Chapter 2053: Seven-Star Immortal Herb

"You're right!" Sect Master Kuixiao was startled for a moment, then nodded.

What the Grand Elder said made sense. Whether this guy was one of those two imposters could be verified simply by asking. They probably wouldn't hide anything. Thinking this, he took out the special Divine Communication Jade Token, which only the Sect Master could control, and with a mental command, entered it.

Standing inside, he shook a special device. A moment later, Han Jianqiu and Gate Master Qin Yuan, who had been summoned, appeared simultaneously before him. "Sect Master Kuixiao, why have you summoned us?" Gate Master Qin Yuan asked, gesturing broadly.

"Do either of you recognize this person?" He pointed a finger, and a phantom image appeared before them, showing Zhang Xuan's disguised appearance. "No, we don't!" they both shook their heads simultaneously.

Sect Master Kuixiao breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Han Jianqiu. "Brother Han, I wonder... is your new Sect Master, Zhang Xuan, currently at the Lingyun Sword Pavilion?" "Why do you ask, Sect Master Kuixiao?" Han Jianqiu frowned. "Our Sect Master is cultivating the Lingyun Sword God Art and will soon break through. He is naturally at the sect. Where else would he be?" The news of the Sect Master's absence from the sect definitely couldn't be leaked, otherwise, it would attract pursuit from the Spirit Temple again. Before the Bridge to Heaven opened, another mistake that would endanger the Sect Master was absolutely unacceptable.

"I was just asking..." Seeing his resolute reply, Sect Master Kuixiao looked at Gate Master Qin Yuan, who was not far away. "Brother Qin, I wonder... is Sect Master Zheng Yang currently at the sect?" "Of course!" Qin Yuan lifted an eyebrow. "Our Sect Master has just tamed the Flood Dragon and other beasts, and he's naturally figuring out how to coordinate them for the Bridge to Heaven trials. What, Sect Master Kuixiao, do you think I'm lying to you?" "That's not what I meant..." Sect Master Kuixiao gave a wry smile.

Having confirmed the outcome and learned that both Sect Masters were cultivating in seclusion at their respective sects, preparing for the Bridge to Heaven, Sect Master Kuixiao left the Divine Communication Hall feeling satisfied. He returned to his room, invigorated. "Sect Master Zhang Xuan and Sect Master Zheng Yang are both at their sects. This Liu Yang might truly be a rogue cultivator..."

The Grand Elder mused, "Every profession has its specialties. I don't believe anyone can comprehend the Divine Sword Intent, be incredibly powerful in beast taming, and also master martial arts simply by looking at them!" The world values specialists, not generalists. He didn't believe one person could be proficient in swordsmanship, beast taming, and martial arts all at once. If that were truly the case, this person's fame would have spread across the world long ago, rather than just being heard of now.

"As long as he's not one of those two, this Liu Yang is worth cultivating with our utmost effort..." Once Liu Yang's identity was confirmed, Sect Master Kuixiao no longer fretted. He smiled, filled with renewed determination. Earlier, upon hearing that someone at Lingyun Sword Pavilion had comprehended the Divine Sword Intent, he had felt a twinge of envy. He hadn't expected fate to be so kind, sending such a super genius at this crucial moment! Unrivaled at his level, even he wasn't a match, and Liu Yang had mastered over twenty of the sect's top-tier martial arts... Once he broke through, who in the world could stop him? Even Sect Master Zhang Xuan, who comprehended the Divine Sword Intent, might not be his opponent!

Sighing, Zhang Xuan walked out. Although the Seven Star Pavilion's library hadn't given him a major cultivation breakthrough, it had deepened his understanding of martial arts and combat, further enhancing his combat strength. Especially those more than twenty sets of martial arts techniques; though slightly inferior to the Divine Sword Intent individually, mastering all of them made their combined power no weaker than the latter.

"Elder Liu, the Sect Master wishes to see you!" As soon as he left the room, the Grand Elder greeted him. Zhang Xuan followed him.

Upon entering the previous main hall, Sect Master Kuixiao looked at him with a smile. "Elder Liu, you've been reading for nearly an entire night. I wonder... have you gained any new insights? What assistance do you need if you wish to break through to the Immortal Lord realm?"

"Currently, my true qi cultivation and physical body have no bottlenecks. It's just my soul that is still somewhat lacking..." Zhang Xuan paused before speaking. If his spirit soul could break through to the True Immortal realm, even without a Heavenly Dao cultivation method for the Immortal Lord realm, breaking through with the aid of elixirs shouldn't be too difficult. Unfortunately, although the Seven Star Pavilion had collected many soul cultivation methods, they were not enough to form a complete Heavenly Dao technique.

"Lacking in the soul aspect?" Sect Master Kuixiao suddenly understood. No wonder the person before him hadn't consumed the elixirs or broken through, despite having them. It turned out he felt his soul was slightly weak.

"Indeed, progress in soul cultivation is not easy. However... the Seven Star Immortal Herb, our Seven Star Pavilion's most treasured possession, has an excellent effect on the soul. How about I take you to try it?" "Seven Star Spirit Herb?" Zhang Xuan was surprised. He had read countless books but found no mention of this item.

"This is the Seven Star Pavilion's guardian treasure. For thousands of years, our ability to stand firm among the six major sects is precisely because it suppresses our destiny, allowing our disciples to prosper continuously, generation after generation!" Sect Master Kuixiao exclaimed with emotion. The Seven Star Spirit Herb absorbs the power of the seven stars in the sky, and combined with the sect's grand formation, it can release an aura that calms the mind. This is why, even though the Seven Star Pavilion is located in the bustling heart of Biyuan City, entering it still gives one a sense of being far from the worldly clamor. This allows many disciples to cultivate peacefully, untainted by the mundane world, and to contend with major sects like the Lingyun Sword Sect without falling into a disadvantage.

"Thank you, Sect Master Kuixiao..." Zhang Xuan bowed. He wasn't accepting the favor for free. While reading earlier, he had already noticed someone observing him, which was why he deliberately demonstrated martial arts techniques at the slowest speed in the library. By doing so, he considered that he had fully imparted the moves he comprehended, repaying the kindness of the elixirs and other favors.

"As an elder of the Seven Star Pavilion, everyone has a chance to cultivate here..." Sect Master Kuixiao said no more and led the way. Before long, they arrived at the location corresponding to the North Star within the Seven Star Pavilion. It was a spacious courtyard. Breaking the seal, a seven-colored immortal herb appeared before their eyes. It had seven leaves, each shimmering with a different color. As a gentle breeze stirred it, ripples appeared in the air. A single plant had actually reached... the peak Immortal Lord level!

"It really is greatly beneficial to the soul..." Taking a few steps forward to approach it, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. Just entering the courtyard, within a few breaths, his spirit soul, which had been constrained at the peak of the Virtual Immortal realm, actually felt an urge to break through. It truly lived up to its name as the Seven Star Pavilion's guardian treasure; it was indeed extraordinary.

Sect Master Kuixiao explained, "This is the Seven Star Immortal Herb. Elders within the pavilion who reach the peak of the True Immortal realm usually choose to break through here. Protected by the immortal herb, inner demons will not arise, and soul power will become more perfect and satisfactory, making breakthroughs significantly easier!" Zhang Xuan nodded. This immortal herb was somewhat similar to the Sacred Bodhi Tree on the Master Teacher Continent, having an excellent effect on the soul. If he cultivated his spirit soul here, even without a True Immortal realm cultivation method, it shouldn't be difficult to break through to the True Immortal realm!

"There's still an hour until dawn. You can cultivate here. We'll depart for the Sea of Chasing Stars at daybreak..." After explaining a few more things, Sect Master Kuixiao gave an instruction and turned to leave.

Once he saw Sect Master Kuixiao leave the courtyard, Zhang Xuan flipped his wrist, and several formation flags appeared in his palm. With a gentle flick, light shimmered all around, and the aura was completely isolated. These formation flags were naturally obtained from Elder Liao of the Myriad Beast Gate, who was skilled in setting up formations and possessed many such items.

Sitting cross-legged, his spirit soul leaped out from between his eyebrows. *Gurgle, gurgle!* As power circulated, the soul-nourishing energy immediately surged towards his spirit body. After absorbing for a moment, his brows couldn't help but furrow.

The air was filled with abundant soul-nourishing energy, just like the pool in the Illusory Feather Empire. Normally, a spirit soul entering it would experience a gradual increase in power. However, for some unknown reason, when his spirit soul emerged and circulated its cultivation art, the absorbed energy could not be utilized. Opening his eyes to look at the immortal herb before him, he saw it constantly swaying, and the soul-nourishing aura that had just been present was nowhere to be found.

"What's going on?" His expression darkened. It was clear that the Seven Star Immortal Herb was playing tricks. His spirit soul re-entered his body. Just as Zhang Xuan was about to walk over and investigate, he felt a ripple in the air, and that familiar aura surged back again. It was still the soul-nourishing energy. His eyes narrowed, and his spirit soul leaped out from between his eyebrows once more. Just as he tried to absorb it, he found that the soul-nourishing energy had again transformed into an unabsorbable aura. When his spirit soul returned to his physical body, it changed back again.

"It's indeed this fellow playing tricks..." After observing carefully, it was indeed the immortal herb causing trouble. Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed in a knot. Without a True Immortal realm spirit soul cultivation method, to break through, he needed a large amount of soul-nourishing energy to constantly cleanse his spirit soul, making it purer, so he could break through the barrier in one go. He had thought that the powerful energy released by this immortal herb could help him achieve a successful breakthrough. However, the herb seemed to be deliberately playing hide-and-seek with him. When his spirit soul entered his body, the energy would emanate; when it emerged, the energy would disappear, making cultivation impossible. If his spirit soul remained within his body, not only would its cultivation speed be extremely slow, but it would also hinder his breakthrough to a new realm.

"Sect Master Kuixiao probably wasn't telling the whole truth... this Seven Star Immortal Herb isn't just for nourishing the soul..." Zhang Xuan snorted. Instead of rushing to cultivate, he took a few steps closer to the immortal herb. He discreetly extended a finger, wanting to touch it and ascertain its attributes and characteristics. The immortal herb gently swayed, vanished from before his eyes, and reappeared dozens of meters away.

"Huh?" Zhang Xuan was startled, not expecting the immortal herb to be able to move on its own. He approached it again and extended his palm. The immortal herb moved to the other side again, as if his hand were poisonous, completely refusing contact.

"Interesting..." He smiled faintly. A plant possessing the power of a peak Immortal Lord was indeed not that simple; it wasn't something one could just take as they pleased.

"Let's see where you can run..." Taking a deep breath, he fixed his gaze on its direction and moved his feet again. Just as he was about to rush over and grab it, his vision suddenly blurred. The immortal herb's seven-colored leaves abruptly swelled and rapidly spread out from underground like vines, instantly tying both his wrists and ankles together. *Whoosh!* Zhang Xuan was left hanging upside down in mid-air.