Daily life of a cultivation judge Chapter 1470: Bloom of life and death (2)

Every single organization Tang Xiadan had mentioned stood on par with the Frozen Serenity Sect. Given its enduring influence and impact even today, the prestige of the Eternal Blossom Sanctuary Sect was beyond question. The same held true for the Four Sacred Wings, although Yang Qing’s familiarity with that particular entity ran even deeper, a consequence of his visit to the Silver Crane Sect. That sect, a mere subsidiary of one of the Wings, had nevertheless displayed a foundation substantial enough to rival more potent Rank One sects. If the subsidiary was so formidable, how much more powerful was the main body?

The Myriad Beasts Sect, a more recent establishment, had earned the designation of a Holy Land, sharing this esteemed status with the Radiant Sword Sect and the Flowing Leaves Valley.

Regarding the Seven Star Sword Sect, Yang Qing’s knowledge was limited, yet what little he knew sufficed to illustrate its monstrous stature. It was whispered that the Radiant Sword Sect had unearthed certain treasures and cultivation manuals connected to that lineage, a discovery widely credited as the primary catalyst for their ascent to Holy Land status.

Should this rumor hold true, it offered profound insight into the Seven Star Sword Sect’s might. After all, its legacy was potent enough to give rise to another Holy Land. Furthermore, much like the Eternal Blossom Sanctuary Sect and the Frozen Serenity Sect, whispers abounded of several powerful Rank One organizations whose rise to prominence was attributed to artifacts salvaged from that very same sect.

Merely locating one of these legendary places, even through hearsay alone, would be considered an act of incredible fortune. What then of someone who had purportedly found them all, as Tang Xiadan claimed? Such a feat suggested something extraordinary about the individual, either within or without.

Yang Qing’s initial assessment, attributing the phenomenon solely to the feather, now required reconsideration.

Meanwhile, Tang Xiadan experienced revelations of his own as the flame’s influence permeated his being, suffusing his entire soul and body. The sensations he had previously perceived paled in comparison to this profound immersion. The yin and yang energy within the flame was unimaginably deep and boundless, and the life force it contained was equally vast. His body and soul, akin to a desiccated riverbed cracked and dry, were met with a deluge that did more than merely dampen the earth; it revitalized the entire river, causing it to surge beyond its banks.

He was not the sole recipient of this revitalizing surge. The Soulfrost Sequoia rooted within his chest seemed to share in this rejuvenation. Its petals, once a deep blue, began a slow transition to a paler hue, gradually shifting towards white. As this color change progressed, the bud noticeably increased in girth with each passing moment.

Tang Xiadan mused, his heart swelling with elation, though tinged with a subtle bitterness. He had expended countless treasures over the years, striving only to see the flower bud improve by a fraction, yet it had remained stubbornly inert. It had only served to drain him, pushing him closer to desiccation, its form stubbornly unchanging. It had been nearly seventy years since its last significant transformation before it finally became stagnant. Now, however, within mere seconds of Yang Qing’s flame making contact, the bud seemed infused with new vitality, appearing eager to unfurl. And Tang Xiadan shared that eagerness.

Yang Qing offered a knowing smile as he perceived the transformations occurring within both the man and the bud. Few would dare to employ the Soulfrost Sequoia in the manner Tang Xiadan had, yet he understood the underlying motive.

Upon its full bloom, all that the flower had absorbed from Tang Xiadan would be returned manifold, twelve times over, encompassing both his soul and body. The boons, however, did not cease there. When the Soulfrost Sequoia blossomed, the resulting transformation, along with the natural laws and phenomena accompanying its flowering, would be imparted back to Tang Xiadan. This imparted knowledge contained myriad mysteries and secrets pertaining to the profound laws and truths of the Grand Dao, offering invaluable assistance in his preparations to break through to the Domain Realm.

To say nothing of the potential evolution his soul might undergo.

The Soulfrost Sequoia possessed a unique nature as a spiritual plant. Its growth necessitated diverse forms of yin qi, supplemented by the subtlest infusion of gentle yang energies, such as Gentle Yang Qi or Soft Dawn Yang Qi. The required ratio was meticulously maintained at nine to one: nine parts of varied yin qi to one part of yang qi.

In the absence of these two essential components, the plant would wither, especially if the variety of yin qi became stagnant. Consequently, nurturing one was an exceptionally resource-intensive endeavor, demanding a continuous expenditure of varied treasures representing different yin qi attributes. While certain affluent individuals and organizations could sustain this commitment, the majority could not.

And this is precisely where cultivating the soul came into play. The soul itself is a reservoir of innumerable forms of yin qi, making it an ideal 'soil' for the Soulfrost Sequoia. However, as fertile as it was, this method of nurturing the flower presented the greatest risk, carrying the genuine peril of being drained entirely, unto death. Once the flower entrenched itself within the soul, any forceful attempt at removal courted death or grievous injury, at the very least crippling the cultivator.

The solitary secure method of extraction was achievable only upon the flower's full bloom.

Consequently, few cultivators ventured down this perilous path unless pushed to their absolute extremes. Yet, the potential rewards, however insane, justified the risk, provided one could endure long enough to witness its blossoming.

The flower's innate capacity to absorb various forms of yin qi would typically transfer to its host upon blooming. Taking Tang Xiadan as an illustration, when the Soulfrost Sequoia on his chest unfurled, he would acquire the ability to absorb all categories of yin qi previously inaccessible to him. This proved exceptionally advantageous when dealing with specific varieties of yin qi that possessed inherent dangers, such as Nebulous Yin Qi or Deep Abyssal Yin Qi, either of which could freeze a person's body and soul if they dared to engage with them.

The true bounty wasn't merely in absorbing these perilous qi types without consequence. The genuine advantage resided in the inherent qualities contained within that qi. Consider the Nebulous Yin Qi, for instance. Despite its lethality, it harbored immense boons, including the Dao laws and truths intricately woven within it, not to mention the enhancements it bestowed upon the soul through refinement and absorption, assuming one possessed the capability. Moreover, a more robust soul translated to a heightened sensitivity towards the Grand Dao laws and principles permeating the world.

Few treasures offered the dual benefit of enhancing both soul and body as effectively as the Soulfrost Sequoia. Its acquisition would undoubtedly be pursued with fervor by many. The sole impediment lay in its blooming process, a considerable challenge, unless one was an anomaly like Yang Qing, whose qi, fortified by his Peerless Yin Yang Nature Jade Physique, could effortlessly generate and sustain countless natures of yin and yang qi, catering to the Soulfrost Sequoia's every demand without strain.

Absent such a unique constitution, access to a myriad of yin-attribute treasures represented the next best recourse. Or, for the exceptionally audacious and slightly unhinged like Tang Xiadan, one could gamble their very life, entrusting their body and soul in the hope that it would suffice to nurture the flower until its grand unveiling.

Within mere minutes, the bud, initially the size of a pinky nail, rapidly swelled to resemble a mango seed before transforming into an immaculate white blossom radiating a delicate sanctity. Not long thereafter, its petals unfurled gracefully into a full bloom, suffusing the chamber with a refreshing coolness that instantaneously invigorated and revitalized the mind.

Even as an uninvolved observer, from a single fleeting thought, Yang Qing could perceive myriad insights and comprehensions of the Grand Dao coalescing within him. His present sensation bore a striking resemblance to his time on Sage Mountain, where profound concepts regarding his cultivation continuously flowed into his consciousness simply from inhaling the mountain's serene air.

If such an effect was experienced as a passive spectator, what magnitude of revelation awaited the individual into whom the flower had deeply embedded itself?