A Thought Through Eternity - Chapter 98

This Heaven’s Chosen War was of great benefit to Zhang Fatso One… Everyone looked at him with curiosity in their eyes. In particular, even the Sect Head was astounded.

“Willpower!” He had an imposing expression on his face. With solemn eyes, the words he spoke shocked the surrounding Elders and Ancestors with him. After taking a closer look, their eyes lit up as well.

If Xu Meixiang hadn’t taken Lu Tianlei back to heal his wounds, she would have been just as shocked as those present.

“That kid Zhang Fatso… the one Junior Sister Meixiang brought up the mountain when he was so little is finally producing great results. To spiritually refine by relying on his willpower, the stronger his willpower, the stronger the spirit refinement will be. We should place emphasis on nurturing that child from now on!” The Sect Head said slowly but happily.

“Now that I think about it, that little girl Qingrou isn’t bad either. Although not as impressive as Shangguan Tianyou, luck is on her side. There’s a special thread of fate connecting her to the Mountain Guardian Sword of our Green Peak Mountain. At the moment, she’s in the Green Peak Cave, preparing herself. Should anything come out of it, our Green Peak Mountain might obtain another spirit sword protector in the future!” The Green Peak Mountain’s Ancestor said with a faint smile.

(ED note: Black Fatso Three’s real name was revealed to be Chen Qingrou in case you have forgotten)

As the arena below was engulfed by the South Bank’s cheers, the North Bank’s side basked in silence. And so, this Heaven’s Chosen War ended with the results officially announced by the Sect Head.

In this moment, Bai Xiaochun was placed first in the Heaven’s Chosen War between the South and the North Banks! As such, his status was now promoted to an inner sect disciple!

He was to be rewarded with the chance to visit the Heaven’s Edge Pavilion on the Zhong Dao Mountain, as well as the opportunity to pick a Qi Condensation treasure!

A single visit to the Spirit River Sect’s secret realm would provide an opportunity to comprehend great techniques! This chance, however, would be somewhat wasted should it be used when one was still in the Qi Condensation. The disciple which placed first would definitely be able to reach the Foundation Establishment, as such, attempting to comprehend said great techniques would be somewhat of a waste before reaching the Foundation Establishment.

And finally, a reward of ten thousand Spirit Stones!

Following that, Zheng Yuandong announced the names of the top ten disciples, officially bestowing them the title ‘Heaven’s Chosen’ and promoting them into the inner sect before the crowd finally began to disperse.

The North Bank disciples were gloomy, while in contrast, the South Bank disciples were bursting with excitement. The Heaven’s Chosen had mixed feelings, and Gui Ya took a deep breath as he glared at Bai Xiaochun’s departing figure, still unwilling to accept his loss, before he turned around and left.

As for the other Heaven’s Chosen of the North Bank, the Gongsun siblings and Xu Song all clenched their fists tightly. They had decided to enter closed-door training the minute they return to their respective mountains!

As for the South Bank’s Zhou Xinqi, she still felt surreal as she stared at Bai Xiaochun in disbelief. The only one having a harder time accepting reality was Shangguan Tianyou.

He wore a gloomy expression. Although surrounded by people, most didn’t even bother looking at him as they passed by. Him starting the duel with a sneak attack was witnessed by everyone, and that disgracefulness would forever linger in the South Bank disciples’ hearts.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips as Shangguan Tianyou clenched his fists.

“This is merely the Qi Condensation. Foundation establishment… I will be the first to reach Foundation Establishment, surpassing Bai Xiaochun and Gui Ya alike!” With this newfound determination, Shangguan Tianyou stubbornly held on to his pride as he turned into a rainbow and flew away.

Gradually, the whole crowd left, marking the end of the Heaven’s Chosen War. But although it had just ended, the aftereffects that came from it had only just begun.

As of this moment, Bai Xiaochun’s name would spread far and wide between both the North Bank and the South Bank; especially in the North Bank, although his name would be known to all, at the same time, it would become a taboo there.

He was the North Bank’s common enemy, the shameless person who brought huge disgrace to the entire North Bank!

Especially to Beihan Lie himself, he went into closed-door cultivation immediately after his master brought him back, too ashamed to face anyone. As for the huge dog which Beihan Lie controlled, its contract was broken and was abandoned in the North Bank.

This Nocturnal Beast was powerful, yet none dared to attempt controlling it. This practically resulted in it becoming wild, and around the four northern mountains, one could occasionally catch a glimpse of its silhouette…

Countless North Bank disciples trained in a frenzy, filled with enthusiasm as they swore to make Bai Xiaochun pay with blood for the humiliation someday.

Even a certain group spontaneously formed in the North Bank, the Anti-Chun Alliance, dedicated solely to destroy Bai Xiaochun!

Zhang Fatso One’s name similarly spread all around thanks to the Heaven’s Chosen War. The seven refined treasures that Bai Xiaochun had pulled out in that last battle with Gui Ya had shaken many.

With Zhang Fatso One becoming the Purple Cauldron Mountain’s new Heaven’s Chosen, countless visitors swarmed, aiming to establish a friendship and have him spirit-refine something for them.

This brought great satisfaction to Zhang Fatso One, but he exercised restraint and didn’t refine for just anyone. That simply furthered the respect he received. Even Xu Meixiang herself called for him and asked some questions, giving her the shock of her life, especially after sensing the presence of the will inside Zhang Fatso One’s body.

In the end, Zhang Fatso One was forbidden from spirit-refining others’ treasures. She told him that unless he had spirit-refined one of Bai Xiaochun’s treasures five times, he shouldn’t spirit-refine others.

Although Zhang Fatso found that odd, he agreed.

“Spirit refinement is a mysterious art. Perhaps there is some sort of a connection between this Bai Xiaochun and Zhang Fatso One… Some things that complement one another before the final result…” Xu Meixiang thoughtfully watched Zhang Fatso One leave, deciding to not pressure him with too many questions. According to the Spirit River Sect’s rules, each disciple had their own fate, and one shouldn’t be lead by their greed; violating one of the sect’s core rules would result in a severe punishment, and furthermore, Bai Xiaochun’s status was abnormal. Even for her, she couldn’t do as she please without any difficulties.

The strength that kept the Spirit River Sect standing for ten thousand years and grow stronger and stronger was partially because of this iron rule.

A couple days later, Bai Xiaochun received the robe and identity token of an inner sect disciple. Under the guidance of Elder Xu, who was in charge of inner sect matters, Bai Xiaochun packed his stuff and left the courtyard he had resided in for many years.

Inner sect disciples could live in immortal’s caves with thick Qi in the air!

(ED note: the previously mentioned immortal’s caves/dwellings will be changed to immortal’s caves from now on. )

The so-called immortal’s caves were a whole different world, they were like a paradise! As the champion of the Heaven’s Chosen War, Bai Xiaochun could choose any immortal’s cave to live in, so naturally, he chose the best one available. Located at the back of the Scented Cloud Mountain, near the end of the mountain road, the immortal’s cave was quiet and thick Qi filled the air.

There were five stone chambers within, illuminated by Night Pearls from above. In the hall, surprisingly, there was a small opening from which warm water flowed out, forming a small, tens of zhang in diameter hot spring pond. There were even some fishes befitting the pond, wandering around.

Although the immortal’s cave was simplistic, there was a refinement room, a room for closed-door cultivation, a spirit plant garden, and a technique-testing room. Basically, it was verything one could ask for.

Additionally, there were two puppets with the strength of fifth level Qi Condensation in order to assist Bai Xiaochun in his daily life. Every stone room of the residence also had formation arrays. The one in the great hall, upon activation, caused the cave’s ceiling to become transparent so one could see the sky filled with stars and the beautiful moon when night fell. The entire living space had a grand formation array, which, upon activation, would prove a challenge for even an early stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to break through in a short time!

It was an immortal’s cave completely satisfactory for even a Foundation Establishment cultivator, one of the best in the entire Scented Cloud Mountain.

Bai Xiaochun inspected it with satisfaction. In comparison, his old living quarters was simply too crude. He happily sent off Elder Xu who told him to go to pick a technique from Li Qinghou in the Spirit Pavilion in the inner sect.

Seeing that Elder Xu had left, Bai Xiaochun immediately stripped off his clothes and jumped into the spring. He groaned from the pleasure, the fishes would swim around and sometimes even nibble him gently. He felt as though there wasn’t much else one could ask for in life.

“Too bad Du Lingfei isn’t in the sect. Having a bath together here would’ve been nice.” Just as Bai Xiaochun pictured the scene, he thought suddenly of Hou Xiaomei, and a smile emerged on his face. He decided that he would find an opportunity to bring her here and gaze at the night sky and the stars from the hot spring.

I am a man with ambitions; I should get both Hou Xiaomei and Du Linfei to bathe in here.” As he thought about it, Bai Xiaochun realised that he had previously been too narrow-minded.

On the next day, Bai Xiaochun left the immortal’s cave at dawn. As he walked down the mountain path, he noticed another immortal’s cave not too far from his.

The distance between the two immortal’s caves was but a few hundred zhang, practically neighbouring each other. Based on the activated formations, it seemed to be occupied so Bai Xiaochun curiously shot a couple more glances before going on his way.

Walking slowly, Bai Xiaochun had just walked half the road down the mountain peak. There weren’t many outer sect disciples around there, most of them were inner sect ones.

And there wasn’t many of them either, most were behind closed-door cultivation or out on missions. Even so, it didn’t stop Bai Xiaochun from clearing his throat, showing off. After a short silence, greetings to Senior Uncle Bai arrived.

Amidst all the ‘Senior Uncle Bai’ calls , Bai Xiaochun swaggered out in high spirits, walking to the Scented Cloud Mountain’s inner sect Spirit Pavilion. That was where the inner sect disciples picked techniques.

Each of the promoted disciple came to this part of the inner sect to try learning a new technique from the inner sect. Upon Bai Xiaochun’s arrival, the disciple in charge of the Spirit Pavilion rose to greet him, pleasing Bai Xiaochun even further. He took a moment to pat his shoulder before he went to pick one.

“Heaven-Earth Cleave?”

“Fire and Water Purge!”

“Ninth Heaven Decimating The Earth?”

After looking at the techniques for a long while, he grew confused. He didn’t know which to pick, all of them sounded powerful. Finally, he decided to heed Elder Xu’s words and chose the one Li Qinghou had suggested for him.

“Dragon-Elephant’s Ocean Forming Scripture?” Picking up a jade slip, Bai Xiaochun urged his Qi inside, making him widen his eyes shortly after. The introduction of the Dragon-Elephant’s Ocean Forming Scripture blew his mind.

“Man is shackled, both his cultivation and his physical body are chained by the source of life itself… This technique I created is for those of the Qi Condensation cultivation. Although it can not break the shackles, it will allow one to comprehend them!”

Taking in a deep breath, Bai Xiaochun was immediately reminded of the black-robed old man who had saved his life, introducing himself as Shou Lingren, and the words he spoke that day.

“The five volumes of the Unending, break through the five great shackles of life… The five volumes of Longevity, break through the great five shackles of eternity!”

Bai Xiaochun felt that these words were surprisingly similar to those of the Dragon-Elephant’s Ocean Forming Scripture. After a careful look, Bai Xiaochun frowned as he discovered that this skill didn’t seem very powerful. It was inferior even to the ones Bai Xiaochun checked out earlier. It could, however, allow him to perfectly combine with the Purple Qi Cauldron Manipulation Technique and even improve the success rate of reaching Foundation Establishment!

Bai Xiaochun had yearned for Foundation Establishment for many years now, and thinking about that, his heartbeat quickened.

There were three stages of this Dragon-Elephant’s Ocean Forming Scripture, featuring the ninth level of Qi Condensation, the tenth level of Qi Condensation, and then finally… the Foundation Establishment!

If cultivated to its peak, the physical body would obtain the power of a dragon-elephant, the Qi within would expand into a boundless ocean! Most importantly, it provided a stable foundation for learning techniques after reaching Foundation Establishment, reducing the chance of one picking a wrong technique and wasting their time!

It could be said to be the extraordinary within the ordinary!

“I’ll pick this one!” Bai Xiaochun instantly made up his decision. Whether it was the introduction of the technique about the shackles or the increase of the success rate to Foundation Establishment… everything tugged at Bai Xiaochun’s heartstrings. With the the Dragon-Elephant’s Ocean Forming Scripture in hand, he walked out the Spirit Pavilion and proceeded to his immortal cave.

As he neared it, he saw the door of the neighbouring immortal’s cave suddenly open as he was just passing in front of it. A woman’s silhouette appeared, but after noticing Bai Xiaochun, that silhouette hastily tried to go back inside, but it was too late.

“Eh? Xinqi, my niece!” Bai Xiaochun shouted out, pleasantly surprised. He was far from her during the Heaven’s Chosen War, so he didn’t get the chance to make her call him Senior Uncle Bai. Now that he realised Zhou Xinqi and him were neighbours, he was very happy.