The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 23: Sword Pagoda | Chapter 417: Nine Void Realm

<Start of Arc 23: Sword Pagoda>

As Xu Ziqing and the others stood within the circular phantoms, they suddenly felt a powerful pulling force lifting them off the ground. It was as if they were traversing through countless spaces, time flowing like water, making them oblivious to the passage of years. The landscape of mountains and rivers flashed by in an instant.

In nearly a heartbeat, they went from youth to old age, traveling through time and space, before finally coming to a halt.

In the interim, they were left utterly unresponsive.

When their heels touched the ground, Xu Ziqing’s face turned pale, yet he managed to stand steadily.

The earlier scene seemed to have stirred his small universe, as if the myriad trees within it had gone through cycles of withering and flourishing numerous times.

Even now, he could still feel some remnants of temporal and spatial energy within.

He hurriedly focused his mind, absorbing that energy into the Tai Chi to nourish it. He began to understand that the Nine Void realm likely didn’t exist within the tangible world but rather in the countless cracks between time and space.

This experience left him feeling a mix of awe and trepidation.

He was not alone in this reaction; the others felt similarly.

The four other sword practitioners had all reached a state of clarity in their sword hearts, yet even they were somewhat astonished by this experience.

Recalling their earlier encounter, each one of them gained some insights.

Xu Ziqing adjusted his breathing and turned to the left: “Shixiong, are you alright?”

Yun Lie nodded slightly: “I’m fine.” He also checked on his shidi before shifting his gaze forward.

He took in the surroundings.

As everyone regained their composure, they looked around.

The place they stood upon was a high platform, made of an unknown material that appeared a deep blue-black like the night sky, adorned with numerous glowing particles resembling star sand. At first glance, it didn’t seem remarkable, but upon closer inspection, it exuded a mysterious aura.

In the distance, countless identical high platforms were stretching far away.

Moreover, approximately several hundred feet away, another high platform had figures appearing on it, both male and female. Leading them was a woman who lightly raised her hand, pressing a token onto the central pillar of the platform. Bright light enveloped them in an instant, causing them to vanish without a trace.

At that moment, everyone finally understood.

The token was undoubtedly the Sword God Token, and these high platforms were teleportation platforms.

If someone activated the Sword God Token, they could use it to transport individuals from the outside world to the corresponding high platform. Conversely, to leave, one would also need the Sword God Token to activate the teleportation array. It was easy to see that the Sword God Token truly acted as a key, likely capable of transporting its possessor to this realm at any time and from any place—

In this light, the Sword God Token was indeed an incredibly precious object.

Xu Ziqing glanced over at his shixiongs’ friends and noticed a hint of envy in their expressions, but there was no greed or desire to take anything from them.

He felt reassured. After all, if these three sword practitioners couldn’t withstand the test, then how could his shixiongs trust them to join? They must have a deep bond, a friendship strong enough to entrust each other with their backs.

With this in mind, Xu Ziqing relaxed his guard towards the three sword practitioners.

Yun Lie put away the Sword God Token and said, “Let’s go.”

After spending half a day together, the others understood Yun Lie’s temperament, so they said nothing more and jumped down from the high platform together.

They had already scanned the area with their spiritual senses and knew that thousands of miles to the northwest, many people had gathered. At a glance, it seemed no different from the outside world.

If they had questions, it would be better to go there first. So, everyone activated their escape lights and moved forward, quickly arriving at their destination.

It appeared to be a county town.

Unexpectedly, there were not only many highly skilled sword practitioners but also quite a few lower-level cultivators, such as those in the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages. Even more surprising, the majority were ordinary people—observing their auras, it was clear they had never practiced cultivation and didn’t even possess spiritual roots.

However, unlike ordinary people from the outside world, who generally held a sense of awe and admiration for cultivators, these individuals seemed to treat them as ordinary.

As Xu Ziqing and the others landed in their escape lights, five handsome and elegant youths appeared, each exuding a remarkable presence.

At the entrance of the county town, there was a tavern. When the people inside saw them, a handsome young man approached, wiping his sweat with a towel. He opened his mouth to say, “Are you several immortals here using the Sword God Token? If you don’t mind, please come into my tavern for a drink and let me explain a thing or two?” It was evident he lacked any spiritual aura, clearly just an ordinary person.

The five looked over at him.

Logically, they were at least in the Nascent Soul stage, and even if they were used to meeting ordinary people, they should be somewhat affected by the aura they unintentionally emitted. However, the young man spoke smoothly, as if he were just inviting regular customers.

Sensing something was off, the five began to scrutinize the handsome young man.

Soon, they noticed a badge pinned to his collar, depicting a firebird, which emitted a peculiar aura.

It felt as if a powerful entity was protecting him, preventing any rash actions.

Seeing their reaction, the young man remained unfazed and repeated his invitation.

Thus, after a brief discussion, Xu Ziqing and the others followed him inside, including the demonic practitioner.

Before long, everyone sat around a square table, where tea was served. The aroma was refreshing; although there wasn’t much spiritual energy, it felt invigorating.

Since the temperaments of the sword practitioners varied—some were taciturn, others eccentric, gloomy, or strict—none of them could let down their guard easily. Xu Ziqing sighed inwardly but smiled nonetheless, taking the initiative to converse with the handsome young man: “Young man, I wonder if you have any insights to share with us?”

In this unfamiliar place, the strange reactions of ordinary people shouldn’t be underestimated.

The handsome young man smiled at him, revealing two charming dimples: “It’s nice to meet a polite guest, different from the previous ones.” After praising him, he elaborated, “For many years, we, the long-term residents of the Nine Void realm, have known about the situation when people from the lower realm arrive using the Sword God Token. I am over a hundred years old and have seen many guests. Just by sensing your auras, I can easily tell.”

Xu Ziqing’s expression softened as he nodded, indicating he was listening attentively.

The handsome young man continued to speak, addressing the questions that the group had.

It turned out that although the Nine Void realm existed within a space-time crevice, it was still a world in its own right, naturally nurturing many living beings of various kinds, not inferior to other realms. Among these, the ordinary people were native, and for every ten thousand, there was someone who comprehended the Heavenly Dao, establishing an entirely different cultivation system known as the Shen Path.

This Shen Path was not the path to becoming a deity but rather the path of the Yang Spirit. By harmonizing with heaven and earth, one could achieve longevity, becoming a powerful being who existed alongside the natural order.

This was fundamentally different from the way cultivators practiced their Dao.

The Nine Void realm had several unique areas, with the central area of the Sword Pagoda serving as a training ground for sword practitioners from the lower realms. In fact, it had little connection to the local people; those who practiced the Shen Path could not cultivate there either.

Apart from these special areas, other regions were divided into various towns and counties of different sizes, almost all of which had one or more like-minded powerful beings stationed to maintain the safety of the area.

If anyone from the lower realm wished to stay, they had to abide by the local rules; otherwise, they would be expelled by the powerful beings, and those who committed serious offenses would be punished.

For example, the current county they were in, Huan County, was close to the location where the Sword God Token was transmitted, so many lower realm cultivators often passed through here.

In Huan County, there was a powerful being named Chiyu, who had transformed his Shen cultivation into a crimson bird, possessing dazzling fire energy that protected the county’s residents. While cultivators from the lower realms might fight among themselves, Chiyu paid little attention to this; however, if any harm came to the county’s residents, anyone present in the county would face punishment.

After an incident where a formidable cultivator from the lower realm recklessly killed an ordinary person, lightning struck him down, turning him to ash.

That cultivator had been at the Divine Transformation stage!

Since then, although the county’s people continued to respect cultivators, they were no longer fearful. Conversely, cultivators arriving here had to restrain themselves and could not act against the ordinary folk.

Moreover, the lifespan of beings in the Nine Void realm was longer than that of those in the lower realms, with even the ordinary people living up to five hundred years, albeit with some difficulties in reproduction—likely due to the constraints of the Heavenly Dao. Those who practiced the Shen Path were immortal and eternal; unless they fought among themselves, they would live on indefinitely, making it difficult to perish.

They regarded the county’s residents as their subjects, taking great care of them.

The sword practitioners listened in silence.

Though Tu Jin was a demonic cultivator, he understood the gravity of the situation and did not attempt to assert his power here.

Xu Ziqing, on the other hand, pondered internally.

The concept of powerful beings practicing the Shen Path sounded strangely similar to the myths and legends he had heard in his past life.

A great power protecting the populace, earning their reverence, safeguarding the land, with the Yang Spirit being undying and their lifespan eternal… Wasn’t this akin to deities like land gods? Moreover, when administering punishment, it resembled the divine techniques depicted in legends, akin to executing heavenly retribution.

However, Xu Ziqing merely thought about it and then smiled, choosing not to dwell on it further.

It seemed that the ordinary people in the Nine Void realm lived carefree lives, resembling a paradise, with powerful beings establishing rules that maintained order. Thus, when individuals from the lower realms arrived, they did not act recklessly and focused on their cultivation, which was reassuring.

The handsome young man spoke at length, his throat dry from the chatter, and took a sip of water before continuing, “In the Nine Void realm, divine stones are the medium of exchange. As you come from the lower realms, you naturally do not have any. However, top-grade spirit stones hold a similar value to divine stones and can be used interchangeably; everything else is not applicable.”

“The Sword Pagoda is a sacred ground for cultivation, and we cannot enter. However, if the immortals from the lower realms wish to cultivate, they must pay a fee each time; otherwise, they cannot gain entry.” He paused briefly, “Please do not be offended, the fee is not meant to be a hardship but is used to maintain the operation of the Sword Pagoda so it can function for a long time.”

By this point, he had conveyed all the information the group wanted to know.

The others didn’t mind; with their cultivation levels, they had quite a number of spirit veins on hand, and they weren’t worried about expenses. Xu Ziqing then asked, “I would like to inquire, young man, how can we go to the Sword Pagoda?”

Translator: Lynn

T/N: This realm is quite confusing for me to translate the terms. Please do tell me if you’re having difficulties understanding this place and worldbuilding. I have it already inserted inside the glossary that can be found in the novel’s page, however please do be aware of spoilers if you’re not fond of it. Since the glossary is being updated in sync with my progress of translation for ease in setting the terminology.

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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