Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

The sun gradually sank behind the mountains.

The night gradually thickened.

Three Elements City.

The pervasive smell of smoke and food quickly dissipated.

All the alleys gradually fell silent.

Some ordinary people living here, who did not possess any cultivation level, had already eaten their dinners, blown out their candles, and fallen soundly asleep.

Generation after generation, they lived in Three Elements City alongside immortals, mortals, and demonic creatures.

Some of the rules,

Had long been ingrained in their bones, not daring to overstep them by a single fraction.

For instance,

It was best for ordinary people not to go out in Three Elements City at night.

Qing Le Lane, Yanping Lane.

Li Mansion.

Unlike the other nearby residences,

The courtyard of the mansion was brightly lit.

And the reason Li Mansion could do this was naturally due to its great backing.

The mansion's master was called Li Jiu, a security officer in Qing Le Lane, one of the one hundred and nine districts of Three Elements City, having reached Foundation Establishment Realm in his cultivation.

He was quite a figure in local circles.

Moreover,

The eldest son of this Li Mansion was quite extraordinary.

From a young age, he had undergone several tests and joined the Cangyu Army in Three Elements City. Though still young, he has already held the rank of squad leader and was full of promise.

Today,

Was the day the eldest son of Li Mansion returned home for rest and recuperation from the Cangyu Army.

In theory, it should have been a bustling day.

However, at this moment,

The Li Mansion was shrouded in an atmosphere of gloom and doom, a pall of anxiety and heaviness hanging in the air.

In a side room,

The sound of suppressed sobs could faintly be heard.

In the inner courtyard,

In the hall,

Li Jiu, who had just finished his patrol and returned home, hadn't even had time to change his official uniform before he walked straight to his eldest son, Li Xie.

"Is it confirmed?"

Li Jiu asked abruptly, breaking the silence in the room.

Hearing this,

Li Xie nodded his head and said in a heavy tone:

"This morning at the roll call, Commander Shen announced that the troops I am part of will be representing Three Elements City heading to the battlefield at Lingshu Mountain. The time is set for three months from now."

"Over the past two years, the conflicts between our Three Elements City, Yushui Sect, and Dragon Sky Sword Sect have gotten increasingly intense. We have been fighting seriously, the battlefield is incredibly fierce, and nine out of ten soldiers do not return."

"I fear that once I go, I might..."

Li Xie hesitated, seemingly unable to continue.

After a long silence,

"Ah..."

Li Jiu let out a long sigh, a look of sadness appeared on his face.

He clearly understood what his son had just said.

However, knowing was one thing,

But facing the City Lord's Mansion orders, facing the Cangyu Army's dispatch, could he do anything about it?

He was just a small officer in Qing Le Lane.

Insignificant and powerless.

On this matter, he couldn't say anything at all.

While he was pondering,

All of a sudden,

He remembered a young man riding a white deer whom he had seen a few days ago and a glimmer of hope suddenly appeared in his heart.

Maybe this time,

Xie'er still had a glimmer of hope for survival!

If that person was willing to lend a hand.

…

That night,

In front of a quiet small courtyard,

Li Jiu gently stopped in his tracks, making his movements with extreme care.

He turned back and looked at his son, Li Xie, and advised in a whisper:

"Xie'er, when you see this man later, you must not show off your rank as a squad leader in the Cangyu Army and offend him. Whether you can survive on the battlefield hinges on this one time."

"I hope this man, out of pity, will take into account the effort I've put into helping him find a place to live before."

After hearing this,

Li Xie couldn't help asking:

"Father, who exactly is this person? How do you know for sure that he can definitely save me?"

Li Jiu explained with a smile:

"As for this gentleman's identity, I am not sure. He seems to have traveled here from somewhere else. However, one thing I do know is that this gentleman's power is terrifying."

With that said,

A look of recollection flashed across his eyes.

"A few days ago, while I was chasing a rogue cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm, I happened to bump into this gentleman ready to enter the city. The result was that his steed only let out a slight breath, and that rogue cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm was suppressed to the point of immobility."

"Just the steed?"

Li Xie's eyes narrowed and a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart.

If his father's words were true,

The other party was most likely a great cultivator in the Golden Core Realm.

Maybe... he really could survive this time.

After all, that's Golden Core Realm!

Even within Three Elements City, such a person would be a distinguished figure. Within the Cangyu Army, they would stand on par with the three commanders.

However...

He could see a trace of worry flickering across his face.

"Father, it seems that we don't have anything that can move a powerful Golden Core cultivator. And to disturb him in the middle of the night like this, I'm afraid it might displease this entity."

After all, Li Xie had encountered commanders in the Golden Core Realm while in the Cangyu Army.

He understood.

None who could cultivate themselves to the Golden Core Realm were to be trifled with.

"Ah~ I know that too, but this is the only chance you have."

Li Jiu said in a bitter tone.

Soon after,

You could see him walking up to the gate, knocking gently, an unsure look on his face.

After a while,

Accompanied by a 'creak' sound,

The gate slowly opened.

Lu Thirty-Eight, in the form of a human, poked his head out from behind the door, looking curiously at the father and son, and asked:

"Who are you looking for?"

Outside the gate,

As he saw the unfamiliar figure in front of him,

Li Jiu was taken aback, a wave of despair rising in his heart.

Could it be that the man had already left?

But the next moment,

It seemed as if he became aware of something.

Li Jiu asked cautiously:

"Dare I ask if it's Lord Lu? I'm Li Jiu, do you still remember me? You were the one who helped me catch that rogue cultivator in the past."

"Li Jiu?"

Lu Thirty-Eight pondered for a moment.

His eyes shone instantly.

"Haha, I remember you. You were the one who helped me find this courtyard. What can I do for you?"

Identity confirmed.

A 'thud' was heard.

Li Jiu immediately helped his son kneel before Lu Thirty-Eight and said earnestly:

"Li Jiu knows it's rude to call on you in the middle of the night. But my son is about to be sent to the Linghsu Mountain battlefield by the Immortal City. It's a situation of certain death. I beg for your mercy to save my son's life. If you have any conditions, I will fulfill them even it costs my life."

Lu Thirty-Eight looked amazed at the father and son kneeling before him.

He was about to say something.

However, he was interrupted by his master's voice next to his ear.

"Lingshu Mountain? Thirty-Eight, bring them in, I have something to ask."

Auditory cues.

The expression on Lu Thirty-Eight's face became serious instantly.

"Understood, my Lord."

After a pause.

His gaze glanced over the two in front of him and he said:

"Stand up, follow me in. The master wants to see you."

His words fell.

Li Jiu and his son who knelt on the ground couldn't help but lift their heads. They looked at each other and saw a glint of hope in each other's eyes.

The master is willing to see them.

There is hope!

Over the next instant.

"Li Jiu (Li Xie) thank you, my Lord."

...

Time slowly passed.

Inside the room.

Drap! Drap!

Zhang Jing's fingers were gently tapping the table, as he seemed to be thinking about something, an intimidating aura emanating from him.

Underneath his seat.

Li Jiu and his son were sitting stiffly, not daring to move at all.

However.

If you look carefully, you will find that.

Li Xie was sneakily glancing at Zhang Jing above from the corner of his eye.

When he saw Zhang Jing's even younger face, he was taken aback and felt quite unsettled.

"So young!"

"The key is the aura on this young man, it's extremely terrifying. Compared to him, the three golden core leaders of the Cangyu Army are like fireflies before the full moon, totally not on the same level."

"Even the Junior City Lord pales in comparison."

These thoughts went through Li Xie's mind with disbelief.

Suddenly.

Zhang Jing spoke, his voice disrupting Li Xie's deep thoughts.

"So you're saying that this spiritual land called 'Lingshu Mountain' only emerged in recent two to three hundred years and is about to be completely formed. Thus, your Three Elements City along with the nearby Yushui Sect, Dragon Sky Sword Sect have been contending it for a hundred years."

"Your lordship, as far as we cultivators know, it is indeed the case," said Li Xie, with profound respect.

Zhang Jing's eyes gleamed.

"It seems like a secret realm has completely merged into the clear sky, which could lead to such a situation," he surmised.

Afterwards.

Zhang Jing looked at Li Xie again.

"Where is Lingshu Mountain located? Do you know its grade?"

"Thirty thousand miles east of the Immortal City."

"But if you, my Lord, plan to go there, you might want to reconsider. It's said that the place is jointly guarded by our Three Elements City, Yushui Sect, and Dragon Sky Sword Sect's Dharma Phase Realm Ancestors. Outsiders are not allowed to approach."

"As for the grade... I vaguely remember the Junior City Lord mentioning something about it being a top grade spiritual land."

Top grade?!

Zhang Jing's expression suddenly changed. He thought he might have misheard.

A moment later.

His expression returned to normal.

"I should personally check it out some other day. If it's indeed a top-grade spiritual land, I shouldn't let the opportunity pass, no matter what," Zhang Jing thought to himself.

As for outsiders?

Strictly speaking, everything in the clear sky belongs to the Boundless Tai Yi Taoist Gate.

And he was the True Teaching of the Taoist Gate.

In other words, they were the outsiders.

Nevertheless.

Zhang Jing preferred to take action and then decide who was the so-called 'outsider'.

After all, they would have to be neighbors in the future, and it was better to win them over by virtue.

An idea crossed his mind.

Inside the sea of his consciousness.

Whoosh!

The Immortal Binding Chain shook suddenly, giving off a dominating aura of bloodthirsty cruelty, as if billions of demons were lamenting within it.

Zhang Jing nodded in approval.

His virtue was ample!

...

An hour later.

Two figures quietly left the small yard, with an undeniable look of excitement on their faces.

Li Xie unconsciously touched his forehead.

A hint of terrifying Tao Intent lies hidden within, which can save his life at a critical moment.

He glanced behind him and his eyes were full of desire.

"Father, we might have come across an extraordinarily influential person this time. I suspect that he might be from there."

"If I could follow this Lord in cultivation..."

...

Meanwhile.

Zhang Jing's face returned to calm, and he sat cross-legged in midair.

Above him.

The six-color immortal light on Tao Origin Celebratory Cloud was constantly changing.

Especially on the sixth layer.

The Thought Flaring Sun emitted an unprecedented brilliance, giving off a special terrifying force of attraction.

Centered on Zhang Jing, within a radius of hundreds of miles, the various desires and thoughts that emerged from the hearts of living beings instantly turned into beams of illusory spiritual power, as if fledglings returning to the nest, pouring all into the Thought Flaring Sun.

Infinite, formulating a sea!

In the blink of an eye.

A faint purple tint quietly appeared in the Thought Flaring Sun, looking extremely dazzling.

"Indeed, only in such a dense place of living beings can the Thought Flaring Sun truly have its effect."

Zhang Jing smiled slightly.