Chapter 859: Wanling Shentianlu and Jiuye Jiancao are competing with each other!
After arriving at Great Dream Immortal City, Lu Changsheng learned from Honglian that True Monarch Xuanjian was currently at the Cloud Dream Restaurant.
“Okay.”
Lu Changsheng nodded slightly, not going to meet True Monarch Xuanjian immediately.
Instead, he went to the backyard where the Nine-leaf Sword Grass was rooted.
Although more than two years had passed since the battle with True Monarch Pinghai, the Nine-leaf Sword Grass’s consumption had not yet recovered.
The reason was simple.
As a demon plant with a Tier 4 True Spirit level bloodline, it required a vast amount of energy and nutrients.
Without being able to fully absorb the spiritual脉 of Great Dream Immortal City,
this Tier 3 spiritual脉 could barely sustain its daily nutrients,
let alone help it recuperate and grow.
“Nine-leaf.”
Lu Changsheng flicked his finger, dropping a drop of verdant Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew onto the Nine-leaf Sword Grass, asking how it felt.
The Nine-leaf Sword Grass did not respond immediately.
Like a drought-stricken plant meeting sweet rain, it frantically absorbed the nutrients brought by the Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew.
It was simply too hungry.
Since rooting in the City Lord’s Mansion, it had never been “full.”
As the Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew was absorbed and digested, a pure and vibrant vitality emanated from the Nine-leaf Sword Grass’s脉络, restoring it to peak condition.
“Master, this liquid is of great benefit to me!”
After a long while, the Nine-leaf Sword Grass’s voice, like the clanging of swords, rang out.
If it had a continuous supply of Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew, even rooted on a Tier 3 spiritual脉 like this, it could grow rapidly.
Lu Changsheng nodded gladly.
With the Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew, he no longer had to worry about the Nine-leaf Sword Grass’s consumption when transforming into the Nine Tribulations Sword.
Even if it was over-stimulated in battle, causing damage, there was no need to worry.
Just one or two drops of Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew after the battle would allow it to recover quickly.
“Nine-leaf, if I want to help you advance, how many drops of Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew would you need?”
Lu Changsheng inquired, wanting to know how much Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew was needed to cultivate the Nine-leaf Sword Grass to the mid-Tier 4 stage.
Once the latter advanced to mid-Tier 4 and transformed into the Nine Tribulations Sword, his combat power would receive a huge boost.
However, demon beasts naturally grew slower than cultivators, and demon plants grew even more slowly, relying on the accumulation of time, which was very difficult.
Only he possessed a treasure like the [Myriad Spirit Bottle].
Otherwise, there would be no need to consider the growth of the Nine-leaf Sword Grass at all.
“Hard to estimate…”
The Nine-leaf Sword Grass swayed its sword leaves and spoke, unable to give a precise number.
But after thinking for a moment, it gave a rough estimate, believing that at least dozens of drops would be needed to help it quickly break through to the mid-stage.
“…”
Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but gasp.
The Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew only condensed one drop per year.
Over the years, his family had always practiced strict frugality.
Except for cultivating important spiritual plants like the Five Elements Spirit Fruit Tree and the Profound Wood Gourd, everything else was saved as much as possible.
Even so, over so many years, only thirteen drops had been accumulated.
Even if all these reserves were invested in the Nine-leaf Sword Grass, it would not be enough to support its advancement to mid-Tier 4.
“Nine-leaf, if your sword leaves are plucked, can the Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew help you regenerate? If it can replenish regeneration, how much Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew would be needed?”
Lu Changsheng asked another question he was concerned about.
“???”
The nine sword leaves of the Nine-leaf Sword Grass, radiating a chilling light, trembled slightly.
What did that mean?
Was he going to pluck its sword leaves?
The Nine-leaf Sword Grass naturally knew that its sword leaves were top-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
After consumption and refinement, they could greatly enhance sword dao talent and even allow one to comprehend its own sword dao inheritance.
But these nine sword leaves were connected to its origin.
For each one missing, its strength would be weakened by a point.
And the power of the Nine-leaf Sword Art would also be affected.
But facing the question from its master, Lu Changsheng, it still answered truthfully: “It can regenerate, it takes about ten drops to restore one…”
Although the effect of Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew was astonishing.
One drop could make a spiritual medicine seed grow into a hundred-year-old spiritual medicine overnight.
For hundred-year or thousand-year spiritual medicines, it could also provide decades of growth overnight.
However, these sword leaves were connected to its life force, equivalent to needing to replenish the origin damage.
Therefore, it was not something that could be replenished with just one or two drops of Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew.
“Forget it.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng instantly dismissed the idea of plucking a few sword leaves for his son.
He planned to wait until the Connecting Heaven High Tower was built and high-grade heavenly dew was condensed through the [Dew-receiving Plate], then consider this aspect after seeing its effect on the Nine-leaf Sword Grass.
Otherwise, his current supply of Myriad Spirit Sky-reaching Dew was truly insufficient.
After finishing his conversation with the Nine-leaf Sword Grass, Lu Changsheng called Honglian and went with her to the Cloud Dream Restaurant to meet True Monarch Xuanjian.
Upon reaching the entrance, he heard a gentle and calm voice from inside the private room: “Please come in.”
Pushing open the door, there was also a barrier.
However, this kind of barrier naturally had no effect on Lu Changsheng and Honglian.
They saw a middle-aged man sitting inside, dressed in a snow-white long robe, looking quite ordinary.
“City Lord Wang, City Lord Li.”
The man looked at Lu Changsheng and Honglian, stood up, and cupped his hands.
His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, without the slightest hint of respect or restraint, nor the sharp edge of a sword cultivator, like an ordinary person.
“Fellow Daoist Xuanjian.”
Lu Changsheng returned the greeting, taking the opportunity to examine this True Monarch Xuanjian.
Although they had met a few times before, he had never carefully observed the other party.
He was neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin.
His face seemed ordinary, with a mouth, eyes, and nose in their proper places.
But when combined, they were as coordinated and flawless as Lu Changsheng when he cultivated the “Immortal Appearance Art” in his early years, becoming more pleasing to the eye the more one looked, full of extraordinary charm.
He wore a flowing snow-white robe, as pure as jade, unstained by dust, and not a trace of spiritual energy leaked from his body.
Even though Lu Changsheng’s divine sense was comparable to that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, without using divine abilities or arts, he could not discern the depth of True Monarch Xuanjian’s cultivation.
However, among cultivators, using divine sense or divine abilities to pry into another’s situation was considered a provocation and a rude act.
Lu Changsheng glanced briefly, then sat down with Honglian, and spoke first, asking True Monarch Xuanjian the purpose of his visit.
“I am fully aware of the matter discussed between City Lord Wang and Juejian, so this visit is to confirm some details with City Lord Wang.”
True Monarch Xuanjian said with a faint smile on his lips and a calm and natural expression.
If one didn’t know his identity as the Grand Elder and the foremost sword master of the Heavenly Sword Sect in Jiang Kingdom,
no one would think this was a peerless sword cultivator!
“Fellow Daoist, please speak.”
Lu Changsheng immediately made a gesture of invitation, knowing that the other party had an intention to cooperate.
Honglian did not interrupt, acting like a listener, quietly observing and examining this “foremost person in Jiang Kingdom,” True Monarch Xuanjian.
Based on the information she had gathered about Jiang Kingdom over the past hundred years, she knew that this True Monarch Xuanjian was not an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.
Although he could not be compared to a great power reincarnation like Lu Changsheng,
he was also at the level of a top-tier favored son of heaven.
Looking at Jiang Kingdom and the surrounding area, few could rival him.
Like Lu Changsheng, she could not see through the reality of this True Monarch Xuanjian.
She knew that the other party must have cultivated some top-tier cultivation technique that concealed their cultivation, magic power, aura, and heavenly secrets.
“Our Heavenly Sword Sect is naturally eager to form an alliance with City Lord Wang. However, I have one request.”
True Monarch Xuanjian did not engage in excessive pleasantries, and after asking a few questions, he went straight to the point.
Before coming here, he had already made a decision in his heart.
The decision to form an alliance.
Although this might involve the Heavenly Sword Sect in the other party’s disputes, leading to its eternal damnation,
at present, his Heavenly Sword Sect had no choice.
Furthermore, the great tribulation was approaching.
Under the great tribulation, his Heavenly Sword Sect had even less choice.
Since that was the case, why not take a gamble!
How could he, Li Duanxuan, who had grown to this point, be someone who hesitated and looked back and forth!?
Moreover, when he previously divined and calculated, he saw a large army approaching the Heavenly Sword Sect in the river of destiny!
If he didn’t gamble, it was possible that it would be like the scene he had glimpsed.
“Fellow Daoist Xuanjian, please feel free to speak,” Lu Changsheng said.
“I would like to ask City Lord Wang for a spar.”
True Monarch Xuanjian looked at Lu Changsheng squarely and said seriously.
Just as Lu Changsheng could not see through him,
he also could not see through Lu Changsheng’s situation.
Therefore, he wanted to witness the other party’s strength through a sparring match.
And take this opportunity to experience the divine abilities of a mid-stage Nascent Soul giant!
“Spar?”
Lu Changsheng’s heart stirred slightly.
He didn’t expect True Monarch Xuanjian’s request to be a spar with him.
He didn’t mind such things and had no fear.
However, he had not cultivated any Nascent Soul divine abilities or techniques.
Once they sparred, wouldn’t the other party see through his depth and realize he didn’t have the strength to suppress a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator?
If he relied on the [Sun and Moon Two Instruments Profound Light Mirror]… that wouldn’t be called sparring.
“Naturally, you can.”
After a moment of thought, Lu Changsheng nodded, deciding to spar with True Monarch Xuanjian using the [Nine Tribulations Sword].
With his unparalleled sword dao talent and the “Nine-leaf Sword Art” that came with the Nine Tribulations Sword, it would be enough to deter the other party.
“In that case, City Lord, please choose a time and place.”
Although True Monarch Xuanjian was eager to fight and felt that the two could go directly to the great void, the Nine Heavens Astral Wind Layer, to fight,
as a Nascent Soul True Monarch, basic etiquette still needed to be observed.
“How about three days from now?”
Lu Changsheng said with a smile, “The location will be deep within the Great Dream Marsh, or the Nine Heavens Astral Wind Layer.”
“Okay,” True Monarch Xuanjian saw Lu Changsheng readily agree and finalize the time and place, and also responded happily, a hint of anticipation in the depths of his eyes.
“Honglian, what do you think?”
After returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, Lu Changsheng asked Honglian, wanting to know her opinion and if she had seen through True Monarch Xuanjian’s true situation just now.
“This True Monarch Xuanjian is very unusual. As a top-tier sword cultivator, he has no sharp edge of a sword cultivator.”
“This is not only due to cultivating a technique that conceals aura and magic power, but also because he has cultivated the sword dao to the point of returning to simplicity.”
Honglian, dressed in a luxurious red gilded dress, with an elegant and peerless figure and a dignified and graceful demeanor, said.
“Based on this person’s growth trajectory and the talent and strength he has displayed, if it weren’t for the insufficient spiritual脉 and luck of Jiang Kingdom and the Heavenly Sword Sect, he might have already broken through to the mid-stage Nascent Soul.”
As a Nascent Soul True Monarch in her previous life, Honglian was well aware that the environment and luck limited the upper limit of a cultivator’s breakthrough.
In the Southern Wilderness Northern Region, there were not many Tier 4 mid-grade spiritual脉.
Therefore, the heavenly materials, earthly treasures, resources, and materials here were relatively scarce.
After a cultivator broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, approaching the limit of this area, it was extremely difficult to continue breaking through.
Although a cultivator breaking through from the early Nascent Soul to the mid-stage was not as demanding on spiritual脉 as breaking through from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, or from Core Formation to Nascent Soul,
not everyone could treat bottlenecks as nothing.
Having a high-level spiritual脉 dojo could make breakthroughs easier and increase the probability of breakthrough.
This was why many cultivators, after reaching a certain realm, would travel to a more vast world, the Southern Wilderness Central Region.
There, not only were there more opportunities, but the upper limit of breakthrough was higher, and breaking through realms was relatively easier.
And Jiang Kingdom, as a relatively remote area in the Southern Wilderness Northern Region, did not have a good environment.
Therefore, Honglian believed that True Monarch Xuanjian being able to grow to this point in Jiang Kingdom was already considered a dragon emerging from shallow waters.
But thinking that besides True Monarch Xuanjian, Jiang Kingdom also produced a True Monarch Qingluan, as well as her husband,
Honglian couldn’t help but speculate, could there be some secret opportunity in this land?
After all, after her death and awakening, she also inexplicably came here.
Was there a connection between this and the land of Jiang Kingdom?
“So, if husband proposes exchanging the territory of Liang Kingdom for Jiang Kingdom, this True Monarch Xuanjian will definitely be very happy.”
“Possessing the vast territory of Liang Kingdom, his Heavenly Sword Sect’s spiritual脉 and luck can both be improved.”
“This way, the probability of both him and True Monarch Juejian breaking through to the mid-stage Nascent Soul can be increased by a few points.”
Honglian’s red lips parted slightly, and she continued, analyzing the reason why True Monarch Xuanjian agreed to the alliance so readily.
Besides the two of them, the territory of Liang Kingdom could also allow the overall strength of the Heavenly Sword Sect to improve rapidly.
“However, according to rumors, this True Monarch Xuanjian is not only exceptionally skilled in sword dao, but also cultivates divination.”
“His visit this time and agreement to the alliance matter may not exclude the possibility that he has divined and calculated something.”
Honglian added, thinking that the other party might have divined a good omen and chose to form an alliance.
But it was also possible that he had divined a crisis and needed to use the alliance to resolve it.
“Mhm.”
Lu Changsheng nodded slightly, not paying attention to this aspect.
If the other party had divined a good omen, then it was also a good thing for him.
As for divining a bad omen and wanting to resolve it through alliance, borrowing his strength…
Could this crisis be greater than his current troubles?
As a Tier 4 diviner, Lu Changsheng was well aware that divination had limited ability to predict dangers of the same level.
After chatting with Honglian for a while and having a brief moment of intimacy, Lu Changsheng came to the backyard where the Nine-leaf Sword Grass was rooted.
He let the Nine-leaf Sword Grass transform into the Nine Tribulations Sword, then held this peerless divine weapon, quietly experiencing this power and the “Nine-leaf Sword Art.”
Although he had used the Nine Tribulations Sword before, he had not seriously familiarized himself with it.
What if during the spar, he didn’t hold back and injured True Monarch Xuanjian, that wouldn’t be good.
Moreover, Lu Changsheng had no intention of ending this spar quickly.
He wanted to have a good spar and exchange with this foremost sword master of Jiang Kingdom, thereby improving his own sword dao foundation.
His Chaos Body, fused with his son Lu Yunxiao’s [Innate Sword Embryo], possessed an extremely profound sword dao talent.
He had not yet excavated and released these talents.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these three days, Lu Changsheng had been comprehending the “Nine-leaf Sword Art.”
Although the moment he held the Nine Tribulations Sword, he instantly became proficient in this sword art without a teacher,
this was just a form, a means, at most grasping its shape and momentum.
He needed to experience, comprehend, and try to integrate it to grasp its essence and nature, and unleash its true power.
This was very difficult.
But for Lu Changsheng, who had unparalleled sword dao talent, it was not that difficult.
It was just that three days was too short.
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes with a lingering feeling, then took the Nine Tribulations Sword and walked out of the City Lord’s Mansion.