Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 487 Body Shaping
In the southern part of the grotto-heaven, a dilapidated palace stands.

The silver lightning, like leaping snakes, illuminated the silhouette of a seated human figure. The lightning solidified into flesh and blood, desperately forcing out wisps of dark red embers. The hall was filled with an aura of impending doom and the burning of the body by embers.

Xu Xuan sat quietly, and the originally majestic and flowing black runes around his body gradually disappeared, merging into his supernatural powers.

Deep within his bones and blood, the decay of life and the lingering fire of yin energy clung to him, relentlessly burning his life force. Each heartbeat brought a searing pain and weakness that penetrated to the very marrow of his bones.

Inside the scene, a clear, cold moon hangs high in the sky, and the moonlight of the moon hangs down like gauze, preserving life and barely preventing the situation from deteriorating further.

Your Highness, the light of Gengjin is chilling and fierce. Wan Jin, holding a golden scale, stands silently. Since it was drawn, the killing intent of this number one spiritual sword in the North has been solidified and undissipated. The sword body faintly shows the phantoms of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and golden spears and iron horses.

"【Heavenly Decline】is a celestial artifact. The power of this Yin Candle, which Fu Chen imitated and created, is terrifying. In terms of killing power, it is slightly inferior to the Golden Scale in my hand, but in terms of its troublesome and insidious nature, it is probably the number one spiritual treasure in the Great Li."

Wan Jin shook his head slightly and said:
"Now that your flesh and blood have been burned away, the [Heavenly Decline and Life Extinction] and the [Yin Fire Burning Body Calamity] are superimposed. If it weren't for the fact that She Lei is the first calamity and its status is much higher than Ding Huo, you would probably only have a true spirit left to escape."

Xu Xuan stood up at this moment. His flesh and blood were regenerating with difficulty under the impetus of lightning. At first glance, his injuries seemed to have healed, but he was emaciated with a full head of white hair. His body was locked with lightning to suppress the Yin Fire and the decline of his lifespan.

Forcibly activating supernatural powers will cause the remaining calamities within the body to erupt again, burning away life, shortening lifespan, and becoming extremely insidious.

"Regardless of the circumstances, I am deeply grateful to you for lending me your sword during this ordeal, and I will remember it forever."

His breath was weak at the moment. The Yin Candle of that day had burned away decades of his lifespan, and he did not know how to make up for the damage. Even the White-Robed Dragon King of Beichuan had no good solution, let alone him.

The only good news is that after destroying Fu Chen Daozi's physical body and crushing his supernatural powers, Xu Xuan's progress in the [Extinction of Life] technique within his inner realm is terrifying, and a profound phenomenon is even about to take shape.

This was the result of Wan Jin's last-minute intervention. If he had directly killed An Xianhui, this mystical phenomenon would probably have taken shape immediately!
Now that Fu Chen knows that someone in the temple is in seclusion to cultivate supernatural powers, he is somewhat uneasy, and his own injuries do not allow him to continue to take risks in the cave.

Golden winds swirled around Wan Jin, the brilliance of his Gengjin divine power flickering, and a chilling aura emanated from him. He simply said in a deep voice:

"It was my decision alone, not authorized by the clan. The clan has already sent word that Jin Lin was lent out, and I was sent to question him."

“After this battle, Fu Chen has set his sights on you, fellow Daoist. Be careful in the future. Ling Jing has now broken through to the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm and is quite shrewd. An Xian Hui’s attack is part of his plan, regardless of the outcome.”

"Fu Chen, what do you think of the current situation?"

Xu Xuan's heart sank slightly. If Fu Chen really sent people to kill Chi Yun, he dared not delay and needed to return to the mountain quickly. However, the fact that the token had not been detected meant that the mountain was safe, which reassured him a lot.

"Chiyun is, after all, the territory of Taizhen. It's fine for Fuchen to send some subordinates, and we can turn a blind eye. But if our sect's Zifu comes in person, it will break the rules. Fellow Daoist, you don't need to worry."

Wan Jin's tone was stern. Tai Zhen was in charge of the border defense along the northern frontier, so Fu Chen naturally couldn't interfere.

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan nodded slightly, his mind racing. So far, the only person he had been in contact with from this sect was Yin Hui Zhenren; the other Zifu sect members had never shown up, which was quite strange.

He looked at the Binghuo Xuan Seal hanging at his waist, its golden-red light flowing and shining brightly.

If this profound seal is truly so important to Fu Chen that it warrants the use of a powerful treasure, why not have Ling Jing take action directly?

The arrival of this late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator would be foolproof. Even with the help of the Golden Scale, Xu Xuan would not be able to defeat him. In the end, An Xian Hui is only at the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm, possessing only two supernatural powers.

'What exactly are they plotting?'

It's impossible that they're worried about saving face and can't make a move. Which one who has reached the Purple Mansion level would hesitate to use their strength to attack the weak? If there's even the slightest sign of trouble, they'll immediately suppress it with swift and decisive action. That's the way of the immortals in this world.

"No matter what Fu Chen's intentions are, I, Xu Xuan, will repay the kindness of lending me the sword."

Wan Jin shook his head slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he looked at Xu Xuan, who had a full head of white hair, and said in a deep voice:

"Suppressing that sinister arrogance is the best reward. This Fu Chen Daoist has been raised to be fierce and mean, his nature bordering on evil, and now he's entangled with you, fellow Daoist."

"Today I met you, fellow Daoist, and you are indeed a true successor of the Thunder Palace, favored by the Thunder God. Although Yin Hui was defeated, he still managed to complete the evil and rebellious atmosphere under the thunder. It is probably Ling Jing's scheme to make him a traitor to the Thunder God."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan's gaze darkened, and he seemed to have some suspicions, asking in a questioning voice:
"I don't know. This Yin Hui is a Dao Child, blessed with destiny and first-class talent, but his temperament is really unbearable. He is even inferior to some demonic figures."

"Fu Chen is, after all, a celestial sect with a long and rich history. Surely they can teach someone well?"

Upon hearing this, Wan Jin's lips curled into a mocking smile. He slowly paced back and forth, the golden wind beside him swirling around him, displaying various signs of war and chaos as his thoughts shifted.

“The divine destiny of the ancients cannot be created out of thin air. Even those at the level of Great Sage are hard to find in the world. For example, the one in the Song family who is born with the Vermilion Bird destiny can become the Crown Prince, and the one in the Yang family who is born with the Golden Crow destiny can become the clan leader.”

"The ancient divine destiny was only created because Fu Chen had the [Heavenly Decline and Karma Candle Yin] in his hands."

Xu Xuan's mind raced. He had seen many people with great destiny, such as Fa Yan, who was born with the destiny of a grave sheep and was of noble birth, and Song Shiyi, who was born with the destiny of a red bird.

These are all Purple Mansion level destiny, which is rare enough to be called extraordinary talent. The Great Sage level destiny is even more rare in the world, which is already Golden Core level, and can be called the outstanding people of this era.

"Great Sage is an honorific title. Any celestial beast that represents a certain level of attainment can have this title. They are all born with a Golden Core, and as long as they do not perish prematurely, they will become Nascent Souls."

"If we really want to talk about it, only one or two of them perished halfway through. The remaining Great Saints are all at the Nascent Soul stage, such as the Vermilion Bird, Kunpeng, True Dragon, Golden Crow, Qilin, and so on, and they are all of equal status."

Wan Jin came from an extraordinary background and was extremely knowledgeable about such matters of destiny. He simply continued:

"Qi and destiny are the essence of nature. Some are innate, while others are cultivated. Once one cultivates the power of intention in the Purple Mansion, one will inevitably be blessed with Qi and destiny."

Xu Xuan's gaze sharpened slightly. The two supernatural powers that An Xianhui had cultivated were [Burning Human Life] and [Eroding Fire], neither of which were mental supernatural powers.

"I wonder, how exactly was An Xianhui's destiny created?"

He was puzzled. Among all the auras he had ever seen, this [Candle Yin] was undoubtedly the most top-tier, originating from an ancient deity.

"Naturally, it was forcibly created by relying on that golden nature! However, it was not naturally complete, so it was not perfect. Instead, it backfired and became what it is now."

Wan Jinsheng's voice carried undisguised sarcasm as he calmly smiled and said:

"Saints are equivalent to the manifestation of a Buddha, appearing in the world. Great Saints are the condensation of the characteristics of a Buddha. In terms of nobility, these ancient saints are the highest in rank, all starting from the Nascent Soul stage. However, not every lineage can manifest this power." "This destiny is not something ordinary people can bear. One wrong move, and they will be devoured. [Zhuyin] is an extremely fierce ancient saint who once burned a Longevity Immortal to death, causing the lifespan of all living beings to be greatly reduced from then on."

"I see."

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. Ding Fire could burn away lifespan, a unique lineage. It was probably the work of this ancient sage that made this lineage so insidious.

He was currently suffering from the torment of being burned by the yin fire and having his lifespan shortened. At this moment, he sighed and bid farewell:
"The Yin Fire is malevolent, and I need to return to the mountain to rebuild my physical body. I'm afraid I'll have to leave this place temporarily and avoid taking any risks in the cave. I'll discuss the matter of Fu Chen with my fellow Daoists in the future."

At this time, the center of Kunwei Heaven was still blocked by the Great Wall formed by the condensation of Wu Guang, preventing cultivators from entering. However, the outer perimeter had already been explored to the fullest extent, so it was fine to leave for the time being.

"It will probably only take two or three years for the center of the cave to be broken open, that's true."

Wan Jin's tone was tinged with regret. How could the other party's injuries be healed in just two or three years? Unless there was another opportunity, just dealing with this waning life force would take an unknown amount of time, not to mention rebuilding the physical body, which would require a lot of spiritual items.

The two parted ways, and Xu Xuan rode the thunder to rise. At this moment, he was traveling on the clouds, activating the token to sense the distance. Finally, he saw the hidden True Man Pingxiu on a fairy peak at the edge of the world.

He had some premonition that, given his injuries, he might not be able to catch up with the opening of the central cave. It would be best to be frank with this True Person as soon as possible.

Atop the peak, flames roared, and a magnificent furnace stood tall, within which something seemed to be being refined. Seeing Xu Xuan's gaunt appearance, his striking white hair, and his aura so utterly depleted, Pingxiu's eyelids twitched violently.
"Fellow Daoist Bijie! What is this?"

Xu Xuan smiled wryly and briefly recounted the whole story. After listening, Master Pingxiu showed no anger on his face, but rather concern, and sighed deeply:
"Recovering from your injuries is the priority. I am now confident in my ability to handle the Immortal Ash. If you are feeling better, I hope you will come soon."

Instead, he took out a sky-blue spirit pill, its surface shimmering with the light of countless swirling waters, the sound of the tides faintly audible. He handed it to Xu Xuan, saying only:
"This is the [Yuanmang Pinghai Dan], a secret treasure of our Dao. It is most effective in resolving fire calamities. Fellow Daoist, take it to heal your injuries first. I need to keep an eye on the situation of the cave heaven right now, so I don't have time to refine a special elixir for you."

"This breach of contract has already wronged you, sir; how could I dare accept such a generous gift?"

Xu Xuan was about to decline, but Pingxiu calmly said:

"Fellow Daoist Bijie, please accept this. There will be a time when you will need to draw your sword. At that time, I hope you will remember this pill as a token of our gratitude."

Xu Xuan thanked the alchemist again. Regardless of the circumstances, this Master Pingxiu was quite righteous. Not only did he not blame him for breaking the contract, but he also took out the Hanshui Spirit Pill to help him recover from his injuries.

As a descendant of ancient immortals and the master of fire, how could the other party not understand Xu Xuan's current injuries? He naturally understood that the other party probably wouldn't have time to enter the core of this cave, and it would be difficult for him to help him compete for the immortal ash. However, this alchemist still took out spiritual pills without hesitation.

After the two talked for a while, Xu Xuan left. He walked out along the edge of the broken cave and disappeared into the void, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

"Leaving aside the Yin Fire and the decline of lifespan, is there any ingenious method for reshaping the physical body?"

When he asked about Tian Tuo, the old demon immediately replied smugly:

"In the art of body shaping, Shaoyang and Taiyin come first among Yin and Yang. I have the art of Shaoyang Receptor, which is the most profound and is on the same level as Taiyin Body Refinement. It is the number one method of body reshaping in the world."

Xu Xuan felt little joy; he simply asked:

What kinds of spiritual items do you want?

"Naturally, it belongs to the Shaoyang school."

Tian Tuo's voice was embarrassed. Even though his secret technique was powerful, he couldn't make bricks without straw. Where could he find any Shaoyang spiritual objects these days?

Xu Xuan knew that this old demon was unreliable, and his mind raced. The current situation reminded him of Guan Quan, the master of the Purple Qi Dao. Guan Quan's Purple Mansion had suffered even more severe injuries, with only his true spirit escaping.

The other party is reshaping their physical body, so they must have some secret techniques involved. After a moment's thought, Xu Xuan changed direction and headed towards Yongzhou instead of returning to the mountain.

There was no time to lose, so Xu Xuan was naturally unwilling to give up the opportunity to enter the core of Kunwei. He had to heal his injuries and repair his physical body as quickly as possible. He didn't need to be fully recovered; just enough would suffice.

"I have not visited the place where Xia Feng established his state for a long time."

Tian Tuo sighed, "Yongzhou covers a vast area, located in the Central Plains. It is the birthplace of the ancient Xia Kingdom and the capital of the Great Feng Dynasty."

If we examine this place closely, it should be under the jurisdiction of the Qinghua Immortal Sect. However, there are many immortal families within it, forming their own faction, and they do not actually follow the orders of the Immortal Sect.

After all, the adults from Qinghua have not responded.

Xu Xuan activated the [Snow-Bathing Branch] and, following the mark left by Wei Shuang, soon saw the location of the Earth Lung Mountain. He saw purple qi soaring into the sky, celestial clouds piercing the air, and spiritual mountains and immortal peaks, green pines and ancient cypresses all in sight.

The two most famous sacred mountains in Yongzhou are Huayin and Difei, both ancient sites of immortals and were once considered blessed lands, but they have declined considerably in recent years.

Even so, these two families are still the top-tier forces below the Immortal Sects, and are undoubtedly among the best in the Great Li Immortal Path.

"Ziqi."

Xu Xuan appeared from the void, holding a plum branch, and waited quietly. In less than three breaths, a gust of wind and snow rose into the sky, and Wei Shuang's figure emerged from the mountain. Upon seeing the newcomer, she first smiled and said:
"Xu Dao—"

His greeting caught in his throat. It was only after he had seen the other person's body clearly and witnessed the injuries beneath that thin layer of flesh that he felt a sense of horror.

The person before me is one of only two sword immortals in the Great Li Dynasty, and a member of the She Lei Dao lineage. Even those at the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm, or ordinary mid-stage cultivators, are no match for him. And now he's injured like this...
Xu Xuan remained calm and did not mention his injuries. He first returned the spiritual weapon in his hand.

"Fellow Daoist Wei Shuang, may I ask if Senior Guan Quan is in the mountains?"

"We are in the mountains, please come in quickly."

Wei Shuang dared not delay and quickly led the sword immortal toward the treasure pavilion on the Earth Lung Mountain, as a gust of wind and snow swept across the horizon.

At this moment, Xu Xuan's body was filled with pure energy, and the Taiqing Stele, which had not changed for a long time, suddenly became sensitive, causing his mind to race.

'In these mountains, there are things related to the Immortal Stele.'

(End of this chapter)