The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 882: Fierce Blade

Fierce Blade . . .

If a level nine Dao Origin Stage cultivator were reborn, retaining all his memories and started cultivating again from the beginning, that prospect was even more horrifying than Cha Eun Xiao's situation. Over time, the world would inevitably fall under the dominion of the three factions. No one would possess the strength to challenge them. The Qing-Yun Realm would likely be perpetually under their rule.

Cha Eun Xiao inquired, "Is that truly possible? Can a cultivator be reborn with his memories intact?"

"Life and death are governed by the laws of nature. However, nobody carries their entire memory to their next life!" Lei Dadi explained while gazing at him. "A profound force concealed deep within the soul guides the individual back to their sect of origin in their next life. Although their new incarnation won't inherit the full breadth of memories, the force imparts the fundamental instincts and reactions."

Cha Eun Xiao probed further, "You mentioned that the memories aren't directly passed on to the next life. Is there a special method to activate them?"

Feng Wuying contemplated this for a moment before responding, "It is theoretically feasible to retrieve memories from a previous life, but we deem it impractical. The process involves aligning the three lights as one to break the seal imposed by the reincarnation power. This requires a substantial expenditure of soul power and is quite challenging. Additionally, the cultivator wishing to reclaim their memories should be at least a level eight Dao Origin Stage, ensuring they can withstand the impact of the power. Afterward, they may regain their memories, but both steps are extraordinarily difficult."

He further elaborated, "In truth, recovering one's previous memories may not always be advantageous. The dilemma arises from the coexistence of two lives in a single mind. The individual must decide which life to preserve, and should they fail to seamlessly merge the two existences, they may descend into madness. Experiencing the ongoing clash between the two personalities can disrupt their cultivation, leading to a stagnant state. Therefore, most reincarnated individuals opt not to reclaim their former memories."

Cha Eun Xiao nodded in understanding and replied, "I see."

He realized that the reincarnation process in the Sky Soul Hall operated quite differently from his own experience. While they both involved reincarnation, the outcomes and methods varied significantly.

Lei Dadi continued to divulge, "To complete the construction of the Sky Soul Hall, the three factions have been covertly seizing territories from one another over the past three centuries. Our actions have been less than noble, as we've engaged in countless wicked deeds. The factions have banded together, making it nearly impossible for anyone to thwart us. This approach had been effective for several years."

Lei Dadi's countenance darkened as he added, "Unfortunately, our good fortune eventually waned. Several years ago, as we attempted to seize the soul power from Sky Soul Mountain, we stumbled upon a formidable cultivator, the Fierce Blade, Li Wuliang. This marked the beginning of a series of incidents."

As he spoke, Lei Dadi's expression conveyed deep sorrow. Cha Eun Xiao gradually closed his eyes, absorbing the mention of "Fierce Blade, Li Wuliang."

Lei Dadi elaborated, "Unbeknownst to us, Li Wuliang had been residing on the mountain, engaged in clandestine cultivation. When he saw the three factions invading his sanctuary, he vehemently opposed us. We sought to appease him initially, offering ten thousand square kilometers of land in exchange for relinquishing Sky Soul Mountain. It was a considerable concession on our part, and we aimed to avoid provoking such a formidable figure."

Li Wuliang, however, responded with disdain, saying, "I'd sooner perish defending this mountain than live as a despicable wretch!"

"That marked the end of the negotiations. At that point, there was no recourse but to resort to combat. Facing us alone, Li Wuliang managed to defeat all of the Dao Origin Stage cultivators representing the three factions on that fateful day. It was a display of mercy, as he refrained from killing anyone but forced us to retreat. In the world where might was right, Li Wuliang emerged as the victor. The three factions had no choice but to acknowledge their defeat," Cha Eun Xiao recounted.

He then inquired, "You were committed to securing the mountain, but you seemed to imply that it was a more complicated situation than mere combat could resolve?"

Feng Wuying explained, "Indeed, it was far from straightforward. While you are correct that the three factions were unwavering in their pursuit of the mountain, even if we had emerged victorious, the situation would have been far from simple. Li Wuliang was formidable, but if he had faced the most powerful cultivators from the sects, he would have been soundly defeated. However, it wasn't quite as straightforward as it may seem."

"No, it was far from simple," Feng Wuying continued. "As you pointed out, the three factions were unwavering in their pursuit of the mountain. Despite our previous defeat, we returned to the mountain with the belief that, given our superior force, we would defeat Li Wuliang and reach a peaceful resolution by offering him certain concessions. Regrettably, due to the actions of one despicable individual and his ill-advised decision, the situation spiraled out of control," he said with a sigh.

Cha Eun Xiao was intrigued, "This 'despicable individual' and his decision, could you elaborate?"

"In our second confrontation, the three factions had assembled a far more potent force. We should have secured victory handily," Feng Wuying explained. "However, defeating Li Wuliang would have inevitably resulted in some damage to our ranks. During this second encounter, a member of the Saint Starlight Sect made a clandestine journey to the mountain. His intention was to kidnap Li Wuliang's sworn brother and his brother's wife and son, thereby forcing Li Wuliang into submission."

"Tragically," Feng Wuying sighed, "the story takes a darker turn. The objective of this individual was not simply to ensure Li Wuliang's surrender but to extract even greater benefits. He threatened to kill the innocent family members if Li Wuliang failed to comply. In a moment of desperation, Li Wuliang was prepared to submit to protect his loved ones. However, this fiendish individual's insatiable greed led to a tragic outcome. He was determined to press his advantage, forcing Li Wuliang to waste his own martial skills."

Feng Wuying's voice quivered as he continued, "Li Wuliang's sworn brother, a valiant soul, made the ultimate sacrifice to eliminate the treacherous abductor. Mortally wounded, the villain still managed to escape. Li Wuliang's beloved brother was grievously injured but couldn't prevent the miscreant's escape. The infuriated abductor took out his frustration on the innocent woman and child, ruthlessly ending their lives."

Yun Piaoliu interjected, "It was an atrocity that we couldn't evade. That day, Li Wuliang reached the limits of his patience. He was willing to surrender to protect his brother's family. Yet, this villain's insatiable avarice knew no bounds. He resorted to threatening the lives of three innocent individuals, compelling Li Wuliang to expend his martial skills. Li Wuliang's sworn brother was a formidable man who selflessly sacrificed himself to eliminate the malefactor, but he was gravely wounded. Though the villain was grievously injured, he managed to flee. In his fury, the villain mercilessly killed the woman and child."

He concluded, "Li Wuliang's rage knew no bounds. With his sword, he avenged the innocent lives lost that day. He single-handedly eliminated one hundred and seventy Dao Origin Stage cultivators from the three factions present during the incident. Pursuing the fleeing remnants of the three factions, Li Wuliang pursued them over three thousand miles, methodically executing them one by one. The villain who had initiated the tragedy met his demise as well."

"The epic scale of that conflict sent shockwaves throughout the entire Qing-Yun Realm," Yun Piaoliu remarked, underlining the far-reaching impact of the events.