Talisman Emperor

There were two great mysterious places in the Dark Reverie, one was the Unknown Lands, and the other was the Secluded Paradise.

If there was something different about the two, then it would probably be the powers that it represented. The Secluded Paradise was filled with large and ancient sects like the Saintly Land of Ascension, the Dhyana Forest Temple, the Eternal Spirit Mountain, and so on and so forth.

On the other hand, the Unknown Lands was filled with powers that were inherited by a single successor, and it was even to the extent that a single sect might only consist of a master and disciple. Normally, this usually meant that such a sect possessed the most terrifying individual strength.

Qiu Xuanshu came from the Unknown Lands, and he was scholarly and unrestrained. He caused others to feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, and he was a young man that caused others to easily arouse a good impression towards him.

But, since he was able to outshine everyone and crush all the geniuses in the grand meeting of the immortal sects, he was absolutely not as simple as he seemed on the surface.

Through a short period of communication, Wen Huating even suspected that the strength of this well-mannered young man before him had already attained the Exalted Rank of the Nether Transformation Realm a long time ago!

Moreover, the neither arrogant nor rash and unrestrained bearing he possessed was absolutely not something an ordinary person could possess. Besides that, it was a rare sight that Qiu Xuanshu was extremely knowledgeable as well, so communicating with him aroused a trace of admiration in Wen Huating's heart.

Wen Huating had no choice but to admit that this person's bearing was so superb that it seemed to be on par with Chen Xi.

At the end of their conversation, Qiu Xuanshu raised his request once again. He hoped to pay Chen Xi a visit, and he didn't mind sitting down and discussing the Dao or even having a spar.

But unfortunately, Qiu Xuanshu wasn't able to achieve his wish in the end because Wen Huating told Qiu Xuanshu very directly that he wasn't sure when Chen Xi would leave his closed door cultivation as well, nor could he utilize his status as the Sect Master to forcefully order Chen Xi to leave his closed door cultivation.

Qiu Xuanshu stayed in the Nine Radiance Sword Sect for a year before leaving in the end.

Before he left, Wen Huating had granted him an audience once more, and Wen Huating only asked two things. The first was. "Why were you so persistent in you visit this time?"

Qiu Xuanshu smiled lightheartedly and answered readily. "It's none other than because amongst the people in the world now, only Chen Xi piques my interest. Even though the others are formidable, I can't help it that they're unable to arouse my interest in the slightest."

The second question was. "Where will you be going next?'

The answer Qiu Xuanshu gave was similarly simple. "The world is so vast that it's separated into 3,000 worlds. I'm going to wander the worlds and pay visits to Fellow Daoists to discuss the Dao. All I seek is to be defeated."

After he heard these answers, Wen Huating personally walked step by step to send him out of the sect before returning.

Some disciples were curious about how Qiu Xuanshu had the honor to actually make the Sect Master personally send him off. Many people were guessing the answer to this but only some great figures faintly understood the meaning contained within the actions of the Sect Master.

Wen Huating inadvertently revealed the answer during a lesson one day. "Presently, within the entire world, Qiu Xuanshu was the second extraordinary young man he'd seen, and Qiu Xuanshu's future was limitless."

The first was naturally Chen Xi.

This valuation came from the Sect Master of one of the 10 great immortal sects, so since he was able to obtain such great praise, everyone had no choice but to feel even more curious towards Qiu Xuanshu.

Is this scholarly and refined young man or our Senior Brother Chen Xi stronger?

No one knew the answer.

Perhaps, they would be able to obtain an answer when Qiu Xuanshu and Chen Xi met one day.

…

Time passed unknowingly.

Flowers bloomed and wilted, winter passed and summer came, and another year had passed by silently.

10 years had already passed within the world of stars.

Chilly and misty silver starlight poured down, and it was tranquil, profound, and vast. Chen Xi sat beneath the starry sky with an emotionless expression while bathed in the silver radiance.

His eyes were shut tightly when his right hand rose up abruptly and swept through the sky.

Swish!

A wisp of a fine Sword Insight that was blazing and resplendent shot out. Stellar bodies rose and fell within it while it seemed to be deducing the profundities of the changes in the universe, and it tore through space itself as it moved forward.

Bang!

An enormous bang that shook the heavens resounded out. A star in the sky trembled lightly while emitting a graceful glow, and if one looked carefully, one would notice that the wisp of Sword Insight that had penetrated the star hadn't vanished but had disappeared within the depths of the vast universe!

The Sword of Creation really is terrifying. It's filled with the profundities of creation and deduction, and it attains the same effect as the Dao of Talismans by a different way… Chen Xi opened his eyes and seemed to be lost in thought.

His gaze was clear and deep, and if one looked carefully, it seemed as if a myriad of profundities were forming within his eyes while countless talisman markings were born within them, causing it to instill shock in the hearts of others.

But unfortunately, even though I've comprehended it, it hasn't experienced tempering, so I'm still lacking in attainment. Chen Xi pondered briefly before quickly making a decision, and then he turned around and left the world of stars.

Learning in order to practice was the principle that was the clearest and easiest to understand. Similarly, if a cultivation technique hadn't experienced the baptism of real combat, then it lacked a sort of purest lethal force in the end.

…

After he walked out of his room, Chen Xi's Divine Sense swept the entirety of West Radiance Peak, and when he saw everything was fine, he swiftly transformed into a ray of light that flashed towards the depths of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect.

10 minutes later.

An extremely ancient hall was reflected within Chen Xi's field of vision.

This hall was completely simple and mottled with the traces of time. It seemed to have experienced the passage of countless years, and it emanated a solemn and heavy aura.

This hall was called 'Soul Suppression.' According to rumor, it suppressed countless bloodsouls, and all of these Bloodsouls were extremely wicked and vicious demon beasts, vengeful spirits, villains, and so on and so forth that had been killed by the ancestors of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect who wandered through the world.

There was another rumor that said this Soul Suppression Hall was the true foundation of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect, and it was suppressing a peerless sword of slaughter.

This sword had once drunk the blood of the gods and slaughtered the great figures of the three dimensions.

Later on, because its murderous qi was too strong, it was suppressed here by the ancestors of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect, and unless the sect was at the brink of destruction, no one was allowed to undo the seal upon it arbitrarily.

But regardless of which rumor it was, Chen Xi knew very well that beneath the Soul Suppression Hall was an existence called the Bloodsoul Sword Cave.

This sword cave tunneled down to the bottom of the earth, and it contained countless levels. Every single level was filled with various bloodthirsty and violent bloodsouls, and their strengths varied according to the level. The most formidable bloodsoul was supposedly comparable to a true Heavenly Immortal!

But that was only a mere rumor, and no one would believe it to be true.

The numerous disciples and even Earthly Immortal Realm experts of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect had taken this place to be a superb location to temper and train themselves.

Chen Xi had come here this time while carrying a similar objective.

At this moment, the Soul Suppression Hall was already filled with queues. There were outer court disciples, inner court disciples, Elite Disciples, and Core Seed Disciples as well. They formed a black mass that blocked up the Soul Suppression Hall to the point even a drop of water couldn't get through.

Chen Xi knew that not everyone was able to enter the Bloodsoul Sword Cave just because they wanted to, and they had to complete the assignments of the sect and make a certain level of contribution to the sect before they would possess the qualifications to enter.

Moreover, before one entered the Bloodsoul Sword Cave, one had to first obtain a teleportation talisman in the Soul Suppression Hall because once one encountered danger in the sword cave, one could crush the talisman to be teleported to safety.

"Eh!"

"That's…"

"Senior Brother Chen Xi! Senior Brother Chen Xi has come out from closed door cultivation!"

"Senior Brother Chen Xi? What's he doing in the Soul Suppression Hall? Could it be that he intends to train in the Bloodsoul Sword Cave?"

Some disciples with sharp eyes noticed Chen Xi, and they cried out with excitement after being slightly stunned for a moment. After that, the entire crowd in the hall burst into an uproar. All of them were extremely excited and revealed expressions of reverence.

Presently, Chen Xi's name was renowned throughout the world, and it shook the Nine Radiance Sword Sect. One year ago, he was judged as the number one figure amongst the Core Seed Disciples, and he'd completely overshadowed Chen Langya's reputation.

Everyone had heard a long time ago that Chen Xi was in closed door cultivation, and because of his cultivation, he didn't even participate in the grand meeting of the immortal sects. But, after the curtains to the grand event were drawn, Qiu Xuanshu who attained the first position had personally come to the Nine Radiance Sword Sect and frankly requested to pay Chen Xi a visit. Moreover, he'd even stayed for an entire year, yet wasn't able to meet Chen Xi at all!

This incident had become a story that was constantly discussed within the Nine Radiance Sword Sect since a long time ago, so how could these disciples be unaware?

Even the existence that attained the first in the grand meeting was unable to meet their Senior Brother Chen Xi when he came to pay a visit, so such an extraordinary incident had become the topic of animated discussion of all the disciples during their times of leisure.

Chen Xi couldn't help but be stunned when he saw everyone was so warm, and then he smiled as he greeted them one by one.

Everyone was fearful and didn't dare accept the courtesy Chen Xi showed them, and they hurriedly moved to the side to open up a wide path before respectfully welcoming Chen Xi into the Soul Suppression Hall.

The passageway that was watertight just moments ago was so wide at this moment, and their reverence and support of Chen Xi was obvious from this.

Chen Xi didn't refuse, and he flashed forward into the hall.

A grey robed elder called Xia Mang was in charge of the teleportation talismans, and his serious face instantly revealed a brilliant smile upon noticing Chen Xi's entrance before he said warmly, "Martial Nephew Chen Xi, please come in. Please come in."

As he spoke, he was about to pull Chen Xi's arm and lead Chen Xi to sit inside.

Chen Xi hurriedly declined. "I came for the sake of entering the Bloodsoul Sword Cave, and I'll come pay Martial Uncle Xia a visit when I'm free."

Xia Mang roared with laughter. "Alright, alright."

After that, he revealed a solemn expression as he warned in a serious tone. "Chen Xi, the Bloodsoul Sword Cave is unfathomable. According to my knowledge, it contains a total of 99 levels, and you have to be careful if you're going to temper yourself within it. Only Earthly Immortal Realm experts are able to enter the area after the 55th floor, whereas it's extremely dangerous for others to enter there. You must remember this."

Chen Xi nodded and said, "Don't worry, Martial Uncle. Even if I do encounter danger, wouldn't I still have the teleportation talisman?"

Xia Mang shook his head and said, "After the 55th floor, some bloodsouls are extremely formidable and are no different than Earthly Immortal Realm experts. Some have grasped Dao Arts, some cultivate in Divine Abilities, and there are also some that have slight understanding towards the Spatial Dao. If you enter it rashly, then you might even be killed before you have the chance to crush the talisman."

He paused for a moment and continued. "In the past, many outstanding disciples had stepped into that area under the drive of their curiosity, yet none of them survived in the end. It's truly a pity."

Chen Xi was surprised, and then he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Martial Uncle, for your guidance."

Xia Mang smiled as he said, "It's nothing. Just take care of yourself while you temper your strength."

As he spoke, he withdrew a teleportation talisman and passed it to Chen Xi. "Go along the hall towards its depths and you'll be able to see the entrance to the Bloodsoul Sword Cave."

Chen Xi nodded, and then he carefully put away the talisman before leaving swiftly.

Xia Mang had an emotional expression until Chen Xi left, and then he slowly sat back down on his chair and instructed the nearby disciple. "Call the next disciple in!"

As he spoke, the smile on his face had vanished without a trace, and he recovered his serious expression from before. Obviously, only Chen Xi's appearance could make him welcome a disciple with a smile.