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As the light of the ancient teleportation array gradually faded, before Su Ning could even get a clear look at his surroundings, seven terrifying divine senses descended upon him like a mountain pressing down on him.

Each one far surpasses the Core Formation level—this is the combined suppression of seven Nascent Soul cultivators!

"Who is coming?!"

Amidst the shouts, a blinding golden light flashed before Suning's eyes.

When his vision returned, he found himself standing on a broken circular stone platform, surrounded by a large array of seventy-two bronze pillars, with a cultivator standing on top of each pillar.

The seven people in the innermost circle possessed auras as deep as the ocean, clearly all being Nascent Soul stage cultivators; the sixty-five people in the outer circle were all Core Formation stage cultivators, currently manipulating various magical treasures aimed at him.

"Su Ning, the direct disciple of Jin Kui of the Taiyi Sect of the Great Jin Dynasty, has returned to the sect by order of his master!" Su Ning endured the pressure of divine sense and held up the jade tablet of identity bestowed upon him by Jin Kui.

The two characters "Taiyi" on the jade plaque emitted a clear light, resonating with the surrounding bronze pillars...

This is the identity verification of a direct descendant of the Taiyi Sect.

Among the seven Nascent Soul cultivators, an old man in purple robes had a furrowed brow.

He reached out and beckoned, and the jade pendant flew into his palm.
After a careful examination, the old man's expression changed slightly: "It is indeed a jade token from our sect, and... it is the same style as the batch from six hundred years ago!"

"Jin Kui?" Another red-faced Nascent Soul cultivator looked thoughtful. "Could he be that 'prodigy' from back then?"

The purple-robed elder did not respond immediately, but instead scrutinized Su Ning with sharp eyes: "Where is Uncle-Master Jin Kui? Why is it you, a mere Core Formation junior, who is holding his token?"

“Reporting to my master,” Su Ning said in a low voice, “Master has been murdered by villains in the Chaotic Star Sea. Before his death, he ordered his disciple to return to Taiyi and continue the lineage of the Star Origin.”

As he spoke, he took out the Star Core Sword Pill and the "Taiyi True Explanation".

As soon as the sword pellet was released, it emitted a clear and melodious sword cry, drawing seven star trails in the air. It was the "Seven Stars Questioning the Heart" sword style passed down by the Taiyi Sect. The restriction on the jade slip was also automatically lifted, revealing the four characters "Star Yuan Yong Yao" written by Jin Kui himself on the title page.

"It really is the Star Core Sword Pill!" The purple-robed elder was finally moved. "This item was personally bestowed upon Uncle Jin Kui by the former sect leader. It would never have changed hands without his own free will!"

The Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged glances, their vigilance lessening slightly.

The red-faced Nascent Soul cultivator sighed, "Six hundred years... I never imagined that Senior Brother Jin Kui would end up in the Chaotic Star Sea and even reach the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage."

The protective formation gradually subsided, but Su Ning remained under close surveillance.

The purple-robed elder took out a golden communication talisman and whispered a few words. The talisman then transformed into a stream of light and flew towards the main peak.

Before long, a long, drawn-out bell rang out from the sky, nine times in a row…

This is a signal that there are important matters that require the leader's decision.

While waiting, Suning was able to observe his surroundings.

The Taiyi Sect was even more magnificent than he had imagined: its thirty-six main peaks pierced the sky like sharp swords, each topped with a cluster of palaces; cultivators frequently flew through the sky on swords, the weakest of whom were at least in the late Foundation Establishment stage; in the distance, the medicinal fields stretched as far as the eye could see, and the silhouettes of dragons could be faintly seen in the spirit beast garden…

This is the true grandeur of a great sect of immortal cultivation!

The fact that there were seven Nascent Soul stage cultivators and sixty-five Core Formation stage cultivators at their first meeting shows just how powerful the Taiyi Sect, the number one cultivation sect in the Great Jin Dynasty, is.

About half an hour later, a majestic voice resounded through the mountains: "Bring him into the palace."

The purple-robed elder immediately bowed in response, then said to Su Ning, "Follow me. Remember, do not speak recklessly in front of the sect leader!"

"Yes, Uncle-Master."

The group flew towards the highest mountain peak on their swords.

The journey involves passing through several restrictions, each requiring a special incantation to overcome.

Su Ning secretly memorized these techniques while simultaneously sensing the rich spiritual energy of the Taiyi Sect…

It's more than ten times stronger than Tianxing City!
The main hall is made entirely of white jade, and nine dragon-carved pillars stand in the square in front of the hall, each with a living dragon wrapped around it!
These dragons, at the very least, are level six demonic beasts, equivalent to a human's Core Formation cultivation level, yet they are willing to guard the mountain gate for the Taiyi Sect.

Inside the hall, a middle-aged man in white robes sat in the main seat.

His face was ordinary, yet he possessed an imposing presence that made people afraid to look him in the eye, and he was surrounded by a faint aura of Daoism...

It is none other than Xuan Tianzi, the current leader of the Taiyi Sect, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!

"Disciple Su Ning greets Sect Leader Uncle." Su Ning bowed respectfully, using the etiquette of a junior meeting a senior.

Xuan Tianzi's gaze was like lightning, lingering on Su Ning for a long time before he spoke: "Senior Brother Jin Kui...how did he die?"

"The Star Palace Coup." Su Ning briefly explained the events, omitting details about the Void Heaven Palace, only stating that Jin Kui was ambushed and killed by the two saints because his merits overshadowed the master.

Upon hearing that Jin Kui's Dao foundation had been destroyed by the Star Fiend Nail, Xuan Tianzi's fingers trembled almost imperceptibly.

When Su Ning mentioned that Jin Kui created the final move of the "Starfall Technique" before he turned into starlight and dissipated, the sect leader's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Stars reborn from ashes..." Xuan Tianzi repeated softly, as if savoring the mystery within.

After a moment, he regained his composure: "Did Senior Brother Jin Kui have any last words?"

“My master ordered me to return to Taiyi to continue the Xingyuan lineage.” Su Ning paused, “and also said… he did not disgrace the sect.”

The main hall suddenly became eerily quiet.

Xuan Tianzi remained expressionless, but Su Ning keenly noticed that his hand inside his sleeve had clenched into a fist.

After a long silence, the sect leader slowly said, "I had some old grudges with Senior Brother Jin Kui. But death absolves all debts. Since you have returned with his token, you are now considered a disciple of Taiyi."

He turned to the old man in purple robes, "Are there any vacant cave dwellings on Qingming Peak?"

The purple-robed elder was taken aback: "Azure Peak? The spiritual energy there is thin..."

“Let’s leave it there,” Xuan Tianzi interrupted. “According to custom, Core Formation disciples should reside on the outer peaks. We’ll discuss other matters after he reaches Nascent Soul stage.”

Suning understood perfectly – this was a disguised form of cold treatment.

Qingming Peak is clearly on the periphery of the Taiyi Sect. Although the sect leader accepted him due to the sect rules, he was unwilling to give him preferential treatment.

"This disciple obeys." Su Ning replied neither servilely nor arrogantly.

He never expected to be valued upon his arrival; a peaceful place to cultivate was enough for him.

As I left the main hall, a faint divine sense swept over me from the highest peak, "Taiyi Peak".

This divine sense was as vast as the sea, far surpassing the Nascent Soul level, yet it paused slightly when it touched the Star Core Sword Pill.

Su Ning froze, as if all his secrets had been seen through.

“The Nascent Soul Ancestor…” he thought with a chill.

Fortunately, his divine sense quickly faded, and he seemed to have little interest in a mere Core Formation cultivator.

On the way to Qingming Peak with the purple-robed elder, the elder suddenly transmitted his voice: "Boy, you're lucky. If it weren't for Elder Bai's divine sense sweeping over you, the sect leader might not have accepted you so readily."

Su Ning asked in surprise, "What do you mean by that, Uncle-Master?"

"Back then, Sect Leader Xuan Tianzi and Martial Uncle Jin Kui were sworn enemies when they vied for the position of Sect Leader," the purple-robed elder said meaningfully. "However, Ancestor Bai has always admired Martial Uncle Jin Kui's mastery of the Star Origin Scripture..."

That's it!

Suning suddenly realized.

That Nascent Soul Ancestor, Old Ghost Bai, probably only tacitly allowed me to join the sect because of the Star Core Sword Pill.

Qingming Peak is located on the outskirts of Taiyi Gate, and its spiritual energy concentration is only 30% of that of the main peak.

The purple-robed elder led Su Ning to a cave halfway up the mountain: "This is it. You can go to the Hall of Affairs on the first day of each month to collect your disciple's salary. If you have any questions, you can ask the elders of this peak."

"Thank you very much, Martial Uncle! May I ask how I should address you, Martial Uncle?"

"My surname is Zhang, you can just call me Uncle Zhang."

"Yes, Uncle Zhang."

After the old man left, Su Ning inspected the cave.

The dwelling was pitifully simple: the cultivation room only had the most basic spirit-gathering array, the herb garden was less than half an acre, and there were not even puppets or servants.

Compared to the special treatment he received as a disciple in the Star Palace, it was a world of difference.

"Interesting." Su Ning smiled instead of getting angry.

The more neglected Taiyi Sect becomes, the more at ease he can focus on its development.

not to mention……

He took out the Star Core Sword Pill and infused it with a trace of the Star Origin Scripture's spiritual power.

The sword pellet immediately emitted a faint light, pointing towards a stone wall deep within the cave.

Following the secret method taught by Jin Kui on his deathbed, Su Ning formed several complex hand seals, and the stone wall rippled like water!
Passing through the stone wall, I suddenly felt a sense of openness and tranquility.

Just as they were about to take a closer look, they suddenly sensed someone approaching outside the cave.

He hurriedly left the secret chamber, and the stone wall returned to normal.

The moment he settled down on the futon, the cave's protective barriers were activated.

A young girl in a green dress, with a cultivation level of approximately late Foundation Establishment, stood outside the door, holding a tray: "Uncle-Master Su, this disciple has been ordered by the Hall of Affairs to deliver my robes and monthly salary."

After putting down the tray, the girl did not leave immediately, but looked at Su Ning curiously: "Is Martial Uncle a cultivator who returned from the Chaotic Star Sea? I heard that your master was a genius from six hundred years ago?"

Su Ning smiled but did not answer. Instead, he took out a bottle of pills that were very beneficial to Foundation Establishment cultivators and handed it to her: "I am new here, please take good care of me, my junior sister."

The girl was flattered and thanked him profusely before leaving happily.

Through a brief conversation, Su Ning learned that her name was Liu Qing, the niece of the deacon of Qingming Peak, and that she knew a great deal about the affairs of the sect.

After closing the cave door, Su Ning let out a long sigh of relief.

He took out his identity jade token, and saw that the map and rules of the Taiyi Sect had automatically appeared on the back.

According to the sign, there will be a competition among sect disciples in three years, at which time the allocation of a massive amount of cultivation resources will be determined.

"Xuan Tianzi wants to give me the cold shoulder?" Su Ning toyed with the Star Core Sword Pill, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Then let's see how many of the younger generation of Taiyi Sect can withstand the sword of this 'marginal disciple'!" The God-Slaying Spear trembled slightly in Su Ning's dantian, seemingly anticipating the upcoming challenge.

In the mighty Jin Dynasty, where powerful figures abound, Su Ning's legend has only just begun...

……

Inside the "Starry Sea Pavilion" at the top of Taiyi Peak, twelve figures sat around a star chart.

Each of these people was a great cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage or above, including three Supreme Elders at the Deity Transformation stage.

The projection on the star chart is a panoramic view of the Chaotic Star Sea provided by Suning, including the distribution of key forces such as Tianxing City and Jiyin Island.

"So, these two Star Palace Saints are only at the late Nascent Soul stage, yet they dare to dominate a region?" A red-browed old man sneered. He was the head of the Taiyi Sect's Battle Hall, Master Fentian, with a Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivation.

The Xuan Tianzi Sect Leader, seated in the main seat, shook his head slightly: "Junior Brother Fentian, do not underestimate him. According to Su Ning, the Star Palace has the ancient 'Zhou Tian Xing Dou Da Zhen' and the Yuan Magnetic Divine Mountain, which can be used to fight against Nascent Soul cultivators with the help of the power of the stars."

"Was it Senior Brother Jin Kui who perished under this formation?" a kind-faced old woman asked.

She is Qinglin Fairy, the head of the Medicine Hall, and had some connection with Jin Kui back then.

Xuan Tianzi's eyes flickered slightly: "According to Su Ning, he was ambushed by the two Saints of the Star Palace and his Dao foundation was destroyed by the 'Star Fiend Nail'."

"Hmph! These mere barbarians from overseas dare to kill my Taiyi Sect disciples!" A middle-aged cultivator carrying a long sword said coldly. "Sect Leader, I suggest we immediately form an expeditionary force to flatten the Star Palace and bring the Chaotic Star Sea under the rule of my Taiyi Sect."

The council chamber immediately erupted in discussion.

The pro-war faction saw this as a golden opportunity to demonstrate the prestige of the Taiyi Sect; the cautious faction, on the other hand, advocated for a long-term plan, given the immense cost of a long expedition spanning hundreds of millions of miles.

"Silence." The white-haired old man sitting at the head of the table spoke slowly.

As soon as he spoke, everyone immediately fell silent...

This is none other than the "Star River Ancestor," one of the three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Taiyi Sect.

Ancestor Xinghe lightly tapped the star chart with his fingertip, and the map of the Chaotic Star Sea quickly zoomed in: "The location of the Star Palace is special. According to Su Ning's description, there are level eleven demonic beasts in the outer star sea that are equivalent to the Nascent Soul stage... This is the main reason why we have not entered the Chaotic Star Sea on a large scale."

He looked around at everyone and said, "I suggest that we first send three Nascent Soul stage disciples disguised as rogue cultivators to infiltrate and investigate, to find out the true strength of the Star Palace and the Reverse Star Alliance, before making a decision."

When the Nascent Soul Ancestor spoke, no one dared to object.

Xuan Tianzi immediately assigned three Nascent Soul cultivators skilled in concealment to handle the matter and ordered strict secrecy to avoid alerting the enemy.

Towards the end of the meeting, Ancestor Xinghe suddenly asked, "How is that Su Ning... Jin Kui's disciple doing now?"

“Ancestor, I have already arranged for him to stay at Qingming Peak.” Xuan Tianzi said in a calm tone, “Although this boy has received the true teachings of Jin Kui, he is still only at the Core Formation stage and is not up to the task.”

Ancestor Xinghe gave the sect leader a meaningful look, and said nothing more.

Meanwhile, inside the cave on Qingming Peak.

Su Ning was sitting cross-legged in the secret room left by Jin Kui, with three jade bottles floating in front of him.

This is the monthly stipend he just received as a Core Formation disciple—three bottles of "Taiyi Jade Liquid".

This spiritual liquid is made from the unique "Jade Spring Spirit Eye" spring water of the Taiyi Sect, with the addition of seventy-two kinds of spiritual herbs. If placed in the outside world, it would be enough to trigger a battle between Golden Core cultivators.

"As expected of the Taiyi Sect." Su Ning uncorked the bottle and took a sniff. The rich medicinal fragrance made every pore on his body open up. "The spiritual power contained in this bottle is comparable to what I gained from half a year of arduous cultivation in the Chaotic Star Sea!"

He didn't rush to take the medicine, but instead checked the Seven Star Magic Array in the center of the secret room.

According to the jade slip left by Jin Kui, this "Seven Stars Gathering Spirit Array" can draw upon the primordial magnetic power deep within the earth's veins to aid in the cultivation of the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light".

Of course, cultivating the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light" still requires the assistance of the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain. Only when the Chaotic Star Sea is in chaos will one have the opportunity to obtain the Primordial Magnetic Divine Mountain.

"rise!"

As the incantation was cast, the seven illusory stars slowly rotated, and complex array patterns appeared on the ground.

A strange pulling force surged from the ground, causing all the metal objects in the sealed room to levitate.

Suning's hair moved without any wind, as if it were being pulled by an invisible hand.

"Is this the power of primordial magnetism?" Su Ning felt the abnormal flow of spiritual energy within his body, and the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light" actually started operating on its own.

Even more remarkably, the Great Wilderness Seal within the dantian also began to resonate, with patterns similar to the Yuan Magnetic Array appearing on its surface.

He immediately realized that the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light" and the "Great Wilderness Technique" would not conflict!

This discovery delighted Su Ning, who immediately decided to postpone his Nascent Soul formation plan and focus on cultivating the two techniques, "Taiyi True Explanation" and "Yuanci Divine Light".

Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the secret room, Su Ning was surrounded by a strange gray-white light, which distorted the air wherever it touched.

Before him, a high-quality flying sword was rusting and disintegrating at a visible speed, eventually turning into a pile of iron filings...

This is the initial stage of the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light!

"What a domineering technique!" Su Ning exhaled as he finished his practice, his eyes gleaming. "No wonder the Star Palace Saints regarded the 'Primordial Magnetic Divine Light' as the key to breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage."

The Taiyi Sect is currently unaware of the true mysteries of the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light," otherwise even the number one cultivation sect in the Great Jin Dynasty would not be able to remain calm.

For the past six months, he has spent his days cultivating the "Taiyi True Explanation" in a secret room and his nights studying the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light" in the Star Ruins Secret Realm.

His five spiritual roots were almost perfectly matched with the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light," which shows that this opportunity was destined by heaven.

The flow of time in the secret realm is three times that of the outside world, which is equivalent to nine months of actual cultivation.

With the aid of Taiyi Jade Liquid, his progress was far faster than when he was in the Chaotic Star Sea.

However, rapid improvement also brings hidden dangers.

Su Ning examined his dantian internally and found that the Dao patterns on the surface of the golden core were somewhat blurred...

This is a sign of an unstable foundation.

He immediately stopped absorbing spiritual energy and began to refine the "Star Core Sword Pill".

This golden beast's natal magic weapon is extremely wondrous, containing seven star-shaped sword energies, corresponding to the Big Dipper.

Su Ning nourished the sword pill daily with his own essence and blood, gradually establishing a connection with it.

What surprised him most was that the sword pellet could coexist peacefully with the God-Slaying Spear, and the two treasures formed a delicate balance in his dantian.

On this day, Su Ning was practicing his sword technique when the restrictions on his cave dwelling were suddenly triggered.

The person who came was Liu Qing, the girl in the green dress who delivered the monthly salary half a year ago, but now she has advanced to the Pseudo-Core Realm.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, junior disciple." Su Ning smiled and handed over a bottle of pills.

Over the past six months, he has deliberately cultivated a good relationship with this woman, and through her he has learned a great deal about the inner workings of the Taiyi Sect.

Liu Qing happily accepted the pills and lowered his voice, saying, "Uncle-Master Su, I heard that Senior Brother Xiao from the Battle Hall has declared that he will challenge you in the sect competition!"

"Senior Brother Xiao?" Su Ning raised an eyebrow.

He has been living a secluded life for the past six months, rarely interacting with his fellow disciples. How could anyone cause him trouble?
“Xiao Jinghong is the number one Core Formation cultivator in the Battle Hall,” Liu Qing explained. “His master, Venerable Burning Heaven, and Senior Jin Kui had some past conflicts.”

"I see!" Suning exclaimed in realization.

It seems that Jin Kui's grudges with the Taiyi Sect are now being passed on to his disciple.

When will the sect competition be held?

“Three months later,” Liu Qing said worriedly, “Senior Brother Xiao had already reached the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage three years ago, and it is said that he once fought against a Nascent Soul stage cultivator for a hundred moves without being defeated…”

Su Ning remained noncommittal, but handed Liu Qing another bottle of spirit liquid: "Thank you for informing me. By the way, has there been any news from within the sect recently regarding the Chaotic Star Sea?"

Liu Qing shook his head: "How could I possibly know such a secret? However..."

She hesitated for a moment, "I heard that the three Nascent Soul senior uncles who were sent out half a year ago have not yet returned."

After seeing Liu Qing off, Su Ning fell into deep thought.

The attitude of the Taiyi Sect towards the Chaotic Star Sea will directly affect his future plans.

If the sect decides to launch a major attack, he might be able to take the opportunity to return to the Star Palace and seek revenge; if they remain inactive, he will have to find another way.

"The most urgent task is to consolidate my cultivation," Su Ning muttered to himself. "As long as I break through to the Nascent Soul stage, I will have a foothold whether I stay in the Taiyi Sect or return to the Chaotic Star Sea."

He returned to the secret chamber and activated the Seven Stars Gathering Spirit Array.

This time, I will not only cultivate the "Primordial Magnetic Divine Light", but also try to integrate the power of primordial magnetism into the God-Slaying Spear.

If successful, the power of marksmanship will surely reach a new level!

While Su Ning was focused on his cultivation, in the meditation room of the sect leader at the top of Taiyi Peak, Xuan Tianzi was gazing at the water mirror in front of him.

The mirror clearly showed the scene of Qingming Peak. Although it could not penetrate the restrictions of the secret chamber, it could clearly see the abnormal flow of spiritual energy in the world.

“…Star Core Resonance…” Xuan Tianzi murmured to himself, “Senior Brother Jin Kui, you’ve taken on a good disciple.”

He pulled a jade slip from his sleeve, which contained the complete text of the "Star Origin Scripture".

However, unlike the version practiced by Su Ning, this scripture has several differences at key points...

That was the wrong version that he and the old sect leader deliberately leaked to Jin Kui back then, because the previous sect leader was Xuan Tianzi's father.

"What a pity! You never knew the truth behind your crushing defeat back then until your death..." A trace of guilt flashed in Xuan Tianzi's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. "Taiyi Sect does not need two prodigies."

In the water mirror, the vortex of spiritual energy above Qingming Peak became increasingly violent, and the faint phantom images of seven stars could be seen.

These extraordinary phenomena are clearly signs that the "Star Origin Scripture" is about to be completed!

Unbeknownst to Xuan Tianzi, at the same time he was observing Su Ning, the Nascent Soul Ancestor Bai Laogui deep within Taiyi Peak also opened his eyes.

The ancestor, who had long awaited ascension, gazed in the direction of Qingming Peak, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips:
"The star core has recognized its master... The time is almost here..."

...(End of chapter)