Raid and Sweep

Night. The wilderness.

Moonlight bathed the mountains and fields, draping them in a silver veil.

A True Dragon tore through the sky, a Savage Elephant trampled the earth—this was happening in reality.

A centenarian, white-haired but muscular, stood drenched in sweat, unmoving as a mountain. His blood and qi surged within, like a dragon's roar or an elephant's bellow, burning away his decay and age.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

In the silent night, his heartbeat was thunderously loud, like a drum, pumping out fresh blood that coursed through his body, replacing his aged vitality.

During this blood exchange, the True Dragon and Savage Elephant, both real and illusory, guarded Li Jiusheng.

His thoughts were clear—he knew his [Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression Strength] had reached the threshold. His strength far exceeded the limits of the First Layer Innate Void Core.

But in his eyes, it wasn't enough.

"I must shed this old body and welcome new life. How can I settle for the present?" Li Jiusheng resolutely practiced the [Mountain and Wild New Life Method], treating this blood exchange as the foundation for rebirth.

To be reborn required relentless cultivation; every accumulation was a step forward.

"The path of cultivation is long. I will seek it high and low," Li Jiusheng declared firmly.

The night passed in a flash. As the first hint of dawn crept over the horizon, Li Jiusheng opened his eyes in the wilderness. He dispersed his blood and qi, shook off the dew, and circulated his energy, generating heat that evaporated the moisture from his body.

"This session was fruitful. My strength has greatly increased, and my realm has loosened. The Void Core has solidified, bringing me closer to the next stage—the Real Core." Sensing the changes in his body and the rise in his cultivation, Li Jiusheng was satisfied.

"Next, I need to absorb the world's spiritual energy as quickly as possible to solidify the Void Core." He set his next goal: while absorbing qi, he would also accumulate the foundation for rebirth, diligently cultivating [Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression Strength] to boost his power, and comprehending [Grass and Wood Sword Technique] to strengthen his Innate Sword Body.

These were all directions for his cultivation.

And all required time to accumulate, settle, and grow stronger bit by bit.

With his path set, Li Jiusheng began to work hard.

He no longer chased after new techniques but sought naturalness, mastering what he already knew.

At dawn, he rose with the roosters and practiced his sword.

Under the blazing sun at noon, he trained his fists.

In the afternoon, he settled himself and cultivated rebirth.

At night, he absorbed spiritual energy and accumulated True Qi.

Days passed like this, one after another, and in the blink of an eye, over twenty days had gone by.

When Li Jiusheng emerged from his immersive cultivation, winter had already arrived.

The season had turned cold, heavy snow sealed the mountains.

Feathery snowflakes fell from the sky, scattering wildly, blanketing the wilderness. The green pines, the layered forests, the riot of colors—all were covered in white, as if the world had been painted overnight.

Standing on the eaves of the Scripture Repository Pavilion, he looked out. The plains stretched like wax elephants, draped in silver—a beauty that calmed the heart.

After watching the snow for a while, Li Jiusheng entered the tea room. He flicked his finger, sending a thread of True Qi into the stove, igniting the dry wood. Soon, flames roared and heat billowed, driving out the cold.

He placed the teapot on the stove and silently waited for the water to boil.

In the waiting, his thoughts returned to himself.

Over twenty days of hard cultivation and accumulation had pushed his realm to the peak of the Innate Void Core. The True Qi stored in his body was like a lake—clear and pure, gently swirling around the Void Core. Next, he only needed to merge it all into the core to forge a Real Core.

His physical strength had not been neglected either. [Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression Strength] had continuously tempered his body. For a frame without innate talent or aptitude, he had somehow unearthed the Power of Three Dragons and Three Elephants—an almost unbelievable feat.

Li Jiusheng had long planned to use this power as the foundation for rebirth. He would keep improving it; the thicker the accumulation before rebirth, the greater the harvest afterward.

Accumulation wasn't limited to pure strength. [Grass and Wood Sword Technique] and the Innate Sword Body had also advanced alongside his physical power. In particular, he had comprehended the "Aura" level of [Grass and Wood Sword Technique].

Though his realm was only at the peak of the Void Core, he dared to claim invincibility within the Innate Realm when all his combat power was combined.

This wasn't arrogance—it was absolute confidence.

Three Dragons and Three Elephants, the Innate Sword Body, [Grass and Wood Sword Technique], [Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression], [Mountain and Wild New Life]—these were his foundations. Compared to them, even his lake-like accumulation of True Qi seemed insignificant.

Gurgle, gurgle...

As he pondered, the sound of boiling water pulled him back to reality.

He poured the tea into a cup, then stepped under the eaves, cup in hand, steam rising, to enjoy the monochrome scenery.

A sip of clear tea, a vista of pure beauty—his heart was as still as water. Li Jiusheng, in his purple Daoist robe, white hair draped over his shoulders, savored the moment.

"Senior Brother, you're in a fine mood."

In the flurry of snow, a flash of Sword energy caught his eye. Li Jiusheng looked closely—it wasn't Sword energy at all, but Li Qingshan.

His cultivation had clearly advanced. Standing in the snow, he was like a Long Sword, sharp and unstoppable, the swirling snowflakes parting around him.

"Judging by that Aura, you've delved deep into [Grass and Wood Sword Technique]," Li Jiusheng said with a smile.

Li Qingshan stepped under the eaves from the snow, untouched by dust, and cupped his hands toward Li Jiusheng. "Thank you, Senior Brother, for passing on the teachings."

Li Jiusheng waved his hand, counted on his fingers, and said, "A month has passed."

Li Qingshan nodded. He had emerged from seclusion precisely because the time was up. "Disciples of Shangqing Palace are constantly gathering intelligence. Zhang Wudao is already on his way."

Li Jiusheng nodded and asked, "Are you confident?"

Li Qingshan stood shoulder to shoulder with Li Jiusheng. He was exceptionally gifted, having achieved success in cultivation at a young age and mastered the art of preserving his youthful appearance. Now, looking like a young man beside Li Jiusheng, they resembled a grandfather and grandson.

"In his early years, Emperor Wu of Zhou rose to prominence. His temperament was domineering, his actions reckless, and he made countless enemies. Nearly half the cultivation world bore murderous intent toward him, yet he weathered it all. He carried out a Raid and Sweep, hunting down every one of his foes, slaughtering until no one dared to raise a voice. It was through these fearsome feats and the immense Aura they accumulated that Emperor Wu of Zhou shattered his limits and became a Grandmaster."

"Now his disciple, Zhang Wudao, wants to emulate his master—to stage his own Raid and Sweep, stepping on Shangqing Palace to forge his own renown. A fool's dream."

"Zhang Wudao may be strong, but I am no weakling. I had long prepared to perish together with him. Now, with the Grass and Wood Sword Technique passed down by my senior brother, the one who will die is Zhang Wudao!"

"I will sweep Zhang Wudao clean!"

Li Qingshan declared with unwavering resolve.