Chapter 29: The Supreme Elder

The three great sects.

After fleeing the Xuan Dan Sect, Shi Hui and Dongfang Qiu were still trembling with lingering fear. The three sects had besieged the Xuan Dan Sect, only for Li Qingshan, a cultivator at the Soul Formation stage, to be struck down by Chen Xuan with a single blow of his staff. They had been scared out of their wits, and it was only by emptying their storage rings that they managed to buy back their lives.

"Chen Xuan has become so incredibly strong; he killed Sect Master Li with one strike of his staff. What should we do now? Will he continue to come after us?" Shi Hui’s face was etched with worry. He was only at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage; if Chen Xuan decided to annihilate the Yue Shan Sect, he would be powerless to stop him.

"Chen Xuan has only just broken through to the Soul Formation stage. With his level of cultivation, he shouldn't have been able to kill the Sect Master instantly," Dongfang Qiu speculated. "He must have unearthed a treasure of the Immortals. That staff in his hand is surely a Saint-grade artifact. Sect Master Li was caught off guard and struck by a Saint-grade weapon, which is why he was killed in one hit."

"A Saint-grade artifact?!" Shi Hui was horrified. Saint-grade artifacts were even more powerful than Saint-grade techniques. Techniques required years of cultivation, whereas a Saint-grade artifact could be used to kill the moment one wielded it.

"That explains it," Shi Hui said. "Now that Chen Xuan has acquired a Saint-grade artifact, we are even less of a match for him. Perhaps we should forget about the Immortal treasure and offer some gifts to appease him instead."

"Apologize?" Dongfang Qiu scoffed inwardly. He hadn't expected the burly Shi Hui to be such a coward, willing to abandon the Immortal treasure just to offer an apology. "Elder Li, what about your Qing Yun Sect?" he asked, turning to the elder of the Qing Xuan Sect.

"With our Sect Master lost, the Qing Yun Sect must first attend to his funeral rites and elect a new successor," Elder Li replied.

"In that case, let us follow Sect Master Shi's suggestion and return to prepare gifts for an apology," Dongfang Qiu agreed readily, then led his disciples away.

"Sect Master, what kind of gifts should we prepare?" an elder of the Sun and Moon Sect asked, believing that Dongfang Qiu truly intended to apologize.

"Gifts?" Dongfang Qiu sneered. "Do you actually think I intend to apologize to Chen Xuan?"

"Then, just now..." the elder asked, bewildered.

"Chen Xuan has only just unearthed the Immortal treasure and is acting arrogant because he holds a Saint-grade artifact. If we can find a way to counter that weapon, killing him will be as easy as flipping one's hand." Dongfang Qiu waved his hand. "Let’s go. We return to the sect to request an audience with the Supreme Elder. When the time comes, the Immortal treasure will belong solely to the Sun and Moon Sect."

"The Sect Master is wise."

***

At the Sun and Moon Sect, in the back mountains: Any elder who reaches the Soul Formation stage is promoted to Supreme Elder and enters seclusion to focus on refining their cultivation. Unless a matter of great importance arises, they do not emerge easily. This particular Supreme Elder was the only one remaining in the Sun and Moon Sect.

His Taoist name was Dongfang Bubai (Undefeated). He had entered the Soul Formation stage five hundred years ago and had never once known defeat in his challenges across the Great Xia. Five hundred years later, his current level of cultivation was terrifying to contemplate.

"I am Dongfang Qiu, the current Sect Master of the Sun and Moon Sect, requesting an audience with the Supreme Elder," Dongfang Qiu knelt and bowed before the entrance of the cave dwelling.

"What is it?" A sharp, shrill voice, like that of a eunuch, echoed from within.

"Reporting to the Supreme Elder, I have discovered an Immortal treasure containing Saint-grade artifacts and Saint-grade techniques."

"What?!" A gaunt man dressed in white with deathly pale skin emerged from the cave, looking at Dongfang Qiu with suspicious eyes. "An Immortal treasure—are you speaking the truth?"

"It is true." Dongfang Qiu recounted the events.

"To kill an early-stage Soul Formation cultivator with a single strike right after breaking through, and to possess three Saint-grade techniques... it does indeed sound like an Immortal treasure," Dongfang Bubai said, his face lighting up with joy.

"Old Ancestor, may I ask what your current level of cultivation is? Can you handle Chen Xuan?" Dongfang Qiu asked tentatively. His greatest fear was that even Dongfang Bubai could not defeat Chen Xuan.

"I am currently at the peak of the Soul Formation stage," Dongfang Bubai said, holding his head high. At only 1,500 years old, his cultivation had reached the peak of the Soul Formation stage—a feat rare in the entire history of the Great Xia. "However, Saint-grade artifacts are immensely powerful. At my current level, I only have a ninety percent chance of success. It is not guaranteed," he added gravely.

"Ninety percent, and it’s not guaranteed?" Dongfang Qiu’s heart sank. Why was his Old Ancestor so timid, refusing to act without absolute certainty? No wonder he was called "Undefeated"—he only fought battles he knew he would win. But he dared not say this aloud. Hesitating, he asked, "Old Ancestor, what if I go to the Yue Shan Sect and the Qing Xuan Sect and ask their Supreme Elders to come out of seclusion to join forces against Chen Xuan?"

"No," Dongfang Bubai shook his head. "An Immortal treasure is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Why share it with others?"

"Then..." Dongfang Qiu cursed silently. *You won't fight, and you won't let others help. What exactly do you want to do?*

"I am nearing a breakthrough. I only need one 'Screaming Orchid' to reach the Enlightenment stage. Once I attain Enlightenment, even if Chen Xuan has a Saint-grade artifact, I will have a hundred percent chance of victory," Dongfang Bubai declared.

"A Screaming Orchid?" Dongfang Qiu immediately replied, "Rest assured, Old Ancestor, I will set out to find one myself."

***

Time passed quickly. More than a month had gone by. During this month, Chen Xuan had focused entirely on his cultivation, advancing the *Dragon Origin Universe Canon* to its third page. With the offerings brought to him by Hong Luan during this time, his cultivation had also reached the peak of the Soul Formation stage.

**Host:** Chen Xuan
**Cultivation:** Peak Soul Formation
**Spirit Root:** Immortal-grade All-Element Root
**Physique:** Dragon Yang Physique
**Techniques:** Dragon Origin Universe Canon, Xuan Dan Scripture (Heaven-grade), Fire Bathing Art (Heaven-grade)
**Divine Ability:** Eye of Fortune
**Items:** Dragon-Tiger Yang Supplement Pills x99, Space Ring...
**Filial Piety Points:** 45,700
**System Task:** Advance to Enlightenment stage. Reward: 5,000 Filial Piety Points.

*[Dragon Origin Universe Canon]*
Grade: Profound-grade, Mid-tier
Upgrade Cost: 45 points

*[Serpent-Dragon Staff]*
Grade: Heaven-grade, Low-tier
Upgrade Cost: 268 Filial Piety Points

In over a month, he had accumulated over 40,000 Filial Piety Points, but there was little he could purchase. Anything above the Saint-grade was restricted by his cultivation level.

"I must improve my cultivation."

Coincidentally, the system’s new task was to reach the Enlightenment stage. However, breaking through to the Enlightenment stage was not as simple as reaching the Soul Formation stage; it required an Enlightenment Pill. The system shop sold them, but they were locked until he reached the Enlightenment stage.

"System, what kind of ridiculous restriction is this? By the time I reach the Enlightenment stage, why would I still need to buy an Enlightenment Pill?" Chen Xuan sighed. "I suppose I’ll have to find the ingredients and refine one myself."

He left the practice chamber to check on the state of his sect. In a month, the Xuan Dan Sect had changed drastically. Where there were once only a few dozen disciples, there were now over a hundred. With the Treasure Pavilion, the Scripture Pavilion, and the Mission Hall, the disciples’ cultivation progress was rapid. Hong Luan had advanced from the early Foundation Establishment stage to the late stage, and Luo Hao had entered the Golden Core stage.

"I wonder what that girl Ling Yun has been up to lately?" Chen Xuan found it strange; he hadn't seen Chu Lingyun for the entire month. The job of warming his bed had been handled by Hong Luan the whole time.

"Hong Luan, where is your Senior Sister?"