Immortality Trial-Qingyuan Pearl!
The area is vast, encompassing Three Mountains and Nine Rivers.
Except for the Three Mountains.
Out of the Nine Waters.
To the east lies overseas territory, boundless and limitless.
Along the Weeping Marsh, from south to north, the endless expanse of land is all within the territory of Biyang Lake.
The Mystic Origin Sect, the Nirvana Extermination Divine Sect, and the Non-Smoke Pavilion are all located in the Radiant Glow Domain of Biyang Lake.
North of the Radiant Glow Domain lies the 'Heavenly Fire Domain'.
The two domains are adjacent, but the southernmost point of the Radiant Glow Domain and the northernmost point of the Heavenly Fire Domain are far apart, making it difficult for ordinary Spirit Void Cultivator to cross.
Firstly, it's a long distance.
Secondly, it is fraught with danger.
Only Core Formation True Person has enough speed and strength to travel from south to north and from north to south across the two regions, but it would still take three to five years or even more than ten years to cross them.
Therefore, the two regions rarely interacted.
This day.
Located at the intersection of the Radiant Glow Domain, the Heavenly Fire Domain, and the Weeping Marsh, there is a low hill shrouded in an array. Five cultivators sit around on the hill, each with a joyful expression on their face.
"It's finally done."
"Quickly, quickly, report to the Ancestral Master. This time I want to exchange for the Mid-Grade Qi-Concealing Technique and the Mid-Grade Concealment Technique. These are top-notch Miaofa for sneaking around."
"You're a sword cultivator, why don't you fight the enemy honorably and instead think about these underhanded methods!"
"I'm doing this for everyone's sake. With these two Technique Method, whether we go north or east, whether we encounter demons or monsters, our stealth will be greatly enhanced. We might even be able to save our lives thanks to these two Technique Method!"
Among the five, two men, who looked about 70% alike and were both burly and strong, were discussing something, but their eyes were fixed on the blue-robed cultivator in front of them.
The same applies to the other two.
Seeing this, the cultivator in blue robes didn't hesitate and took out a jade bead that shimmered with blue light. The jade bead had mysterious and strange patterns inside and out, and it shimmered with bursts of light.
The cultivator in green robes channeled his True Essence into the green jade bead, causing it to immediately rise into the air.
The five people, including the cultivator in blue robes, became solemn and bowed to the jade bead, saying, "Disciples Zhang Bo (Ma Wenju, Xie Tian, Xie Di, and Han Baiyun) respectfully invite the Three Ancestors to descend."
These five people were actually the first five disciples of the Qingyuan Sword Sect of Shangyang Kingdom to undergo the 'Longevity Trial'.
Forty-four years later.
From their initial entry into the Weeping Marsh to the fact that all five of them advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm thirty years ago, completing the Immortality Trial.
Time flows on, and things change endlessly.
All five men had weathered faces, much like the many experienced cultivators in the Three Mountains and Nine Rivers.
His cultivation level has improved significantly.
Xie Di stood tall and straight. His left arm, which had been severed in the Weeping Marsh, had somehow grown back. A chilling Sword Qi aura emanated from him, concealed and hidden, like a sharp sword in its sheath, ready to be unleashed.
They were nothing like the naive young students they once Shangyang Country.
The five men bowed deeply.
A dazzling blue light flashed in the air, projecting three hazy figures from the jade bead, all dressed in blue Daoist robes. The two figures on the left and right sides each held a sharp sword, their demeanor as elegant as worldly sword immortals.
The one in the middle, whose face is blurred but can be vaguely seen to be relatively young, exudes an air of otherworldly elegance.
More lively and expressive, lifelike.
He bears a striking resemblance to Lu Qingfeng, who is far away in the Mystic Origin Sect.
"With the Three Ancestors above, your disciples have spent eight years exploring the seven thousand li of Facing-Sun Mountain territory. All the terrain, wonders, treasures, dangerous places, sects, and powerful Rogue Cultivator have been recorded."
Zhang Bo respectfully took out five Jade Slip and presented them with both hands.
Then, the figure in the middle waved his sleeve, Jade Slip flew into the air and landed in the illusory figure's hand. A moment later, the Jade Slip fell back down.
Zhang Bo and his four companions waited anxiously and expectantly.
About fifteen minutes later.
A virtual panel suddenly appeared in the air—
[Technique Method], [Cultivation Method], [Alchemy], [Weapon Forging], [Talisman Making], [Formation]...
Three figures appeared on the virtual panel and then disappeared.
"Respectfully bidding farewell to the three patriarchs."
Zhang Bo and the others then stood up straight.
Then my gaze fell on the virtual panel, especially the [Merit] section in the upper right corner.
Merit: 1600
"One thousand six hundred Merit."
"It's actually two hundred more than last time."
Xie Di's eyes widened in surprise.
"The territory of Facing-Sun Mountain is seven thousand li. Just outside the Weeping Marsh, the Spiritheart Lake to the west is only six thousand li away. Moreover, Spiritheart Lake is mostly water with few islands. Although we stayed there for a long time, we did not explore it as thoroughly as we did in Facing-Sun Mountain."
"Perhaps that's only two hundred more."
Ma Wenju, dressed in Eight Trigrams robe, also had a joyful expression on his face. If converted into Spirit Stone, one Merit from this 'Qingyuan Pearl' was equivalent to one Spirit Stone.
An extra two hundred Merit are equivalent to an extra two hundred Spirit Stone.
This is equivalent to the net income of a sect with a Spirit Void Cultivator in charge for nearly four or five years. For the five people who are still at the Foundation Establishment, this is definitely a considerable fortune.
"Who cares?"
"An extra two hundred is always a good thing."
Xie Di, being the most impatient of them all, didn't dwell on this. He held the sword in his left hand and lightly touched the [Technique Method] section with his right.
The panel shifted, revealing countless spells Technique Method.
Xie Di was familiar with the Initial-Grade Spell, turning the pages to the next.
"Huh?"
"High-Grade Spell have appeared?!"
Xie Di let out a surprised sound, and then quickly went to check—
Qi-Concealing Technique (Advanced), Concealment Technique (Advanced), Heaven's Eye Technique (Advanced), Golden Light Technique (Advanced)...
It was still a dense array of Technique Method.
Many of them overlap with low- and Mid-Grade Spell, only in higher rank. However, they also include many spells that are not found in low- and mid-level spells, such as "Flowerstride", "Magnetic Annihilation Sword Qi", "Golden Blade Soul-Slaughter Method", and "Blood-Transforming Soul-Separation Method", etc.
Xie Di was dazzled by what he saw.
Zhang Bo and the other three were in no better shape.
"Make way."
Xie Tian pushed Xie Di aside and opened the [Weapon Refining] section. Sure enough, there were many more advanced scriptures and refining methods for third and Fourth-Rank Dharma Artifact. However, they all required Merit to exchange for, and the exchange values were much higher than the previous scriptures and first and second-tier refining methods.
Xie Tian it never stops.
Then, he clicked on the [Alchemy] and [Cultivation Method] sections and found that all of them contained more advanced methods.
"This--"
The five people were immediately overjoyed.
Unfortunately, whether it's High-Grade Spell, or even more profound scriptures, alchemy, or weapon crafting methods, the required Merit is extremely terrifying.
A Mid-Grade Spell only requires about two hundred Merit.
However, even a High-Grade Spell requires at least eight thousand Merit. And the prices of Refined Grade subsequent Cultivation Method, as well as Unorthodox Grade Cultivation Method at the Postnatal, Foundation Establishment, and Spirit Void levels, are even higher than High-Grade Spell, all exceeding ten thousand. This filled the five with a mixture of surprise and envy, yet also a deep sense of powerlessness.
"I can't afford to exchange it."
The five people exchanged glances, feeling both unwilling and amused.
Just a moment ago, I thought 1,600 Merit was a huge sum, enough to exchange for many Dharma teachings. But in the blink of an eye, I feel utterly impoverished.
"Azure Origin Sword Art".
Xie Di stared at the Unorthodox Grade "Azure Origin Sword Art" for a long time.
The Unorthodox Grade "Azure Origin Sword Art Manual" only requires 500 Merit to Postnatal level, which is still within an acceptable range.
However, the Foundation Establishment immediately increased to a staggering five thousand.
The next level, Spirit Void, requires a full 50,000 Merit.
"Us--"
Xie Di turned to look at Zhang Bo and the other three, and hesitated, "Why don't we save these 1,600 Merit first, and then exchange them for the Postnatal and Foundation Establishment of the Unorthodox Grade 'Azure Origin Sword Art' once we have saved up 5,500?"
The Unorthodox-Grade Cultivation Method are indeed tempting.
The five of them were practicing the Refined Grade "Azure Origin Sword Art," which they had obtained from the Shangyang Country. They had acquired the Postnatal Stage Cultivation Method in the Shangyang Country, advanced to the Foundation Establishment through the Immortality Trial, and then obtained the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Method.
However, to continue cultivating, one must exchange for the Spirit Void and Core Formation levels.
However, the Merit required is far less than that of Unorthodox-Grade Cultivation Method.
"There's no rush in Cultivation Method."
"The Refined Grade 'Azure Origin Sword Art' is considered top-tier in the seven-thousand-mile Facing-Sun Mountain. There's no need to exchange it for Unorthodox-Grade Cultivation Method so early. For now, the focus should be on improving cultivation, enhancing strength, and developing life-saving methods."
"As my fourth junior brother (Xie Di) said before, the Qi-Concealing Technique and the Concealment Technique are very good and not expensive. They are also sufficient for the Mid-Grade Spell being."
"Third Junior Brother (Xie Tian) and Junior Brother (Han Baiyun), please choose carefully and exchange for alchemy and weapon-making manuals, or a few Pill Formula and a few Law Artifact -making methods. Second Junior Brother (Ma Wenju), you should still exchange for the 'Entangling Technique,' and I will exchange for two talisman-making manuals."
Zhang Bo remained calm as he spoke, then explained, "For the time being, we can stay in Facing-Sun Mountain to cultivate. While cultivating, mastering Technique Method, and studying scriptures, we can also recruit disciples or gather Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivator to send out to the Dragon-Roar River in the north, Half-Moon Lake in the east, or Spirit Crane Water Haven in the south. Perhaps within a few years we can explore all three places, which will allow us to gain Merit much faster."
Flying Cloud Island.
As Zhang Bo and his group handed over the Jade Slip, Lu Qingfeng, inside the cave abode, recorded various information about the Heavenly Fire Domain and Facing-Sun Mountain that Zhang Bo and his companions had discovered. While recording, he kept calculating and occasionally used the 'Heaven-Peering Earth-Reading Grand Art' to investigate.
In front of him.
Lu Qingfeng saw the hill where Zhang Bo and his group of five were, and he noticed their every word, action, and expression.
In this way.
If the five people fabricate or falsify information about various places in Facing-Sun Mountain, Lu Qingfeng will know immediately and punish them.
However, this has not happened so far.
Over the past forty-four years, a total of 3,520 members of the Azure Origin Sword Sect have entered the Weeping Marsh for the Immortality Trial. However, less than one in ten, only 314, have passed the test and entered the Three Mountains and Nine Rivers.
Groups of five or more.
They are usually in groups of three.
Only those carefully selected from the tens of millions of mortals in Shangyang Country can enter the Azure Origin Sword Sect. Furthermore, only the most outstanding individuals within the Azure Origin Sword Sect, who have advanced to the True Qi Realm Fourth Layer, are qualified to participate in the Immortality Trial.
It can be said that those who are able to enter the Weeping Marsh for trials are all the most outstanding geniuses, selected from among the original millions of people of Shangyang Country and now twenty million mortals.
Whether in terms of natural Root Bone or character and virtue, they are all top-notch choices.
Even so.
Of those who pass the trial, less than one in ten succeeds.
In the trials of crisis, only a very small minority are forced to withdraw due to danger, or whose true nature is exposed in the face of crisis. Most, however, are stuck at the critical juncture of advancing to the Foundation Establishment Postnatal.