Heaven's Chosen Gather

Two days later, at the hour of the dragon, the great sun of the Immortal Treasury rose from the east.

At the far end of the horizon, heaven and earth were shrouded in vast clouds. That was the utmost boundary of the Immortal Treasury, some ten thousand li from Spirit-Sealing City.

Between there and Spirit-Sealing City lay endless mountains, great rivers, and lakes. This was the final stretch of the Dragon Ridge Immortal Treasury.

By traversing this road to its end, one could break through the Immortal Treasury.

At this moment, within Spirit-Sealing City, in the largest palace grotto.

As the morning glow rose, divine sense revealed the qi currents of heaven and earth pouring together above the thousand-zhang skies like an inverted waterfall, cascading down without cease. The qi was so dense it was nearly visible to the naked eye.

Inside the grotto, Xu Yan sat cross-legged upon a cushion, his eyes closed as he rested his mind.

He was circulating the Pulse Opening technique of the Eight-Nine Profound Art. His body rumbled like a great drum, Primordial Mystic Qi surging like a river through his extraordinary meridians and eight channels before gathering at the fifth barrier of the spirit veins, Shenque Pass.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shenque Pass gradually loosened. This barrier lay below the dantian and was an important pass connecting the sea of qi to the meridians of the lower body.

Once this pass was breached, the most apparent improvement for a cultivator would be their escape speed. The speed at which they wielded Mystic Qi could increase severalfold.

Xu Yan had sat in meditation all night, attempting to break through the pass.

Under his divine sense, the medicinal power of the Dragon Breath Pill in his body had already been devoured completely.

Opening his eyes, Xu Yan took another Dragon Breath Pill from his Qiankun Bag.

Flawless and immaculate—it was a supreme-grade pill.

As he swallowed it, boundless and tyrannical Mystic Qi surged within him like a dragon entering the sea.

Xu Yan was thoroughly familiar with the process. He refined the Dragon Breath Pill's medicinal power and shattered the obstacle through sheer force, striking at the fifth barrier of Pulse Opening!

Time flew by until the sun set.

A muffled groan came from the grotto. Xu Yan's white Taiji Fish Daoist Robe snapped in the wind, his black hair flying as surging qi currents within the grotto poured into his body like a flood.

Xu Yan's Dao body and spirit veins were clearly visible, resembling deep-black jade.

The deeper one's Pulse Opening cultivation became, the more apparent to the naked eye was the transformation from impure veins into spirit veins.

Upon the Primordial Spirit Veins, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning evolved, encompassing all things.

After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Xu Yan drew a deep breath, abruptly withdrew his technique, and opened his eyes.

It came as naturally as water flowing into a channel—his cultivation had reached the fifth level of Pulse Opening.

"My divine sense has improved only slightly, but my physical strength and Mystic Qi have improved considerably. Most noticeably, the extraordinary meridians and eight channels in my legs have been cleared. Now, when I wield Mystic Qi, my escape speed has increased severalfold..."

He rose and stretched his limbs, feeling his cultivation. His entire body felt light and airy.

Since entering the treasury, he had been constantly rushing about. Now that he had reached the latter reaches of the Immortal Treasury, Xu Yan had thought even greater slaughter awaited him. Yet these past two days had been peaceful, and he had cultivated within the city all along.

Footsteps and voices came from the great hall outside.

Xu Yan seemed to realize something and pushed open the door.

Within the hall, three people walked side by side, two men and one woman.

The man in the middle wore white robes. He was tall and powerfully built, with swordlike brows and starry eyes, the force around him ready to burst forth at any moment.

This man was Jiang Beixuan, the successor of the Patriarch's lineage.

The woman beside him was named Jiang E. According to Jiang Qingcheng, she was his younger clanswoman.

The other youth was named Wei Daowu. He was considered a rogue cultivator who had entered the Dao, though it was said he had once been a prince of the Wei Kingdom.

Four years ago, the emperor of that kingdom had even sent troops to the Azure Sea in search of this prince. Upon learning that his son had already entered the Dao, he could only give up.

These three had always traveled together.

They glanced at Xu Yan. Jiang Beixuan, who led them, gave him a slight nod. Xu Yan returned the gesture with cupped fists, and the three then walked out of the palace on their own.

Xu Yan had now broken through, but he was only at the fifth level of Pulse Opening. Among this group of heaven's chosen at the eighth and ninth levels of Pulse Opening, he stood out all the more.

The thirty-six cultivators who had arrived first were all descendants of aristocratic families.

Those people possessed superior talent and innate foundations. Having been nurtured by their clans since childhood, their cultivation, attainments, and knowledge far surpassed those of rogue cultivators.

Xu Yan was the first rogue cultivator to reach the latter reaches of the Immortal Treasury.

Over the following days, however, familiar faces arrived one after another.

At dusk on the second day, a streak of silver light broke through the clouds from the horizon. Qin Yiren's silver robes fluttered as she landed steadily at the city gate.

To Xu Yan's surprise, Yang Qian, whom he had met only once aboard the Sky Boat that day, arrived soon after, carrying a great saber on his back as he entered Spirit-Sealing City.

It was said that he was a disciple of the Mountain-Opening Sect. That sect was a subordinate sect of the Taiyuan Divine Sect, offering spiritual wealth and treasures every year.

Such subordinate sects were everywhere throughout eastern Cang Province.

Afterward came disciples who had received guidance from the Dharma King. Nearly half were also from aristocratic families, while the other half were rogue cultivators of exceptional talent.

At last, rogue cultivators besides Xu Yan had reached this place.

Counting them up, there were now more than fifty people.

That night, everyone gathered in the great hall of the palace.

The disciples of the five great ancient aristocratic families stood on one side, the disciples of Nine Star Kui Island on the other, while Xu Yan, Qin Yiren, many rogue cultivators, and disciples descended from subordinate sects stood together.

Nine Star Kui Island had originally been established by the twelve aristocratic families of old to oppose the ancient aristocratic families. Their relationship with the Divine Sect's ancient families had always been somewhat hostile.

For a time, the atmosphere in the hall solidified. Though swords had not yet been drawn and bows not yet strung, everyone wanted a share of the opportunities and precious places.

Xu Yan and Qin Yiren sat cross-legged together. Neither spoke, merely watching the dispute unfold.

"Once the formation is broken, how should the pills in the furnace be divided?"

The speaker was a youth in black robes named Han Xiaolin. He was a disciple of Cloud Dream Great Marsh, one of the five great ancient aristocratic families of the Divine Sect, famed alongside Taihang Mountain's Heavenly Fox and the Jiang Family Sword Tomb.

"Naturally, each relies on their own ability," Murong Ziyao said coolly, her voice sonorous and forceful.

This woman's aura was truly overbearing, and her gaze was incomparably cold, as though she had severed all seven emotions and six desires.

Han Xiaolin glanced at her before saying, "Murong Ziyao, Nine Star Kui Island has the most disciples, accounting for half of us. If we join forces to break the formation, would we not simply be making a wedding dress for you?"

"If you are unwilling, then you may leave!"

The speaker was a youth beside Murong Ziyao, named Tuoba Ke.

Nine Star Kui Island had twelve aristocratic families in all. To ensure resources for their direct-line heirs, only the direct-line heirs of two families were sent into the Dragon Ridge Immortal Treasury each time. This time, they had been the Huangfu and Murong families.

Huangfu Ziyang had died in the earlier reaches of the Immortal Treasury. Now, all the Nine Star Kui Island disciples within the treasury followed Murong Ziyao's lead.

"It is simple. If a Heaven Mending Pill appears, we can spar at the Dao Field within the city to decide who gets it. What do you think?"

Yang Qian, beside Xu Yan, spoke at last.

The moment he did, everyone in the hall turned to look at him.

"What is it, everyone? Is this not a good method? It is very fair!"

Yang Qian showed no fear at all as he spread his hands.

Tuoba Ke glanced at him. Seeing his coarse gray robes, he said calmly, "A successor of a subordinate sect has no place deciding this matter."

"You!"

Yang Qian frowned and drew a deep breath. Looking at the aggressive people of Nine Star Kui Island, he ultimately did not curse aloud.

Han Xiaolin continued, "There are too many people from Nine Star Kui Island—more than twenty of you. You say each relies on their own ability, but when the time comes, would they not protect you, Murong Ziyao?"

At those words, Murong Ziyao's expression turned cold.

"Brother Han is right. At worst, we wait a few more days. More people will surely arrive by then. We have already waited so many days; a few more make no difference!"

The speaker was also from an ancient aristocratic family. Clearly, because no disciples from his own clan had yet arrived, he wished to delay matters.

Within the hall, the disciples of the five great ancient aristocratic families and Nine Star Kui Island spoke one after another.

Rogue cultivators like Xu Yan and the disciples of subordinate sects could not get a word in edgewise. They could only watch from the sidelines.

They argued for half an hour. Only after Jiang Beixuan spoke did everyone finally fall silent.

"Let us follow the rules of Dao merchants. If any precious ancient pills appear, they will be auctioned for spirit stones, with the highest bidder taking them. The spirit stones from the auction will be divided among everyone. What do you think?"

Jiang Beixuan spoke in a firm voice, his gaze sweeping over the room.

The disciples fell into thought.

This method was indeed fair and avoided conflict. They had already reached the latter half of the Immortal Treasury, only one step away from breaking out of it.

Yet for some rogue cultivators and subordinate sect disciples, it was somewhat unfair.

"Where would we get enough spirit stones to compete with disciples of aristocratic families..." someone muttered softly, though they did not make a scene.

The Heaven Mending Pill was destined to be beyond their reach. Fortunately, if those aristocratic families bid high enough, they could still receive a considerable share of spirit stones. It was not as though they would leave empty-handed.

Now that they had reached the latter reaches of the Immortal Treasury, most disciples were here to break through it and cultivate at the Upper Three Academies.

If they truly fought to the death and perished here, it would be somewhat not worth the cost.