Chapter 97

On the banks of the Min River, a sparse forest stood, with a bonfire flickering in the night breeze. Beside the fire sat a young man in black, a crimson sword inverted in his left hand, and a white ghostly figure standing to his right. In the darkness, the ghost and the sword silently guarded the man in meditation.

Beside them, the swift current of the Min River surged, occasionally crashing against the riverbank, stirring up waves that shimmered under the moonlight. The “splash-splash” sound, seemingly chaotic, was in fact a magnificent symphony of nature, each drop containing the boundless way of nature.

“Huff—”

It was deep into the night when the man in meditation finally awoke, exhaling a long breath, and opening his eyes, a faint red light flashing in the darkness, making him appear even more mysterious.

“What a formidable Heaven Sword Wu Ming. I didn’t expect that even with my current cultivation and the Chi Lin sword driving the Heavenly Mandate Sword Path, I would still be defeated by your Hero Sword. I underestimated you. However, you won’t be so lucky next time. I, Jiang Chen, swear that the next time we meet, I will make you submit to my sword.” His words, though tinged with regret, were filled with renewed determination.

“Roar—”

As if responding to his words, the crimson sword in his left hand trembled, its blade glowing with a fiery light that illuminated the surroundings. The divine weapon, hidden in the flames, emitted a low, deep roar of a qilin, echoing through the night sky.

“Master.” A soft voice called out, and the white ghostly figure standing to his right instinctively took a step back. “This sword is very fierce.”

“Haha...” Jiang Chen chuckled, turning to look at the white ghostly figure with a teasing tone. “Xiao Yu, don’t forget, you are a ghost. Why would you be afraid of this sword?”

Dong Xiaoyu replied, “Although I am not afraid of ordinary weapons, Master’s sword, forged with qilin blood and Daoist true fire, is no longer an ordinary weapon. My cultivation is not sufficient, so I naturally feel some fear.”

“I see.” Jiang Chen was taken aback, quickly feeling remorseful. “It’s my fault. I almost forgot that before you become a ghost immortal, there are many taboos.”

“It’s fine, Xiao Yu understands. Master just didn’t notice.” Dong Xiaoyu smiled. “Moreover, I have already refined the yin energy absorbed from the yin-gathering place, making my ghostly form more solid than before. I can even manifest in the daytime. Although the Chi Lin sword is powerful, as long as I don’t touch it, it won’t harm me.”

“That’s good.” Jiang Chen nodded, then remembered something and asked in surprise, “Xiao Yu, what did you just say? You can manifest in the daytime now?”

A ghostly form is yin in nature, and the yang energy during the day is strong, so generally, ghosts cannot manifest in the daytime. Of course, this is not absolute. If a ghost’s cultivation is high enough, or if they use tools like parasols or amulets, they can manifest in the daytime. Some powerful ghosts can even live like normal people, making it difficult even for cultivation experts to detect them.

“Yes, Master.” Dong Xiaoyu nodded, her face beaming with pride. Clearly, her cultivation had improved significantly after refining the yin energy.

Jiang Chen asked curiously, “So, what can you do now?”

“This...” Dong Xiaoyu hesitated but answered honestly, “Actually, I have only just reached the standard for daytime manifestation, but I still can’t walk freely under the sun. Moreover, if I manifest for too long during the day, it will damage my soul.”

“No problem. Cultivation is not something that can be achieved overnight. You must be patient. I will help you find ways to improve your cultivation in the future.” Jiang Chen smiled. “Speaking of which, I have a favor to ask of you.”

Dong Xiaoyu said, “Master, just tell me what you need. There’s no need to talk about favors.”

“Although you follow me, I consider you a partner and an assistant, not a subordinate or a servant. So, I will only ask you to do things with your consent. Otherwise, I would rather do it myself.” Jiang Chen’s words made Dong Xiaoyu’s eyes well up with tears. He quickly changed the subject, “Alright, I’ll be straightforward. It’s not a big deal, but I want to use your intangible ghostly form to sneak into the martial arts manuals of various sects.”

In any world, sects value their martial arts manuals greatly. Although Jiang Chen was confident in his martial arts, it would not be easy to sneak into the sects and learn their techniques, especially in a high-martial world like this.

However, no matter how strictly the sects guard their secrets, they would never expect Jiang Chen to send a female ghost to infiltrate and learn their techniques.

With Dong Xiaoyu, such a powerful card in his hand, if Jiang Chen did not use her well, he would truly be a fool.

Dong Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment and then smiled, “I thought it was something important. Master, rest assured, Xiao Yu will do her best.”

Jiang Chen said, “We shouldn’t delay. Let’s set out when it’s light.”

The bonfire flickered, and the river waves roared. Under Dong Xiaoyu’s protection, Jiang Chen sat in meditation, recovering from the intense battle with Wu Ming at dusk. Although Wu Ming could not break through his Immortal Demon Body, the sword qi that penetrated his body left him in a bad state.

The night passed without incident. The next morning, as the sun rose and the purple qi of the east appeared, Jiang Chen practiced the Supreme Clarity Daoist Technique, cultivating his magical power. His diligent practice had made his magical power increasingly profound, surpassing that of Uncle Nine by several times. His divine soul was growing stronger, and he was beginning to show signs of condensing his spirit.

If the cultivation of the spirit root is the foundation of seeking immortality, then the condensation of the spirit is the true beginning of cultivation. According to the Supreme Clarity Daoist Technique recorded in the Maoshan secret manual, after a cultivator condenses their spirit, they must continuously refine and temper it, from night wandering to day wandering, and then through the thunder tribulation, to achieve a complete spirit, becoming a terrestrial immortal. At that time, even if the physical body is gone, the spirit can easily possess another body or reincarnate, achieving a form of immortality.

Of course, reaching this level is at most considered a terrestrial immortal. Only by further cultivation, achieving perfect virtue and becoming a celestial immortal, can one ascend to the heavenly realm. Although there are many shortcuts to reach the heavenly realm, they are not as orthodox and dignified as this path.

Despite this, Jiang Chen’s cultivation was still relatively low. Although he had mastered some magical techniques, they were effective against ordinary demons and ghosts but not against humans. In a direct confrontation, he would likely be at a disadvantage. Therefore, in battles, martial arts were still more reliable.

After an hour, the purple qi of the rising sun had completely dissipated. Jiang Chen slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and a smile appeared on his face. “Xiao Yu, it’s not early. Return to the contract space. We should set out. Our first destination is the San Jue Sect.”

Speaking of the San Jue Sect, it was not particularly famous in the martial world of this realm. However, a traitor from the San Jue Sect was well-known: none other than the northern martial hero, Xiong Ba, the founder of the Heavenly Gate.

Xiong Ba, with his great talent and strategy, was not just a martial artist. His dominance in the martial world was closely tied to his supreme martial arts. The Heaven Frost Fist, Cloud Palming, and Wind God Leg, these three martial arts, were the world-renowned techniques that Xiong Ba used to dominate the world. These three martial arts all originated from the San Jue Sect, indicating the sect’s deep foundation. Moreover, compared to Xiong Ba’s self-realized Three Elements Unification, the San Jue Sect had the authentic Three Elements Unification Heart Method, which was highly tempting.

“Yes, Master.” Not far away, Dong Xiaoyu, standing in the shade of a tree, transformed into a wisp of green smoke, swirling in the air and disappearing into the contract totem on Jiang Chen’s arm.

“Let’s go!” After a night of cultivation, his injuries had healed, and with Xiao Yu’s full assistance, Jiang Chen was confident about the journey. He extended his hand, and a powerful suction force drew the Chi Lin sword into his palm. With a leap, he soared forward like a flying eagle, heading towards his destination...