After leaving Chongzhen Temple, Xu Xing changed his appearance and then boarded the Sea-Crossing Flying Boat, heading south.
As always, the Sea-Crossing Flying Boat in East Huangzhou took the Fengxi River as its main route, following the river downstream to Wangchuan Sea.
This ti, when the Flying Boat passed over Fengxi Country, Xu Xing didn’t just glance at it a few tis as before, then withdraw his gaze and depart this familiar land with the vessel.
"Clear stream flows over the green mountain, the empty water is clear and fresh in autumn. Thirty miles apart from the world, white clouds and red leaves are as leisurely as ever."
On the Second Floor of the Red Dust Pavilion aboard the Flying Boat, Xu Xing looked at the poem inscribed on the wall panel, a smile gracing his lips as he recited a few lines in a low voice.
If he guessed correctly, this poem was probably written by so Daoist Sect Cultivator who, with ti to spare, had simply picked up a brush and composed it. In the Cultivation World, only Daoist Sect Cultivators had such leisurely inclinations to inscribe poems on the wall panels of the Red Dust Pavilion.
His gaze swept over a collection of poems, but this particular one best suited his current state of mind. Having caught his eye, he had recited those few lines.
Once the Flying Boat docked, Xu Xing withdrew his gaze from the wall panels of the Red Dust Pavilion. With a flick of his sleeve, he leaped from the Flying Boat’s deck like a cloud-borne goose, landing lightly on the bank of the Fengxi River.
Though not many Cultivators disembarked at this stop, there were still a fair number—about twenty or so.
A few sociable Cultivators, seeing Xu Xing land in the sa spot and noting his extraordinary bearing, gathered around and initiated a conversation.
"Which family from the Country of Flowing Light might this Daoist friend belong to? The Zheng family? The Hai family? Or the Gong family?" a young, handso Cultivator asked. He had observed Xu Xing carefully for a few monts; finding his face unfamiliar and his Cultivation difficult to probe, he had boldly stepped forward.
The Country of Flowing Light was adjacent to Fengxi Country, and this stop was indeed within the Country of Flowing Light. Unlike Fengxi Country, which was a land of mortals, the Country of Flowing Light possessed nurous spiritual veins and was a thriving hub for Cultivation, ho to many established Cultivator families.
"With such an appearance, this Daoist friend must be from the Hai Family of the Nine Mountain Great Halls. Most Disciples of the Hai Family are remarkably handso and talented," another Female Cultivator chid in with a smile.
These Aristocratic Families of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace—the Five Temple Surnas, the Nine Mountain Great Halls, and the Thirty-six Prominent Clans—not only established branches within the Sect but also stationed mbers to guard the territories under the Sect’s jurisdiction, with the exception of a few Spiritually Infertile Lands.
"I heard the Hai Family recently produced a new Pride of Heaven nad Hai An. He achieved his Immortal Base at thirty and reached the Returning Core Realm at sixty..."
"Another Immortal Genius."
Since Xu Xing offered no rebuttal, they beca convinced he was a Cultivator from the Wanggui Mountain Hai Family. Thus, they proactively steered the conversation toward the Hai Family, discussing its internal affairs.
"There’s no shortage of talent among the Aristocratic Families. It’s not just Hai An; Immortal Geniuses from the other families are also erging one after another, each possessing unique strengths..." one of the male Cultivators couldn’t help but sigh.
Upon hearing this, Xu Xing frowned slightly. Noticing that the ornants worn by the male Cultivator were mostly mundane items, he shook his head and said, "You only see the many talents erging from these Aristocratic Families, but do you not see the Cultivators under the Dao Lords of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace? Do these Aristocratic Families truly account for all the talent?"
"At most, they account for only half!" he sneered.
There was no need for him to be overly cautious in front of these junior Disciples. As long as Chi Yuan or the Gong Family Sage Monarch didn’t personally appear, he had little to fear. And the ’idle chatter’ of so low-Realm Cultivators would hardly provoke those two great Sage Monarchs.
"Daoist friend, you are?"
As his words fell, the several Cultivators surrounding Xu Xing instantly took a step back. The male Cultivator who had spoken also started, his expression turning wary as he looked at Xu Xing. "Are you, Daoist friend, a Cultivator from another Sect?"
Having asked this, the male Cultivator frowned again, sensing sothing amiss. If this person were from an outside Sect, how could he have uttered the words ’Immortal Palace Dao Lord’? That clearly implied he considered himself a Cultivator of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace.
"I am... rely of Commoner Status," Xu Xing said after a brief silence, followed by a sigh. "Not a Cultivator from another Sect."
With the conversation having reached this point, he had lost all interest in continuing to chat with these low-Realm Disciples. Further words were pointless. In over a hundred years, three generations of Common People could be dosticated. But in the Cultivation World, apart from the older generation of Cultivators who still recalled the lingering glory of the forr Master and Disciple Lineage, which of the new generation of Cultivators could still rember the Immortal Palace of old...?
"Of Commoner Status? No wonder..."
Upon hearing this, the few Cultivators had a sudden realization. After respectfully addressing Xu Xing as "Senior," they hurriedly transford into streaks of Escaping Light and departed, not daring to linger a mont longer.
In this day and age, those who could refer to themselves as being of "Commoner Status" and whose Cultivation was unfathomable were typically Old Monks from over a hundred years ago. Such individuals were often considered troubleso, frequently voicing grievances and bitter words, and were generally avoided by Bottom-level Cultivators.
If I had stayed with the Aristocratic Families back then and beco a son-in-law of the Gong Family, my situation probably wouldn’t be much better now... Xu Xing thought, seeing this unfold. He felt fortunate for his ability to foresee destiny, which allowed him to navigate away from such perils.
Under the prevailing montum, even if the Aristocratic Family line showed so preferential treatnt to Chief Seats and Direct Disciples from among the Commoner Disciples, exclusion by the broader environnt was inevitable. While they might not suffer scorn from the truly insignificant, how their peers from the Aristocratic Families would view these Commoner Leading Seats and Direct Disciples remained an unknown.
"Once I reach the Nascent Soul Realm, I can roam freely throughout the vast world..."
"There’s no need to be entangled in the various interests and sches within the Immortal Palace. Avoiding the Sect for arduous Cultivation—that was the right step."
"No demon or monster can withstand my sword!"
A surge of boldness filled Xu Xing’s heart. He drew his magical sword from his sleeve, ascended step by step until he hovered in mid-air, and then forcefully slashed down towards the riverbank.
CRACK!
A Sword Qi hundreds of zhang long swept across the river’s surface. The churning waves instantly stilled.
The riverbank was split in two, and a small island, dozens of li in size, was created out of nothing, standing starkly isolated.
"Immortals... these are Immortals!" The officials of the Country of Flowing Light, witnessing this scene from afar, prostrated themselves, kowtowing repeatedly.
They knew Immortals existed in the world, but they had always considered them re Cultivators. They never believed Cultivators could achieve such a feat. Only true Immortals could possess such world-altering power!
After that one slash, Xu Xing felt his mind beco exceptionally clear, as if he had touched upon the legendary Great Unrestrained realm of the Sword Immortals. He felt himself rge with heaven and earth, with nature itself, no longer confined by the constant vigilance and caution that had previously defined him.
That single sword strike had severed all his apprehensions, including the lingering thoughts of fearing the Sage Monarchs.
It was a monuntal leap for his state of mind—a transition from "mortal" to "immortal"!
「At this ti」
The sky was nearing dusk. The sun slanted westward, and the evening glow, like rouge on a beauty’s cheek, adorned the clouds, transforming them into rosy patches.
anwhile, Xu Xing, now in the Great Unrestrained Heart Realm, transford into a streak of azure and crimson Escaping Light, soaring freely and unleashing his Magic Power without restraint. He broke through layer upon layer of clouds, ascending straight into the cerulean void, his sword aid towards the Great Sun.
With his sword flight, after ascending ten thousand zhang:
COLD!
HOT!
These sensations alternated repeatedly on the surface of his body. His Golden Crow Immortal Body seed to be stimulated; his entire being felt like a scorching orb, Magic Power fueling its continuous burn.
BLOOD BOILING!
Under the influence of the Great Unrestrained Heart Realm, although the bloodline of his Golden Crow Immortal Body did not undergo a qualitative transformation, a nascent conception of the Great Sun began to form within his heart. He extracted shattered rule fragnts from his bloodline, refining them into a blazing sun that resided within him.
Finally, as he neared the Gangfeng Layer, Xu Xing halted. With a soft cry, catalyzed by the Great Sun Dao Principle, sunlight transford into Magic Power and was absorbed into his body. The Magic Power he had just expended was gradually replenished, and this newly generated Magic Power felt even more potent than before.
"Is this... the legendary enlightennt?" Xu Xing gazed up at the blazing Great Sun, which appeared as vast as a mountain, and muttered for a mont, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
He recalled experiencing enlightennt once before, in the Instance World. In the instant that the Ghost Immortal Path and the Physical Martial Way rged, myriad wondrous principles had burst forth in his mind, leading him to comprehend the Life Palace of the Shaping Life Realm. However, this enlightennt on the Immortal Path was entirely different from that previous experience. It was a comprehension related to the state of mind. This state of mind, in turn, influenced his Realm and bloodline, prompting him to truly integrate the Golden Crow Immortal Body, rather than rely utilizing its surface aspects like absorbing Sun True Fire.
"Mindset cultivation..." A contemplative look appeared on Xu Xing’s face. "So Saints, though they may have never cultivated any specific Daoist arts, can achieve Ascending by Featherization solely through their state of mind. The Daoist Sect itself has several lineages that primarily focus on cultivating the state of mind..."
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