Talisman Emperor

Chapter 104 - Fifth-Earth Shaman Marking

Before the Sword Tomb stele, Chen Xi held Starsoul Meteorites in each hand as he circulated the Universe Starslayer Bodyforging Arts. Boundless and vast baleful qi of the stars rushed into his blood, flesh, and skin like dragons that rumbled and roared.

On his back, numerous shaman markings were indistinct like a myriad of lifelike worms wriggling on his back as they converged moved closed towards the center of his back, then converged, overlapped, and weaved together…

Bang!

It was like a new life had emerged from an egg as the myriad of shaman markings converged together and formed a star diagram pattern that was like a towering mountain. It flickered between brightness and dimness and was suffused with a desolate and thick aura.

Chen Xi felt his mind drone, and in the next moment it was as if he'd arrived in ancient times. The ground was desolate and the broad expanse of thick earth was boundless; everywhere was earthen yellow. Whereas he himself was chained to the ground and had transformed into a mountain, a mountain that stood towering on the ground and was deeply rooted. He was solid and lofty, and he wouldn't vanish even after a 100 million years.

"Amongst the five attributes in the heaven and the earth, the land was the foundation, the source of everything. Not everything was able to be sourced from the earth and the thing that grows from it depends on the type of earth…" Within the sea of consciousness in his soul, the Fuxi Divine Status that remained eternally since ancient times emitted a bright, clear light that gave rise to a myriad of tiny lights as strands of vast and profound thoughts flowed into Chen Xi's mind.

"So it's the Fifth-Earth Shaman Marking…" Chen Xi was suddenly enlightened in his heart.

Swish! Swish!

A strand of desolate and thick mysterious energy abruptly emerged from between the flesh, blood, and tendons of his entire body, and an ancient, savage aura flushed and washed his blood, flesh, and tendons repeatedly. Chen Xi felt the strange energy was growing, like a river that was rising explosively after a storm, and it became thicker and thicker.

Kacha! Kacha!

Three days later, the two Starsoul Meteorites in Chen Xi's hands, that were sufficient to cultivate for two months, had shattered into powder in unison. He awoke from circulating his cultivation technique and a strand of luster that was vast and deep, pure and gentle, flashed within his eyes.

"Condense a star diagram, assemble the talisman markings, and convert shaman energy… I've finally advanced my body refinement to the Violet Palace Realm!" Chen Xi suddenly stood up. His body shook and numerous strings of muscles instantly whipped about like pythons before swelling outwards, shaking out an ear piercing wave of air that blew up the dust and sand on the ground to flutter in the air. This was the pure strength of his muscles, without the slightest utilization of True Essence.

At this moment, Chen Xi suddenly had a feeling that his muscles could become soft like a ball of cotton or hard like a piece of steel, and his entire body had become a tendon that had been thoroughly tempered. Even if he stretched out his body, it would be of no consequence as he could expand and contract at will, and it was impossible for such expansion and contraction characteristics to be obtained in the Congenital Realm, no matter how much one cultivated!

"So long as the head and heart aren't pierced through by the enemy, then possessing the Violet Palace Realm of body refinement is similar to possession an undying body!" Chen Xi was extremely satisfied as he felt the obvious changes in his body, then he pondered for a moment before circulating the strength of his body. A desolate and vast energy abruptly surged out from between his blood, flesh, and skin. This energy was like the clear sky, seeming to be translucent, like the mist and clouds, and it was indistinct, mysterious, and unfathomable.

This was the shaman energy that was possessed by the School of Body Refinement!

Bang!

Chen Xi abruptly condensed his shaman energy before clenching his right hand into a fist and smashing it onto the ground.

Instantly, a fist print that was more than a meter thick had appeared on the ground. Chen Xi felt that the strength of his punch was at least ten times more formidable than before, and it was virtually able to smash a graded Magic Treasure into pieces!

"I absorbed the baleful qi of the stars and the shaman energy converted from the Fifth-Earth Shaman Marking I condensed is thick and heavy, yet also carried along the characteristic of being sharp like crystal. I wonder how it will change after I condense the second shaman marking? Unfortunately, the Universe Starslayer Bodyforging Arts cultivation technique is only until the Violet Palace Realm, and I presume the later portion of the cultivation technique is in the hands of Senior Ji Yu. Looks like the heavens earnestly wish for me to enter the abode as well…" Chen Xi was absorbed in thought and completely missed that when he smashed out his shaman energy earlier, a strange rhythmic fluctuation silently flashed past the nearby Sword Tomb stele.

"I presume Senior Ji Yu has been waiting for a long time. Now that I possess a Violet Palace Realm cultivation in body refinement and qi refinement, the restrictions on the jade pendant are probably unable to stop me from entering any longer." Chen Xi gazed at the jade pendant within the flesh on his palm. He was just about to check on it when a bone piercing fear abruptly surged into his heart, and when he looked down, he was nearly scared out of his wits.

He saw that suddenly, a black hole had appeared beneath his feet, and it was like a whirlpool that silently revolved.

Om!

Chen Xi felt his vision go black as his entire body was fiercely dragged downwards by an enormous force, not allowing him to resist in the slightest.

Rumble!

Not long after Chen Xi vanished from the ground, the 300m tall Sword Tomb stele fell into the black hole that seemed like a whirlpool and completely vanished.

Gales raged and sandstorms roared. In practically an instant, the place was already covered in a thick layer of sand, and no trace of Chen Xi or the Sword Tomb stele could be found.

After an unknown amount of time, the scene before Chen Xi's eyes changed. The heaven and earth revolved as all the pressure upon him vanished, and when he opened his eyes to look, he'd actually appeared within a spacious great hall.

This hall was exceedingly spacious and magnificent, yet extremely desolate. Everywhere was filled with ancient marks, like broken tables, chairs, pedestals, and stone pillars.

Yet most of it was instead… Bones and corpses!

Chen Xi didn't misjudge; innumerable bones filled the hall, scattered everywhere. Amongst the bones were some residual swords, blades, and clothes that had all been corroded and were rotten.

"There are no windows or doors all around the hall. Could it be that these bones were all people who were trapped to death here?" Chen Xi's heart sank as he saw this.

Kacha!

Chen Xi had only just raised his foot when he'd shattered a skeleton. It seemed to be utterly decayed and a light step caused it to transform into powder.

"Why is it like this? Could it be that these bones have already been here for countless years?" Chen Xi was secretly shocked, as people who were able to enter this place were surely cultivators, without a doubt. Moreover, the lifespans of cultivators were extremely long, and even if the body were to decay, the bones could be preserved for a long time. However, these bones shattered upon impact, and had obviously been dead for countless years!

Kacha! Kacha!

Chen Xi moved hesitantly around the entire hall. He wanted to find some valuable clues, as he didn't want to be trapped alive in here.

People of diverse origins had died here, and they seemed to not be from the same batch. Some were from an ancient time and some bones were comparatively harder. They were of a great variety and diversity, and they could be discerned based on the extent of decay of their clothes.

There were even some clothes that fully consisted of Magic Treasures and were refined from various treasures of the heavens and the earth, yet after a long period of time, they were unable to withstand the corrosion of time and had become utterly decayed.

Clang!

Chen Xi picked up a sword that was fully covered in rust from a pile of bones, and he'd only just picked it up when it transformed into fragments that fell all over the ground. Unfortunately, this sword was obviously an extremely formidable Magic Treasure, yet under the passage of time, it had already transformed into ash that drifted to transform into a pile of dust on the ground.

Decay…

Eternal…

In the heavens and the earth, is there anyone that's able to win eternal life and exist forever?

Chen Xi stared blankly at the surroundings, and a desolate and helpless feeling started destroying his mind.

The path of cultivation was vague, insubstantial, and boundlessly long. Exactly how many years must one walk on the path of cultivation before being able to become a Heavenly Immortal and achieving immortality?

Cultivators were able to survive for thousands and ten thousands of years, yet if they were unable to overcome the numerous Heavenly Tribulations, they would still transform into a cup of dirt and scatter with the wind.

Having the same lifespan as the heavens and the earth, how could it possibly be as easy as it's said?

Chen Xi shook his head. He suddenly felt to have completely lost interest in everything, not wanting to do anything and not having any thoughts. Hhe was immediately shocked and struggled out from this desolate and lonely feeling, and a trace of astonishment emerged within his heart.

"Who!? My Dao Heart has been tempered to be extremely firm since long ago, yet so many negative feelings actually emerged within my heart! Obviously, someone is playing tricks from the shadows!" Chen Xi's heart constricted, the eight Netherezim Flying Swords swished out to ceaselessly swim around his surroundings. At the same time, he was secretly vigilant of the surroundings.

Whoosh!

A chilly wind suddenly blew within the empty hall, blowing to the point the bones on the ground emitted cracking sounds that caused one to feel a chill run down one's spine.

"Eh, you've awoken from the Nirvana Realm so quickly?" An immature and clear voice sounded out, and accompanying the voice was a 10cm little person that had an extremely handsome face, sword shaped brows and starry eyes, and wore white clothes. When he appeared before Chen Xi, he sat cross-legged in midair, and his body seemed to be even smaller, like a portion of a thumb.

Chen Xi couldn't help but be shocked inwardly. He actually didn't notice how this handsome little person had approached him! After all, there were still eight Netherezim Flying Swords guarding around him!

"Keep away these metal scraps. If I wanted to hurt you, you'd have probably died long ago." The handsome little person crossed his arms before his chest as he spoke proudly, and his voice was filled with disdain.

"Who are you?" Chen Xi knew as well that since this little thing was able to disregard the defense of the eight Netherezim Baleful Swords and instantly appear before him, continuing to defend against the little thing would be of no use. He put away the flying swords immediately, yet he was extremely vigilant in his heart. The innumerable corpses here might have been killed by this little fellow.

"Me?" The handsome little person seemed to have been scratched where it itched, his spirits rose as he quickly stood up with his hands behind his back, and his white clothes fluttered with the wind as he said in a reserved manner, "I'm the soul of the ancient Nirvana Sword. I followed my Master to eliminate evil and swept through the world for 10,000 years. I looked down on the entire world and stood supremely above all. You can call me Lord Ling Bai."

Chen Xi felt it to be slightly funny, as hearing the 10cm tall little person brag about how formidable he was with a solemn expression caused Chen Xi to feel slightly amused.

"Hey, aren't you shocked?" The handsome little person frowned as he berated.

"Shocked? Shocked about what?" Chen Xi asked in astonishment.

The nerves of the handsome little person's forehead jerked. "I've spoken so much, could it be that you didn't hear a single sentence clearly?"

"I heard it clearly. You're the soul of the ancient Nirvana Sword, and you're called Lord Ling Bai. Right, you gave yourself this nickname, right?" Chen Xi nodded and spoke casually.

"Gave myself the nickname…" The handsome little person covered his forehead with his hand, and he had a pained expression. "How can you be like this? I'm the soul of the Nirvana Sword!"

"Oh, it does indeed sound extremely formidable." Chen Xi nodded once more.

The body of the handsome little person stiffened and he almost fell down from midair, his little face was black like the bottom of a frying pan as he gnashed his teeth and said, "You go too far! Detestable, too detestable! All the others that have entered the Sword Tomb Nirvana Realm were reverent and respectful to me, bowing their heads as they yearned for me to guide them in some sword techniques. Yet you said that I gave myself this nickname and said that I seemed to be extremely formidable… How can you humiliate me like this?"

"Sword Tomb Nirvana Realm?" Chen Xi looked at the surroundings in wonder.

The face of the handsome little person fiercely twitched. He was unable to restrain the flames of rage in his heart any longer and he roared. "Can you not change the topic? It's extremely impolite!"

Chen Xi said apologetically, "Hmm, I was wrong. You're indeed extremely formidable, go ahead and continue."

"This attitude is too perfunctory, right?" The strength of the handsome little person seemed to have been completely extracted, and he sat down in midair, wanting to cry, yet had no tears.