The entry for cultivating immortality states that after dying a hundred times, I attained immortalit

The scene of that autumn night three hundred years ago is like a jar of strong liquor buried deep underground, sealed for a long time. Although it has now been opened, the pungent smell of blood still lingers.

Jiang Bai pressed his right hand to his chest, the dark golden poisonous patterns fluctuating with his breath. The Soul-Slaying Sword Intent sank into his soul, like still waters running deep, cutting away the resentment and sorrow in the fragments of memory one by one and letting them settle down, leaving only the cold, hard facts.

What the Starfall Pavilion wants is that broken compass.

The soldiers guarding the border are protecting the land beneath their feet.

When the two sides collided, three thousand lives were lost.

The principles of the world are often very simple, even desolate. The strong are those who make the rules. The Starfall Pavilion holds this view, and the generals of the border guards probably feel the same way.

Unfortunately, none of them expected that something harder than their fists was buried at the bottom of the pit.

Just then, the air about ten feet in front of him rippled without warning.

The gray mist twisted and condensed, gradually outlining the silhouette of a man clad in armor and holding a gun.

Zhang Meng was the garrison commander.

Unlike yesterday, his soul was now as dim as a candle flickering in the wind, with green flames swaying in his eye sockets, more heavily rusted armor, and the tip of his broken spear trembling slightly as it touched the ground.

It did not speak immediately, but simply stood there, its soul translucent in the morning light.

Jiang Bai did not move, nor did he draw his sword.

The two stood three zhang apart. The morning breeze swept across the ruins of the beacon tower, producing a low, mournful sound, as if someone was playing the xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) in the distance.

After a long silence, Zhang Meng spoke hoarsely, his voice like sandpaper scraping against rusty iron:

"You saw it."

It's not a question, it's a statement.

Jiang Bai nodded.

Three hundred years ago, this place was called Pit Edge. Zhang Meng paused for a moment, his soul becoming increasingly faint. "Those wearing black robes are the outer hall stewards of the Starfall Pavilion. The leader is called Yan Song, who is in the late Foundation Establishment stage and is currently cultivating the Ice Soul Cold Light Technique."

It spoke very slowly, each word as if squeezed out from the depths of its soul.

The Third Battalion of the Northern Garrison Army was ordered to garrison this area for three years. One night, a meteor fell to the ground. Yan Song led his troops to the scene, calling it a "strange object from outer space," and wanted to take it back for inspection. General Li refused, saying that according to military law, any foreign objects that fall within the defense zone should first be sealed up by the garrison and then reported to the imperial court for a ruling.

Yan Song said that the affairs of the Starfall Pavilion are not within the jurisdiction of the imperial court.

Zhang Meng's eyes twitched with a green flame.

"Then a fight broke out."

It raised the broken spear and pointed it towards the basin, saying, "They formed the 'Seven Stars Locking Spirit Formation.' General Li led his personal guards in three charges, breaking through the formation's core and killing two deacons. However, there seems to be something strange about the staff in Yan Song's hand."

Jiang Baixiang recalled the ice shards shot out from the blue crystal in the fragments of his memory.

Zhang Meng said, "That was no ordinary magical artifact. Wherever the icicles touched, the souls of the comrades would be frozen, and then... shattered. General Li's final strike should have severed Yan Song's head, but the thing at the bottom of the pit suddenly moved."

It remained silent for a moment.

"When the black mist surged, I was the closest, clutching the garrison commander's token in my hand and carrying half a piece of unfinished dry rations in my pocket." Zhang Meng's voice suddenly became much lower. "I witnessed Wang Shan being entangled by the black mist. He tried to shout, but his mouth was wide open and no sound came out. Li Shu was to my left and tried to reach out to pull me, but before his hand could be fully extended, he was taken away by the soul."

I stepped back to the base of the monument, and suddenly an idea popped into my head. I placed the token on the base and shouted, "Come back!"

It raised its head, and the green flames stared at Jiang Bai.

They did indeed return. I managed to drag the remnant souls of the thirty-seven brothers near the base of the monument. The black aura rushed over but was blocked by the base of the monument, but I myself was unable to get out.

Zhang Meng twitched the corners of his mouth, a smile that was half-smile and half-crying.

For three hundred years, I have stood guard by the base of the monument, protecting the names of those people. By day I hide in the depths of the forest of steles, and by night I come out to roam, killing any living person who strays into this place, and using their souls to nourish the base of the monument, supporting this last remaining obsessive belief.

It paused, its tone becoming complex, "You should have died last night, but you miraculously survived and even obtained a spell specifically for severing souls. Today, you touched the base of the monument and saw the truth of the past."

Jiang Bai finally spoke: "So you came to me now not to kill me."

Zhang Meng shook his head and said, "I can't kill you. Your sword intent is specifically designed to counter beings like me. If we really fought, my remnant soul could only last three breaths at most."

It floated forward half a step, then the broken spear landed on the ground.

"I want to make a deal with you."

"explain."

Buried beneath the base of the stele is the "Soul-Suppressing Jade" that the Starfall Pavilion used to stabilize the evil artifact. This jade can help me condense my soul and escape the wasteland for three days. Zhang Meng said slowly, word by word. Three days is enough time for me to go to Jizhou to find the descendants of Wang Shan. On his deathbed, he mentioned that there was still a three-year-old girl in his family named Xiao Ya, who lived three hundred years ago. I don't know if that bloodline still exists, but I still have to investigate.

Jiang Bai didn't respond.

Zhang Meng added, "In exchange, I'll tell you two things. First, there's a place called the 'Yin-Yang Gap' where the death energy cycle in the wasteland exists. If you go there to build your foundation, you'll be less affected by the Yin soldiers and death energy. Second, there's a broken stele to the east of the Stele Forest. The stele is inscribed with a method for using a certain type of soul power from the Starfall Pavilion, which may be beneficial to your sword intent."

It looked at Jiang Bai, its green light like a raging fire: "The rule here is the survival of the fittest, but you seem to have the ability to destroy illusions, perhaps you can break through these three hundred years of confinement."

As soon as he finished speaking, the wind suddenly stopped.

Jiang Bai turned his gaze to the remnant soul from three hundred years ago. He saw that its armor was tattered and broken, and its spear shaft was broken. Its soul was so faint that it seemed to dissipate at any moment. Only the green light in its eye sockets was more intense than yesterday.

That's an obsession.

Three hundred years ago, he was obsessed with not protecting his comrades; for three hundred years, he has steadfastly upheld the obsession of never forgetting his name; now, he wants to use the remaining remnants to repay the obsession of a promise.

Jiang Bai suddenly thought of Ping'an County, the corpse of the one who had passed away in the Poisonous Mist Cave, and the gaze of Heize Sanren when making a soul transaction. These scenes immediately flashed into his mind.

People in this world, whether they are cultivators, soldiers, living or dead, seem to be unable to escape the word "obsession".

He spoke, his voice calm:

How deep is the Soul-Suppressing Jade beneath the base of the monument?

Zhang Meng's soul trembled: "There is a stone box three zhang below. The box was sealed off by the Starfall Pavilion, but three hundred years have passed, and the seal is probably a bit loose."

"Where is the gap between Yin and Yang?"

Seven miles north of this place is a rocky slope with a fissure in the ground at its base. It is cold and damp during the day but warms up at night, making it a place where the deathly energy of the wilderness is relatively weak.

Jiang Bai nodded, and was about to speak when his brows suddenly furrowed.

Almost simultaneously, Zhang Meng also turned his head sharply and looked towards the southwest.

Three streams of energy were rushing towards the basin.

The speed was extremely fast, and the spiritual energy fluctuations of the Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator were not concealed in the slightest. Behind him were two more stable auras, belonging to the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Zhang Meng's soul tensed abruptly, and he raised the broken spear: "It's someone from the Starfall Pavilion!"

Before the words were finished, three figures broke through the fog.

The leader was a young woman in her early twenties, dressed in a long black robe embroidered with silver star patterns. Her face was cold and stern, her eyes haughty as she looked down at the crowd. In her hand, she held a palm-sized bronze compass, its needle trembling violently, pointing directly towards the basin.

The woman was followed by two middle-aged men, also dressed in black robes with star patterns. They exuded a calm and composed aura, and their eyes were as sharp as eagles.

After the three landed, their gazes swept past Jiang Bai, lingered briefly on Zhang Meng's soul, and then looked away, as if they were looking at a stone by the roadside.

The woman looked down at the compass, her eyes filled with excitement. She said, "The source of the fluctuation is not far ahead. The ancestor's prediction was correct. The fragment of the 'Soul-Devouring Compass' is indeed still alive."

The middle-aged man on the left said in a deep voice, "Miss, this place is filled with deathly aura and wandering spirits. It is not advisable to stay here for long."

The woman looked at Zhang Meng with a mocking smile: "A wandering soul? It's nothing more than a remnant soul from three hundred years ago, barely surviving. It will leave once it gets the fragments. If it dares to obstruct us, we'll annihilate it."

After saying that, she took a step towards the basin.

"stop."

Zhang Menghun stood in front, his broken spear pointing horizontally, the green flames in his eye sockets suddenly flaring up: "This is forbidden territory, outsiders are not allowed to enter!"

The woman paused, as if she had heard a joke.

She turned to examine Zhang Meng closely, smiled slightly, and said, "How dare a mere remnant soul of a garrison soldier discuss the forbidden area? Three hundred years ago, your border troops couldn't protect it, and now, three hundred years later, you still want to protect it?"

She waved casually: "Uncle Liu, Uncle Wang, clear the area."

Two middle-aged men stepped forward in response.

The man on the left reached out and took out a bronze mirror, its surface gleaming with a faint golden light. The man on the right took out a string of bone bells, the bells engraved with numerous runes.

When the bronze mirror shone on Zhang Meng, golden light formed a network that covered him. After the bone bell shook, it produced silent ripples that spread outward. These were all magical artifacts designed to strike the soul.

Zhang Meng roared and thrust out his broken spear, the tip bursting with a ghastly green soul fire that collided with the golden light!

boom!

The shockwave exploded, and a cloud of gray mist surged forth.

Zhang Meng's soul trembled violently, and he took half a step back. He was already severely injured, and now he was facing a magic weapon that was specifically designed to counter souls, as well as two Foundation Establishment cultivators. He was immediately at a disadvantage.

The golden light of the bronze mirror is like a chain binding it, and the ripples of the bone bell are like needles piercing the soul!

The woman didn't even glance at the battle; she turned and headed back towards the basin, giving Jiang Bai a cold look as she passed by.

"Those who are not involved, get out."

As soon as she finished speaking, a silver chain shot out from her sleeve. The chain was as thin as a little finger and had a barb at the end. It was extremely fast and went straight for Jiang Bai's neck.

This happened without warning, ruthlessly and decisively.

The chains whistled through the air.

Jiang Bai sighed.

He didn't draw his sword, nor did he dodge; he simply raised his right hand and lightly tapped his index finger in front of him.

Where the fingertips touched, the pale golden sword intent rippled out like water.

The silver chain stopped three feet ahead of the sword intent—not because it was blocked, but because the spirituality contained in the chain dissolved slowly with a hissing sound as soon as it came into contact with the sword intent, like snowflakes meeting hot water.

The runes on the chain dimmed and shattered, and the entire chain drooped down limply like a dead snake, crashing to the ground with a clatter.

The woman stopped abruptly.

She turned her head, her gaze falling on the lifeless chain on the ground, then looked up at Jiang Bai, a rare look of astonishment appearing on her cold face.

"you……"

Jiang Bai ignored her and turned his attention to the battle.

Zhang Meng's soul was mostly occupied by the golden light emanating from the bronze mirror, and the ripples formed by the bone bells harassed his soul like needles. His spear technique gradually slowed down, and the green flames in his eye sockets flickered erratically, as if they were about to be completely suppressed.

Jiang Bai sighed again.

He took a step forward.

This step was ordinary, but as it was taken, it seemed to be in rhythm. At that moment, the wind in the wasteland, the flow of mist, and the sounds of battle in the distance suddenly quieted down.

The two middle-aged men turned their heads at the same time, and the bronze mirror and bone bell were reversed, aimed at Jiang Bai!

Jiang Bai didn't look at them.

He looked at the young woman, his tone indifferent:

"I'll go first; I need the things here."

He paused, then added:

"If you want to take it, you'll have to ask about the intent behind my sword."

The woman's face darkened.

She carefully examined Jiang Bai. He had reached the Great Perfection of the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, and his aura was quite calm. He did not display any insignia of a major sect, and the black robe he wore was very ordinary. He did not even hold any weapon in his hand.

But that sword intent just now...

She took a deep breath, made a hand seal with her left hand, and cast her divine sense like a net towards Jiang Bai. This was the "Star Observation and Spirit Detection Technique" passed down by the Starfall Pavilion, which was specially used to examine the basic situation of cultivators.

When divine sense reached three feet in front of Jiang Bai, it was as if it had hit an invisible wall.

No, it's not a wall.

It is the blade.

A sharp, cold blade that cuts through falsehood!

The woman groaned, her face turning deathly pale. She quickly withdrew her spiritual sense, shocked to find that her spirit-detecting technique had been met with a backlash. Her spiritual sense felt as if it had been pricked by needles, causing a dull ache.

What kind of cultivation technique does this person practice?!

Jiang Bai watched her changing expressions and suddenly smiled:

"Have you seen enough?"

The woman gritted her teeth, her gaze falling on the basin in turn, then turning to the two guards. These guards carried magical artifacts, but hesitated, clearly sensing the terrifying sword energy.

The weighing of options happens in an instant.

She suddenly waved her hand: "Back off!"

The two middle-aged men, as if granted a pardon, quickly put away their magical implements and retreated behind her.

The woman stared at Jiang Bai and said, word by word, "Your methods are impressive. Starfall Pavilion will remember this."

Jiang Bai nodded: "I'll remember that."

He paused, then pointed to his feet and drew a circle:

"I will temporarily reside here, with this area measuring five li in circumference. Anyone who crosses this boundary will be beheaded."

After speaking, a thought stirred in his mind.

[Soul-Slaying Sword Intent] Release it briefly and then withdraw it.

An invisible, sharp force swept across the ground, and a shallow mark slowly appeared on the hard soil of the wasteland. The mark was about three fingers wide and an inch deep, and it was as straight as if it had been drawn with a ruler.

The deathly aura within the crater dissipated completely, and even the gray mist gave way.

The woman's pupils contracted.

She stared at Jiang Bai for a moment, then said nothing more, and led the group away. Their figures immediately disappeared into the mist. However, Jiang Bai noticed that they had not gone far, and were probably lingering and looking around about five miles away.

Jiang Bai withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhang Meng.

The garrison commander's soul was now almost transparent, leaning on a broken spear, the green flames in his eye sockets dim, but he still stared intently at Jiang Bai.

After a long while, it slowly opened its mouth:

"Thanks."

Jiang Bai shook his head: "No need. It's just a transaction."

After a moment of silence, Zhang Meng slowly raised his left arm, gathering soul power in his palm and condensing it into a black leaf. The leaf was as thin as a cicada's wing, with very clear veins, and some terrain features were simply depicted on it.

It was handed to Jiang Bai:

"The location of the Yin-Yang gap, and a simplified diagram of the stone box containing the Soul-Suppressing Jade."

Jiang Bai took it; the leaf was icy cold to the touch, formed from pure soul power.

Once I've finished preparing, I'll go get the Soul-Suppressing Jade. He put the leaf into his storage bag. "Until then, defend your territory."

Zhang Meng nodded, and his soul began to slowly dissipate.

In its final moments, it looked at Jiang Bai and suddenly whispered:

"Three hundred years have passed... Finally, things are starting to change."

As soon as he finished speaking, his soul completely merged into the mist and disappeared.

Jiang Bai stood still, first looking down at the black leaf in his hand, then turning his gaze northward, towards the rocky slope.

As the morning light grew stronger, the fog over the wasteland dissipated somewhat.

He walked northwards at a leisurely pace.

Behind them, the deathly aura from the direction of the basin was still churning, and five miles away, the fog was thick, with the people of the Starfall Pavilion still watching.

But at this moment, the area marked by this shallow line is temporarily his territory.

Territory is earned through battle, not by the prestige of one's ancestors.

The border guards of three hundred years ago understood this principle, and the Starfall Pavilion three hundred years later should understand it as well.