Divine Medallion of Seven Lifetimes-Chapter 206: The Allure of Power

Time crept by, minute after minute, yet the valley's entrance remained wrapped in unprecedented silence.

The cultivators did nothing but fix their eyes on Nantian Yijian. Nobody knew how long had passed before a frail voice finally broke from the crowd.

"I’ve been cultivating for nearly four hundred years. I only reached the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm by roaming from place to place, serving as a sacrifice for noble clans to unlock their secret realms. Now, I have only thirty years left to live.

"The lifespan of a peak Qi Condensation Realm cultivator is at least three thousand years. Yet here I stand with merely four hundred behind me because the clans treated me like livestock, throwing me to the secret realms as offerings."

His words struck the crowd like a massive stone cast into a deep well, sending violent ripples through them.

Not long after, others began to speak.

"I suffered the same fate as you. To survive, I exchanged my brother’s life for mine. The clans told us it would only cost fifty years of lifespan, yet they sacrificed my brother alive to the secret realms."

An elderly-looking cultivator, his voice incongruously youthful, added, "Me too. Can you imagine? I’ve only cultivated for five hundred years, but now... I have but this final year left. If, after giving up my lifespan, I fail to obtain resources in the secret realm to break through, death is my only road ahead."

"Me too..."

"Me too..."

One after another, the cultivators began recounting their pasts until nearly all had spoken.

A chain reaction spread through the valley’s entrance. Each cultivator would finish speaking, then fall silent and turn their gaze toward Nantian Yijian, waiting for the next story to emerge.

"I heard the golden age is coming, that the spirit qi and secret realms sealed away by the Abyssal Demonic Spirits for ten thousand years will awaken again. Do you think one of us commoners could rise to lead this new era?"

The sudden shift in topic broke the chain reaction among the crowd.

"Is that even possible?"

"Even if the golden age does arrive, how could such a person be born among us commoners? And even if they were, how could they stand against the clans?"

"The clans have hoarded resources for countless generations. They don’t need to sacrifice their lives for strength. They’re far more likely to foster the era’s leader."

Then came a hesitant voice from within the crowd. "What about the man standing before us? Could he be the one we’ve been waiting for?"

The words startled everyone.

"Judging from how he speaks, from the hatred he holds for the clans... maybe he is one of us, treated like livestock by the nobles."

"The key is, he’s willing to swear such a heavy vow for our sake.

"But he’s only at the Qi Regulation Realm. We’ve seen people like him before, yet they all ended up serving the clans. Can we trust him? Does he truly have the potential?"

The cultivators fell into a hushed, heavy silence.

Then, thunder rolled. The giant’s palms resonated like a storm tearing across the heavens.

Nantian Yijian roared once more, his voice shaking the skies. A torrent of blood rained down, drenching the cultivators’ faces. "I need your strength! Lend me your power, and I will find a way to change your destiny.

"Trust me... my name is... Nantian... Yijian... I am also a commoner..."

Lightning cracked across the sky again. Nantian Yijian’s voice faltered slightly, and blood poured even more violently from the giant’s hands.

"Nantian Yijian... What a name. Just from how he speaks, I’m willing to believe him. He’s not like the others," the cultivator who had said he had only one year left stepped forward from the crowd and shouted. "Kid, I’m close to death anyway. If I die, so be it. I’ll lend you my strength now..."

"Ah, what the hell. I’ve only got ten years left. With no hope of breaking through... I might as well take a chance and help..."

"Three years. I’ll join in..."

"Thirty years..."

"I..."

One by one, more cultivators stepped forward, each eager to lend their power to Nantian Yijian.

However, despite their willingness, none knew exactly how to transfer their strength to him.

"My name is Nantian Yijian, and I want to change the fate of commoners with no talent for cultivation." Nantian Yijian trembled as he stood in the giant’s palm, gripping the massive sword once more. "If you are willing to lend me your strength, then send me your strongest conviction. United, we are the greatest!"

"Come on, Nantian Yijian!"

Blood streamed down Nantian Yijian's body as he lifted the colossal sword and swung it.

The cultivators below watched the radiant arcs of the sword cutting through the sky. They saw the massive wound the lightning had torn in Nantian Yijian’s chest, with blood gushing out uncontrollably, yet they also felt the unprecedented will emanating from him.

They closed their eyes, reaching out with their senses to connect with his determination. Slowly, threads of light sprouted above their heads, weaving together and surging toward him.

Daoist Tian Ji activated the Divine Eye on his forehead to sense the yellow light that had suddenly appeared. He paused mid–hand seal and exclaimed, "Wish Power... that’s Wish Power! The long-lost Wish Power! That boy... he’s actually triggered the Wish Power!"

"Daoist Tian Ji, what is Wish Power?" The remaining venerables halted their actions at Daoist Tian Ji’s shout, turning to see him staring at Nantian Yijian in astonishment. "We’ve never seen such a type of spirit qi."

"That is a cultivation method used by the Primordial Era cultivators," said Daoist Du, eyes flickering with strange light. "But it was long abandoned in favor of regular spirit qi cultivation. The method for Wish Power cultivation has been completely lost."

"Then why would such a long-lost power appear in the hands of a boy this young? Could this be the sign of the golden era?"

Daoist Tian Ji turned his gaze toward the valley’s entrance, tossing aside the Heavenly Spirit-Gathering Disk in his hand. "I don’t know how he comprehended Wish Power, but one thing I know for sure is that he is the one most suited to inherit the legacy of the Celestial Oracle Sect."

"A cultivator who can comprehend Wish Power can glimpse the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth at any moment. Our sect has searched for such a person for hundreds of thousands of years. Finally... we’ve found him."

"Hehehe, old man, didn’t you hear him announce his name earlier?" Daoist Du stared at Nantian Yijian with a greedy glint in his eyes. "That’s Nantian Yijian, of the Nantian Region."

Daoist Du turned to Daoist Tian Ji and said mockingly, "If he can comprehend the ancient, forbidden cultivation method, he must hold considerable status in the Nantian Sect. Are you really bold enough to take him from the Nantian Clan?"

"Hmph..." Daoist Tian Ji snorted coldly. "With my ability to foresee events, am I not qualified to become his elder in the Nantian Sect? In any case, I have already decided that he will be my disciple."

"Enough talk. First, make sure there is nothing unusual with the mist," Ancestor Suitian instructed, forming hand seals and controlling the pill in his hand to prevent it from dissipating. "Once I’m done, we can jointly unleash the surging mist."

"Old freak, hurry up. We’re just waiting on your Suitian Spear and the final wave of flesh and blood sacrifices to trigger the mist," Daoist Du muttered to Ancestor Suitian, his words dripping with resentment. "I know you’ve waited tens of thousands of years to try that method, but couldn’t you have found a secluded place for it? Why insist on experimenting at a moment like this? I don’t understand what you’re thinking."

Ancestor Suitian flung the pill into the sky, his voice cold and unwavering. "Old Freak Du, forget about flesh and blood sacrifices. Previously, we only agreed to take a portion of their lifespans. I, Suitian, will never consent to taking lives."

The pill rose into the sky as he summoned tribulation clouds, refining the lightning pill with meticulous precision.

"Hmph..." Daoist Du snorted coldly and returned to manipulating the black mist. "To think you’d still treat commoners like people... I’m sure they all curse you in their hearts."

***

Within the giant’s palm, Nantian Yijian was wrapped in immense Wish Power. He stared down in astonishment. "This... this is... Wish Power? Could this be the proper way to use it?"

All the cultivators below had closed their eyes, holding their breath as they lifted their right hands to send their energy toward him.

"If that’s the case, then let us strive together... and change our fate together."

With a cold snort, Nantian Yijian channeled the Wish Power into his body. His cultivation surged, and the wounds inflicted by the lightning began to heal rapidly under its boost.

Even the massive gashes across his chest and shoulders, torn open by the lightning, began to knit back together as the Wish Power flowed through him.

Watching his flesh restore itself, he could not help but exclaim in awe, "This... feels incredible! Nantian Yijian, rise!"

The continuous augmentation from the Wish Power filled him with unparalleled strength. "No wonder cultivators risk even their lifespans for a chance to enter a secret realm. This... this formidable power... it’s intoxicating."

At that moment, he felt as if he were the ruler of heaven and earth, ready to swing his massive sword and cleave the lightning giant.

Nantian Yijian planted his feet, adopting an offensive stance, brimming with the immense power within.

Just then, a voice echoed beside him. "Boy, Wish Power is not a thing to be squandered."

It was Blindman Lu. His tone was ethereal yet resonant as it reached Nantian Yijian’s ears. "Since your followers have given you their strength, you must return it tenfold, or even a hundredfold. If they gain nothing in return... do you think they will still believe in you?"