A Will Eternal

Dawn was approaching, and even as Bai Xiaochun crept along cautiously, thinking about possibly leaving Middle Peak, a blood-colored butterfly appeared right in front of him.

His eyelids twitched, and without any hesitation, he leapt off in another direction. Booms rang out, along with numerous cold snorts.

“You think you can flee Middle Peak!? Impossible!”

“Nightcrypt, Young Lady Xuemei ordered you dead! Since she’s going to take responsibility, there’s no way you’ll escape!”

The Foundation Establishment cultivators’ killing intent surged, and the light of magical items rose into the sky as everyone attacked Bai Xiaochun.

Seeing that he was surrounded and incapable of fleeing, Bai Xiaochun gritted his teeth; by now his eyes were completely bloodshot.

“You people push things too far!” he said, letting out a powerful roar. At the same time, the Mountain Shaking Bash appeared in his mind, a divine ability that could be unleashed after reaching the first level of the Undying Heavenly King. Before, he hadn’t been able to use it, but considering his recent accomplishments, he decided he might as well utilize it.

“I can’t use techniques from the Spirit Stream Sect. But since these people are trying to kill me, I can try to kill them! Unfortunately, I’m all alone, which puts me at a pretty big disadvantage….” Despite how he was roaring at the top of his lungs, he was actually thinking of how to escape. Suddenly, his flesh and blood quivered, and he unleashed explosive power.

That explosion was a convergence of all the power he had at his disposal, transformed into a bashing attack that could crush anything in its path.

Blood-colored light emanated from Bai Xiaochun, and rumbling sounds could be heard as he barrelled forward. He vanished into a blur, and then, one of the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had just been about to launch a divine ability let out a miserable shriek. Bai Xiaochun bashed into him, along with three other nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators. It almost looked as if the group of four was one person.

Bai Xiaochun’s bashing attack caused them all to cough up mouthfuls of blood. They tumbled backward through the air, looks of shock and fear appearing on their faces. They landed 300 meters away, where they coughed up more blood and forcibly shook off the power of the attack that had just hit them.

Everyone else in the area gasped at the way Bai Xiaochun had opened a path for himself. In the blink of an eye, he was off of Middle Peak, much to the shock of everyone present.

“I can’t believe this Nightcrypt is so strong!!”

“Is he really in early Foundation Establishment?”

“He just bashed Elder Brother Zhou, and he’s in mid Foundation Establishment!”

“Who would have thought we would offend someone like that? Well, we can’t let him escape. Young Lady Xuemei said that he must die!”

Everyone exchanged glances, and then Master God-Diviner gritted his teeth and gave chase. A moment later, the rest of the dozens of cultivators joined him.

A whole line of people raced after Bai Xiaochun as he sped through the Blood Stream Sect. When he looked back and saw them, he got even angrier than before, and finally gritted his teeth.

“I’ll go to Corpse Peak! The grand elder there likes me, and according to sect rules, the people from Middle Peak don’t have any authority on another mountain peak!” Eyes flashing with determination, he turned his head and then pointed at the Middle Peak Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“If you people think you’re tough, you’d better keep chasing your Lord Nightcrypt! Anybody that doesn’t chase me is a wuss!” His words caused the killing intent in their eyes to grow even more focused, and they chased him with greater speed than before.

However, none of them were a match for Bai Xiaochun’s speed as he headed toward Corpse Peak.

As soon as he arrived, he waved his hand and produced a jade pendant, which emanated fluctuations that let him pass right through the protective spell formation and onto Corpse Peak itself. The people from Middle Peak didn’t have such qualifications, and were prevented from entering.

“Nightcrypt!!” Gritting their teeth, they could only glare in rage at Bai Xiaochun.

Bai Xiaochun stopped in place, stuck his chin up and then looked at the group standing outside of Corpse Peak.

“Come on! I’m standing right here waiting for you. Bring it on! Let’s fight to the death!” His wording was very domineering and arrogant, causing the Foundation Establishment cultivators’ killing intent to intensify. However, there was nothing they could do. Unless they had a special command medallion, they couldn’t enter Corpse Peak without requesting special permission.

“Ai. Well if you don’t dare to fight me to the death, I guess there’s nothing left to do.” Shaking his head, he flicked his sleeve, ignoring them as he headed up Corpse Peak.

Of course, the higher ranking leaders of the Blood Stream Sect saw what was happening, but didn’t interfere. In fact, some of the prime elders on Ancestor Peak found the whole thing very amusing.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a good commotion in the sect. That bashing attack looks similar to the things they do on Lesser Marsh Peak.”

“That kid Nightcrypt is pretty amusing. I can’t believe he got so many people to chase him!”

“Not bad, not bad. I’m a bit surprised he fled to Corpse Peak. If the kid stays alive, he might become another Chosen in the Blood Stream Sect.”

Bai Xiaochun sped along on Corpse Peak. Whenever he encountered local Dharma protectors, he would show them his jade pendant. After looking at it for a moment, they would ignore him.

Eventually, he reached the upper finger, passing quite a few corpse refineries on the way. Overall, Corpse Peak was filled with quite a sinister air.

Thankfully, he had his jade pendant, otherwise it would have been a very dangerous situation. Soon he was standing outside of the immortal’s cave belonging to Corpse Peak’s grand elder.

“Nightcrypt seeks an audience with the grand elder of Corpse Peak,” he said loudly, clasping hands and bowing. A moment later, the door opened and two attendants appeared.

After seeing it was Bai Xiaochun, they motioned for him to follow.

It only took a moment for Bai Xiaochun to identify the two young servants as refined corpses. Heart pounding with nervousness, he took a deep breath and momentarily considered fleeing. But then, he put a respectful expression onto his face and entered the immortal’s cave. Before long, he was standing in front of the cross-legged grand elder.

He looked at Bai Xiaochun, smiling, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. He had also been watching the case play out earlier.

“What do you think? Corpse Peak is far superior, don’t you think? Didn’t I say before that you should pick us? We have everything you could need. Besides, Middle Peak is completely out of control.”

Standing behind the grand elder was a pretty young woman with an expressionless face, who was currently massaging his shoulders. Bai Xiaochun instantly identified her as another refined corpse, and a high-level one at that.

Strangely, Bai Xiaochun couldn’t see a single hair on her head, making him wonder if perhaps she had hair growing elsewhere. Although he was curious to know the truth, he didn’t dare to ask any questions.

“Those people are outrageous,” he said in response to the grand elder’s words. “I was just working on one of my techniques, and they wanted to stop me. They even tried to kill me! If I hadn’t run fast enough, I might have lost my poor little life!”

The grand elder laughed heartily. “That’s just how we do things in the Blood Stream Sect. They wouldn’t really have killed you, just severely injured you. Although, I have to say, it’s not very often you see someone in the Blood Stream Sect get so many people to chase them.

“You little brat! A single glance is all I need to see what a little devil you are. Well, in any case, just stay here on Corpse Peak. There’s no need to even go back to Middle Peak.” The more the grand elder saw of Bai Xiaochun, the more he liked him.

Bai Xiaochun was very moved by how well the grand elder of Corpse Peak treated him. He didn’t even need to ask for what he wanted: the grand elder took the initiative to give it to him! Taking a deep breath, he quickly nodded.

After a moment of thought, the grand elder looked at Bai Xiaochun and in a very serious tone said, “By the way, those Foundation Establishment Dharma protectors don’t matter. But you can’t provoke Xuemei. She has a powerful background. Just stay out of her way and do not aggravate her under any circumstances.”

Bai Xiaochun was a bit irritated about that. If he didn’t have to keep a low profile and conceal his true identity, he would point out that he was a Prestige disciple of the Spirit Stream Sect, the legacy echelon-designate, and a Heaven-Dao Foundation Establishment expert. Any one of those would be enough to shock the wench Xuemei so badly her mask would fall off.

“Hmph. She has a powerful background?” he grumbled inwardly. “My background is terrifying even to me!” With that he stood up a bit straighter, making himself look even more haughty than before.

The grand elder could see that Bai Xiaochun was a bit irritated. Chuckling, he went on to explain to Bai Xiaochun about some of the medicinal incense that was used in corpse refining. It was only when night fell that he let him go and told him to go do some research of his own, after which one of the attendants took him to an immortal’s cave on the lower finger. Bai Xiaochun was very moved. Life on Corpse Peak was already much better than Middle Peak.

Two months went by, and Bai Xiaochun never left Corpse Peak. He continued to practice his cultivation and absorb blood qi.

As he became more and more familiar with the practice of converging blood qi, he built up more and more Undying Sword Qi. Now, when the blood qi spread outside of him, it would form the outline of a large sword, and quite rapidly at that.

Of course, the amount of blood qi he required only grew. By this point, though, he didn’t need to go out and about to get what he needed. He could simply remain in his immortal’s cave and draw the blood qi toward him.

Eventually, the Foundation Establishment Dharma protectors on the lower finger frowned as they realized what was happening. Although there was no sudden reduction, the gradual reduction of blood qi in the area reduced their cultivation speed.

Soon, their patience began to grow thin, and their killing intent began to increase. Such feelings spread until even Bai Xiaochun became aware of it. Whenever he went out, his heart would pound because of the malevolent glares leveled at him. He suddenly had the feeling that if he did even the slightest thing wrong, their killing intent would explode in the form of action.

“These people are terrifying! Even saying a wrong word will cause them all to attack. They have no patience at all….

“I should probably just leave….” He spent two more nervous months on Corpse Peak before coming to the conclusion that matters on Middle Peak had most likely calmed down. One night when no one was paying attention, he slipped away from Corpse Peak and headed back to his immortal’s cave on Middle Peak.

There, he carefully began to practice cultivation. He was careful not to absorb too much blood qi, which caused his progress to slow. However, considering that he was on the verge of a major breakthrough with the blood sword, he could deal with the slight reduction in speed.

Another half month passed. One day, Bai Xiaochun was sitting there with eyes closed as he cultivated the blood sword, when all of a sudden, he make a breakthrough with the Blood Annihilation World!

His eyes snapped open, and he took a deep breath. Eyes shining brightly, his hands flashed in a double-handed incantation gesture, and he waved his finger out in front of him!

“Blood Annihilation World!” As his voice echoed out, the blood qi around him seethed. Blood qi also erupted out from inside of him, transforming into a blood mist that filled the immortal’s cave.

As it swirled, Bai Xiaochun’s double handed incantation transformed, and a piercing wind swept through the room, accompanied by cracking sounds.

Soon, the mist began to converge together, transforming into the tip of a sword. Blood qi swirled from the tip down, quickly forming the blade, and then the hilt!

In the end, it was a complete, blood-colored sword!

It was bright red, and seemed strong enough to cut anything in its path. It radiated an ancient pressure that shook the soul; anyone who looked at it would feel like they were wading in a sea of blood. From what Bai Xiaochun could tell, its power exceeded that of early Foundation Establishment.

In fact, he was sure that if he fueled it with Heaven-Dao power, even mid Foundation Establishments cultivators would be shocked at the sight.

“It worked!” he said, laughing out loud. The sight of the enormous blood sword filled him with excitement, and convinced him that his months of hard work were worth it.

“I, Bai Xiaochun–” He instantly closed his mouth. Slowly turning his head, his eyes went wide as he looked at something in the corner of the immortal’s cave.

Then, he began to sweat.

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Greetings, Fellow Daoists. This chapter is coming out a few hours earlier than usual, the reason being that the Deathblade Clan is heading to South China for a mini-vacation. I’m taking my laptop with me, so there will be no interruption in the chapter flow, although the timing of the releases might differ from usual.

Don’t forget about the Bai Xiaochun comic strip contest. Check out the rules here and check out the current entries here. There are a couple entries in already, one of them being very appropriate for this chapter!