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Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Xuanming Sect (Seeking Follow-up Reads)
After sending off the people from the Luo Royal Mansion, Elder Xiang Xin immediately went to the Divine Sword Hall to report the matter to the Sect Leader.
The Divine Sword Sect Leader, Feng Shaoyu, sent someone to notify the Seven Peak Masters and many other authoritative elders to discuss how to handle the invitation sent by the Luo Royal Mansion.
"Sect Leader, we of the Divine Sword Sect cannot participate in the Demon Extermination Assembly held by the Luo Royal Mansion."
"That’s right, our Divine Sword Sect has rarely interacted with the Luo Royal Mansion... Now is a critical period, and it’s easy to provide grounds for criticism."
"I think it’s not good to not participate either; it’s enough to just send an elder over as a gesture."
"Sending an elder casually will make the Luo Royal Mansion even more dissatisfied. Either we send no one, or the Sect Leader should personally attend."
"This time the Luo Royal Mansion has specifically sent an invitation, with a profound intention... If we do not participate, I’m afraid it will provoke the Luo Royal Mansion to target our Divine Sword Sect."
"What’s there to be afraid of? Our Divine Sword Sect has no subordinate relationship with the Luo Royal Mansion."
.....
Many elders and Peak Masters expressed their opinions.
For a time, the debate was incessant, and a consensus could not be reached.
"It’s a pity that our great-uncle is not here, otherwise we could ask for his opinion."
Divine Sword Sect Leader Feng Shaoyu sighed inwardly.
Seeing such a mess with no conclusion in sight, he invited the Seven Peak Masters to a side hall.
The opinions of the Seven Peak Masters were also divided.
"Let’s just vote by raising hands."
Divine Sword Sect Feng Shaoyu suggested the final method.
This was a method used when disputes were quite serious.
If a decision could not be made among the eight, then the vote would be expanded to include other authoritative elders.
...
Time flies.
In the blink of an eye, nearly half a year had passed.
The daily life of bell-striking cultivation at the Chen Bell Platform was leisurely and satisfying.
Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong....
Seven clear bell sounds rang out.
After releasing the bell striker, Li Qian began to cultivate the Pure Sword Body.
Liu Ming immediately refilled the empty hourglass and then stood aside to watch.
Although he could not understand the martial arts that Li Qian was practicing, and the more he watched, the more uncomfortable it felt, he was still tireless in his interest.
Only after Li Qian had finished training did he go downstairs to prepare dinner.
Li Qian sheathed his Sword Eighteen and called up the system interface to check the latest information.
Host: Li Qian.
Cultivation: Innate True Essence (Early Stage 43/100).
Sacrificial Artifact: Chen Bell (Might 2848/10000).
Martial Arts: Sword Stabbing Fist (Perfect), Heartless Sword Technique (Perfect), Pure Holy Body (Beginner 23/100), Soul Chasing Sword Skill (Perfect).
Martial Intent: Heartless Sword Intent (True Image 12/100).
Secret Skills: Ten Thousand Transformation Sword Qi, Blood Burning Technique.
....
After half a year of training, his cultivation progress had already reached 43 in the Early Stage of the True Essence Realm.
A bit quicker than expected.
Mainly, the Pure Holy Body had improved a bit, reaching Beginner 23, which did have a slight promotional effect on the improvement of cultivation.
But the progress of the Pure Holy Body was too slow.
He would only practice it once every two days, and each time he absorbed only a little Demon Essence, so such slow progress was normal.
"Recently, the negative impacts caused by absorbing the Demon Essence have been almost negligible; it seems I can increase the frequency, practicing it once a day now."
Li Qian pondered in his mind.
He was very cautious about using the demon stone to cultivate the Pure Holy Body.
It didn’t matter if it was slow.
The key was to be safe.
Returning to his room, Li Qian stood in front of two maps again.
Within this half year, he had been piecing the maps together in his mind countless times each day.
After some indeterminate time, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he quickly looked at the map of Taiping County.
"So it’s here."
Li Qian suddenly pressed his hand on a position on the map.
He had thought it would take a long time to find it.
But luck was on his side today, and he happened to match it up.
"This treasure hiding place is so deeply hidden, who knows what’s inside?"
Li Qian was very curious.
This treasure hiding place might be related to the Taiping Sect, related to half-demons... This piqued his intense interest.
After all, he was cultivating the Pure Holy Body, and he needed demon stones.
The piece of demon stone he had was definitely not enough.
So he had to figure out how to get more demon stones.
"However, there’s no rush for now."
Li Qian did not plan to go find this treasure hiding place right away.
The risk was too high.
His strength was not strong enough to even contend with a Heavenly Person.
...
Xuanzhou, Lanxi County.
This county has many rivers, lakes, and swamps and is home to the famous nine-hundred-li Dream Cloud Swamp.
On a desolate island deep in Dream Cloud Swamp, two groups of people were confronting each other.
"This is Dream Cloud Swamp, Lanxi County, the territory of the Divine Sword Sect. Aren’t you from the Xuanming Sect overstepping your boundaries?"
The speaker was a white-robed woman, her aura ethereal, her expression cold.
This woman was Bai Wujing from the Divine Sword Sect’s Lingxu Peak.
She was here on a mission to Dream Cloud Swamp because a powerful Exotic Beasts Alligator Dragon had appeared in these waters, often attacking fishermen and boats, becoming a major hidden danger of Dream Cloud Swamp.
Thus, the Divine Sword Sect dispatched several Innate Martial Artists to clear out the Exotic Beasts Alligator Dragon.
They tracked the Exotic Beasts Alligator Dragon to this desolate island, but unexpectedly, another force had got there first and slain the beast.
Moreover, on this island, they also found a very precious Spiritual Date Tree, which was very likely the source of the Exotic Beasts Alligator Dragon’s transformation.
"Who said our Xuanming Sect is overstepping boundaries? During the previous Luo King Mansion’s Demon Subjugation Conference, Prince Luo designated the demon purging zones, and Xuanzhou’s Lanxi County just happens to fall within our Xuanming Sect’s designated area. Don’t tell me your Divine Sword Sect isn’t aware of this?"
A black-robed man with crossed arms chuckled, "In my view, it’s your Divine Sword Sect that has crossed the line, right?"
"You’re asking for death."
Ji Ming, who stood beside Bai Wujing, unsheathed his Divine Sword and suddenly attacked the black-robed man.
The man in black hurriedly drew his sword to defend.
With a violent collision, he was sent flying, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood.
Just as Ji Ming was about to attack again, a man in green suddenly flashed out and gently placed his hand on Ji Ming’s Divine Sword, a deep chill pervading the air, making Ji Ming feel as if his whole body was about to be frozen.
He snorted coldly, his Divine Sword vibrated, and his Sword Intent was like a rainbow.
But he still could not withstand it, retreating more than ten steps before stabilizing himself, his face pale and covered with a layer of frost.
His hand gripping the Divine Sword was slightly trembling.
Ji Ming wanted to continue attacking, but Bai Wujing quickly stopped him, "Junior Brother Ji, you’re no match for him."
Ji Ming looked stern, his gaze fixed on the man in green, ultimately holding back from attacking.
Although he had the Divine Sword, the opponent’s cultivation was evidently much higher, and the gap in Martial Intent was clear.
Moreover, the gloves the green-robed man wore seemed quite extraordinary, able to go head-to-head with his Divine Sword.
"Chen Qingyi, it’s not too late for you to leave now, otherwise... my Divine Sword Sect will view your actions as provocation."
Bai Wujing said with a deep voice.
She had heard of this Chen Qingyi, the most talented disciple among the younger generation of the Xuanming Sect, and his cultivation reputedly had reached the Late-stage True Qi Realm. Within the Divine Sword Sect’s peers, probably only Nangong Bei, the True Inheritor, could deal with him.
"That’s what I should say."
Chen Qingyi spoke indifferently, his gloved hands gently rubbing together, "From now on, everything on this island belongs to my Xuanming Sect."
Bai Wujing’s heart sank.
The Xuanming Sect and the Divine Sword Sect were equally matched forces; they had always kept to their own waters, so why were they suddenly provoking the Divine Sword Sect now?
This was very abnormal.
Nevertheless, the dignity of the Divine Sword Sect could not be violated.
Even if clearly at a disadvantage, as the eldest among the many Divine Sword Sect Inner Sect Disciples present, she absolutely could not show weakness.
.....
