Forge your destiny into a sword, slash your soul and ascend to immortality

Chapter 115 Who says Chunyang Ruins are deserted?
A group of fourteen people fell from the sky like a string of silver shooting stars.

During this fall, the silver chain that bound everyone quietly materialized and merged into the bodies of the students.

Of these, Jing Qian naturally took half.

This silver chain is formed from the [Sacrificial Feast Spiritual Energy], which gathered from many grotto-heavens above the boundary membrane.

Having absorbed this spiritual energy, when these students attempted to advance to the [Star-Picking] stage, they pierced the boundary membrane with their own magical power, ascended to the celestial stars, and faced no further obstacles.

Only then was the academy's sacrificial banquet officially completed. After the banquet, the various lineages would scramble for disciples and divide the spoils.

The distance from the boundary membrane to the ground was a thousand miles. After flying halfway, the other thirteen people slowly woke up, but no one spoke. They were all trying their best to absorb the precious spiritual energy.

Finally, the group returned to the academy's grotto and landed on the high-hanging white jade platform.

There were eleven powerful cultivators here, who had been waiting for a long time.

The academy has twelve lineages, and the chief priest of the academy represents the Ying clan's divine dynasty. No one from Chunyang Ruins has arrived, but everyone else has.

Including the fourteen students who successfully advanced, there were exactly twenty-five cultivators on the jade platform, sizing each other up.

Jing Qian was also observing the people opposite him, judging the lineage and background of each cultivator.

Each of the twelve lineages has its own characteristics, and he could still discern some of their secrets.

However, what surprised Jing Qian the most was that even here, he still ran into old acquaintances!
To everyone's surprise, the person sent by the Feathered Gate to attend the academy's sacrificial banquet was none other than his old colleague, former leader, and former defeated opponent, Ling Mingji.

It seems that the Feathered Gate has really fallen apart. Whenever there is a need for a major overhaul, they send Ling Mingji to the scene. They don't even have a replacement. They are only slightly better than the Pure Yang Ruins.

Despite being given such important responsibilities, Mingji did not receive any special benefits; on the contrary, it hindered his cultivation.

Of the ten powerful cultivators present, only Ling Mingji was at the sixth-rank [Subduing Spirit] level, while the other nine were all [Earthly Fiend] level experts.

The fourteen students had just stood still when the chief priest spoke:
"You fourteen individuals possess exceptional talent and profound potential; the path to the Great Dao is within your reach!"

"Through the sacrificial banquet of my academy, I have been selected by my divine dynasty to study the Great Dao through the eleven top-tier lineages listed on the academy's list, or to enter the official court of my divine dynasty and be granted the rank of eighth-grade [Spiritual Official]."

"Students, you must carefully consider this matter, for once you have made your choice, there will be no going back!"

After speaking, the academy's chief priest paused, looked at the students around him, and gave them a brief moment to think.

In reality, most students who have made it this far have already decided where they want to go.

Some disciples had already arranged their entry into various lineages, so there was no need for them to worry about it.

Therefore, the high priest did not wait long before speaking directly:

"Of the fourteen people who received the spiritual energy of this year's academy banquet, only the Jing family member from Hunzhou was able to see the true void."

"According to the established rules, our divine dynasty will first recruit [Spirit Officials], and then the various lineages will select disciples in order."

"Dear students, those who wish to serve as officials in my divine dynasty, please come before me."

As soon as he finished speaking, eight out of the fourteen people stepped forward, accounting for more than half of the total!
Fan Zhuoyan's journey has been far from easy, yet he resolutely joined the Divine Dynasty system.

This is the best way out for the Yingdu clan!

From today onwards, he will be appointed as an eighth-rank [Spirit Official], starting at the deputy division level, which means he has a very promising future.

With this new identity, the main branch of the Fan family has been freed from all its misfortunes and is about to usher in new opportunities for development.

The Divine Dynasty Academy invests massive resources in holding academy banquets precisely to poach the most outstanding talents from various realms, and naturally, it can also reap the greatest benefits from this.

They have seized more than half of the most talented cultivators in the thirty-six continents.

The remaining six people are not enough to fill the remaining eleven lineages, meaning some lineages will inevitably be left behind, which is the norm for the academy's sacrificial banquet.

With more and more people running alongside the leader, the gap in strength between different lineages naturally widens.

After the academy successfully selected the [Spirit Official], the chief priest turned to Jing Qian and said:

"Young Master Jing, your talent is extraordinary. You have broken through the limitations of the boundary membrane and seen the true void. My academy will reward you accordingly."

"I have twelve lineages of martial arts from my school, and you may choose any one of them."

This was the intended meaning of the question. Jing Qian remained unmoved, merely bowing to the assembled great cultivators before speaking:
"I trouble you, High Priest. I voluntarily choose the Pure Yang Ruins. This is the direction of my Dao heart and my sincere wish."

After saying this, Jing Qian felt sword energy surging in his sea of ​​consciousness, and boundless spirit was generated from it!

He has gone through countless hardships to get to where he is today, and with his great strength, he has successfully overcome all obstacles along the way.

But it wasn't until he finally achieved his long-cherished wish of becoming an apprentice that he was able to completely relax.

This is a crucial juncture in his cultivation journey. Once he formally enters the path and receives the Pure Yang inheritance, his cultivation path will be fully opened.

His profound knowledge and experience will all be transformed into an improvement in his own strength.

He's already starting to look forward to it!

Jing Qian's choice drew the attention of the other thirteen candidates. The fact that this strongest candidate in his cohort would choose the "Pure Yang Ruins," a notorious pitfall, surprised everyone who knew the inside story.

Even Fan Zhuoyan didn't know that his elder brother would choose the Pure Yang Ruins. If he had known, he would have done everything in his power to dissuade him.

He simply couldn't understand it. Among all the forces, the Divine Dynasty was clearly the real powerhouse, with unlimited space and inexhaustible resources. Working within the system meant a guaranteed minimum income and no upper limit, offering a very promising future.

Why bother going to join the fun in the turbulent Chunyang Ruins?
The high priest and the other ten senior priests showed no reaction to Jing Qian's choice, and were not surprised at all.

As soon as Jing Qian stood there, everyone could tell at a glance that he was a spiritualist from the Pure Yang Ruins.

The high priest then spoke:
"You can confirm it yourself. The Pure Yang Ruins are not very populous, and no one has come to attend the academy's sacrificial banquet to guide disciples into the academy. You can wait here for now."

"Fellow practitioners of the Dharma lineage, step forward and choose your disciples!"

Apart from Jing Qian, the other five students only had the right to be selected.

The female cultivator from the [Mirror Cloud Shrine] pointed at the remaining five people and randomly selected one.

Her gaze remained fixed on Jing Qian, never wavering.

Subsequently, the people from [Xingdou Kuishan] also stepped forward to take their disciple back.

This disciple possessed immense Star-level magical power, clearly indicating he had secured a special position and was merely going through the motions.

Immediately afterwards, the Kitchen God Shop, Cihangzhai, and Chongxuan Palace stepped forward in turn and divided up the remaining disciples.

From then on, all the geniuses selected at the academy's sacrificial banquet went their separate ways, and the various lineages lived in great harmony with each other.

However, the process of selecting disciples also reveals the ranking of the different lineages within the academy.

Apart from the [Kyōun Shrine] being the main lineage for this ceremony and thus having priority in selection, the remaining lineages were chosen according to their strength and status.

However, in every academy banquet, there were simply not enough disciples to go around. The Feathered Gate, which ranked low, and the Pure Yang Ruins, which had no one coming, were often just there to make up the numbers.

If a lineage cannot even guarantee the entry of new disciples, how can it develop without new blood?
The strong get stronger, while the weak can barely even get a sip of soup.

Just when the newly initiated disciples thought the academy's sacrificial ceremony was truly coming to an end, the chief priest spoke again:
"Alright, we've gone through most of the necessary procedures. There's one last step left: the struggle for succession among the various lineages. You can decide for yourselves."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Mingji stepped forward and addressed everyone:

"Fellow practitioners and seniors, our [Yuhua Sect] voluntarily withdraws from this year's struggle for the throne. Please feel free to do as you see fit."

After saying that, he retreated, acting as if it were none of his business.

Unfortunately, he lacked the strength to compete for the throne. He was far inferior to the other powerful lineages of the Earthly Fiends present and was not worthy of participating in the struggle for succession.

This so-called "succession struggle" left all the candidates present completely bewildered, as they had never heard of such a thing in their prior knowledge.

This is a secret matter held during the sacrificial banquet among the various lineages, a mechanism designed to balance the uneven distribution of disciples among them.

Any lineage whose disciples have not been selected can be challenged by the cultivators attending the banquet!

If we can win the battle, we can forcibly take the disciple chosen by the opponent.

This is a measure prepared by the academy specifically for the less advanced lineages to turn the tide and achieve a comeback, so that no lineage is pushed to the limit and overturns the table.

Ling Mingji was just a bystander, not even trying, and only made the [Yu Hua Men] even weaker.

Following him, a withered, skeletal monk stepped forward and spoke:
“On behalf of the Wuchang Temple, I hereby launch a battle for succession against the Chunyang Ruins. I request the High Priest’s permission.”

“The Jing family’s son is exceptionally talented and his lineage aligns perfectly with that of my Wuchang Temple. He is destined to join my sect and together explore the Great Dao of Impermanence!”

The monk's voice was rough and hoarse, like chopping wood, but what he said stunned Jing Qian.

He was speechless!
There's actually another show waiting for him?
You want to take me away and make me a monk?
Jing Qian had anticipated being ambushed by the three sects of Fuxia, but he hadn't expected the angle of their attack to be so cunning and justified.

The monk's gaze was dark, yet he stared intently at Jing Qian, as if he were looking at a delicious delicacy.

[Chunyang Ruins] No one can reach this place, so naturally no one can fight it; this is a situation where defeat is inevitable.

For over a thousand years, the three sects of the Floating Sect have used such despicable means to suppress the living space of the Pure Yang Ruins.

The Impermanence Sect, the Blood River Sect, and the Mirror Cloud Shrine are doing everything in their power to guard against any disciples assigned to the Pure Yang Ruins. They will use their advantage in the rules to snatch the disciples from the Pure Yang Ruins during the succession struggle.

They completely disregarded the path of this unfortunate disciple and whether his cultivation was compatible with their own lineage.

Their sole purpose was to sever all ties with the Pure Yang Ruins and prevent its continued existence. All of their actions perfectly complied with the academy's rules, and no one could stop them.

Shang Xi could not easily descend the mountain, and there was no other cultivator in the entire Chunyang Ruins who could fight in his place.

Therefore, when the Wuchang Temple made such a demand, the Chunyang Ruins were defeated without a fight.

As a result, Jing Qian was forced to change his allegiance and become a monk.

The high priest spoke to him:
“Young man of the Jing family, the Pure Yang Ruins you chose will have no one present. No one will be able to respond to the battle for the throne, so you can only lose without a fight.”

"For now, you can only go to the Temple of Impermanence to cultivate."

"However, you are the top-ranked candidate at this year's festival. If you have thought it through and are willing to join my divine dynasty system, I can give you a chance to make a new choice."

"High Priest, this is against the rules!"

Upon hearing the chief priest's words, the monk of the Wuchang Temple immediately interrupted.

The three sects below the surface had made meticulous arrangements for their encirclement and suppression of Lingjizi from the Pure Yang Ruins.

Even for the chief priest of the academy, the addition of unforeseen variables is unacceptable!
Faced with the major overhaul of the "Star-Picking" technique, this monk refused to yield and argued forcefully based on reason:
"My lord, this battle for the throne is a right that our lineage should have, and even you cannot change it at will."

"We did not use any underhanded methods in this year's academy festival banquet; it was all arranged by you. You should not humiliate our [Wuchang Sect] like this!"

The high priest glanced silently at the dry monk but ignored him, continuing to speak with Jing Qian:
"Don't worry about other people's attitudes. As long as you agree to join my Divine Dynasty Academy, I can make the decision for you, block others, and ensure that you can enter the academy normally."

"Our Divine Dynasty has all kinds of inheritances. There are twenty-three inheritance methods that lead directly to the top three ranks, which is enough for your advancement."

The academy's chief priest truly valued talent. A man of Jingqian's caliber was a rare find, one in a thousand years. He couldn't bear to see Jingqian fall into the enemy's hands and be squandered at will.

Moreover, given his status and position, as long as the young man doesn't actually become a disciple of the Pure Yang Ruins, the three sects below the surface naturally won't be so upset.

By taking the initiative to pluck the peaches from the Pure Yang Ruins for these three sects, they were also sharing the burden of Shangxi's firepower. Yet this earth monk was still ungrateful, leaving the chief priest speechless.

As the two senior repairmen exchanged words, everyone present focused their attention on Jing Qian, waiting to see his reaction.

Such a talented cultivator, and Lingjizi of the Pure Yang Ruins, was unfortunately too weak in cultivation to control his own destiny.

This dramatic turn of events forced him to switch allegiances and begin his cultivation within the Divine Dynasty, a situation he could only lament in vain.

Just when everyone thought Jing Qian was going to wisely abandon Chunyang Ruins and head to the Divine Dynasty, things took an unexpected turn once again.

Jing Qian raised his hand and summoned a pure sword light, which hung high above his forehead, the tip of the sword fixedly aimed at the dry monk.

Then, he spoke:
"Who said no one showed up at Chunyang Ruins?"

"Now that I have passed the academy's sacrificial banquet and joined the Pure Yang Ruins, I am a member of the Pure Yang Ruins."

"Master, if you intend to seize the rightful heir of my Pure Yang Ruins, then come and test my sword!"

"If you can defeat me, I will abandon my swordsmanship and become a monk with you. What's wrong with that?"

"Ah……"

Jing Qian's reaction only drew a sneer from the monk.

This brat has some skill, but he's become arrogant and dares to challenge me. He's just asking for death!

The difference in their levels of understanding was so great that everyone thought Jing Qian had lost his mind.

But seeing his sword fully charged, ready to strike at any moment, it seemed he was no joke!
Faced with this situation, the chief priest no longer insisted.

He has already given what he was supposed to, and since the other party doesn't appreciate it, there's no point in saying anything more.

Regardless of his actual strength, the fact that he dared to draw his sword without hesitation when facing an enemy far exceeding his own cultivation level shows some of the style of the swordsman from the Pure Yang Heaven back in the day.

This was a kind of spirit that had disappeared from the [Yingfu Pagoda Realm] for many years, which made the chief priest quite nostalgic for a while.

He immediately said:
"This is unprecedented!"

“However, since you have made such a request, young master Jing, I will grant your wish.”

"You can be considered a newly promoted disciple of the Pure Yang Ruins. If you wish to compete for the throne, then step down from the stage!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jing Qian immediately transformed into a sword light and flew down from the jade platform, landing a thousand feet above the ground.

Then, he addressed the withered monk of the [Wuchang Temple]:
"I have not yet asked for your name, Master, and I apologize for any offense!"

"I am Zhu Jue of the Wuchang Temple. Boy, it's not too late for you to regret it."

The gaunt monk slowly descended from the jade platform and headed straight for Jingqian.

At this moment, Jing Qian spoke again:
“Master Zhujue, please accept my invitation. It is not that I look down on the teachings of the Wuchang Temple.”

"Although I believe I have some talent, I can still manage to practice the methods of the [Wuchang Temple] even if I have to grit my teeth. In three to five years, I should not be too much weaker than you, Master."

"Unfortunately, Master is so ugly that I am a person who is obsessed with appearances. Please forgive me for not being able to stay by your side."

"Hahaha, cough cough!"

Jing Qian's opening remarks were somewhat burdened, yet he showed no sign of nervousness in the face of the impending great battle that would influence his entire life's path!
Gan Seng Zhu Jue's expression grew even colder!
This kid is quick-witted and sharp-tongued, never giving an inch in front of me, showing absolutely no respect.

Just as the monk was about to retaliate, the boy opposite him mysteriously disappeared.

In the next instant, a dazzling sword light pierced the sky and struck Zhu Jue's forehead.

In terms of combat experience, this skinny monk in front of me is not even a hair's breadth better than Jing Qian!
"what!"

A surge of immense magical power erupted instantly. This terrifying scene could only be created by a powerful cultivator at the Earthly Fiend level whose physical body had been shattered, whose spiritual energy had been destroyed, and whose fiendish fire had been extinguished.

He figured that this dull, withered old monk would never have imagined that he couldn't even withstand a single sword strike from the other party.

Jing Qian never intended to hold back; this sword strike was his strongest attack without using his fundamental sword energy!
Within the terrifying sword light, powerful enough to cleave through the flesh and blood of the [Star-Picking] Great Demon, the spiritual energy of the [Life-Locking Needle] was infused, and then a [Heaven-Opening Sword Stance] was added, amplifying the power of the entire [Sumeru] dimension upon this sword light's might.

He poured all his accumulated cultivation into this sword strike.

By utilizing the ultimate offensive techniques of the [Pure Yang Heaven], he infinitely amplified his offensive power, successfully shattering the expectations of everyone present.

Regardless of how many times Jing Qian had risen from the ranks to become a third-grade cultivator, to those unfamiliar with him, his act of annihilating a powerful [Earthly Fiend] expert with a single sword strike was undoubtedly a resolute declaration to the world.

After an unknown period of time, a disciple worthy of Shangxi Zhenren finally appeared in Chunyang Ruins!
Have these demons and monsters who have oppressed Chunyang Ruins for years made any preparations?
The academy's chief priest, and everyone present, stared intently at Jing Qian, who was closing his eyes to recover his magical power.

The chief priest's eyes were bright and piercing, as if he were peering into a rare treasure.

If his earlier thought of possessing Jing Qian was merely a momentary lapse in judgment due to his appreciation of talent, then at this moment, his desire to obtain Jing Qian had reached its peak.

"Wonderful!"

He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"The others, would you like to try to seize the throne?"

Among the several people undergoing major repairs, they were also whispering to each other and exchanging opinions.

At this moment, the cultivator who was clearly a powerful figure from the [Kitchen God Shop] spoke up.

“Sheng Ji, don’t waste everyone’s time. Since Wu Ying from the Blood River Sect hasn’t come, it’s time for you to go down and test the mettle of Chun Yang Zi.”

The beautiful woman at the [Mirror Cloud Shrine] turned around, stared stiffly at the scapegoat fat man, and said, word by word:

"In the [Yingfu Pagoda Realm], no [Chunyangzi] shall be born again. There has been none in the past three thousand years, there will be none now, and there will be none in the next three thousand years!"

After saying this, the beautiful woman addressed the high priest:
"My lord, our [Mirror Cloud Shrine] is willing to give up the disciple we just selected to the [Blood River Sect]."

"Therefore, I voluntarily propose to Fellow Daoist Jing of [Pure Yang Ruins] to seize the throne. I humbly request the High Priest's permission!"

Having said that, the female performer, without waiting for the chief priest's reply, flew up from the jade platform and headed towards Jingqian.

The female cultivator's eyes suddenly developed double pupils, and her entire demeanor changed drastically.

She was originally a beautiful and graceful woman, but now she seemed to have become a stiff and ugly ghost.

Looking beneath her skin, something could be seen looming about, as if it were about to burst through her skin at any moment.

These "Three Floating Sects" are deeply connected with the [Yambuddha] sect.

The cultivation paths of the three sects correspond precisely to the three lineages of the Jambudvipa (the world of existence).

The Wuchang Temple, where an old monk recently died, follows the lineage of "Death Prediction," and is most skilled at casting curses from afar and scheming against others.

The Blood River Sect follows the Flesh Feast lineage, specializing in the path of flesh and blood, emphasizing the use of physical strength to condense a blood river and refine all primordial energy.

The eerie female cultivator before them belonged to the [Mirror Cloud Shrine], which followed the same [exorcism] lineage as Jing Qian.

She is also the strongest among the "Three Floating Sects" who have come here!
Of the three sects, all the top cultivators at the [Star-Picking] level went out to surround and block Shangxi from descending the mountain.

She came to this academy's sacrificial ceremony with only one mission: to do everything in her power to stop Lingjizi of the Pure Yang Ruins from joining the Pure Yang Ruins and meeting Shangxi.

The situation is changing rapidly, and she is no longer pretending; she is going to get involved herself!

This current priestess of the [Mirror Cloud Shrine] holds the divinely bestowed title of [Daughter of the Witch Demon], and her strength far surpasses that of ordinary [Earthly Fiends].

Without a doubt, this will be the most challenging battle Jingqian has ever faced since he began his cultivation!
(End of this chapter)