Li Qingshan continued, "Recently, rumors have been spreading outside that Shangqing Palace is hiding an ancestor, so all the major powers have sent people to form ties and cooperate with Shangqing Palace. By borrowing the sword of the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land, I have secured quite a few benefits for Shangqing Palace."
"That is not bad either. There is no need to deliberately explain anything; let the world believe that Shangqing Palace has such an ancestor. Now that Emperor Wu of Zhou is in seclusion and the Luochuan Sect is leaderless, they will certainly be unable to target Shangqing Palace again. This is a golden period of development. Junior Brother, seize the time and strive to break through to the Ancestor Realm," Li Jiusheng said.
Li Qingshan smiled bitterly. "Senior Brother, you jest. The Ancestor Realm is incredibly difficult to reach. How could it be so easy to break through? Without some extraordinary stroke of fortune, one can only rely on slow, painstaking cultivation. I think that before long, Senior Brother will surpass me and become the new ancestor."
Li Jiusheng waved his hand. "I only just broke through to the Grandmaster realm, yet you are already talking to me about the Ancestor Realm. That is simply absurd. Do not overthink it. Come, I will pass on another sword technique to you. Study it carefully. Whether you can break through to the Ancestor Realm depends on this technique."
Li Qingshan's spirits rose, and anticipation filled his eyes. He did not dare underestimate Li Jiusheng. The last time Li Jiusheng bestowed a technique, it had been the Grass and Wood Sword Technique that sword cultivators everywhere yearned for. It had helped him kill Zhang Wudao in one stroke and stabilize the situation. What would this new transmission be?
Li Qingshan closed his eyes and allowed Li Jiusheng's finger to fall upon his brow.
He held no guard against Li Jiusheng.
Li Jiusheng transmitted all of his insights into the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, as well as every insight from the sword drawn by the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land, to Li Qingshan.
He held nothing back.
He hoped Li Qingshan could use this to become an ancestor, so that he could better protect Shangqing Palace. Li Jiusheng could then cultivate quietly in the Scripture Repository Pavilion and improve himself.
Shangqing Palace needed an ancestor, and Li Qingshan's talent was enough to make him one. The Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique suited him perfectly.
As for Li Jiusheng, he was not worried in the slightest.
As long as he continued comprehending, he would never lack good cultivation methods.
Having received the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, Li Qingshan also witnessed the entire process of that sword strike. He was shaken beyond measure, and his excitement was difficult to calm. Li Jiusheng could only say, "Go back and study it well. Cultivate and improve yourself. I look forward to seeing you reach the Ancestor Realm."
Li Qingshan nodded firmly. With the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique and the Sword Dao of the Thousand-Year Sword God of the Old Land, he was full of confidence.
Watching Li Qingshan depart, Li Jiusheng stretched lazily. A series of crackling sounds rang out from within his body. The terrifying strength of his muscles even caused the air to burst apart. This was his overwhelmingly powerful physique.
"After several rounds of accumulation, coupled with my comprehension of the Great Sun Nirvana Scripture, I can begin my first nirvana," Li Jiusheng murmured. He knew this nirvana was important, so he chose a spot near the Scripture Repository Pavilion.
The main reason was that the Scripture Repository Pavilion was truly remote. It stood a hundred li away from Shangqing Palace's main peak, alone amid the mountains and cut off from the outside world. It was surrounded by several of Shangqing Palace's main peaks, making it difficult for outsiders to enter. Thus, Li Jiusheng was not worried that his breakthrough would be interrupted.
Besides, Li Jiusheng's foundation was deep. Even if someone interrupted him, it would not matter much. He could still forcefully undergo nirvana.
Another day passed, and it was deep into the night.
The bright moon had climbed overhead, shining upon the mountain ranges as though draping them in a layer of silver sand. The scene carried a cold, murderous air.
Dressed in a dark Daoist robe, Li Jiusheng sat cross-legged not far from the Scripture Repository Pavilion. He emptied his mind of distractions and followed the circulation path of the Mountain and Wild New Life Method, activating the energy accumulated within his body.
Boom!
The next moment, inner fire erupted, burning Li Jiusheng's body from within and without.
Blazing sacred flames burned away my ruined body.
Rebirth and nirvana began with burning away the old shell.
Under the moonlight, flames burst from Li Jiusheng's entire body. The flames were milky white, exceedingly strange.
Pain!
Excruciating pain!
As the flames burned within his body, Li Jiusheng felt unbearable agony. But he knew this was a necessary process, so he endured it, forced himself onward, and persisted.
When the flames spread outside, Li Jiusheng was completely ignited. At that moment, he no longer felt much pain.
Because the body being burned no longer belonged to him.
A reborn body and reborn bones were slowly taking shape.
This was a body perfectly molded according to the Innate Sword Body, emerging from the flames of rebirth.
Rumble!
In an instant, energy surged like a raging tide. Spiritual energy howled like a violent wind as it entered Li Jiusheng's newly reborn body.
Under the moonlight, energy formed clothing, covering his naked body and revealing Li Jiusheng's appearance.
He still looked like an old man, though his bearing had become more ethereal and his skin more vibrant. At a glance, he appeared to be a true Daoist whose cultivation had borne fruit.
Li Jiusheng now looked to be in his fifties or sixties. His hair was gray-white and slightly curled, tied into a topknot. Strands of curled hair hung down around him, lending him an air of carefree elegance.
"My current strength is one hundred Dragon Elephant Power!" Li Jiusheng felt his reborn body. With a slight exertion of strength, he crushed the air itself, setting off an explosive crack.
"One rebirth has doubled my strength. The Innate Sword Body has also become more compatible with me, and my combat power has increased greatly. Although I am still only at the early Grandmaster realm, I am invincible within this realm!" Li Jiusheng declared without the slightest restraint. Throughout all of history, he was invincible among Grandmasters!
This was not arrogance, nor was it conceit. It was simply a fact derived from his own strength, realm, and swordsmanship.
"A Grandmaster of the same realm cannot withstand even one of my swords, or one of my fists!" Li Jiusheng said confidently, feeling the explosive power within his body.
"This nirvana was a complete success. I look forward to the next one." Li Jiusheng looked at the place where he had undergone seclusion, at the pile of old flesh burned to ashes. With a sweep of his sleeve, a clear mountain breeze rose and erased everything.
After finishing all this, Li Jiusheng intended to return to the Scripture Repository Pavilion to read. Yet when he turned around, he heard a woman crying out from the distant forest, along with the cries of an infant.
"This is the core region of Shangqing Palace. Why are there cries from a woman and a baby?" Li Jiusheng frowned, sensing that something was amiss. Not daring to delay, he immediately rushed toward the sound.
He flew using his Grandmaster domain and soon descended upon the place. Under the moonlight, he saw a woman giving birth in the forest.
The woman's cries and the infant's wails both came from there.
Li Jiusheng was shocked. He quickly turned away, refusing to look at the woman, but inwardly thought, That woman had a tail just now...
That was right. The instant he arrived, Li Jiusheng saw that the woman giving birth had exhausted her energy and revealed her true form. Seven enormous tails swayed gently behind her, exposing her identity.
A fox demon!
"On the Old Land, the Demon Race is rarely seen. Those that do exist are merely mounts or servants. Where did this woman come from? Why is she pregnant?" Li Jiusheng wondered.
Behind him, the woman had finished giving birth. Her face was pale as she wrapped the newborn infant in her outer robe. Weakly, she said, "Little brother, I came uninvited. Please do not take offense."
Before you continue