Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 427 The Seventh Lifetime! A Warlord! Digging Up a Giant Tomb!

Lu Xuan's consciousness fell silent, only to awaken again in an instant.

A familiar, vast pressure enveloped me; this was the Heavenly Martial Realm!
Host: Lu Xuan

Realm: Six-Life Mortal Immortal (Beginner)
功法：焚天刀法19/9（可推演），咫尺天涯17/9（可推演），不死不灭17/9（可推演）。

Points: 11.1 billion

Please confirm whether you wish to consume 2 million system points to deduce the Heaven-Burning Blade Technique!
Please confirm whether you wish to consume 1.2 million system points to perform the "Close to You, Yet Far Away" simulation!
Please confirm whether to consume 0.8 billion system points to deduce immortality!
"Deduction!"

His thoughts surged like a torrent, breaching the dam. The four hundred million system points evaporated instantly, transforming into a torrent of primal insights and power that surged wildly into his immortal soul and body.

"boom--!"

It was as if the universe had just begun to open within him; the barriers to his six lifetimes as a mortal immortal shattered inch by inch under the impact of this immense power.
His cultivation level soared at an incredible speed, reaching the peak of the Sixth Incarnation Mortal Immortal!
However, that vast power was not yet exhausted. Like a raging tide blocked by an invisible barrier, it surged within the body, yet could not break through that final shackle.

The seventh incarnation of a mortal immortal is beyond the reach of ordinary people; one must re-enter the mortal world and undergo tribulations to achieve perfection.

"If you can't break through... then just leave it."

Lu Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, and a fleeting image of the birth and death of countless worlds seemed to flash in his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, his powerful divine soul, which had reached the perfection of the sixth life, along with the boundless power within him that had nowhere to go, transformed once again into a black-gold light that tore through the eternal void, and resolutely plunged into the new mortal world he sensed.

Birds chirped and flowers wafted in the air.

An incredibly fresh breath of air rushed into Lu Xuan's lungs, completely waking him from his daze.

He opened his eyes and was greeted by a scene resembling a paradise on earth.

Surrounded by green mountains on three sides, it resembles a sturdy armchair, embracing this valley.

The mountains on the east and west sides are rugged and steep, with rocks exposed like white bones, devoid of any vegetation.

Beyond the lush nearby vegetation, the gaze falls upon the center of the valley—where a solitary, round stone mound stands abruptly, its dark red color resembling a massive, still-uncured scab, firmly imprinted on the earth.

Directly in front of the stone hill, a bottomless crevice is clearly visible, and even from a distance, one can almost feel the cold wind that blows from it year-round.

This combination is just like an invisible, enormous white tiger, its jaws wide open, ready to devour everything, and that dark red hill is the "corpse bait" it has yet to catch.

Immediately afterwards, a stream meandered around the rocky hill, its water murky and faintly tinged with an ominous crimson in the dim light.

Of course, it wasn't actually blood flowing; rather, it was the cinnabar veins at the bottom of the stream that stained it red.

This is why, even under a clear blue sky, a hazy, sunless mist always hangs over this valley, immersing everything in a subdued, oppressive light.

The scenery before us is indeed spectacular, but that's not the main point.

Lu Xuan glanced around out of the corner of his eye and his heart tightened. Thousands of soldiers were crowding around him on the flat ground!

They were all dressed in faded light blue military uniforms, clutching old rifles and pistols.

All eyes were fixed on Lu Xuan, their gazes complex and unfathomable—a mixture of fear, dependence, and a desperate, hopeful anticipation, a weighty pressure that made it hard to breathe.

To the left, an adjutant in military uniform, with shifty eyes, was bowing and had a fawning smile on his face, as if he were at the beck and call of the moment.

To his right was a man of similarly lean build, dressed as a civil official, resembling a clerk, who was currently talking incessantly with spittle flying from his mouth.

"General, this is the tomb chosen by the ruthless General Wei Yuan two hundred years ago!"

The advisor pointed to the blood-red hill and the deep crevice, his voice becoming increasingly agitated.

"Therefore, this place is also known as General Mountain. In feng shui terms, 'things reach their extremes and then reverse'! This 'White Tiger Carrying a Corpse' formation is an extremely ominous and inauspicious arrangement."

However, if someone of General Wei Yuan's immense power and destiny were to be buried in the tiger's mouth as "corpse bait," their soaring murderous aura could counteract the White Tiger, reversing this extremely inauspicious situation into the auspicious configuration of "False White Tiger Bowing its Head!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his spittle almost flying out.

"General Wei Yuan was extremely ruthless in his lifetime. He probably wanted to use the evil energy of this earth vein to nourish himself, hoping to transform into a 'corpse' and achieve immortality through corpse liberation!"

"The items buried with him must be priceless treasures! More importantly, these treasures have been imbued with the malevolent energy of this land for thousands of years, and have become 'malevolent artifacts' in themselves... They are truly rare and precious treasures for suppressing demons!"

The advisor spoke boastfully, his eyes gleaming, as if what lay before him was not a terrifying wasteland, but a priceless treasure within easy reach.

This General Mountain is known locally as a "deadly place where there is no way out."

But in the eyes of this advisor, and even in front of Lu Xuan who was forced to stand here at this moment, it was an extremely rare and dangerous top-grade feng shui site.

As the saying goes, "a white tiger carries a corpse in its mouth," great misfortune also hides great secrets, and great danger also contains great treasures.

The memories of this body surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly washing over Lu Xuan's understanding.

He realized that this place was not any historical fragment that Lu Xuan knew.

This is a bizarre parallel Republic of China, which also has foreign guns and cannons and is surrounded by foreign powers, but the country's rules have collapsed.

The memory is frozen on a momentous event: the last feudal emperor abdicated, and the Imperial Seal, which maintained order throughout the land, became invalid.

The thousand-year-old imperial fortune it carried did not flow into the newly born nation as expected; instead, it collapsed and dissipated into the heavens and the earth.

This was like removing the stabilizing needle that had been suppressing the dragon veins of the nine provinces!

From then on, Yin and Yang were reversed, and evil spirits ran rampant.

The flame of science continues to spread with difficulty, but the shadow of the mysterious has silently seeped into every corner of the world.

Thinking of this, Lu Xuan's gaze swept over the menacing "White Tiger Carrying Corpse" acupoint in front of him again, and then over the clerk with a fanatical look in his eyes and the obsequious adjutant beside him.

Finally, the blame fell on the thousands of soldiers who held crude weapons and stared at him expectantly.

The loss of the Imperial Seal and the collapse of the dynasty's fortunes created a world where humans and ghosts could not be distinguished.

The original owner, Lu Xuan, lived a life of thirty-eight years that can be described as an epitome of the chaotic era of warlordism.

He was neither a newly rich revolutionary who had returned from studying abroad, nor a corrupt bureaucrat left over from the previous dynasty, but a pragmatist who had climbed out step by step from the battlefields littered with corpses and blood.

The original owner believed in guns and cannons, and even more so in this increasingly bizarre world, there was an existence that could not be killed by guns and cannons.

Therefore, in his so-called "Dingnan Army," which was actually a ragtag force of only about five thousand men, there were always a few extraordinary individuals.

The advisor on the right, spitting as he speaks, was once a Taoist priest who had left the priesthood and was well-versed in feng shui and geomancy. He was the advisor's most trusted "eyes."

The original owner relied on ruthlessness and "pragmatism" to firmly control two or three nearby counties, acting like a local tyrant.

However, in times of chaos, things are like rowing against the current, and even larger warlords began to aggressively press in.

In order to consolidate his territory and resist annexation, the original owner urgently needed a staggering windfall, as well as... a legendary "suppressing evil" treasure that could subdue evil spirits.

So he turned his gaze to the most feared forbidden area under his jurisdiction, General Mountain. It was at this moment that he stood on this extremely dangerous place, known for its "white tiger carrying a corpse."

After his memories faded, Lu Xuan subconsciously focused his mind on his brain.

However, when the system panel clearly appeared, he almost couldn't maintain the warlord's dignity on his face, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly uncontrollably.

Host: Lu Xuan, the Immortal of the Mortal World (Seventh Incarnation)

Realm: None

Cultivation Technique: None

Score: 0
? ? ? ? ?

Lu Xuan: "..."

A perfect start? This is practically hell!

Apart from the seemingly prestigious but actually impractical title of "Immortal of the Mortal World," he had absolutely nothing—no cultivation realm, no cultivation technique!

Thinking of this, Lu Xuan glanced at the group of soldiers around him who were carrying weapons that looked like "rotten sweet potatoes and stinky bird eggs".

Thinking back to the demons in his memory that were impervious to guns and cannons, a huge sense of absurdity and crisis instantly gripped him.

In this world teeming with demons and fraught with danger, can a warlord who starts out as a local tyrant with thousands of guns and a group of hungry followers truly survive and successfully acquire a large amount of the essence of heaven and earth to transcend this mortal world?

Immediately, Lu Xuan ignored the incessant flattery from the clerk beside him. His gaze swept over the crowd and landed precisely on the men not far away whose backs were being held to gunpoint by soldiers.

More accurately, they were three "masters" dressed in faded black Taoist robes and wearing Hunyuan headscarves.

According to the original owner's memories, these three were the most renowned Taoist priests in the local Fuyuan Temple.

When the original owner decided to take action against General Mountain, he thought of them—since this great tomb had a fearsome reputation and was shrouded in mystery, it was only natural to let professionals take the lead.

So a group of soldiers "politely" invited the three men out of the Taoist temple.

The original owner had a very shrewd plan: use the lives of their professionals to explore the way and resolve any unseen dangers that might exist in the tomb, while they themselves would lead a large army to reap the benefits.

Isn't it beautiful?

Although the three Taoist priests in front of them tried to remain calm, their pale faces betrayed their inner fear.

They faced not only the legendary haunted tomb, but also the real, unreasonable gun barrels behind them.

Lu Xuan's gaze slowly swept over them, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Interesting! I was just worried about not having any cultivation techniques.
The next moment, Lu Xuan ignored all the fawning or fearful gazes around him, strode forward, and walked straight toward the three Taoist priests.

The military boots made a clear sound as they stepped on the gravel, each step feeling like a blow to the heart.

He finally stopped in front of the three men, his shadow completely enveloping them, his gaze fixed on the white-haired old Taoist priest in the center.

This sudden, invisible pressure caused cold sweat to instantly bead on the old Taoist priest's forehead.

"I've heard," Lu Xuan said, his voice low, "that your Fu Yuan Temple's ancestors... had some real skills."

He leaned forward slightly, getting closer to the old Taoist priest, and said each word clearly, striking the other's heart: "Now, I'm giving you, and myself, a chance."

"I've recently suddenly wanted to learn some real skills to protect myself. If you're smart, hand over your most treasured possessions."

"Hidden skills?"

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in the old Taoist's cloudy eyes.

He raised his eyelids and quickly glanced at the warlord in front of him, who was the undisputed ruler of the region, and a sense of absurdity welled up in his heart.

This warlord, who usually only knows how to fight for power and oppress the local people, is now also coveting the meager magic that these reclusive people rely on for survival.
However, their plan is likely doomed to fail.

This is not a question of whether he is willing to teach or not, but rather that one's innate talent is predetermined and cannot be changed by human effort.

The cultivation of Taoist practices emphasizes a clear and pure mind, and it is best to begin in early childhood.

Children have pure minds and few desires, which allows them to draw energy into their bodies and sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Adults are already immersed in the mundane world, entangled in the seven emotions and six desires, and full of distracting thoughts. They are like a broken pot full of holes. How can they bear the true teachings of Taoism that require concentration and tranquility?

"To do something knowing it's impossible is foolish." The old Taoist priest sighed inwardly. He understood this principle, but he would never point it out.

When a scholar encounters a soldier, he cannot explain why.

If he were to foolishly try to reason with or discuss qualifications with a warlord who holds the power of life and death, it would be like casting pearls before swine. He might even bring about his own demise.

A moment later, the old Taoist priest's face showed humility and even fear. He slightly hunched his already thin body and said in a hoarse voice.

"My lord, you are wise... Our Fu Yuan Temple is just a small temple in the countryside, with few incense offerings and a meager lineage. Where...where do we have any real secret skills?"
These are merely petty tricks to fool the villagers and scare away owls; they hardly meet the commander's approval. I'm afraid... even showing them off would be considered crude.

....
Lu Xuan was too lazy to listen to the old Taoist's rambling. His right hand moved with lightning speed—with a "click," the Mauser pistol with its bolt fully extended was already in his hand.

However, the dark muzzle of the gun wasn't aimed at the old Taoist priest, but instead it was suddenly pressed against the temple of the youngest Taoist priest next to him!
The young Taoist priest trembled violently, his face turned deathly pale, and he froze on the spot, even his breathing stopped.

"Junior brother! Commander! Commander, please calm down! You mustn't, you mustn't!"

The old Taoist priest's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he was terrified. He roared inwardly: "This damn warlord is so unreasonable!"

He'd draw a gun at the drop of a hat, and even point it at his own junior brother? Who could withstand that?!

"Yes! Yes! General, please calm down. This old Taoist priest carries the legacy of our Fu Yuan Temple! Please accept it with a smile and be lenient!"

The old Taoist priest dared not hesitate or shirk responsibility at this moment. Seeing the gun barrel pressed tightly against his junior brother's temple, he was terrified, fearing that if he slowed down even a fraction, his junior brother would be killed on the spot and go to meet the patriarch first.

Finally, the old Taoist priest fumbled in his robes and shakily pulled out a book carefully wrapped in oilcloth.

Uncovering the oilcloth revealed a yellowed, tattered ancient book, surprisingly thin, appearing to contain only a few pages, exuding a sense of poverty and the vicissitudes of time.

"No, however... General, this is only a fragment." The old Taoist priest presented it with both hands, while adding that he was trying to lower the other party's expectations.

"For some reason, our ancestor only passed down this part of the technique. The core methods have long been lost, and its power is limited. I'm afraid... I'm afraid it won't meet the General's approval."

Lu Xuan scoffed, completely ignoring the old Taoist's words, and unceremoniously snatched the ancient book away.

Fragments? For him, as long as there is a single authentic page, it is a piece of cake to automatically deduce and complete the subsequent cultivation techniques and incantations using the system panel in his mind.

The book felt slightly heavy in his hands. Lu Xuan looked down and saw five large ancient seal characters written in cinnabar, with vigorous strokes but slightly dimmed. A scorching, masculine aura emanated from it.

The True Scripture of Yangyan Talisman Fire!
(End of this chapter)