Chapter 73: The Holy Master Appears, The Nine Provinces and Four Domains
Within the Bloodfiend Bone Ship, Blood Lord meditated with his eyes closed.
At the Holy Maiden’s request, they had visited almost all the sects in the Immortal Domain.
Not just the nine major sects, but also the smaller ones.
However…
“Who is the Holy Maiden looking for?”
Blood Lord opened his eyes slightly, a cold glint flashing through them.
Even the Holy Master didn’t know much about the Holy Maiden’s origins, only that she appeared in the most mysterious and forbidden place in the Demon Abyss—the Endless Blood Sea.
When she first emerged, she encountered the previous Holy Maiden and Holy Son of the Temple of the Nether Spirit who were traveling together.
The previous Holy Maiden was always very arrogant. Seeing a mysterious girl appear from the depths of the Blood Sea, she ordered her subordinates to capture her without even asking a question.
But this caused a great disaster. Almost all of the previous Holy Maiden’s followers were killed by the girl.
If the protector hadn’t appeared in time, even the previous Holy Maiden might not have survived.
Even so, the previous Holy Maiden’s cultivation was crippled.
The protector wanted to capture this girl named Su Yiyao, but unexpectedly, Su Yiyao was protected by the power of a Soul Transformation cultivator, which even ordinary Nascent Soul experts couldn’t overcome.
Therefore, the protector had no choice but to report this matter to the forbidden area.
Unexpectedly, the Holy Master made a rare appearance to receive the mysterious girl, and no one knew what they talked about.
Shortly after, this mysterious girl became the new Holy Maiden of the Temple of the Nether Spirit, inheriting the Underworld Phoenix lineage.
As for the death of the Holy Son, it was purely his own fault.
After the new Holy Maiden took over, he, as the Holy Son, demanded that she become his Dao companion.
He even mobilized many disciples of the Holy Son lineage, trying to coerce the new Holy Maiden into submission.
After all, the new Holy Maiden had no foundation in the Temple of the Nether Spirit. The Holy Son thought that he could manipulate Su Yiyao as he pleased.
But what he didn’t expect was…
Su Yiyao, through bloody means, slaughtered all the Foundation Establishment disciples who sided with the Holy Son, including the Holy Son himself.
Those at the Core Formation Realm and above didn’t dare to interfere due to the rules of the forbidden area and because she was under the Holy Master’s protection.
In battles between cultivators of the same realm, the loser was the weak one, unworthy of survival.
But if they were allowed to bully those of lower realms, it would stifle the future of the forbidden area.
Although the disciples of the Demon Abyss were raised like gu worms, and the competition was incredibly cruel, there were still limits. Otherwise, the prodigies of the forbidden area would be consumed by internal strife.
In the end, the Holy Son lineage completely declined, the previous Holy Maiden didn’t dare to speak out, and the new Holy Maiden secured her position.
But strangely, after securing her position, the first thing the Holy Maiden did wasn’t to cultivate her own power within the Temple, but to challenge the prodigies of the various forbidden areas in the Demon Abyss.
The higher-ups of the Temple initially thought that the Holy Maiden was simply bloodthirsty, but after several investigations, they felt that she was more like searching for someone.
After sweeping through the Demon Abyss, she even proposed challenging the sects of the Immortal Domain.
The Holy Master didn’t interfere, and after discussion, the lineage masters agreed to her request.
Thus began the Bloodfiend Bone Ship’s journey to the Immortal Domain.
However, the lineage masters had no idea who the Holy Maiden was looking for. When they asked the Holy Master, she simply said to let the Holy Maiden do as she pleased, offering no useful information.
“It’s best… to have her under our control…” Blood Lord narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Holy Maiden’s origins were too mysterious, and her position was too high, so they needed a way to control her, in case she turned against them at a critical moment.
Who knew if she was a spy sent by some other force…
Therefore, finding the person she was looking for before the Holy Maiden did, and controlling that person, would be a good method.
Just as Blood Lord was pondering, faint purple flames suddenly ignited on his half-withered body.
“Hmm?”
Blood Lord’s pupils constricted, and he immediately stood up.
The purple flames flickered and floated up, stopping at about the height of a person.
In an instant, the surrounding space seemed to be torn apart, and they were trapped in some unknown illusion.
Blood Lord wasn’t panicked at all. He bowed slightly, his hunched back bending, and said respectfully,
“Greetings, Holy Master.”
Although Blood Lord appeared calm on the surface, his heart was in turmoil.
Why would the Holy Master contact him at this time, using this method?
All disciples who entered the Temple of the Nether Spirit would receive a trace of the Holy Master’s Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame, which would aid their cultivation. Upon their death, they would become nourishment for the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame, returning to the Holy Master.
However, after reaching a certain status, the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame would be retrieved by the Holy Master.
Blood Lord was an exception. Although his realm was at the peak of Nascent Soul, due to the hidden injuries he sustained in the Immortal-Demon War many years ago, he still couldn’t fully control the Law of Withering and Prosperity.
If not for the Holy Master’s Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame, he would probably be dead already.
And now, the Holy Master had suddenly awakened the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame within Blood Lord and even deliberately set up such a barrier…
Did she have something important to say?
“Blood Lord,” a genderless voice, soft and emotionless, came from within the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame. “You went to the Peerless Summit Sect?”
“Yes, Holy Master,” Blood Lord replied respectfully, “But we are already on our way back.”
Silence fell within the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame for a moment, then the Holy Master’s voice rang out again.
“Just now, in the Peerless Summit Sect, a disciple used the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame.”
“What!”
Blood Lord couldn’t help but exclaim.
The price of directly activating the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame was extremely heavy. The pain was something that even Demon Abyss disciples, who had experienced mountains of corpses and seas of blood, dreaded.
Unless it was…
A trained spy.
Just then, Blood Lord remembered that before the competition with the Peerless Summit Sect began, their Grand Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall seemed to have mentioned this matter.
A spy from the Sha Master lineage of the Temple had attempted to assassinate a Peerless Summit Sect disciple but was killed instead.
However, he hadn’t mentioned the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame.
But the disciple who killed the Sha Master spy seemed to be only at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm. How could such a cultivation level withstand the power of the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame…
“A Soul Transformation cultivator protected her,” the Holy Master continued, “And this Soul Transformation cultivator… I don’t recognize.”
This time, Blood Lord was truly shocked.
A Soul Transformation cultivator whom even the Holy Master didn’t recognize?
How was that possible!
Soul Transformation cultivators had all lived for a very long time. Only one or two appeared every ten thousand years, and they were all renowned figures.
If it were Core Formation, or even Nascent Soul, there might be unknown secluded cultivators.
But Soul Transformation and above, they controlled the power of rules. It was impossible for their breakthroughs to be without any commotion, making it impossible to hide.
Unless it was… a Soul Transformation cultivator even older than the Holy Master, perhaps even having reached the legendary realm… of ascension—Immortality.
This was terrifying.
“There’s a barrier in the Immortal Domain that blocks my perception, so it’s not very clear. However, the aura is somewhat similar to A’Yao’s.” The Holy Master said faintly. “But I can’t be sure.”
“The Holy Maiden?” Blood Lord’s expression darkened. “Holy Master, are you saying that the one protected by the unknown Soul Transformation ancestor might be the person the Holy Maiden is looking for?”
“Yes.”
After receiving the Holy Master’s confirmation, Blood Lord turned slightly and looked in the direction of the Holy Maiden’s room, hesitating.
Should he tell the Holy Maiden directly, or secretly bring that white-haired girl back to the Temple of the Nether Spirit…
However, the white-haired girl was a prodigy of the Peerless Summit Sect. Secretly taking her would require a considerable price.
There were still a few spies from the Blood Lord lineage within the Peerless Summit Sect, but sacrificing them for the white-haired girl… was it worth it?
“I’ve said what I needed to say. The rest is up to you.”
After saying her last words, the Bone-Eroding Demonic Flame was extinguished, the spark returning to Blood Lord’s half-withered body.
The Holy Master had always been like this, rarely directly involving herself in the affairs of the Temple of the Nether Spirit, and basically ignoring the power struggles between the various lineage masters.
She would only appear when matters arose that the lineage masters couldn’t decide on their own.
Blood Lord sat alone for a long time, still not moving.
“Forget it, this matter should be… considered carefully.”
At least he now knew who the Holy Maiden might be looking for; it was no longer a complete mystery, and that was enough.
Blood Lord closed his eyes again.
…
Luo Xue didn’t know that the Temple of the Nether Spirit had already noticed her. At this moment, she was packing her belongings with Senior Sister.
In fact, Zou Junxin’s decision to send Luo Xue to the Demon Abyss as a spy for the Immortal Domain was a bit risky.
He had to finalize this matter before the Law Enforcement Hall reacted.
In other words, from now on, Luo Xue could receive the order to go to the Demon Abyss at any time.
Therefore, after Zou Junxin left Falling Flower Peak, Bai Zhanying immediately started preparing things that Luo Xue might need in the future.
“Take these talismans first. They can be activated with a bit of spiritual power, very useful.”
“This soft armor is only a second-grade spiritual artifact, but it can protect your life against a full-powered attack from a Core Formation cultivator.”
“As for weapons, I’ll ask for Zhang Zhengwei’s heavy sword for you. Oh right, the one you used during the competition. The swords of Falling Flower Peak are too light, you probably can’t use them.”
“These technique manuals are all obtained from my travels, they have nothing to do with the Peerless Summit Sect. I’ll give them to you.”
“And also…”
“Senior Sister,” Luo Xue had to interrupt Bai Zhanying, who was frantically stuffing things into her arms, a wry smile on her face. “It’s too much, I can’t carry it all.”
It looked like Senior Sister was planning to give her everything she owned…
Not to mention the weapons and technique manuals, just the talismans alone, these one-time-use magical treasures, were extremely valuable.
Whether it was the rarity of the materials or the difficulty of crafting them, a few were enough to make a cultivator of the same level feel poor.
After all, these things didn’t require much spiritual power to use, and the talismans Senior Sister took out were almost all at the Foundation Establishment level. Five or six of them would probably be enough to kill Daoist Ziyang.
And there were at least a hundred here…
A second-grade spiritual artifact soft armor, it didn’t sound like much, but second-grade corresponded to Foundation Establishment, and it was a rare protective treasure. Auctioning it off could fetch hundreds of talismans.
Luo Xue knew the value of these things, and she felt a little shocked.
“…The Demon Abyss is dangerous, I’m just worried.” Bai Zhanying’s gaze towards Luo Xue was gentle. “In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown so much… but I still feel that you’re no different from the baby crying in my arms back then.”
“Cough…”
Luo Xue touched her nose awkwardly.
“Back then…”
Bai Zhanying suddenly became sentimental.
Seeing this, Luo Xue quickly changed the subject.
“Senior Sister, tell me about the Demon Abyss?”
Bai Zhanying’s reminiscence was interrupted, a hint of disappointment flashing across her face, but she quickly composed herself and asked,
“Xiao Xue, how much do you know about the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss?”
She had heard the conversation between Zou Junxin and Luo Xue in the room.
But talking about the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss was too broad, and she didn’t know where to start.
“Tell me what the Demon Abyss is like first. Is it full of sinister and dangerous places?”
Luo Xue pulled over a small stool, her eyes fixed on Senior Sister, looking like she was eager to hear some gossip.
Bai Zhanying pondered for a moment, then said,
“Actually, the Demon Abyss is similar to the Immortal Domain. The difference… isn’t that big.”
“Hmm?” Luo Xue was taken aback. “Senior Sister, you mean… the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss, are actually just different in name?”
“Generally speaking, yes,” Bai Zhanying nodded. “The Immortal Domain has nine provinces, and the Demon Abyss has four domains. They are essentially the same.”
“There are also demonic and dangerous places within the nine provinces, and there are also blessed lands within the four domains.”
“Then why are they called the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss?” Luo Xue asked curiously. “And where is the Mortal Realm?”
Bai Zhanying considered her words carefully, then said,
“Let’s talk about the Mortal Realm first. As the name suggests, it’s the world where mortal nations reside… It sounds far away from the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss, but it’s not.”
Bai Zhanying raised her hand slightly, and thin strands of spiritual power formed a map in the air, distinguished by colors.
The white Immortal Domain and the red Demon Abyss were clearly demarcated, and there seemed to be no Mortal Realm.
Bai Zhanying pointed to the white area and said,
“This is the nine provinces of the Immortal Domain, and also… the nine provinces of the Mortal Realm. The same goes for the four domains of the Demon Abyss.”
“Mortal nations are distributed within the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss, but they are managed by the corresponding sects within their respective spheres of influence.”
“The Peerless Summit Sect is located in Qing Province. There are five mortal nations within Qing Province: Wei, Zhou, Yan, Nanming, Beiming, and Dawei.”
Within the white area, which represented one-ninth of the map, five differently colored patches appeared, almost occupying the entire area.
Only a few small areas remained uncolored.
—The locations of the immortal sects.
“So, the Mortal Realm is actually included within the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss. The areas outside the sect residences are called the Mortal Realm?”
Luo Xue nodded thoughtfully. “In that case, the difference between the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss lies in…”
“The sects that govern them. The areas occupied by Demon Abyss sects are called the Demon Abyss, that’s all.” Bai Zhanying said. “It was originally the ten provinces of the Immortal Domain, but in the Immortal-Demon War that ended a thousand years ago, one province fell and was incorporated into the four domains of the Demon Abyss.”
“Although nine provinces might sound larger than four domains, it’s actually just a difference in how they are divided. Now, the Demon Abyss’s territory is slightly larger than the Immortal Domain’s.”
This was clearly visible on the map Bai Zhanying had drawn.
The Demon Abyss had a slight advantage in the Immortal-Demon War a thousand years ago.
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