a colossal beast awakened, instantly entered battle mode. Countless streaks of light rose from all directions, like a reversed meteor shower, crashing fiercely into the towering ice wall. (End of Chapter)