Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

The venue for the Zixia Grand Ceremony was called Hundred Springs Plain.

As the name suggested, this place was dotted with over a hundred spiritual springs, giving it the name.

More and more cultivators arrived at the plain, their faces full of smiles as they chatted casually, their expressions relaxed and carefree. They had no idea what awaited them.

To be honest, Xu Ming was also curious—curious about how these people would react when they discovered the true face of the Tianxuan Sect’s Sect Master.

Not long after, Xu Ming noticed disciples of the Tianxuan Sect entering the venue.

Among them was Wang Xuan, who brought Qin Qingwan along. They settled about a hundred meters to Xu Ming’s left.

Upon spotting Xu Ming, Qin Qingwan raised her hand and stood on her tiptoes to greet him. However, after receiving a glance from Wang Xuan, she quickly put her hand down and resumed her ladylike demeanor.

This scene naturally caught the attention of many. Following Qin Qingwan’s line of sight, they soon noticed Xu Ming.

Seated beside Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan let out a soft hum, her martial aura seeming to grow stronger.

Although her face was obscured, Xu Ming immediately recognized her—she was Mo Zhuer, someone he had interacted with four or five times already. She had merely disguised herself as a maid.

“Ah, Brother Xu!” A familiar voice called out.

Chen Yun walked up to Xu Ming, greeting him warmly.

“Brother Chen,” Xu Ming replied, standing up and bowing in respect.

Even though Xu Ming had fought him just a few days ago, he had great respect for Chen Yun’s character and strength.

Chen Yun leaned in slightly, sniffing the air around Xu Ming. “It’s only been a few days, but your sword aura and intent seem sharper and more refined. After this ceremony, do you have time for another sparring session?”

Xu Ming nodded with a smile. “Of course, I’d be happy to.”

“Great, that’s the spirit!” Chen Yun clapped Xu Ming on the shoulder. “Enjoy the food and drink. I’ll head to my seat now.”

“Alright,” Xu Ming replied with a nod.

After exchanging greetings, Chen Yun returned to his seat.

Dong. Dong. Dong.

Just as Chen Yun sat down, the sound of a bell echoed across the plain.

The Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, descended from the sky with his son, landing in the center of the gathering.

When the Sect Master took his seat at the head of the venue, everyone rose to their feet, bowing respectfully.

“There’s no need for such formality. Please, be seated,” the Sect Master said with a smile.

“Thank you, Sect Master,” everyone replied in unison before returning to their seats.

The Sect Master, still smiling, addressed the crowd:

“Today marks our once-in-a-millennium Zixia Grand Ceremony. I am deeply grateful for your presence here to honor this occasion.

Thirty thousand years ago, our ancestor, the Mystic Taoist (Xuan Dao Ren), came to this place, saw this Xuantiang Tree, and established the Tianxuan Sect. ɽÂ𐌽𝔬ΒΕ𝙎

For thirty millennia, the Tianxuan Sect has upheld the traditions of the righteous path—vanquishing demons and evil, protecting the people, and guarding the Central Plains without a shred of complacency.

Our battle against the demonic path is ingrained in our very blood!

I still remember, fifteen thousand years ago, when the demon race launched a massive invasion. The righteous path united to repel their forces, stopping them at the Southern Border and ensuring they did not take a single step into the Central Plains. This victory was a result of our collective efforts, and it is a legacy we must continue to uphold!”

Xia He raised his wine cup high. “For humanity!”

The crowd raised their cups in unison. “For humanity!”

On the Hundred Springs Plain, the Sect Master’s rousing speech had everyone clinking their cups together with him, their spirits high.

Xu Ming, not wanting to stand out, raised his cup as well—but he didn’t drink a drop.

Who knew if the wine had been poisoned?

After everyone was seated, a group of female disciples from the Tianxuan Sect, each wielding a longsword, stepped onto the Hundred Springs Plain. At their forefront was He Qingqing, who led over a hundred other female disciples in a sword dance. Their movements were graceful and enchanting, captivating the crowd.

Many disciples couldn’t take their eyes off them, completely entranced.

Xu Ming glanced at He Qingqing for a moment before respectfully averting his gaze. After all, she was someone his brother liked, and staring too long would be inappropriate and somewhat disrespectful.

Miao Feng did the same. After a quick look at He Qingqing, he shifted his focus to the other performers.

But these women weren’t merely dancing with their swords to enhance the atmosphere.

As the sword dance concluded, the hundred female disciples simultaneously pointed their swords forward. Two swirling yin-yang symbols flew from their blades, streaking toward the towering Xuantian Tree.

The spiritual springs within the Hundred Springs Plain began to rise, forming streams of water that coiled like dragons in the air, encircling the Xuantian Tree.

“Splash!”

The water dragons cascaded onto the tree’s leaves, drenching them in shimmering droplets that glistened under the sunlight.

“Buzz… buzz…”

A strange hum echoed throughout the Hundred Springs Plain. The sound resonated in everyone’s hearts, calming their minds and filling them with tranquility.

Xu Ming quickly realized what this was—the sound of the Dao.

Ripples spread across the spiritual springs as the mystical hum continued.

When the ripples finally subsided, the Xuantian Tree began to tremble. A phantom figure of a woman slowly emerged from its branches, descending gracefully to the ground.

The woman had flowing green hair, a pale green gown, and even her eyelashes were green. Her skin, however, was strikingly fair, as pure as snow. She had a delicate, ethereal beauty and stood barefoot beneath the tree.

Xu Ming guessed that this illusory figure must be the tree’s spirit.

“This is the guardian spirit of the Tianxuan Sect,” Wu Yanhan, seated beside Xu Ming, explained. “It’s not just an ordinary tree spirit. It’s the fusion of the Tianxuan Sect’s great formation and this tree.”

“I see.”@@novelbin@@

Xu Ming nodded, understanding her point.

When a sect’s protective formation reaches a high enough grade and has existed for many years, its spiritual energy can naturally coalesce into an illusory spirit. This principle applied to all things.

However, since the Xuantian Tree was the formation’s core and was itself an extraordinary entity, the formation spirit and tree spirit had merged into one, resulting in this unique woman.

This spirit bore the weight of the Tianxuan Sect’s destiny.

Her life meant the Tianxuan Sect thrived.

Her death would mean the Tianxuan Sect’s demise.