Chapter 129: Seal

"Open the system shop, Dharma treasures."

Li Changsheng mused, his thoughts stirring.

A flash of light swept across the attribute panel in his mind, and instantly, hundreds of phantoms of Dharma treasures were neatly arranged on a new interface. Below each treasure, its price in Destiny Points was displayed. Even the cheapest one required two hundred thousand Destiny Points.

"This sword is quite remarkable."

Li Changsheng gazed at a long sword on the interface, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he murmured to himself.

Looking closely, the blade appeared as if forged from crystalline ice! On one side was carved a celestial palace and holy temple, locked in eternal frost, with a sacrificial altar of rime and snow. On the other side was the image of an infinitely blurred world of freezing frost! It was as if the wind, rain, grass, trees, mountains, earth, and even the very sky within that realm were all manifestations of frigid chill!

The two sides of the blade were carved almost to the point of being hollowed out, yet they did not interfere with one another, appearing utterly miraculous! Though the sword looked ethereal, the chill radiating from within seemed capable of sealing all things in the world—even everything between heaven and earth!

"Seal..."

Gazing at the archaic characters carved into the sword's hilt, Li Changsheng whispered, a sense of understanding dawning within him. That must be the name of the blade.

Three hundred and thirty thousand?

When he saw the Destiny Point cost marked beneath the sword, Li Changsheng felt a moment of astonishment. After a brief pause, his eyes gradually turned contemplative. He was still nearly one hundred and sixty thousand points short of exchanging for this blade. It seemed it would be difficult to obtain in the short term.

As he thought of this, Li Changsheng’s expression froze, a flash of eccentricity appearing deep in his eyes. With a wave of his hand, the aura of the River of the Underworld surged behind him, and an incredibly faint, illusory thread of causality suddenly manifested! One end of this thread led straight to a region within the Xianlin Sect, while the other connected to the illusory River of the Underworld behind him!

Almost the moment the thread appeared, a droplet of water flew out from the illusory river. As it rapidly expanded before Li Changsheng, the figure of a handsome youth in white robes gradually emerged within it.

This person was none other than Chu Tian!

Isn't this a ready-made source of Destiny Points?

Watching the slightly sullen-faced Chu Tian, Li Changsheng chuckled to himself, his eyes gradually brightening.

"Master."

At that moment, the void in the great hall suddenly trembled. A woman with a voluptuous figure and exquisite beauty, as if born with an enchanting bone, appeared in the hall. She knelt on one knee before Li Changsheng, her eyes filled with devotion.

"Xianlin has been settled, yet there are still variables," Li Changsheng said calmly, waving his hand to disperse the previous vision.

"This servant does not understand; I ask Master to enlighten me," Liu Ruyan replied, a thoughtful look flashing in her beautiful eyes. After a slight pause, she bowed her head respectfully.

"During the cataclysm that destroyed the ancient gods and demons, a Pill Demon escaped via reincarnation. After much wandering, he fled to the land of Xianlin."

"This demon is cunning by nature, and his fate has not yet run its course."

"That is precisely why I am here."

Li Changsheng sipped his tea calmly, his expression serene. Zhao Wan'er stood quietly by his side, serving him respectfully, while Sword Elder remained on one side of the hall, saying nothing.

"This servant is willing to share Master's burdens!" Liu Ruyan declared with determination. As a sect elder, she naturally knew something of evil demonic cultivators. Those who practiced the demonic arts were wicked at heart, stopping at nothing for the sake of their cultivation—some even refining Dharma treasures using the lives of mortals. It was utterly inhumane!

My master is the only true deity left in this world! A deity senses the lives of all beings; with a single thought, he directs the killing intent of the world! To the masses, he is like a faith! Moreover, sharing the burden for my master is the duty of a subordinate!

Not bad, not bad...

Sensing the shift in Liu Ruyan's emotions, Li Changsheng smiled inwardly, full of praise.

"His fate is not yet exhausted; it must be diminished to a certain degree." He paused, taking another sip of his tea. "Do not act too overtly. Spread the word: in one month, the Xianlin Sect will hold a Pill Dao Competition. That cave dwelling in the south is quite nice; I want it."

After giving these calm instructions, Li Changsheng rose slowly, a faint, profound power permeating his body. "If there are other matters, call my name, and I shall know."

With those words, Li Changsheng took a step forward, and his figure vanished instantly! Zhao Wan'er and Sword Elder followed suit.

"I obey Master's command," Liu Ruyan said, bowing deeply with reverence.

It was only long after Li Changsheng had departed that she slowly rose and walked toward the head seat of the hall, settling into it.

"Sect Master."

The void in the hall trembled again. The figures of Jian Lin and Bing Yun appeared, bowing respectfully to Liu Ruyan.

"Notify the entire sect: in one month, there will be a Pill Dao Competition. All disciples may participate. Depending on the ranking, different statuses will be bestowed. The winner shall be granted three opportunities to meditate in the place where the Cold Lotus Pill Fire is kept." Liu Ruyan’s eyes were profound, her voice calm.

Even though she was born with an alluring nature that was difficult to conceal, Jian Lin and Bing Yun did not dare to look her in the eye! Times had changed; Liu Ruyan was no longer on the same level as them.

"We obey the Sect Master's order." The two did not dare to delay, bowing deeply with clasped hands. Once they finished speaking, they took a step and vanished in an instant.

Before long, a man's voice echoed throughout the entire Xianlin Sect: "In one month, the full-sect Pill Dao Competition. The winner shall be granted three opportunities to meditate on the Cold Lotus Pill Fire..."

...

Meanwhile, in the south of the Xianlin Sect, in a place of pleasant scenery with pavilions, the spiritual energy was rich and vibrant. The pavilions stood against the mountains, with a lake to the side where fish and shrimp swam. As a breeze blew, the willow trees swayed.

At this moment, Li Changsheng, dressed in black and gold embroidered robes, sat quietly at a stone table, observing the landscape. By his side, Sword Elder stood guard, and Zhao Wan'er served him, pouring tea.

"Sword Elder, take the Dao-Extinguishing Stele and bring that Pill Ghost from the Xiao family here. By tonight at the latest." Li Changsheng said suddenly, his tone indifferent. He waved his hand, sending a gray light flying toward Sword Elder. Within the gray light was the Dao-Extinguishing Stele, shrunk to several times its size!

"Yes." Sword Elder did not dare to delay, bowing respectfully. He took the stele, turned, and stepped away to carry out the order.

Li Changsheng said nothing more. As he scanned the peaceful scene, his heart gradually quieted. Truth be told, though his talent was terrifying, he had rarely delved into the Pill Dao. To obtain more Destiny Points, he needed to suppress Chu Tian in the areas where he excelled. As for learning the Pill Dao himself? It would be rather undignified and might even prove counterproductive. It was far better to simply snatch someone and turn them into a servant of the Underworld. Besides, this was the proper style for a mastermind behind the scenes...

"This cauldron is quite strange."

As he mused, Li Changsheng remembered the black pill cauldron that had flown toward him when he first entered the Xianlin Sect. He took it out and flicked it with his finger.

*Hum...*

A faint vibration sounded from the cauldron, shaking off the dust. At the same time, a dim light began to emanate from it. Looking closely, one side of the black cauldron was carved with mountains, rivers, birds, and beasts. The other side was carved with endless withered bones, resembling an inferno.

As a strange pill fragrance filled the air, Li Changsheng was momentarily startled. As the River of the Underworld appeared faintly behind him, he felt a sudden intuition. With a flick of his hand, he threw the cauldron into the illusory river.

*Bang...*

A muffled sound echoed, and the black cauldron shuddered. Its intricate carvings were visibly being ground away, as if returning to its original, simple state! In the blink of an eye, the carvings had completely vanished! It had transformed into a bizarre, four-legged small cauldron.

The cauldron was pitch-black, as if it were an abyss, faintly exuding a power that could make one sink into despair. Strange purple light flickered on its surface, appearing like veins coiling around the small cauldron!

*Ding! Plundered the previous life's treasure of the Child of Destiny. Chu Tian's Destiny Value reduced by 2000. Host rewarded with additional Destiny Points.*

??

Can it be played like this??

The system's voice rang out, and Li Changsheng was stunned. This cauldron didn't go looking for its past owner, but came straight to him instead??

However, thinking of his million-plus Destiny Points, Li Changsheng gradually relaxed. Fate was, by nature, the most unpredictable thing in the void. The system merely detected fate to a certain degree and converted it into a value. If there truly were someone in this world who could fully comprehend fate, Li Changsheng could hardly imagine what kind of existence that would be.

Of course, that was not something he could explore at the moment. But at the very least, in the entire Qingling Realm, a million points of fate meant he was invincible! It was enough to easily crush all hostility.

Thinking of this, Li Changsheng couldn't help but feel a touch of melancholy, lamenting in his heart. When it comes to fate, it's hard to keep a low profile even if you want to...

Time passed quickly, and soon night fell. Pale moonlight spilled over the earth, and a chill began to permeate the Xianlin Sect.

At this moment, in a quiet pavilion in the south of the sect, three figures stood still. Beside them was a gaunt, sullen-faced old man, bound hand and foot.

"Young Master, this old slave has not failed his mission. I have brought the Xiao family's Pill Ghost." Sword Elder knelt on one knee, presenting the gray light with both hands.

"Well done." Li Changsheng’s expression remained calm. He waved his hand to collect the gray light and fixed his gaze on the gaunt old man.

"Open the attribute panel and inspect the person before me," Li Changsheng silently commanded.

2000?

This old man is not simple... Li Changsheng mused, though his expression remained perfectly neutral. "Lift his restrictions."

"Yes." Sword Elder did not hesitate, bowing respectfully. He waved his hand, forming a seal, and pointed at the old man!

*Crack... crack...*

A faint sound of snapping echoed, and the old man's sullen expression gradually faded. As he slowly stood up, his aura began to climb!

Law-Conveying... Void-God... Immortal Realm...

"Boy of the Li family, you..." The old man's eyes were deep and unkind, and he had just started to speak when a strong sense of life-and-death crisis suddenly welled up in his heart, and his expression changed drastically!

*Boom!*

With a thunderous explosion, Xiao Tianding felt a massive force descend, and he was suddenly pressed into the ground! No matter how he struggled, he could not break free!

"My Young Master is of noble status," Sword Elder said, a murderous glint in his eyes as his aged voice echoed coldly. "If you want to speak, you must kneel."

To Sword Elder, the experiences he and the others had shared with the Young Master had already proven his extraordinariness. He had transitioned from a guardian to a blade in the Young Master's hand! Anyone who showed the slightest hostility toward the Master was unforgivable! If it were a few years ago, he might have worried that kidnapping the Xiao family's ancestor would incite the dissatisfaction of other great families and bring trouble to the Li family. But after the total destruction of the Wang family, Sword Elder understood that Li Changsheng’s stature was already beyond his comprehension. He only needed to be loyal and dutiful. Since this man dared to offend the Young Master, Sword Elder would not permit it!

"Li Changsheng! Do you think your Li family is already invincible in the Qingling Realm?!" Xiao Tianding’s eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, his expression nearly manic. "My Xiao family is the number one in the Pill Dao in the entire Qingling! Every sixty years, we provide countless pills to the major families! You dare to kidnap me???"

Under the pressure of Sword Elder, Xiao Tianding was enraged. For hundreds of years, he had stood aloof from the internal strife of the Qingling families, worshipped under the name of "Pill Ghost"! To be kidnapped like this was a humiliation he could not endure! Moreover, he was certain that this man would never dare to do anything to him, otherwise, the Li family would surely face the combined wrath of all the major families!

Li Changsheng remained indifferent, showing no emotion. To him, the man before him was merely of some slight use. Even if he couldn't use this man to defeat Chu Tian in the Pill Dao, he had many other ways to achieve his goal. This man's behavior was indeed quite arrogant...

"Noisy!"

Zhao Wan'er had served him since childhood and knew that Li Changsheng was already displeased. Her face darkened, and she moved instantly. A cold glint flashed in her beautiful eyes, and as her slender hand turned, the Demonic Blade Annihilation appeared! She struck directly toward Xiao Tianding's forehead!

*Thud!*

"You... you you you!!!"

Sensing Zhao Wan'er's offensive action, Xiao Tianding felt as if he had suffered endless humiliation. The bloodshot veins in his eyes intensified, and he looked heart-broken! His body trembled with indignation.

"How dare a dog like you speak the Young Master's name!" Zhao Wan'er said coldly, the chill in her eyes deepening. The endless power of death and silence on the fine blade Annihilation permeated the air, instantly enveloping Xiao Tianding!!

"What is this!"

Sensing the heart-stopping power emanating from the purple-black blade, Xiao Tianding felt a turbulent storm rise in his heart! Extreme horror appeared in his eyes as a strong life-and-death crisis surged! In his perception, this blade contained endless terror! It was not something a cultivator could possess; no, it was not something a human could control!!

Humans still have humanity, but within that endless silent aura, there was an infinite sense of violence!

That was... a demon! Only those with natural demonic nature could control such violent power! The aura of death and silence was like the despair that demonic nature brought to the world! It made it impossible for anyone to rise up and resist! Aside from fear, there was only more fear!

"Come see me."

Li Changsheng’s expression was calm, as if he had no interest in the events before him. As the River of the Underworld emerged faintly around him, an illusory thread of causality leading directly to the main peak's great hall appeared! As he silently commanded, the light on the illusory thread flashed and gradually faded away.