The Price

Chapter 277 The Price
"How is this possible?! Li Xian, how can you be so strong? That's Zhang Taiyuan from the Nine Heavens Holy Land! Zhang Taiyuan, invincible in the Dao Realm!"

Lu Baishan trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Such a renowned figure, who had been famous for a century and was invincible in the Dao realm, actually died at the hands of Li Xian?
Li Xian is actually this strong!?

"If this is true... then Mr. Li... is truly unbelievable."

Yi Yuanshi also sighed with genuine emotion.

Rumors circulate that Zhang Taiyuan's strength has surpassed the realm of the Ten Mark Heavenly Lords, reaching the level of the Eleven Marks, equivalent to a top-tier Ghost Immortal.

Although he had already achieved great success in his Dao body and his combat strength had officially entered the Ten Marks Heavenly Monarch realm, but...

He's confident he can break into the top five of the current Dao Realm.

Capable of confronting Zhang Taiyuan, who is considered to have the strongest fighting force among those with no clear advantage...

He has self-awareness.

"Zhang Taiyuan."

Although the Shadow Sword Immortal standing to the side was also deeply shocked by the news, he quickly accepted the fact.

“We should have known long ago that four months ago, Li Xian already possessed the strength to kill the Demon Lord Rahu, and the Demon Lord Rahu… was a Ten-Scarred Heavenly Monarch.”

"But... what does this have to do with the Demon Lord Rahu?"

Yuan Jie couldn't help but say, "Luo Hou Demon Lord is Luo Hou Demon Lord, and Zhang Taiyuan is Zhang Taiyuan! The latter is universally recognized as the number one being with a gap in power!"

You've missed a key point.

The Shadow Sword Immortal glanced at him: "The key is not the Demon Lord Rahu, but..."

She paused, a hint of emotion and regret in her voice: "Just four months ago."

"What? Four months ago? Four months..."

Yuan Jie frowned, about to say something, but the next second, he suddenly realized something and couldn't help but widen his eyes.

"The four months you mentioned..."

When he asked that question, he felt his heart tremble slightly.

"Correct."

The Shadow Sword Immortal nodded emphatically at him, confirming his guess: "Four months have already passed."

Four months.

Not just the metaverse.

The others who also realized what was happening, including Lu Baishan and Yi Yuanshi who were not far away, were also horrified.

Lu Baishan, who was particularly unwilling to admit Li Xian's strength, couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Four months ago, Li Xian had already killed the Demon Lord Rahu!
Four months have passed now...

Why can't Li Xian make great progress in his cultivation?
For others, expecting to make further progress in their cultivation in four months is nothing short of a pipe dream.

But that's Li Xian!

Li Xian has been practicing Taoism for less than ten years!

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he reaches a new level every year.

Although the difference between ten and eleven marks is not small, it is not as great as the difference between Dao Foundation and Magic Power, or Magic Power and Five Elements, where one can easily fight against ten or dozens of enemies.

Using Li Xian's method of advancing one realm per year, he broke through from ten marks to eleven marks in four months...

That's normal, isn't it?

This is what the Shadow Sword Immortal meant by "four months," and it's also the logic behind this absurd statement about "four months."

Rather...

Such an absurd and indescribable reason, when applied to Li Xian who had already created miracle after miracle, actually fits perfectly.

It makes people truly believe it.

This "belief" is the greatest shock to Yuanjie, Lu Baishan, and Yi Yuanshi.

One is the "belief" that is not surprising no matter how absurd something is, as long as it is something Li Xian has done.

"so……"

Yi Yuanshi took a deep breath, calming the jealousy that had briefly crossed his mind but was quickly suppressed, and instead sincerely praised, "A new legend has been born, and this legend... was born in our Great Luo Immortal Sect. We are all witnesses to this legend."

Lu Baishan glanced at Yi Yuanshi.

Since he rose to fame, he has been hailed as unparalleled and peerless. With high hopes and substantial investments from various parties, he has lived up to expectations and demonstrated unparalleled potential.

Currently, in less than two hundred years, he has cultivated to become a Ten-Scarred Heavenly Lord, and his physical body has undergone tribulation, with the prospect of directly entering the realm of Human Immortal.

His talent is unparalleled, even in the thousands or tens of thousands of years of history.

His status and title as the chief Daoist disciple were so great that any disciple of the Great Luo Immortal Sect would wholeheartedly submit to him.

But with Li Xian's birth, he shone with brilliance...

At this moment, he had to admit...

Li Xian's qualifications, talent, and strength are even greater than Yi Yuanshi's.

"Yi Daozi..."

Lu Baishan opened his mouth, as if to say something.

Yi Yuanshi glanced at him, and then said to everyone, "Let's go to the gate of the immortal realm. It is our honor to live in the same world as a genius like Li Daozi and fight side by side. It is also the good fortune of our Great Luo Immortal Sect."

The Shadow Sword Immortal glanced at him, and she could tell the sincerity in his words.

finally……

She nodded: "Yi Daozi truly deserves the title of the senior disciple of the Great Luo Immortal Sect."

At least……

This was the case before this year.

……

Compared to the shock and overwhelming emotions of everyone in the Great Luo Immortal Sect, the Nine Heavens Holy Land, which had already received the message of reinforcements, was filled with a sense of devastation as the two teams that had joined forces and rushed over at full speed.

"Senior Brother Zhang!?"

"How is this possible! How could the invincible Senior Brother Zhang issue such a warning?! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"Li Xian! How could Li Xian kill Senior Brother Zhang? I don't believe it! Senior Brother Zhang is destined to sweep across the Immortal Realm and be invincible in this war! It's an illusion, all an illusion!"

The eyes of the top True Monarchs and Heavenly Monarchs of the Nine Heavens Holy Land were filled with flames, anger, and surging killing intent.

The quality of the Dao Realm cultivators in this generation of the Great Luo Immortal Sect is unprecedented.

There are three Heavenly Sovereigns!

However, this situation is extremely special; in previous Immortal Realm Wars, it would be considered good if there was even one.

Most of the time, there isn't even a Heavenly Lord leading the team.

But the Nine Heavens Holy Land...

There were indeed three Heavenly Lords.

Aside from Zhang Taiyuan, the first among the Eleven Heavenly Lords to achieve this feat, the remaining figures, Gu Xianyi and Sheng Yang, were also figures who had established their reputation as Heavenly Lords long ago.

Especially Gu Xianyi, whose ranking on the Dao Realm Supreme Ranking is even higher than that of Luo Hou Demon Lord, second only to Zhang Taiyuan and Song Yunqing.

Furthermore, it is rumored that this ancient being, who has reincarnated twice and lived for a total of nearly 20,000 years, possesses abilities surpassing those of Song Yunqing. However, due to his status, he is unwilling to compete with a junior who has only cultivated for a few hundred years.

Therefore, the group from the Nine Heavens Holy Land, who felt they still had enough strength, were clearly unwilling to accept this outcome.

"The gate to the immortal realm is right before our eyes. We must see it for ourselves, see clearly what has happened, and find out the truth."

"If Senior Brother Zhang... I mean, even if there's only the slightest possibility that Senior Brother Zhang has met with misfortune, then Li Xian's strength must far exceed our imagination. If we approach him at this time... wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

"Senior Brother Zhang told us to kill Li Xian at all costs. Li Xian must be at his last gasp. We must take this opportunity to completely kill this prodigy who is regarded by our sect elders as having the greatest potential in the world. We must not give him any more chance to grow!"

The True Lords were filled with righteous indignation.

Their speed towards the gate to the immortal realm not only didn't slow down, but actually increased even more.

"enough!"

Compared to the radical True Monarchs, Gu Xianyi, who had lived two lives, was quite calm: "Zhang Shengzi did say that he would kill Li Xian at all costs... but those words were not meant for us! Rather, he hoped that we would inform the sect of this news and ask the Holy Lords to make a decision on this matter. Don't tell me you couldn't understand!"

"Uncle-Master Gu, you yourself said that Senior Brother Zhang told us to kill Li Xian at all costs. What does 'at all costs' mean? These costs naturally include us!"

"A true lord said in a deep voice."

His name is He Qing, a top-tier True Monarch who has lived for over eight hundred years. If he can wield a Dao artifact, his combat power will rival that of a Heavenly Monarch.

He had fought with others and used forbidden techniques, damaging his foundation and making it impossible for him to transcend the tribulation. Therefore, he placed all his hopes on Zhang Taiyuan.

If Zhang Taiyuan is truly dead...

His lifelong hope will be completely shattered.

Therefore, he was absolutely unwilling to watch Zhang Taiyuan die without knowing the truth.

"Besides... I know that Li Xian. He has been cultivating for less than sixty years. His most glorious achievement is only the suspected killing of the Demon Lord Rahu... But even if he could really kill the Demon Lord Rahu, he would never be a match for Senior Brother Zhang. Perhaps he managed to do so with some forbidden technique! Forbidden techniques often come with serious consequences. Now is the best time for us to kill him!"

He Qing continued.

“Zhang Taiyuan is unparalleled. His existence represents the limit of the Dao realm. Apart from life-or-death forbidden techniques or immortal methods, no one can kill him.”

"Li Xian dared to kill the Holy Son of my Nine Heavens Holy Land. No matter the cost, we will make him pay for this in blood! Even if the cost is ours!"

The other True Lords echoed this sentiment with unwavering conviction.

They either felt they could get a bargain, or they believed that the prestige of Dazong should not be compromised, so they all sided with He Qing.

“He Qing and the others are right. Senior Brother Zhang cannot die such an unclear death. No matter what, we must find out the truth! Even if it is confirmed that Senior Brother Zhang died at the hands of Li Xian…”

At this point, Sheng Yang also spoke up.

As one of the remaining Heavenly Lords in the Nine Heavens Holy Land's ranks, his words...

It was nothing short of a final decision.

"You guys..."

The ancient immortal sighed. Although he felt these younger generations were too inexperienced and didn't understand that above the peerless and unparalleled, there were also those who were unreasonable and shocked the world, the Radiant Heavens. But right now...

Everyone's minds had been clouded by the power of the Nine Heavens Holy Land, and they even said they were willing to become the "price" for it. Naturally, his opposition could not change their decision.

At that moment, he could only acquiesce.

"Then go and have a look."

He said in a deep voice, "I have a secret technique, so powerful that even Zhang Shengzi himself admitted that it is unstoppable. However, this secret technique needs time to develop. I will gather strength in the rear, and you will provide me with opportunities to attack."

Sheng Yang and the others glanced at him, unsure whether he truly possessed a secret technique or was merely saying this to hide in the back and escape as soon as he realized things were hopeless.

However, with Zhang Taiyuan dead, Gu Xianyi was now the strongest Heavenly Lord among them. Although they had doubts, they dared not ask.

……

The death of Zhang Taiyuan, and the name "Li Xian" that he mentioned before his death, shocked everyone, causing the people of the Daluo Immortal Sect and the Nine Heavens Holy Land to rush towards the gate of the Immortal Realm at full speed.

Meanwhile, other forces such as the Yaoyang Immortal Sect, Shenxiao Sect, Zaohua Immortal Sect, Yulong Sect, the Four Great Immortal Dynasties, the Six Great Demon Sects, and the Silent Ancient Temple also sent people to the gate of the Immortal Realm at full speed.

They naturally dared not lay a hand on Li Xian, but...

With the fall of a supreme expert in the Dao Realm, they couldn't help but want to verify it.

If Li Xian truly killed Zhang Taiyuan, then it undoubtedly proves...

An old king has fallen.

A new king has been born, and a new era is about to begin for him.

In time, they will all be witnesses to this era.

……

In front of the gate to the celestial realm.

The void storm that raged around the area gradually subsided.

These are techniques equivalent to those of a true immortal, invincible and unstoppable.

Even a Nascent Soul Immortal or a top-tier defensive artifact...

Even Li Xian himself was no exception.

The storm swept through, obliterating everything, erasing everything.

Not far away, Song Yunqing stared blankly at the scene, her mind reeling, unable to recover for a long time. "Zhang Taiyuan... is dead?"

Not long ago, Zhang Taiyuan displayed a despair-inducing power.

With overwhelming force, he tore Long Tianxing and Chilong apart. His Great Disintegration Technique rendered her and the Undying Black Dragon's attacks insignificant. He withstood the Heavenly Extreme Nourishment for thirty years and survived a single sword strike. He forcefully seized the Purple Cloud Palace from Li Xian!
Every supernatural power and magic he displayed proclaimed to the world that he was the undisputed number one in refining spirit and invincible in the Dao realm!
But now...

However, it was swept away by the void storm and torn to shreds.

This dramatic rise and fall left Song Yunqing barely able to breathe.

It took her a while to finally calm down.

Even a technique comparable to a true immortal, the Void Storm, was unleashed; it seems reasonable that it would be used to annihilate Zhang Taiyuan.

And Li Xian, who can even stir up a void storm...

She looked at the figure who reached out and took the Purple Cloud Palace again, her expression complicated.

She witnessed the entire battle between Li Xian and Zhang Taiyuan.

He relied entirely on his own strength to defeat and kill Zhang Taiyuan head-on, without any luck whatsoever.

In fact, compared to Zhang Taiyuan's Eight Desolations Primordial Armor, Li Xian's Void Dao Artifact and Chaos Dao Artifact are a level below.

in other words……

If Li Xian also possessed a top-tier Dao artifact, the methods he would ultimately display would be far more terrifying than they are now.

"Zhang Taiyuan, with his eleventh-tier combat power, is unparalleled and his might overwhelms the present generation, but..."

Song Yunqing looked at Li Xian.

Li Xian, who killed Zhang Taiyuan, an eleventh-rank cultivator...

He is truly magnificent and boundless, shining brightly throughout the heavens!

Recalling their earlier assessment of Li Xian on the way here…

At that moment, she suddenly realized how ridiculous she was.

The frog at the bottom of the well, sitting in the well and looking at the sky, is nothing more than that.

……

At this moment, Li Xianzheng was quietly experiencing the process of stirring up a void storm in the environment of the Immortal Realm.

The Immortal Realm is, after all, the Immortal Realm.

It's still a bit too slow to trigger a void storm here.

If Zhang Taiyuan hadn't had absolute confidence in his Eight Desolate Primordial Armor and hadn't failed to flee immediately, and if his ability to solidify the void hadn't been enhanced after his life transformation, he probably wouldn't have had time to unleash a void storm to deliver the fatal blow.

in other words……

If Zhang Taiyuan were focused on escaping, it would still be difficult for him to kill someone with top-tier defensive artifacts in the Immortal Realm.

Unless it's outside.

"If the Flowing Void Sword is a top-tier void-type killing artifact, it seems it would also be effective in the Immortal Realm..."

He weighed the options in his mind.

but……

Obtaining a top-tier Dao artifact is no easy task.

Even the most powerful immortal sects have many Nascent Soul cultivators who don't possess even a single ordinary Dao artifact.

As for top-tier Dao artifacts, let alone loose immortals, even some Dao-merging True Immortals might not possess them.

He wanted to obtain this priceless treasure...

Li Xian turned his gaze to the gate to the immortal realm.

"Even when the Immortal Realm opens, it's not guaranteed that top-tier Dao artifacts will emerge. In the last time the Immortal Realm opened, it was said that there were only about twenty Dao artifacts, and even high-grade Dao artifacts were less than a handful... Whether you can obtain such a treasure in the end depends on luck."

He pondered for a moment.

It was only then that he saw Song Yunqing.

Considering her performance in her battle against Zhang Taiyuan, ultimately...

He nodded.

I have no intention of challenging her.

too weak.

It's pointless to fight.

"Li Xian."

Song Yunqing noticed his gaze and said, "Thank you for avenging my junior brother."

As she spoke, she added, "My master has a deep grudge against the Nine Heavens Holy Land. It's hard to say about loose immortals, but if a true immortal or celestial immortal from the Nine Heavens Holy Land dares to attack you, my master will definitely take action... So, you don't need to worry about the Nine Heavens Holy Land's retaliation."

Li Xian nodded slightly.

If it weren't for Tianyuan Daoren, a great war would have already broken out in the True Immortal Great World.

The Nine Heavens Holy Land, already at its peak of power, is bound to encroach upon the Seven Sects and Four Dynasties.

All seven major immortal sects and four major immortal dynasties in the entire True Immortal Great World owe a debt of gratitude to Daoist Tianyuan.

Song Yunqing looked at Li Xian, opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she didn't know what to say.

She and Mr. Li were not familiar with each other.

Moreover, her attitude towards Li Xian on the way there had made her feel somewhat awkward.

In the end, he could only say, "When my master learns that Li Daozi has killed Zhang Taiyuan, he will be overjoyed. Li Daozi can come to my Tianyuan Sect for this achievement. Whether it is to study the Tianyuan Jade Wall or to read the Tianyuan Mystic Technique, my master will not refuse."

"Celestial Origin Technique?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xian's eyes lit up.

This supreme and wondrous method simulates and governs all laws, and it is also of great help to him in better coordinating his own power of the Great Dao.

He nodded slightly and said, "I'll go if I have the chance."

"We eagerly await your arrival."

As Song Yunqing spoke, seeing that Li Xianming was clearly going to block the gate to the Immortal Realm, she felt embarrassed to stay there any longer. So she transformed into a beam of light, soared into the sky, and disappeared into the distance.

After Song Yunqing left, Li Xian's gaze once again turned to the towering, mountain-like gate.

"The Gate to the Immortal Realm".

Although he was now standing before the gates of the immortal realm, ...

However, there is still a spatial barrier between the two.

However, as he carefully followed this barrier to see into the past, he had a faint feeling that he could merge into it and enter the gate to the immortal realm.

However, the intensity of this "fusion" was much greater than he had anticipated. If things went wrong, he might end up merging with the Dao, abandoning his own self, and entering the realm of immortals.

"A high level of understanding is not necessarily a good thing."

Li Xian sighed.

Even though he was only at a minor Dao Realm level, he was being urged to ascend before the gates of the Immortal Realm.

I wonder how the Immortal Realm will react when a true immortal arrives.

As Li Xian carefully experienced the wondrous feeling of "harmony between man and nature" and pondered the gate to the immortal realm, he vaguely caught something again.

Following this captured fluctuation, his thoughts and consciousness seemed to transcend the barriers of the void, guided by his heart, and enter a completely new world.

That world...

"Does the Great Dao of Emptiness reflect the world formed by the mind?"

Li was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't deeply sensed the Great Dao of the Void or merged his mind into it, yet he still managed to touch that mysterious world.

like……

It's the gate to the Immortal Realm... no, it's the Immortal Domain... no, it's the Great World of True Immortals, actively guiding certain qualified beings to sense that world.
As his perception of that world gradually became clearer, he also sensed a slight fluctuation in information once again.

Still no response?

Li Xian felt a sense of familiarity with this fluctuation.

It was the ripples left behind by that person known as "Old Nine"... or rather, by that being.

"Yes, he should be dead... He should die along with his world."

A wave of energy, somewhat unfamiliar to Li Xian, spread out.

"I'm sorry, but I've decided to go with Tiangui to that world and give it a try... even if it's just to prolong my life a little longer. Blacklight, Nine Stars, Dragon Sparrow, do you want to go?"

Another wave of turmoil arose.

"Maintaining the Dao connection allows us to at least hold onto a space and wait for a turning point. Once we leave... it really means we'll have to fight to the death..."

A ripple named "Dragon Sparrow" echoed, carrying information.

"A turning point? There is no turning point. Nothingness will eventually devour everything."

The ripples stopped there.

It wasn't Li who was discovered.

It wasn't for any other reason.

Instead, Li Xian voluntarily "withdrew" from the world reflected in that void.

"Someone's coming."

He looked into the distance.

At the edge of the sky, dozens of streaks of light pierced the void, approaching at an incredible speed.

1,000 li, 500 li, 300 li...

Looking at the dozen or so streaks of light, Li Xian's expression showed a hint of surprise.

"People from the Nine Heavens Holy Land?"

He knew that Zhang Taiyuan had sent a message to the True Lords and Heavenly Lords of the Nine Heavens Holy Land before his death, requesting reinforcements, but now...

Zhang Taiyuan died at his hands, and even gave them a warning before he died. As a result, these True Monarchs of the Nine Heavens Holy Land were so stubborn that they still dared to come forward.
Hearing is believing.

These extremely self-centered true masters only believe things when they see them with their own eyes?

"Shhhhhh!"

A streak of light pierced the sky!

Fourteen streaks of light shot over and hovered dozens of miles in front of Li Qian.

Among these fourteen streams of light, the leader was naturally Sheng Yang, who ranked fifth on the list of strongest Dao Realm cultivators and possessed the combat power of a Heavenly Monarch.

And behind him...

There were a full thirteen top-tier True Monarchs!

No, Gu Xianyi is also there.

It should be said that there are two Heavenly Lords and twelve top-tier True Lords!

There are fewer than twelve top True Monarchs in the entire Eastern Continent. Yet, the Nine Heavens Holy Land, a single entity, has produced twelve top True Monarchs. In fact, these top True Monarchs might not even be all of them.

This alone demonstrates just how powerful this holy land is.

"Zhang Taiyuan is number one in the Dao Realm, and the Nine Heavens Holy Land... is also number one in the Nine Great Immortal Sects!"

Without taking Tianyuan Daoren into account.

"Li Xian!"

Sheng Yang stared at him, watching his every change in expression: "Where did my Senior Brother Zhang go?"

Li Xian didn't answer, but instead glanced at everyone before a smile appeared on his face: "Twelve top-tier True Monarchs... their combat strength is already comparable to two or three Heavenly Monarchs, plus two genuine Heavenly Monarchs who are among the top five on the Dao Realm Supreme Ranking..."

This lineup is even better than Zhang Taiyuan's combination of Song Yunqing, Tianji, Jiuling, Aolai, and the Undying Black Dragon.

"You know it, but you just don't want to believe it."

As Li Xian spoke, he reached out to the fourteen people: "Come on, let's all come at you. Once we make our move, all your guesses will be proven true."

(End of this chapter)