The Legendary Nascent Soul Technique

The Left Protector felt there was nothing wrong with her explanation.

After all, before entering the Daoist temple, everyone in the Hehuan Sect had seen Qin Ximo behaving strangely.

They all knew something was off.

Lu Qianyun had already explained to them that upon this immortal mountain, there was an invisible grand formation.

Anyone who had not cultivated the Hehuan Sect’s dual-cultivation arts would have their mind corroded and would not even be able to use one or two percent of their strength.

Lu Qianyun and Qin Ximo had been inside for so long.

Reasonably speaking, the matter should have been finished by now.

Even if one threw a rock inside, it should come out soft.

The wonders of this cave heaven were numerous.

Especially on this immortal mountain.

So no one doubted anything.

By now, Qin Ximo had probably been “replenished” several times by Lu Qianyun.

He should have no resistance left.

But looking at him now, he didn’t seem fully trained into a proper furnace.

After all, which furnace of the Hehuan Sect wasn’t humble and utterly obedient?

Who would look like Qin Ximo — clear-eyed, neatly dressed…

Hmm?

Suddenly, a bad thought flashed through the Left Protector’s mind.

Could it be that Qin Ximo had not been “handled” at all?

Otherwise, how could he look this normal?

Wait.

What did Qin Ximo say to her just now?

It sounded like… “You want to die”?

Realizing this, she instantly turned around and activated her full cultivation, using her life-saving escape technique.

This escape technique was her true trump card.

When used, it consumed spiritual power and an enormous amount of her own blood essence.

Blood essence was priceless to a cultivator.

Lose a little and the body suffers.

Lose half and the foundation collapses.

But right now, she no longer cared.

Facing Qin Ximo — whether or not he was at his peak — she dared not hesitate.

In danger, survival mattered more than cultivation.

But unfortunately for her, she was facing Qin Ximo whose strength was nearly at its peak.

The moment she leapt out of the room, she had already escaped several li.

The Daoist temple shrank behind her like a tiny dot.

Only the sound of wind roared in her ears.

But it still wasn’t enough.

Far from enough.

For a Golden Core cultivator, several li was an instant.

For Qin Ximo, even less.

He could send a casual sword qi across an entire mountain.

She tried to flee further, but behind her, the life-reaping sword qi arrived silently.

It clung to her like a shadow.

Pfft.

The sound was like a water-filled bag being sliced open.

Soft, but not silent.

The Left Protector felt her body become impossibly light.

Even without using spiritual power or divine sense, she felt she could float into the sky.

Her vision flipped sharply.

A full one-hundred-eighty degrees.

She saw her own body.

A headless corpse stumbling forward as thick blood spilled from the collar of her black robe.

It soaked the green grass beneath her.

I was beheaded?

She was stunned.

Thanks to the vitality of a Golden Core cultivator, even beheaded, she still had a moment of thought.

It lasted only an instant.

But enough for her to understand everything.

Qin Ximo was perfectly fine.

Not mentally corrupted.

Not weakened.

His strength was at its peak.

Why would the Saintess ever release such a terrifying person?

Unless… Lu Qianyun had failed.

Completely.

Understanding this, bitter hatred surged inside her.

Why was she greedy?

Why ignore her colleagues’ warnings?

Why insist on entering the temple in search of opportunities?

She also hated Lu Qianyun.

Who was Qin Ximo?

Even when she herself was only a small Qi-Refining cultivator, the name “Wine Sword Immortal” had already shaken the entire dynasty.

A peerless genius through the ages.

How could the Hehuan Sect ever hope to control someone like that?

They should never have provoked this living Yama.

His sword was so fast she didn’t even have time to self-detonate her core.

I hate it.

And just like that, a Golden Core cultivator died under Qin Ximo’s casual sword.

Cao Xueyan didn’t even see where the person fled.

She only heard Qin Ximo say: “Dead.”

“Huh?” she blinked. “He’s dead?”

“He brought death upon himself,” Qin Ximo said calmly.

“Though he is a Protector of the Hehuan Sect, he hasn’t cultivated their demonic arts.”

“There is no dual-cultivation aura on him.”

“But the blood stench is strong.”

“Similar to the Blood Fiend Sect’s techniques.”

“To reach Golden Core with such arts, he must be drenched in blood debts.”

“He deserved to die.”

“I see,” Cao Xueyan nodded. “Then he deserved it.”

“Though I wonder if the noise alerted the disciples outside.”

“What you said reminds me.”

Qin Ximo did not sheath his sword.

He walked out of the room.

“If there really is a technique to break through to Nascent Soul here, this place’s spiritual qi is excellent.”

“A good place to advance.”

“And a cave heaven may conceal heavenly secrets.”

“That increases the success rate.”

“But before that, while my sword momentum is still sharp, I should destroy this temple.”

No matter what its original purpose was, once they joined the demonic path, their deeds were no different from real demons.

Qin Ximo pushed open the tightly shut temple gate.

But when it opened, even he did not expect the scene before him.

Absurd, yet reasonable.

More than a dozen Hehuan Sect female disciples lay on the ground, sprawled in disarray.

White skin covered in red scratch marks.

Clothes half-open.

Traces of not-yet-dried fluids everywhere.

At the center, the Right Protector had already thrown her robe somewhere and sat half-naked, attempting to refine the yin energy she had harvested.

Hearing the door open, she thought Lu Qianyun had finished her task.

She looked up.

And froze.

Only Qin Ximo and the maid were there.

No Saintess.

“Where is the Saintess?” she blurted, then sensed danger.

If Qin Ximo had been subdued, he should have come out with Lu Qianyun.

But the Saintess was gone.

This is bad.

The Saintess had failed.

The Right Protector reacted instantly.

She didn’t even wonder why the maid was alive.

She prepared to escape.

But Qin Ximo’s sword fell again.

Another head rolled.

Cao Xueyan still couldn’t see the sword move.

The Right Protector had taken only a few steps before being beheaded.

Blood splashed everywhere.

No resistance.

Back then, Qin Ximo had slaughtered demon cultivators just like this.

Their heads rolling one after another.

The remaining Hehuan Sect disciples were still lost in pleasure.

They didn’t even know what happened.

Qin Ximo showed no mercy.

A few sword slashes.

Hearts and dantians shredded.

Dead beyond dead.

With everything done, the corpses were an eyesore.

Qin Ximo took Cao Xueyan and returned inside.

The doors closed.

Flames roared upward.

Qin Ximo and Cao Xueyan searched room after room.

They found only trivial things.

There were manuals, but all were dual-cultivation arts.

For the Hehuan Sect, this place was sacred.

If the manuals spread, given time, they might truly become the number one demonic sect.

When both were about to give up, they discovered a stone chamber beneath the temple.

It was hidden under a fake mountain.

Suspicious, Qin Ximo sliced apart the fake mountain.

A narrow passage appeared.

Confirming no traps, he brought Cao Xueyan inside.

A foul rotting stench rushed toward them.

Corpses filled the chamber.

Clothes varied.

Bodies well-preserved.

Their cultivation in life must have been high.

“These people were locked in here and forced to kill each other,” Qin Ximo concluded.

Cao Xueyan tugged his sleeve.

“Check their storage bags. There might be treasures.”

Qin Ximo looked at her oddly.

“That’s what scavenger cultivators do.”

“Why are you so excited?”

“Don’t tell me…”

“I’m not! I’m not! I’m innocent!” she shook her head quickly.

“Fine, fine,” Qin Ximo laughed.

And indeed, checking the bags yielded something extraordinary.

Qin Ximo lifted several uneven stone slabs like they were priceless treasures.

One slab read: ‘Three-Origin Sky-Piercing Art’.

He skimmed it and instantly felt enlightenment.

This technique could reach the Nascent Soul stage.

Perhaps even further.

What he had sought for centuries now lay in his hands.

Even with his calm nature, he nearly teared up.

Centuries of stagnation.

Cleared in one moment.

His path finally opened.