Talisman Emperor

Chapter 105 – Soulfuse Arts

The mentality of the handsome little person was no different than a six or seven year old child. He blindly wanted to imitate the bearing of an expert, but when it was paired with his immature face and voice, it instead gave people an amusing and cute feeling.

This caused Chen Xi to recall his younger brother, Chen Hao. Regretfully, due to the constraints of their life, the childhood of Chen Hao was similar to his, cultivating bitterly and training in the sword day in and day out. Chen Hao was intelligent and obedient, not to mention being mischievous, he didn’t even joke before.

“Lord Ling Bai?” Chen Xi called out.

The handsome little person was sulking and he pursed his lips when he heard this, then muttered. “Don’t call me Lord Ling Bai, I feel that you’re mocking me.”

“I feel this name is disagreeable as well.” Chen Xi agreed deeply and said, “Why don’t I call you Ling Bai?”

The handsome little person waved his hand powerlessly. “Do as you like.”

“Exactly what place is this Sword Tomb Nirvana Realm? Can I walk out of this place?” Chen Xi looked at the surroundings and asked.

“No!” Ling Bai shook his head, as he raised his head, a trace of burning desire appeared within his clear and pitch-black eyes. “Do you think I don’t want to go out? Sword Tomb, Sword Tomb! It’s a place to bury swords! For the sake of protecting me, my Master opened this Nirvana Space with a supreme Divine Ability, and it was all for the sake of preventing his enemies from capturing me.”

“Opened up a space? This level of ability is too unbelievable.” Chen Xi muttered, then he said suddenly, “Then how did I enter?”

Ling Bai pointed at the pile of bones on the ground and said, “Oh, just like them, you touched the restrictions of the Sword Tomb and were moved in. Once you’ve entered, there’s no exit, and you can only wither and die here.”

“But, so many cultivators have entered, yet none of them was your enemy? Don’t misunderstand, what I’m saying is, how did you protect yourself to live until now?” Chen Xi actually had too many questions in his heart. He knew that numerous restrictions, ruins, and spatial tears that swallowed everything existed within the Oceanic Desert, yet he just never imagined that he would be confined within it one day. His mood couldn’t help but be slightly depressed and worried, and he desired to understand everything so that he could leave this damnable place as soon as possible.

“I’m the soul of the Nirvana Sword, and I fused with the Nirvana Realm long ago. If I don’t want to see someone, then no one is able to see me!” As he spoke up to here, the sulkiness in Ling Bai’s heart was completely swept away and he once again recovered his arrogant little appearance, then he said loudly, “If it wasn’t for me seeing that your comprehension ability isn’t bad, I couldn’t be bothered to meet you.”

Chen Xi didn’t dare offend this little fellow to the point he sulked again, and he said respectfully, “So that’s how it is. I have eyes, yet didn’t recognize a remarkable figure like you. A sin, such a sin!”

“Fake! You’re too fake!” Although he said this, Ling Bai’s little face still beamed. If it wasn’t for worrying about his image, Ling Bai would have probably started cheering long ago.

Truly a little fellow that really likes to be praised by others! Chen Xi smiled in understanding and thought to himself. Since I can’t go out, then I’ll first enter the abode to see Senior Ji Yu, and maybe I’ll be able to obtain a method to leave.

When he thought up to here, Chen Xi immersed his mind into the jade pendant in his palm, and at the same time, a strand of True Essence and a strand of Shaman Energy poured into it in unison.

Om!

Accompanied by a chime that was beautiful like the chime of a bell, the jade pendant rose out from his hand to revolve as it floated in midair, then tiny lights glowed brightly as an enormous opening was formed in the space, an opening that was deep and dark.

“It’s really true. Senior Ji Yu wasn’t wrong. When I attain the Violet Palace Realm in both body refinement and qi refinement, I’ll be able to open the gate to the abode within the jade pendant.” Chen Xi felt a wave of excitement.

“What treasure is this? It’s so miraculous!” Ling Bai flew to stop before the opening with a swish, then he curiously sized it up.

“I want to go to a place, do you want to go together?” Chen Xi glanced at the little Ling Bai and asked. This little fellow called himself the soul of the ancient Nirvana Sword, and if he were to allow Ji Yu to see Ling Bai, Ji Yu might be able to infer his origins.

“Oh, are you inviting me?” Ling Bai said in a reserved matter, yet his eyes stared fixedly at the opening with a little appearance of a curious baby.

“Of course.” Chen Xi smiled. Ling Bai was filled with intelligence and his thoughts were clean to the point it was like a crystal that wasn’t tainted with dust, and he was extremely likable.

“Alright, then I’ll accept your invitation. Only this once, and it’s not to be taken as a precedent… Hey, why have you gone first? It’s too impolite. Wait for me!” Just like this, Chen Xi and Ling Bai stepped into the opening successively.

Om!

Not long after their figures vanished, the opening in space vanished as well.

——

On the jade green grassland that stretched as far as the eye could see, a vast and mighty river flowed with billowing waves that splashed water in all directions, and the scene stretched forward continuously to the point one couldn’t see the end with a single glance.

A mountain that pierced directly into the sky stood at the center of the river. It was solitary, towering, chilly, and entirely pitch-black. Not a single blade of grass grew on it. Innumerable restrictions could be vaguely noticed to have been placed layer upon layer on it, and it emitted a terrifying aura that caused one’s heart to palpitate.

When he saw the scene before him, Chen Xi recalled the scene when he came in the first time and he couldn’t help but be dazed. “At that time, my cultivation was still stagnated at the 3rd level of the Congenital Realm. Whereas now, not only has my qi refinement cultivation arrived at the 5th star of the Violet Palace Realm, I’ve already condensed Fifth-Earth Shaman Markings in my body refinement and have mastered Shaman Energy. I already possess the qualifications to enter the first level of the Heavenpeak of Trails!”

“Chen Xi? Hahaha! You’ve come so quickly!”

Splash! Splash!

Waves soared into the sky from the river as a rich and hoarse voice rumbled out, and accompanying this voice was a thin old man that stepped on the water as he walked out. Shockingly, it was Ji Yu!

“Senior Ji Yu!” Chen Xi yelled out with a trembling voice when he saw the familiar figure. Obviously, he was extremely excited in his heart.

“Not bad, you’ve already condensed the Fifth-Earth Shaman Marking.” Ji Yu sized up Chen Xi with a glance and a trace of a rare smile appeared on his face.

Chen Xi said with a smile, “I unexpectedly obtained some Starsoul Meteorites, that’s why I was able to advance in this short period of time.”

“So that’s what happened.” Ji Yu nodded, then said in realization, “The Universe Starslayer Bodyforging Arts is extremely difficult to cultivate. I originally thought that you would need to spend a few years, but I never imagined that you’d actually acquire Starsoul Meteorites. Your good luck is really great.”

Speaking of good luck, Chen Xi suddenly recalled the infant Pixiu, and he asked. “Senior Ji Yu, where’s Bai Kui1?”

Ji Yu pointed at the great river behind him and said, “He hasn’t eaten treasures for too long and is sleeping at the bottom of the river.

Nothing to eat, so he went to sleep? Chen Xi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He knew that the Pixiu was able to condense karmic luck and was a top auspicious beast in the heavens and the earth. However, it liked to eat the treasures of the world and took various treasures as food. Thus, in this empty abode, it would naturally have to starve.

“Hey, who’re you, geezer?” Ling Bai that followed behind Chen Xi flew up to midair with a swish then spoke loudly as if he was expressing his displeasure for being neglected.

“Sword soul?” Ji Yu couldn’t help but be exclaim in surprise, and his gaze stared closely on Ling Bai, seeming to want to see through all Ling Bai’s secrets.

Ling Bai’s face went pale. The deep eyes of the geezer before him revealed an experienced feeling of being able to see through everything, and it brought great pressure onto him.

“Nirvana Sword Dao. Oh, it ought to be the Sword Dao inheritance from the primordial era’s Nirvana Sword Sect. If he possessed a sword soul, then the Sword Dao cultivation of the owner has already attained an advanced level and ought to possess the strength of a Heavenly Immortal.” Ji Yu nodded while absorbed in thought.

Senior Ji Yu recognizes his origins after all! Chen Xi was delighted in his heart.

“How did you know? I seem to have never told you of my owner’s origins, right?” Ling Bai’s eyes sprang wide open and he had an expression of disbelief.

Ji Yu smiled indifferently and didn’t say anything, and he instead asked Chen Xi. “Where did you acquire this strand of sword soul from? His quality is pure and clear, and he has already accumulated all the Sword Dao inheritance of his master. Even Heavenly Immortals would break their heads trying to seize a treasure like this.”

So formidable? Even Heavenly Immortals would break their heads for it? Chen Xi was shocked in his heart, and he spoke of everything he saw since he entered the Oceanic Desert right away.

“Spatial tears, ruins, restrictions, Sword Tomb Nirvana Realm…” Ji Yu muttered for a short moment, then a bright glow suddenly flashed within his eyes. “It wouldn’t be the battlefield of fiends and immortals, right?”

“How do you know this as well?” The little Ling Bai cried out once more, and the gaze he shot at Ji Yu already carried a trace of reverence.

Ji Yu smiled lightly and ignored this little fellow once again, and he said, “Your Seventhgold Swordbamboo hasn’t been refined yet, right? Pass it to me. Enter the Heavenpeak of Trials first and when you come out, I’ll give you a great pleasant surprise.” As he spoke, Ji Yu glanced faintly at Ling Bai.

“No!” Ling Bai seemed to have noticed something was not right and he shouted out in fear. “I won’t yield to any weapon. In that way, I’ll be confined and unable to come out any longer.”

Chen Xi was in a slightly difficult position, he rather liked the one meter tall little person, Ling Bai, and he naturally didn’t want to bind Ling Bai into an icy cold weapon.

Ji Yu shook his head and said helplessly, “Since it’s like this, then I won’t help you. I originally intended to use Soulfuse Arts to allow you to have a body that can cultivate, little fellow. But now it would seem like…”

“Soulfuse Arts!” Ji Yu hadn’t finished speaking when he was interrupted by Ling Bai’s shocked cry. “You are actually capable of using Soulfuse Arts? That’s the technique that I’ve been dreaming of for 10,000 years!”

“What’s Soulfuse Arts?” Chen Xi stared blankly at the scene before him. He desperately pondered within his mind, yet was unable to recall any clue related to Soulfuse Arts. It was even to the extent that it was the first time that he’d heard of it.

“Stupid, you’ve never even heard of Soulfuse Arts?” Ling Bai said swiftly, “It’s a miraculous equipment refinement technique that’s able to allow a soul to have a Magic Treasure as its body and cultivate just like cultivators to ascend the road to the Grand Dao!”

“Is that true?” Chen Xi’s heart shook greatly, as the ability to allow Magic Treasures to cultivate like cultivators and ascend the Grand Dao could only be described as heaven defying.

“It’s true.” Ji Yu nodded and said, “This type of technique only exists in the possession of almighty figures of the primordial era. It’s been lost and destroyed for a long time. It’s normal that you’ve never heard of it. However, although this technique is formidable, a Magic Treasure wanting to become a Heavenly Immortal like a human is instead extremely difficult. Even during the primordial era, there were only an extremely small handful of Magic Treasures that were able to realize the Grand Dao.”

“But isn’t this a form of hope? I was originally the soul of an Immortal Sword that was cleansed and tempered by my Master’s supreme Sword Dao, and my foundation is exceedingly solid. How could I possibly let this good luck slip by?” A wisp of an extremely firm sheen appeared on Ling Bai’s little face as he spoke word for word. “When my Master fell, I vowed that I would surely cultivate, I would surely step onto the Grand Dao, and in the end, I would kill his enemies and avenge my Master!”

At this moment, Chen Xi seemed to have seen his own shadow on Ling Bai, and it formed a strong resonance.

Wasn’t his diligent and bitter cultivation for the sake of avenging his grandfather and the entire Chen Clan?

Wasn’t it for the sake of becoming a Heavenly Immortal and meeting his mother?

“So you agree?” asked Ji Yu slowly.

“Senior, please transform me.” Ling Bai descended to the ground with a swish, then he knelt on the floor with a respectful and devout expression.

Ji Yu glanced at Chen Xi, who stared blankly without speaking at the side. “Do you want to accept him? The might of the Seventhgold Swordbamboo will become stronger and stronger after it possesses this little fellow.”

How could Chen Xi be unwilling? He withdrew the Seventhgold Swordbamboo right away and passed it to Ji Yu.

“Go on, enter and pass the 1st level of the Heavenpeak of Trials and cultivate properly for a while. It isn’t too late to leave this place once your strength has increased to the point that it’s sufficient to kill those seven people.” Ji Yu instructed indifferently.

“Leave?” Chen Xi said in pleasant surprise, “Senior, you have a way to break open the Sword Tomb Nirvana Realm?”

“Kid, why so many questions? I asked you to go, so go! Don’t bother me.” Ji Yu emitted a rare smile as he scolded, then he swung his sleeve, bringing Ling Bai along to enter into the river and vanish.

After I pass the 1st level of the Heavenpeak of Trials, cultivating three days within it is only equivalent to one day in the outside world. It’s able to allow me to increase my strength once again in an extremely short amount of time!

Next year, during the Dragon Lake City’s Hidden Dragon Rankings, I still have to go visit Duanmu Ze and the others. Most importantly, I have to go visit Chen Hao. I wonder if he is well in the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect…? Chen Xi took a deep breath and he gazed towards the solitary mountain that stood at the center of the river, then he didn’t hesitate any longer. The tip of his foot tapped on the ground before his body flew towards the mountain like an arrow that left the bow.

Rumble!

A myriad of concealed and traceless restrictions were activated in the surroundings of the pitch-black and solitary mountain, and they suddenly emitted a wave of explosive rumbling sounds. Then an exceedingly terrifying suction force surged out from within, and it was like an ancient behemoth that had opened its bloody mouth, utterly not allowing any resistance as it instantly swallowed Chen Xi.

1. The Pixiu was named Bai Xiao when first introduced, yet the author decided to change his name from this chapter onwards. (I’ve already edited the previous chapters for consistency)