Chapter 3, every year the great limit approaches

The two individuals thus established a deep-seated enmity. For over two thousand years, whenever Bai Qiuran's life was nearing its end, Xue Ling would emerge to trouble him. Their conflicts once drew significant attention from both the Ghost Realm and even the Immortal Realm. It was not until several hundred years ago, when the Ghost Realm dispatched a large number of soul catchers and judges to assist Xue Ling in his efforts, that they still failed to capture Bai Qiuran. Gradually, the Ghost Realm abandoned the plan to forcibly take Bai Qiuran's soul.

The young man known as Xue Ling stared at him with a wooden expression on his face

Having obtained what he desired from the sect leader, Bai Qiuran left the Qingming Main Peak in high spirits and returned to his residence at the Seven Stars Peak

Throughout the Qingming Sword Sect, apart from Bai Qiuran, who is on the brink of death, and the Grand Elder Zhu Feng Daoist, who is currently in seclusion preparing to confront the Heavenly Tribulation and has already accumulated some celestial spiritual energy, even Jue Yunzi is unable to perceive the presence of Xue Ling

Bai Qiuran insisted, "Those who cultivate the Way must be persistent and strive diligently! Although you are a soul-restraining wraith from the ghost realm, why do you always think about persuading the living to give up their lives?"

Xue Ling cast a sidelong glance at him

Bai Qiuran resolutely refused, saying: "I just want to establish a foundation!"

Impatiently scratching his waist, Bai Qiuran lay on the bed at https://mhetushu.com, murmuring: "It seems that this time down the mountain, I still have to search for the materials for the longevity elixir."

After cultivating Qi for three thousand years, I seek only to successfully establish my foundation

Xue Ling said coldly: "Give it up, there is no foundation-building pill in the world with such potency. You should obediently return to the Ghost Realm with me. The Immortal Emperor has already stated that as long as you die, he will appoint you as the great king of the Ghost Realm, ruling over the Ten Halls of Yincao"

What brings you to me?

At present, Xue Ling has essentially become Bai Qiuran's life alarm clock. Whenever his time is drawing near, this soul-restraining messenger will come to remind him that it is time to refine the longevity elixir

However, during the time that Bai Qiuran was away, it seemed that there was an uninvited guest in the courtyard. Upon arriving outside the other courtyard, Bai Qiuran sensed the unsettling and cold aura emanating from within.

In the Qi Refining stage, even if a cultivator possesses overwhelming strength and is invincible, there are always certain obstacles that cannot be avoided, among which lifespan is one of the most significant.

However, Bai Qiuran was not subject to this limitation, so he relied on the Longevity Pill to extend his own life by one thousand years

He paused for a moment at the gate of the courtyard, then boldly pushed open the courtyard door without any fear of the books, walked into his bedroom, and saw the uninvited guest standing at the foot of his bed

Indeed, Xue Ling is one of the messengers of impermanence under the King of Hell in the realm of the underworld, responsible for capturing souls

"Are you very idle hanging around me?"

Ah, what a hassle

Without a companion, without fame, he watched as the senior and junior sisters, whom he had once held a faint affection for during his initial stirrings of love, became celestial couples with others, while he remained alone for three thousand years, unable even to ride the sword and soar with the wind

As the Soul Reaper, Xue Ling and Bai Qiuran can be considered old acquaintances. Although Bai Qiuran possesses unmatched strength, capable of slaying even celestial beasts with a single sword strike, he remains a practitioner at the Qi Refinement stage.

At that time, Bai Qiuran also felt that he was on the verge of a breakthrough. Thus, embracing the dream of foundation establishment, he fought back with all his might, not only freeing himself from the soul-binding iron chains formed by the rules of the underworld but also turning the tables and beating Xue Ling soundly.

It is indeed you, Xue Ling

Looking at the young man in front of her, dressed in a white robe and with a pale complexion, Bai Qiuran let out a sigh

The first meeting between Bai Qiuran and Xue Ling took place over two thousand years ago, when Bai Qiuran was nearing the end of his lifespan for the first time. At that time, Bai Qiuran was traveling and became trapped in a relic left by a true immortal, unable to refine the longevity elixir to extend his life. Therefore, Xue Ling, as a newly appointed soul-retriever, came to collect his soul.

A Qi Refining stage cultivator, no matter how adept at survival, can at most live for three to four hundred years. Upon reaching this age, if one has not yet succeeded in refining Qi into Essence and establishing a foundation, they will only face the decay of their physical body, while their soul will be taken by the Soul Reaper to the underworld for reincarnation, awaiting the next opportunity.

What to give up

Xue Ling is also quite stubborn, persistently pursuing Bai Qiuran for several months, until this fellow consumed a new batch of longevity pills, before reluctantly returning to the Ghost Realm.

Your time is running out

Bai Qiuran

He removed the crimson robe of a direct disciple, declined the positions of the sect leader and the elder of the Qingming Sword Sect, and chose to live in solitude on the most remote Seven Star Peak

Such a state of life has also prevented him from fully enjoying the pleasures that a cultivator can experience in their long life

As a practitioner in the Qi Refinement stage, he has been struggling against the bottleneck of the Foundation Establishment stage year after year for three thousand years

After a moment, he irritably scratched his head of white hair and replied, "Fine, how is it that this day has come again... Alright, alright, I understand, you may go back now"

Bai Qiuran's expression turned cold as the two silently gazed at each other

Since Master Qingming Daoist ascended, this way of life has continued uninterrupted.

However, Xue Ling did not leave; instead, she remained in place and continued, "It has been over three thousand years; you should have given up by now, shouldn't you?"

Bai Qiuran waved his hand impatiently

Bai Qiuran suddenly collapsed onto his bed, resting his arms behind his head, gazing blankly at the ceiling of the mosquito net above the bed

Hmph, you understand the old rules anyway

Those who once had high hopes for him have either ascended, failed in their tribulations, or fallen in conflicts with others. Meanwhile, those who sought to harm him and the Qingming Sword Sect have all perished at his hands, with not a single one surviving

If the time comes and you have not found a way to prolong your life, I will come to seize your soul

As a practitioner in the Qi Refinement stage, Bai Qiuran stands out as the most unique among them. Firstly, the boundless true energy within him ensures that his physical body is even more resilient than that of an ordinary immortal, remaining impervious to decay. Additionally, he possesses a wood-type spiritual root of the heavenly level. This type of spiritual root has one significant advantage: not only does it allow for exceptionally efficient cultivation of wood-based techniques, but it also guarantees complete absorption of the medicinal properties of elixirs, enabling the unrestricted use of certain elixirs that typically have usage limits.

Every year, the end seems imminent, and every year one must rely on the elixir of longevity to continue to survive

Hurry up, hurry up

You should consider that your energy reservoir is countless times greater than that of an ordinary person, and the same goes for your true energy. The foundation-building process requires the concentration of true energy and its transformation into essence. With so much true energy at your disposal, is it not possible for you to refine a vast sea of true essence within your body?

Do not ! ''

Cultivators are also able to refine a type of elixir known as the Longevity Pill. The method for concocting this pill is exceedingly simple, and each consumption can extend one's lifespan by five years. However, due to the properties of the medicine, the number of times it can be used is limited. Therefore, it is generally employed by those cultivators who are nearing the end of their lifespan as a final effort.

Seeing Bai Qiuran's expression, Xue Ling had no intention of wasting any more words with him. He turned around and walked towards one side of the room, and then his figure gradually became ethereal, disappearing into the corner of the room

As a member responsible for bringing death to humanity and maintaining the order of heaven and earth, unless Xue Ling willingly allows it, humans cannot see the Soul Reaper, not even those cultivators who have embarked on the path of immortality.