Chu Xuan pondered the Blood Steel Wire, contemplating its limitations. Even though he had refined it into his life-bound gu insect, it was rely being dragged along by his progress.
Currently, the Blood Steel Wire wasn't of much use to him. In the future, he would need to keep an eye out for gu insect essence blood suitable for both the Blood Steel Wire and the Blood Bee Queen. With the right essence blood, their realms could rapidly ascend, making them as effective as a Corpse King or a Ghost King.
With a thought, Chu Xuan beckoned with his hand, and the Evil Soul Chain appeared beside him. This magic treasure, bound to his life, could unleash 120% of his combat power.
However, limited by its materials, its current power had significantly diminished. This treasure too needed better materials to be suitable for battles between Nascent Soul cultivators.
"Becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator suddenly requires so much; everything must be done slowly, step by step, replacing each item," Chu Xuan mused, unfazed by the daunting task ahead. After all, he had so funds. He'd start by buying what was necessary. If purchasing proved impossible, or if soone prevented him from buying, he'd simply go and demand what he needed. Surely, there were kind-hearted people willing to gift him what he required. Maybe they'd even be willing to give him everything they had, inside and out.
...
Heavenly Sword City.
Chu Xuan once again approached the gates of this fortress city. Previously, being cautious, he had not stayed in his cave dwelling but had instead left Heavenly Sword City to find a cave outside. He had to go to Blue Star to save ti; the heavenly tribulation only occurred once.
Since it had appeared on Blue Star, it wouldn't manifest again in the outer domain battlefield. If he had broken through from his cave dwelling within Heavenly Sword City without triggering the heavenly tribulation and yet advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, it would have certainly raised many eyebrows. After all, who ever heard of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage without facing the heavenly tribulation?
As for breaking through outside the city, that didn't matter. The battlefield beyond was vast, and not everyone could witness the heavenly tribulation.
"Halt, who goes there?" A disciple of the Majestic Sword Sect stopped Chu Xuan at the gates of Heavenly Sword City.
Chu Xuan tossed over his identity jade slip. The Majestic Sword Sect disciple scanned it with his divine sense, and his surprise was evident. "Master He? It's been a long ti! We heard you went to attempt the Nascent Soul breakthrough... You're still alive?"
Chu Xuan had spent nearly forty years on Blue Star, and it had been almost four years since anyone had last seen him in Heavenly Sword City. Many had assud he was dead and gradually, he had been forgotten.
The Majestic Sword Sect disciple rembered him because Chu Xuan had once concocted pills for him. Now, inspecting Chu Xuan carefully, the disciple asked cautiously, "Master He, have you... have you successfully condensed your Nascent Soul?"
Four years without a sighting, and returning unscathed could only an one of two things: he had either succeeded in reaching the Nascent Soul stage or retreated to form a False Soul. Either way, he was not soone the disciple could afford to offend.
Chu Xuan smiled slightly, releasing the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, "Fortunately, I have transcended the heavenly tribulation and attained the great Dao of Nascent Soul." His powerful presence shook the surrounding cultivators, so of the weaker ones nearly collapsing.
The Majestic Sword Sect disciple was astounded, "…I pay my respects to senior He!"
The other cultivators waiting to enter the city were also stunned and bowed respectfully, "We pay our respects to senior He!"
Chu Xuan chuckled, "May I enter now?"
"Of course! Now that you are a Nascent Soul great cultivator, you can go wherever you like!" the disciple said respectfully, "I will take you to Elder Xin right away."
Chu Xuan waved his hand dismissively, "No rush, I want to visit my old shop first."
The disciple nodded, "Yes, then I will go ahead and inform Elder Xin!" With that, he hurried off into the city.
Chu Xuan strode through the streets of Heavenly Sword City, eventually arriving at Pill Pavilion. Soon, he saw the familiar shop. The shop appeared deserted. The wicker chair, books, and pill furnace were all in their places, untouched and dust-free, clearly tended to regularly.
Chu Xuan gently touched the pill furnace, reminiscing about the days he spent concocting pills there, feeling quite sentintal.
"Who's there? How dare you touch Master He's pill furnace!" A cold voice ca from behind him.
Chu Xuan turned around to see a familiar figure. It was He Ze. However, now He Ze had only one arm and his body bore visible scars. Such scars would not be difficult to remove with so dicinal pills, but the fact that they remained indicated financial difficulties.
Yet, Chu Xuan noticed that He Ze's cultivation had reached the fourth level of the Golden Core stage; his cultivation over the years had indeed borne so fruit.
Upon recognizing Chu Xuan, He Ze's expression quickly shifted from indifference to joy.
"Master He! Is it really you, Master He?" He approached quickly, his face a picture of astonishnt.
Chu Xuan laughed heartily, "Indeed, it's ." He then patted He Ze's empty sleeve, "What happened here?"
A flash of sorrow swept across He Ze's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. With seriousness, he said, "I'm ready. As soon as I have the chance, I will personally seek revenge."
Chu Xuan nodded. It seed much had occurred during these four years. The once sowhat naïve young cultivator had been tempered by ti and now appeared more like a true cultivator.
Suddenly, a boisterous voice interrupted their reunion. "He Ze? Recovering well, I see. Back at Pill Pavilion again?"
The voice sneered. "That Master He you followed hasn't been seen for four years; he's surely dead outside the city. Stop thinking about continuing to be his dog. Co over here and work for ! I'm short on hands!"
Chu Xuan and He Ze both looked in the direction of the voice and saw several figures approaching, the leader of whom was a tall, fierce-looking man. He was the one who had spoken.
He Ze clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them. With a forced smile, he replied, "Fellow daoist Lu, please don't rush; I'll co over as soon as I finish up here."
The leader, noticing He Ze's deference, then turned his gaze to Chu Xuan. Recognition flickered across his face, and he adjusted his expression before bowing to Chu Xuan. "It turns out to be senior He! I am Lu Wen, a pleasure to et you.
Senior He, you disappeared for four years and have now returned; surely you have ford a False Soul? Congratulations! Your strength must have increased a notch! My earlier words were indeed rash, please do not take offense, senior He."
However, I am currently undertaking a task from Elder Xin of the Majestic Sword Sect to collect materials for weapon forging, and I really cannot afford to be away. Another day, I shall certainly bring a generous gift to apologize. What do you say?"
Chu Xuan's smile held a hint of irony. Lu Wen was indeed quite a character. First, he congratulated him on becoming a False Soul, then apologized, all the while subtly dropping his status as soone associated with the real Nascent Soul cultivator, Elder Xin.
If Chu Xuan were really just a False Soul, Lu Wen's few words might have left him speechless. Unfortunately for Lu Wen, he had miscalculated. Chu Xuan was not a False Soul; he was a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator!
He Ze clenched his teeth, aware that the present situation stemd from him. He couldn't let Master He get into trouble with Lu Wen because of him. Just as He Ze was about to speak, a booming laugh suddenly echoed from the entrance of the Pill Pavilion. A powerful Nascent Soul aura swept through the area.
"Fellow daoist He, what a pleasure to see you!" the voice bood. "To think that after four years, you have attained the great Dao of the Nascent Soul! Would fellow daoist care to join , Xin Changqing, for a good drink?"
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