Chronicles of the Green Vine: A Mortal’s Path to Immortality

The Burning Flame Valley opens once every thirty years. He is almost thirty this year. If he waits for the next opening, his strength will definitely reach the peak of Qi Refining, but he will also miss the best opportunity for Foundation Establishment.

Although Qi Refining cultivators can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, they are only healthier than ordinary people and free from all diseases. But after the age of sixty, their Qi and blood will decline, and their physical bodies will gradually weaken, making Foundation Establishment even more difficult.

One of the rules for participating in the Burning Flame Valley is that the age must not exceed fifty. Considering that less than 30% of the rogue cultivators come out each time, Zhang Ling felt like a huge stone was pressing on his heart.

This is an opportunity, but also a selection.

Those who come to participate in the Nine Sects Tournament are all the best among rogue cultivators, just to join a sect and obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.

These people's strength is at least in the late stage of Qi Refining, and there is not a single cultivator below the late stage. Among them, some have even reached the peak of Qi Refining. They are all elites among rogue cultivators. The Nine Great Sects give them a chance to join, and also let them enter the Burning Flame Valley.

It is known that the Burning Flame Valley is dangerous, with not only demon beasts but also poisonous fire.

These are just the dangers on the surface, and there are also human factors involved. After all, the Nine Great Sects will also send some of their disciples into it.

It is said to be fair competition, but the overall strength of the sect disciples is higher than that of the rogue cultivators. Fairness is only relative.

Regardless of whether these people eventually die in the Burning Flame Valley or manage to come out by luck, the spiritual objects they obtain will still belong to the Nine Great Sects. Those who are lucky enough to come out will also join the Nine Great Sects, greatly weakening the strength of the rogue cultivators.

The cultivators waited for more than half an hour. The gate of the City Lord's Mansion opened, and five cultivators walked out. As soon as they came out, they attracted the attention of the cultivators. They all had the strength of the Foundation Establishment stage.

One of the white-robed old men swept around the crowd and said, "This old man's surname is Qian, and I am a Law Enforcement Elder of Falling Star City. The fact that you are here proves that you are all qualified cultivators. Junior Brother Wang, count the number of people."

"Senior Brother Qian, a total of four hundred and forty-two rogue cultivators have come."

"Good. As for the cultivators who have not arrived, their qualifications can only be cancelled."

"This token is the proof for you to enter and exit the Burning Flame Valley, and also a symbol of identity. This thing is very important. If you lose it, don't even think about joining the Nine Great Sects." Under the organization of several Foundation Establishment cultivators, Zhang Ling and other rogue cultivators received a red jade token.

"This thing is engraved with the terrain map of the Burning Flame Valley. When you arrive in the Burning Flame Valley, you can check it yourself."

"In addition, the jade token also has the function of guiding the direction. This is the only help that Falling Star City can give you. Whether you can finally come out of the Burning Flame Valley and join the Nine Great Sects, or even get the Foundation Establishment Pill, depends on your own good fortune."

Zhang Ling took the jade token and probed it with his divine sense, but was bounced back by the restrictions on it.

Except for the Nine Sects, basically no outsiders have entered the Burning Flame Valley, so there is no relevant terrain map in the outside world. Unexpectedly, this jade token has a record of it.

Afterwards, the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators did not speak. They stood with their hands behind their backs, as if waiting for something.

In the blink of an eye, the sky brightened, and the sun rose in the east. The Foundation Establishment stage cultivators who were standing still opened their eyes at the same time.

"Greetings, City Lord!"

Zhang Ling and the other cultivators heard their voices and looked around blankly. After a while, they also discovered a figure standing in the air above the City Lord's Mansion.

This person's hair and beard were all white, but his face was ruddy. He looked like he was in his sixties or seventies, and his eyes sharply swept across the crowd. His gaze swept over everyone.

Zhang Ling immediately felt a tightness all over his body, as if he had been seen through, which made him feel terrified.

This is walking in the air, a Golden Core cultivator.

The City Lord of Falling Star City is rotated once every hundred years, and only Golden Core stage experts can serve. The candidates are only selected from the Nine Great Sects.

Outsiders have no chance. It is said that this term's City Lord is an Elder Lin from White Crane Mountain. This person has been serving as City Lord for more than seventy years.

"Greetings, City Lord."

The cultivators hurriedly bowed and saluted.

"Good," the old man said without joy or sorrow. "It's getting late, let's set off."

"Yes."

The Foundation Establishment stage cultivators quickly responded. The City Lord flicked his sleeves, and five white lights flew out from them.

The white light suddenly enlarged in the air, turning into five huge white cranes. The white cranes were not living creatures, but paper cranes. Each one was fifty to sixty feet in size, lifelike, and could accommodate a hundred cultivators.

"Big Brother Zhang, this is the White Crane Paper Kite of White Crane Mountain. It is said to be a flying magic tool refined by combining talisman techniques and formations. Yan'er has seen it before, but this is the first time I've seen one this big."

"Oh."

Under the leadership of the five Foundation Establishment cultivators, everyone stood on the paper cranes. With a soft cry, the Golden Core stage old man released a white crane about ten feet in size and sat on it.

"Let's go!"

A group of more than four hundred people flew into the air and headed towards the Falling Star Mountains.

Looking at the gradually shrinking Falling Star City, Zhang Ling sighed. This is much faster than flying with his own magic tool. He wondered what rank the huge paper crane under his feet was.

The scenery in front of him quickly receded, making people feel dazed. After watching for a while, Zhang Ling closed his eyes and rested.

……

The Falling Star Mountains are vast, stretching for tens of thousands of miles. Dense forests of towering trees can be seen everywhere, and the terrain is intricate and complex.

Even when cultivators hunt demon beasts, they only stay on the periphery, and few people enter the depths. If they go too deep, they may still get lost.

It is said that there are also second and third-order demon beasts with Foundation Establishment strength lurking in the depths, which low-level cultivators cannot deal with. This time, they are led by a Golden Core expert, so these dangers basically do not exist.

More than three hours later, the group arrived at their destination. It was afternoon, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the earth, making it appear desolate.

Is this the Burning Flame Valley?

Looking at the huge sinkhole below and the gray earth, the faces of the cultivators changed. This place really didn't look like a place with abundant spiritual energy.

The group landed on the edge of the sinkhole.

Upon closer inspection, there were already many figures below. These people were divided into nine teams, clearly separated from each other. It seemed that these were the cultivators of the Nine Great Sects.

Under the guidance of the five Foundation Establishment cultivators, Zhang Ling and the others rested in an empty space.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Lin, you are still leading the team this time."

A middle-aged man in green clothes rose into the air and instantly arrived in the sky, cupping his hands towards the City Lord of Falling Star City.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you're not late either," the City Lord said, still sitting on the white crane, without any intention of getting up.

"Hehe, every time the Burning Flame Valley opens, it's like this, troubling us old bones. Last time it was Brother Wang from昊元宗, and this time it's this poor Daoist's turn."

The two of them chatted in front of everyone as if no one else was there, and they seemed to be acquaintances.