Xuantian Immortal Cultivation Record

That smile was like plum blossoms blooming in the snow, the sunset reflecting on a clear pond, eclipsing all other colors in the world.

A gleam flashed in Zhang Yuanjing's eyes, and he laughed, "Since that's the case, then I will guard the formation for my junior sister!"

Yu Hanyan lowered her head, took small, graceful steps, and slowly walked towards the giant rock. The closer she got, the more violent the sword energy shooting out from the giant rock became.

This stunningly beautiful woman had a slender figure, with delicate shoulders and a waist so slender it could be encircled with a single hand, like a soft ribbon swaying in the turbulent waves of rampant sword energy. However, her steps were firm and steady. No matter how the sword energy assailed her, she steadily moved forward without the slightest hesitation.

It seemed that she had made thorough preparations during her previous meditation.

She spent about fifteen minutes traversing the distance of a hundred or so yards, finally reaching the base of the giant rock. She looked back at Zhang Yuanjing, gave a light, radiant smile, and then resolutely reached out a hand to touch the giant rock.

In an instant, her figure seemed to become ethereal, losing its sense of reality and leaving only a faint shadow, as if disappearing from the current space.

Zhang Yuanjing subconsciously took two steps forward, but was struck by sword energy that had suddenly become ten times stronger, yet he felt no pain.

But this finally awakened him. This sudden change meant that only one person could approach the giant rock at a time. If anyone else tried to step forward, it would surely attract a fierce assault of sword energy until they were obliterated.

He gave a self-deprecating smile, stopped his steps, and stared intently at the increasingly frail-looking shadow, allowing the sword energy to strike and tear at his robes, causing them to flutter in the wind.

One hour passed, two hours passed... half a day passed, and the figure remained elusive and indistinct.

"Master, someone is coming from the back of the canyon," Zhang San's voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

"Who?" Zhang Yuanjing's eyes suddenly sharpened.

"Well, Master has seen them before, and even fought them. It's the six from Burning Sun Mountain," Zhang San said.

"Are there any others? Are there any Nascent Soul cultivators?" Zhang Yuanjing asked.

"No."

Zhang Yuanjing turned around, walked a hundred or so yards up the canyon, stopped at the point where the canyon suddenly widened, and stood still.

A quarter of an hour later, several figures appeared in sight, having already identified each other through their spiritual senses.

Walking in the forefront was Zhou Tianbao, a dark and skinny old man, no more than five feet tall, with a pair of small eyes half-open and half-closed, flashing with a captivating light.

Zhang Yuanjing had already met the young man surnamed Kuai, the fat cultivator, and the sturdy man. The other two were a middle-aged scholar with handsome features and a profound aura, whose cultivation was in the late stage of Core Formation, presumably the one Zhou Tianbao called "Senior Brother Yue." The other was a rather young cultivator with a long face and small eyes, with a scar on his left cheek, making him look somewhat sinister. His cultivation was the lowest, in the middle stage of Core Formation.

Zhou Tianbao had obviously learned from the young man surnamed Kuai, the fat cultivator, and the sturdy man about their fight with Zhang Yuanjing, so he was not as arrogant and domineering as usual when facing Zhang Yuanjing.

He took two steps forward, cupped his fist at Zhang Yuanjing, and said, "Greetings, fellow Daoist. Last time, my junior brothers encountered you and spoke of your impressive demeanor. I greatly admired you, but regretted not being able to meet you. I didn't expect you to have such a strong connection with our Burning Sun Mountain, that we would meet again here. May I ask for your name and which sect you are from?"

Zhang Yuanjing casually returned the greeting, saying, "This poor Daoist's surname is Yuan, just an insignificant nobody, my name is not worth mentioning."

The young man surnamed Kuai stared at Zhang Yuanjing with a very cold gaze, but did not speak.

The middle-aged scholar leaned close to Zhou Tianbao and whispered, "Junior Brother Zhou, someone is undergoing a trial beneath the rock."

A fierce glint flashed in Zhou Tianbao's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "So Fellow Daoist Yuan is also here to seek opportunities. May I ask if the fellow Daoist undergoing the trial is with Fellow Daoist Yuan?"

Zhang Yuanjing replied indifferently, "Indeed."

Zhou Tianbao chuckled, "Since that's the case, then let's wait a moment. After Fellow Daoist Yuan's companion finishes the trial, we will go over."

As soon as he said this, the others beside him all looked at him in surprise. The middle-aged scholar even transmitted his voice to him, seemingly trying to persuade him. Zhou Tianbao simply shook his head in disagreement.

Zhang Yuanjing did not want to start a conflict with these people, needlessly offending a great enemy, so he simply stood there, not making a move.

Zhou Tianbao asked with a smile, "May I ask how long Fellow Daoist Yuan's companion has been undergoing the trial?"

Zhang Yuanjing said vaguely, "Not long."

Zhou Tianbao was not offended and continued, "Zhou has heard that there are many who have come here recently to seek opportunities, but generally, success or failure is known in about half an hour. Those who fail will naturally gain nothing, while those who succeed will obtain a wisp of sword energy, and must use this sword energy to complete a task before they can continue the trial. If your sect's fellow Daoist continues for too long, there may be a danger to their life!"

Zhang Yuanjing frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that? Why would it be more dangerous the longer it takes?"

Zhou Tianbao said meaningfully, "Beneath that giant rock, the sword energy is like ten thousand arrows shooting at once, which is much more exhausting than standing here. The longer the time, the more dangerous it is if one cannot escape, isn't it?"

Zhang Yuanjing intuitively felt that this statement was not entirely truthful, and knew that this person would never actively help him, so he should not trust his words. However, he was ultimately somewhat concerned and confused, and could not help but worry about Yu Hanyan's safety, so he was constantly distracted by the faint, illusory figure behind him.

Zhou Tianbao observed for a moment and suddenly transmitted his voice to the others beside him. Zhang Yuanjing was somewhat absent-minded, so he did not notice.

Half an hour later, the giant rock suddenly shook, as if a powerful sword energy was generated, repeatedly striking and slashing within the illusory figure.

Zhang Yuanjing's eyes were wide with fury. Just as he was about to turn back to rescue Yu Hanyan, he heard Zhou Tianbao give a soft humph, and the six people on the opposite side simultaneously summoned their magical treasures, aiming them at him.

The valley was narrow, only three or four yards wide. The six from Burning Sun Mountain could not stand side by side at all. Zhou Tianbao was in the front, followed by the middle-aged scholar and the sturdy man, then the fat cultivator and the young man surnamed Kuai, and finally the long-faced cultivator in the middle stage of Core Formation.

Each person only used one magical treasure. More would restrain each other, which would be detrimental to their cooperation.

Zhou Tianbao used a black judge's pen, with a cold aura, its characteristics unknown. The middle-aged scholar's magical treasure was a blue-black flying sword, a wood-attribute magical treasure. The sturdy man used a silver short sword, which was very light and strange. The fat cultivator still used that great hammer, with a fierce offensive. The young man surnamed Kuai only used a crimson-gold flying sword, but its aura was even more condensed and sharp. Finally, the long-faced cultivator controlled a dark, lusterless chain, moving in the sky above Zhang Yuanjing, not falling down.

This was probably the most numerous and strongest group of opponents Zhang Yuanjing had faced at the same realm. Moreover, because of his distraction, he did not have time to summon the Geng Metal Essence Jade Slip and the Dingzhen Plate, and even the Thick Earth Art Sword for auxiliary spellcasting could not be taken out. He could only rely on the help of the Origin Stone to condense two not-too-thick walls of yellow earth above and in front of him, blocking the immediate attacks.

However, the opponents did not only come to attack him. He then heard Zhou Tianbao give an order. Including him, the three in the front continued to urge their magical treasures to attack fiercely, while the young man surnamed Kuai, the fat cultivator, and the long-faced cultivator swiftly swept over from above, heading behind Zhang Yuanjing.

In just one exchange, Zhang Yuanjing was surrounded.