Chapter 230 - 177: Gathering of the Strong, Celestial Concealment Flees in Defeat, Olive Branches from the Major Sects

Just as countless mighty cultivators rushed frantically toward the Great Yu Imperial City—

Within the city, the battle between Lin Chang’sheng and Celestial Concealment had reached a fever pitch.

Though Lin Chang’sheng had temporarily broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm with the aid of the Array of Myriad Spirits Devouring Souls,

it was still no easy feat to slay Celestial Concealment.

After all, his opponent was a true Middle Stage Nascent Soul powerhouse.

And he, too, wielded a Spirit Treasure; with every swing of his spear, the very vault of heaven seemed about to be pierced through, its might tremendous.

BOOM—

After yet another clash, the two were both forced back; Lin Chang’sheng had expended nearly all his magical power.

If he kept fighting, he honestly couldn’t tell whether his power would run dry first, or if Celestial Concealment’s magical power would exhaust before him.

But at this moment, he’d already lost the option to retreat; all that remained was to fight to the bitter end.

On Celestial Concealment Divine Master’s side, things weren’t going much better.

Lin Chang’sheng had already managed to injure him while only at the Golden Core Realm.

Let alone now, with his Nascent Soul cultivation.

If not for having a Spirit Treasure at hand, he might have already fallen to Lin Chang’sheng by now.

Even so, his own magical power was nearly spent.

The four layers of magical power he’d just recovered—only one remained now, and he was barely hanging on.

This little bastard Lin Chang’sheng seemed to have endless magical power; if this kept going, even Celestial Concealment was getting nervous.

"Little brat, this old man still has four layers of magical power left, more than enough to battle you until sundown—do you think you can hold on?"

Celestial Concealment Divine Master tried to trick him with these words.

If Lin Chang’sheng believed him, surely he’d lose all will to keep fighting.

If his opponent fled, everything would be manageable from there.

He’d just follow at a distance, wait for the augmentation to wear off, and then slaying Lin Chang’sheng would be effortless.

Yet when he heard Celestial Concealment bluff like this, Lin Chang’sheng actually smiled at the corners of his mouth.

If the other party hadn’t spoken, Lin Chang’sheng might not have guessed how much magical power he had left.

But with Celestial Concealment saying this, there surely couldn’t be much left.

Maybe just a single layer, at best! And he’s still trying to bluff me?

Pathetic!

"You old fraud, claiming four layers of magical power when you only have one—is that guilt I see?"

"If you don’t have the guts to keep fighting, then get your ass back to the Beimu Immortal Realm. I might even let you live!"

Lin Chang’sheng sneered coldly.

No matter what, he still had three layers of magical power left.

Against Celestial Concealment’s one layer—his odds were far from slim.

He just didn’t know if forcing Celestial Concealment’s hand would lead him to unleash some ultimate killing move.

So if Celestial Concealment chose to back off, Lin Chang’sheng definitely wouldn’t stand in his way.

This was the hardest battle Lin Chang’sheng had faced since starting down the path of Dao.

And yet, to defy a Nascent Soul expert for several hours with just Golden Core cultivation—this alone was enough to engrave his name in history.

"Ridiculous! Even with just one layer of power, killing you is more than enough, boy!"

Celestial Concealment’s brow furrowed; dread crept into his heart.

How the hell did this brat know I only had one layer of magical power left?

"My life is right here—come and take it if you can!"

Lin Chang’sheng didn’t bother to say more. The Godslaying Blade in his hand erupted in a blinding brilliance, cleaving straight at Celestial Concealment.

Celestial Concealment made no attempt to retreat, brandishing his long spear and thrusting out directly.

The keen Spear Aura tore through the sky, releasing a terrifying shriek of wind.

BOOM—

In another violent collision, the two were blasted apart once more.

Unable to endure it, Lin Chang’sheng spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.

And afar, Celestial Concealment was faring no better, sent crashing into a giant boulder, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth too.

Celestial Concealment could hardly have imagined in his wildest dreams that slaying this youth would cost him so dearly.

He had even plunged himself into danger repeatedly.

This strike finally drained Celestial Concealment’s power to the bottom. He no longer cared about face; tilting his head, he swallowed a Divine Infant Pill.

Rapidly refining its power to recover as much magical energy as possible.

When Lin Chang’sheng saw this, he knew Celestial Concealment had exhausted his strength.

Time to strike while he’s down—kill him!

But as Lin Chang’sheng prepared to attack again, a wave of weakness swelled within; his Nascent Soul magical power was hemorrhaging away madly.

"Is the augmentation time up?"

Lin Chang’sheng’s heart lurched—victory over Celestial Concealment was at hand—

But the Array of Myriad Spirits Devouring Souls’ empowerment had reached its end?

From afar, Celestial Concealment caught sight of this, and a victorious smirk crawled onto his lips.

"You little bastard! Your lucky days are over!"

At last, Celestial Concealment could drop the stone from his heart.

He’d truly been worried Lin Chang’sheng would make a move while he was vulnerable.

But in the end, he was the one left smiling.

As his magical power drained at a staggering pace, Lin Chang’sheng was overwhelmed by exhaustion.

CHING—

His body went limp; Lin Chang’sheng nearly collapsed, but was able to steady himself, propping up with the Godslaying Blade.

Celestial Concealment saw his chance, ready to knock Lin Chang’sheng unconscious and seize him from this place.

Whooosh—

But just then, figures appeared at every corner of the sky overhead—

Each of them radiated a formidable aura, none less than his own.

"All the leaders of the Five Great Immortal Sects are here?"

Celestial Concealment’s face twisted in shock. Wounded and nearly depleted of energy as he was—

Forget five, even one sect leader could easily obliterate him now.

"Stop!"

Wang Chonglou, Sect Leader of the Celestial Sword Sect, shouted out in fury.

Terrified Lin Chang’sheng would perish, he and the Wine Sword Immortal had raced with all their might.

At the critical moment, at last, they had arrived.

"Celestial Concealment, should you dare lay a hand on this youth, my Yanyue Immortal Sect will ensure you pay a terrible price!"

Right behind came Jiaoyue Fairy, her tone utterly uncompromising as she arrived.

"Lin Chang’sheng is a disciple of my Liuyun Immortal Sect—harm him, and you make an enemy of us all!"

The next instant, Su Changkong and his followers hurried onto the scene.

Last to arrive, slightly late, were Zhao Cheng of the Golden Talisman Sect and Fierce Sun Daoist, master of the Yin Yang Dao Sect, their intentions abundantly clear.

Lin Chang’sheng was off-limits to Celestial Concealment.

Try to act, and you would face the wrath of all five sect masters.

This left Celestial Concealment in a tough spot.

He’d gone through hell to so grievously wound Lin Chang’sheng—just as victory was within reach, now five great sects had interceded.

If he let Lin Chang’sheng go this time, it would be almost impossible to kill him afterward.

Right now, Lin Chang’sheng was only at Golden Core Middle Stage—once he reached Nascent Soul, how could Celestial Concealment hope to match him?

"You old bastard, you scared?"

Lin Chang’sheng, struggling, managed to stand upright.

He hadn’t expected all five great sects to appear at once either.

"You—"

Celestial Concealment flushed red with rage at Lin Chang’sheng’s barb.

Evidently, he would not be leaving with Lin Chang’sheng today—

Let alone slaying him now.

If he killed Lin Chang’sheng here, he likely wouldn’t walk out alive either. The price was too great.

After a long inner struggle, Celestial Concealment ultimately abandoned his plan to kill Lin Chang’sheng.

Protecting his own life was the wiser course.

No way the five sect leaders would protect Lin Chang’sheng forever.

He would get another shot eventually.

"You’re lucky this time, boy. We’ll see who laughs last!"

Throwing out those words, Celestial Concealment blurred into a streak of light, fleeing toward the distant sky.

Entering the imperial city required breaking through an array, but leaving? Not so much.

So Celestial Concealment departed unimpeded.

"Sect Leader, should we—?"

The Wine Sword Immortal eyed the fleeing Celestial Concealment, murder in his heart.

At this moment, Celestial Concealment was weak; slaying him wouldn’t cost much power.

But Wang Chonglou only gestured to stop him. They had not come to kill Celestial Concealment; they were here for Lin Chang’sheng.

Plus, as a Middle Stage Nascent Soul expert, surely he had life-saving trump cards.

If pressed, he might choose a mutually-destructive move, and that would not be worth it.

Recruiting Lin Chang’sheng into the Celestial Sword Sect was worth far more than chasing Celestial Concealment.

This youth, with only Golden Core Middle Stage cultivation, had managed to battle Celestial Concealment for hours and even injure him.

Such a monstrous talent—if he didn’t perish, his future fame would shake the entire cultivation realm.

With the loss of the boosting effect, Lin Chang’sheng’s cultivation dropped back to Golden Core Middle Stage.

Even so, at his age and with such strength, he truly deserved to be called a prodigy.

"At least my realm didn’t devolve!"

Lin Chang’sheng exhaled slowly, relieved his level hadn’t dropped back to Golden Core Early Stage.

If it had, the price would have been steep.

Maybe that was the advantage of a Flawless Golden Core.

Someone else would have been crippled, unable to withstand the ravages of Nascent Soul magical power; the meridians would have snapped, leaving them ruined.

"Lin Chang’sheng, come back to the Liuyun Immortal Sect with me! As a disciple of my sect, I’ll provide you with all manner of spirit pills to help you step into Nascent Soul as soon as possible!"

High in the sky, Su Changkong extended an olive branch.

Arriving to find the other four sect leaders there—he knew their intentions at once.

They were all here for Lin Chang’sheng as well.

Such jaw-dropping talent would one day surpass anyone present here.

Anyone who recruited Lin Chang’sheng now would gain an immense asset—a future mainstay of their sect’s strength.

"Brother Changkong, isn’t it a joke for you to call Lin Chang’sheng your disciple now? If he truly belonged to Liuyun Immortal Sect, why did he spend this time hiding instead of returning? Isn’t it obvious? If he’d been treated well by your sect, would he not have gone back?"

Wang Chonglou spoke up, his gaze then turning to Lin Chang’sheng. "Lin Chang’sheng, as long as you join my Celestial Sword Sect, I will teach you everything I know—even the secret art Myriad Swords Return to the Root will be yours. You won’t just be a disciple; you’ll be an Honored Guest Elder. What do you say?"

At that, all the surrounding sects drew sharp breaths.

Was Wang Chonglou really willing to offer that much?

The Celestial Sword Sect’s Myriad Swords Return to the Root was a legendary immortal technique, taught only to the current leader and top elders.

To promise that to an outsider?

But with Lin Chang’sheng’s peerless talent, if he agreed to join, it was certainly no loss.

"Lin Chang’sheng, my Yanyue Immortal Sect also invites you. I’d even break precedent and accept a man as disciple for you. Also, join us and our sect’s Spiritual Spring Sacred Land is yours to use anytime for cultivation!"

From not far away, Ling Yue, head of Yanyue Immortal Sect, also extended her olive branch to Lin Chang’sheng.

"The Spiritual Spring Sacred Land?"

Even Ji Ruyan frowned slightly at this—what a precious cultivation site!

It’s said a day of practice inside equaled ten outside.

Once the spiritual energy was depleted, you needed to wait before training there again.

If one could use it without pause, Yanyue Immortal Sect would be overflowing with Nascent Soul experts!

"My Golden Talisman Sect will grant you a look at the Talisman Fragment Origin, an ancestral legacy—Daoist Lin, please join us!"

On the side, Zhao Cheng of the Golden Talisman Sect issued his invitation.

"My Yin Yang Dao Sect offers you the Reversing Technique and top-level Yin Yang Daoist Techniques—Daoist Lin, please join our sect!"

Fierce Sun Dao Venerable of the Yin Yang Dao Sect gave his own invitation.

With such defiant potential, no price would be too high to bring him into the sect.