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6.58% Painting of the Nine Immortals / Chapter 66: The Essence of the Hidden Territory

章 66: The Essence of the Hidden Territory

編集者: Rainystars

His voice was crispy clear. The Spirit of the Hidden Territory turned ghostly pale.

Ling Xian’s words ignited a flame of anger within the Spirit. But he had to admit that Ling Xian was right. He had been selfish and deliberate in his misinformation, not wanting to see Ling Xian emerge alive from the Fantasy.

However, even he was in the wrong, as the Spirit of the Hidden Territory, he reigned supreme inside his Territory. Aside from the legends of Alchemy, such as the Keeper of Land and Sea herself, he would fear no one. The Hidden Territory inside the City of Qing was of the lowest caliber that only admitted entry to cultivators below the Functional realm. No one should dare challenge his authority within these walls.

Yet he was being lectured mercilessly by Ling Xian. How could he tolerate such insult?

"You are merely a cultivator of the sixth realm, how dare you speak to me this way?" The middle-aged man shouted, "I am the supreme ruler inside this Hidden Territory. Inside these walls, Dragons and Tigers must wait on my hands and feet, you mere cockroach, how dare you threaten me. You wish to destroy me? How arrogant! You deserve to die!"

"It is not up to you what I deserve. It is also not up to you if I should live or die." Ling Xian curled his lip and threw him yet another insult, "you call yourself the supreme ruler, ha, tell me, have you ever seen a supreme ruler being confined at someone else’s feet?"

"You asked for it!" The Spirit was infuriated. As he spoke, a murky stream of air slithered out of his pores, circulated above him and came caving down.

"I just want to see how powerful the Spirit of the Hidden Territory actually is."

Ling Xian smirked at the challenge. Standing his ground, Ling Xian did not summon any defensive spells. Instead, he smiled as the circular streams closed down upon him.

This was not yet an attack, only an initial demonstration of threat. While inside the Fantasy, Ling Xian had nearly broke through the Original level of Alchemy. This was nothing.

There are four types of Hidden Territory, ranked in terms of their power: Heaven, Earth, Mystery and Gold. A mere Spirit of a Gold Territory has powers equivalent to a cultivator of the Foundational level. Having survived much more powerful opponents, Ling Xian knew the Spirit could not cause him serious harm.

Of course, this was only the preface of the Spirit’s true capabilities. If he wished to engage Ling Xian in a proper duel, perhaps Ling Xian could only manage to last a few rounds.

The question is… does he dare?

He did not. A quick thought of the Keeper of Land and Sea was enough to send shivers down his spine.

He knew the Keeper of Land and Sea had favored the youth standing in front of him. She left him with the freedom to what he liked without fearing the consequences. She was also warning the Spirit not to harm him.

For this reason, the Spirit had decided against killing Ling Xian. Even if he did succeed in murdering Ling Xian, that frightening woman would surely come after him.

"What are you waiting for? You rule this world, are you afraid of a lowly cultivator?" Seeing that the Spirit was hesitant, Ling Xian attempted to provoke him. Putting one arm behind his back, Ling Xian continued, "As someone of a younger generation, I’ll show you some respect. I’ll only fight you with one arm. If you are still afraid, perhaps I’ll hide both?"

He put his second arm behind his back as he spoke. The Spirit was now near eruption. There was nothing he wanted more than charging at this disrespectful bastard.

The Spirit ruled all within the Hidden Territory, every branch, every flower, every creature and every speck of dust. Even the ruling beasts of the Territory dared not challenge him.

Fight me with one arm? With no arm?

The Spirit almost spat blood in a fit of rage. Inside, he was suppressing the volcanic eruption with all his might. Do you dare tell your Keeper to stay out of this one?

The complexion of the middle-aged man turned a dark shade of purple before suddenly upgrading to a dark maroon, followed by the familiar shade of ghostly pale. He was still hesitant to strike the first flow.

His fear was legit. The Keeper of the Land and Sea was no someone he dared challenge. She could seal his fate with a flick of her finger. And she was on Ling Xian’s side.

Fighting his inner demons, the Spirit finally made his heart wrenching choice and sighed, "You win. Tell me, what kind of compensation would you like?"

"We could’ve gotten here so much earlier, why humiliate yourself?" Ling Xian grinned.

Ling Xian did not feel an ounce of pity for the middle-aged man standing in front of him. His life inside the Hidden Territory did indeed give him much knowledge, courage and hope, but he did nearly die inside. The Spirit could have warned him, or at least not misled him. But he chose poorly, and clearly, the Spirit had intended for him to die in there.

How could Ling Xian let of the hook someone who wanted him harmed?

Furthermore, the Keeper of Land and Sea had shown him favor. Regardless of what he did to the Spirit, there would be no consequences.

"Ah..." the Spirit appeared as though he had aged ten years in the blink of an eye. He whispered, in the utmost tone of defeat, "You can stop with the insults. What do you want, just say it. If I have it, I’ll give it to you."

Ling Xing pondered for a moment. The Keeper of Land and Sea shows me favor, he reminded himself. With this newfound courage, he uttered, "The Essence of the Hidden Territory."

"WHAT?"

The middle-aged man’s complexion turned shadowy. Without a single moment of hesitation he barked, "Impossible! Absolutely and unequivocally NO!"

Of course he wouldn’t. The Essence is the heart and soul of the Hidden Territory. It pilots the rotation of the entire Territory. The Essence was also the secret to his personal strength. Without it, or losing a part of it, the Hidden Territory would shrink and he would weaken and eventually waste away.

The Essence powered his life. Who would give away his own life?

But for a cultivator, the Essence of the Hidden Territory is the most natural, most powerful and a side effect-free source for growth and healing, a dream to countless cultivators.

Ling Xian decided he would make this bold request. According to his calculations, incorporating the powers of the Essence would propel him to a new level of Alchemy.

"This is not a negotiation. I only ask for 10% of the Essence. After you hand me the 10%, I’ll leave you be as if we’ve never met." Ling Xian looked at the middle-aged man hopefully, then added with a cold grin, "But if you don’t give it to me, I’ll put my hands behind my back, call the Keeper of the Land and Sea back here and be the judge of our duel."

Ling Xian emphasized the words "Keeper of the Land and Sea" to remind the Spirit whom he was actually dueling with. He believed this name would certainly keep the Spirit at bay.

Just as he had imagined, upon hearing the name, the Spirit involuntarily let out a cold shudder. In moment, the Spirit was cursing Ling Xian underneath his breath, "Damn you, if you dare, keep her out of this, and watch me kill you like I kill a fly."

Of course, the Spirit wouldn’t dare utter these words out loud.

"What do you think? Hand over the Essence of the Hidden Territory or duel to the death?" Ling Xian frowned, waving his hands impatiently. "Only 10%, not a huge loss for you, you are the ruler of a Hidden Territory, how can you be so stingy?"

Stingy?

The middle-aged man wanted to cry out but no tears came. 10% of his Essence, 10% of his Territory and 10% of his powers! The amount of Essence Ling Xian was demanding would take a few centuries to recuperate. Anyone would be stingy!

But it didn’t matter. It had become clear to the Spirit that if he didn’t hand over what Ling Xian was demanding, he may as well be dead.

Finally, he had to make that painful decision – 10% of his Essence in exchange for his life. With a long face, the Spirit handed Ling Xian what he sought and said, reluctantly, "Here, take it, let this be the end of it. We don’t owe each other anything."

He twirled his large open sleeve and summoned, a dusty, airy matter appeared in midair. The matter exuded a refreshing Qi that immediately made Ling Xian feel cleansed and alive.

"Mark my words, what happened here today stays here. I will not bother you again." Ling Xian was overjoyed, beaming at the sight of the dusty matter.

This was the Essence of the Hidden Territory, the most sought after treasure by countless cultivators throughout history, one that helps turn the cultivator who consumes it into a legend.

"That would suffice." The Spirit let out a long, deep sigh of relief.

"Then I bid you goodbye." Ling Xing let out a satisfied smile, waved his hand and captured the Essence. As he departed, Ling Xing turned to the somber looking Spirit and said mockingly, "Oh yes, if you wish to challenge me again in the future, make sure you stock up on the leftover Essence."

The Spirit was livid, but couldn’t act on his anger. Instead, he gestured at Ling Xian rudely and barked, "Get out of here, quickly, your face irks me."

"Ha ha, goodbye then" Ling Xian laughed as he walked out of the Territory and straight into the Painting of Nine Immortals.

The Spirit watched Ling Xian’s departure in awe. He simply couldn’t grasp what was happening. He was the Ruler of the Hidden Territory, and this kid was able to come and go as he pleased. What a freak of nature?!

"This kid has got some skills. First he offended every single beast in the realm, then forced me to part with my Essence. The middle-aged man sighed softly. His heart, as heavy as a rock moments ago, finally settled back into his chest. He couldn’t help but mutter to himself, "That little brat is finally gone. My good days are finally back."


章 67: The Untainted

編集者: Rainystars

The sun was bright and air gentle inside the Painting of Nine Immortals.

Waves of majestic clouds floated lazily in tight clusters against the stunning blue backdrop.

On top of a busy branch hundreds of miles high up a gargantuan tree whose tip punctured through the cloud stood an ethereal figure dressed in white. The Keeper of Land and Sea gazed towards the sky, her bright eyes melancholy as if reminiscing over the years past.

She stood on her tiptoes on an extended branch, light as a feather. Her regal figure appeared out of the world.

Her skin glowed in the sun. Her eyes were misty, lips soft, features firm. A gust of wind blew aside her dress to unveil a formidable figure. The Ice Queen had woken from her long sleep, even the bravest of souls only dared to admire her from afar.

She is the Keeper of Land and Sea.

She is known as the Untainted.

A proud name, fit for royalty.

She rose during an epic warring period that nearly spelled the end of humanity. Armed with a lone sword, she paved a path to hell with the blood spatter and mutilated bodies of her enemies, saving humanity from the brink of extinction.

She had fought countless battles throughout her life. From humble beginnings to ruling the known world. She had never experienced defeat. Her most magnificent victory took place on top of Lung Feng Peak, herself battling the most fearsome warriors from all ten enemy states, a battle which ended with her stomping onto the Peak, sending it and her enemies crumbling down into the valleys thousands of miles below.

That was the defining battle which not only extended her winning streak but also solidified humanity’s undisputed dominance amongst the warring states.

The Untainted thus inked her name into history as the uncontested leader of her generation.

After a millennium had passed and young leaders of humanity everywhere began to emerge, the Untainted was finally ready to pass on her legacy. She chose Immortality, leaving behind myths and legends that continue to fascinate humanity today.

“You have been staring at me for hours. Am I that fascinating to look at?”

Without breaking her gaze from the sky, the Untainted suddenly broke the silence.

“You knew I was watching.” Ling Xian emerged slowly from beneath the tree. Searching for her gaze, Ling Xian continued, “Certainly fascinating, you are the Goddess to every male within the Taoism Community. No one has and will ever take your place.”

“Oh?”

Unmoved, the Untainted responded, “Hard to imagine at 200,000 years old, I still attract attention.”

“And you always will. Even if the stars fade and seas dry out, you will always fascinate our dreams.” Ling Xian couldn’t and wouldn’t stop. He had insurmountable admiration for her since childhood. Despite having just matured for a hundred years inside his Fantasy, her presence still tugged at his boyish heartstrings.

“I am not Liao Cang Xiong, I do not respond to flattery.” The Untainted remained unremoved as if she did not hear a single word.

Any woman would respond to such flattery, but the Keeper of Land and Sea simple would not be swayed so easily.

“I am not flattering you. Everything I said reflects how I truly feel,” Ling Xian reasoned. Suddenly, he remembered someone and asked, “Where is Liao Cang Xiong?”

“Sleeping,” The Untainted responded indifferently.

“Still?” Ling Xian frowned. In the past, these periods of retreat had all been brief. This time, he had yet to see him or hear his voice since entering the Painting. A bad feeling suddenly emerged.

Sensing his concern, the Untainted uncharacteristically offered him an explanation.

“He dedicated most of his power to speed up my awakening. Then he broke the laws of the Hidden Territory to ensure your safe passage. When he discovered the danger of the Fantasy you were in and knew he was powerless to help you, he decided to put himself to sleep in exchange for my awakening so I could rescue you. But the Fantasy Territory you got yourself into was a bizarre universe. I too was powerless to extract you from it. So I was forced to wait until you extracted yourself.”

Ling Xian blushed as a wave of warm air penetrated his pores. Liao Cang Xiong had sacrificed too much for him. He quickly followed up in a worried voice, “Will he be alright?”

“He will be fine. But he will be asleep for a long time.” The Untainted shot Ling Xian a surprising look and said, “I didn’t think you two had such a close bond. That old fart certainly has a way with his students.”

Ling Xian let out a long sigh of relief. Ignoring the last part of her speech, he mumbled to himself, “That’s good, as long as he’s alright. Wait for me. When I acquire more power, I’ll wake you myself.”

“That won’t work. The power he used came from the core of his soul. The powers of the soul must be regenerated by the body itself. It’ll take time...” The Untainted appeared as though she wanted to continue, but perhaps sensing that such feat would be too difficult or too much to ask of Ling Xian, she stopped herself.”

“Is there another way?” Ling Xian frowned. He was born gifted. The hundred years spent inside his Fantasy had helped him maturity infinitely. He knew she had more to say.

“Can’t hurt, you won’t find it anyway.” The Untainted continued, “There are five unusual items that together can rejuvenate the soul. They are the Mount of the Healing Soul, Lake of the Resting Soul, Iron of the Setting Soul, Wood of the Warming Soul, and the Flame of the Shielding Soul. If you were to gather all five, you will not only wake him in an instant, but they will also form a lasting magnetic field which can heal your soul regardless of how much damage it has received. Not only that, but this magnetic field can also help you recover the long lost Immortal Soul.”

Her voice shivered ever so faintly. Evidently, recovery of the soul was important even to the Untainted.

Recover the long lost Immortal Soul?

Ling Xian was startled by this prospect. Carving the names of the five items into his heart, he thanked her. “I will find them. I will help him recover his soul.”

Ling Xian had always wanted to help Liao Cang Xiong reconstruct his body in the flesh so he could walk the streets of the mortal world. If his soul were reconstructed, his body would not be far behind.

“Your determination is admirable. I wish you a safe journey. But I warn you, nine of us Immortals had only ever managed to discover nine Mounts of the Healing Soul. As for the remaining items, the Lake is perhaps the easiest to find. No one has ever seen the rest.” Warmth radiated through her gaze, but her words were cold as ice.

“I’m not fazed. One day I will find all of them. I will wake him and help him become whole and human again.” Ling Xian smiled softly. Of course, he understood the difficulty of the task, but he was ready to dedicate his life to finding them.

For that was Liao Cang Xiong’s only chance at returning to his former self.

“I wait for that day to come.” The Keeper of Land and Sea tipped her toe, rose from the branch and descended towards the ground surrounded by an enchanting aura.

“Let’s cut the pleasantries.”

The Untainted landed, soft as a feather, directly in front of Ling Xian and uttered a word that startled Ling Xian.

“Kneel.”

Ling Xian opened his eyes wide in amazement, unsure if it was his ears that malfunctioned. “What?” He asked, uncertain how to react.

Her gorgeous brows furrowed faintly. “Have students stopped paying respect to their Masters after 200,000 years?”

“Ah, that’s why.” Ling Xian finally understood. The Untainted was asking him to formally recognize her as his Mistress. However, truth be told, Ling Xian had no such intention. In his mind, he was bound by the “one disciple, one master” tradition. In his heart, his feeling for the woman went beyond this simple, plutonic relationship.

“My apologies, I already have a Master.”

The air tensed up around them as his voice landed.

The Untainted showed no emotion, but her eyes exuded a tiny puff of icy air.

She was the warrior who saved humanity from extinction and led them out of the dark ages. She was an Immortal.

If news were to spread across the Taoism Community that she was seeking disciples, people would sell their souls for the opportunity. Regardless of their station, they would kneel for a hundred years to gain her acceptance.

But in this moment, she had been rejected. She had been sternly rejected by a young, insignificant cultivator.

In addition to shock and anger, she was also mildly amused. She had not faced rejection for centuries. However, this child dared to reject her for Liao Cang Xiong. Doesn’t he know she is much more powerful?

“Don’t look at me like that, and there’s no need to threaten me with violence either.” Ling Xian smiled politely. Completely devoid of fear, he continued, “Liao Cang Xiong is my one and only Master. Regardless of who you are, I do not recognize Masters based on their power or what they are willing to offer me. My first Master will be my only Master. He has been kind to me. He has sacrificed much for me. He will forever be my only Master.”

“Are you not afraid that I will kill you?” The Untainted tested him with her ever icier gaze, waves of killer intentions steamed out of her pores.

Ling Xian couldn’t help but let out a shiver. But his face remained composed. He smiled again and explained, “Afraid, of course I am afraid. The saying goes – one shall know his place, but…”

“The tumultuous experience inside the Hidden Territory has taught me that one must protect his bottom line. If he does not have or can’t keep his boundaries, he is nothing more than a walking corpse and his life devoid of meaning.” Ling Xian’s voice echoed throughout the Painting, soft but stern and deadly.

“Perhaps these words appear too lofty and condescending. It is not my intention. Why don’t I restate this in plain terms?” Ling Xian let out a proud, mildly arrogant but generally respectful smile.

“It would be an honor to call you my Mistress. But I don’t want to. What can you or anyone do to me?”


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