Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1416 - 754: Contract (Part 2)

Isolation space artifacts capable of ensnaring a Great Cultivator are remarkably rare, and as such, they are reserved for only the most critical situations.

At this moment, Li Yuanba had already unleashed a deluge of over two thousand energy-converted flying swords from the Spiritual Treasure "Ten Thousand Sword Peak," each one imbued with Great Cultivator Sword Intent.

As these thousands of energy-converted flying swords surged toward Great Venerable Hongfa, the monk immediately recognized the overwhelming aura of the "Ten Thousand Sword Peak." He wouldn't dream of taking a direct hit from a Spiritual Treasure attack.

Caught within the crushing weight of the gravitational force field and further bound by the "Infinite Great Isolation Decree," his physical movements were sluggish, leaving him with no room to dodge. His sole recourse was the use of space movement.

The two thousand energy-converted flying swords, carrying the sharp Great Cultivator Sword Intent, pursued Great Venerable Hongfa relentlessly. However, the velocity of space movement was incredible; though the swords chased him closely, Great Venerable Hongfa managed to slip away time and again.

Watching the skirmish unfold, Li Yuanba was struck by a powerful sense of déjà vu.

Was this not a mirror image of his past confrontation with Master Ge Guang? The only difference was that back then, he had been the one desperately utilizing space movement to survive.

"Let’s put an end to this," Li Yuanba muttered, shaking his head as his interest in the drawn-out fight waned. He was aware that Little Lei Yin Temple had likely sent a distress signal, and there was no telling when reinforcements from Da Leiyin Temple might arrive.

With a simple flick of his wrist, a beam of sword light tore through the emptiness.

He had commanded the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword to strike, choosing a moment of perfect precision.

As a master of space movement himself, he was intimately acquainted with its fatal flaw.

He timed his strike for the exact millisecond Great Venerable Hongfa exited the void, just before he could initiate his next space movement.

The Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword moved with blistering speed, cutting into Great Venerable Hongfa before another jump could be made.

Extreme velocity was the trademark of the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword; combined with the devastating raw power of a Spiritual Treasure, it also bore the "Chaos Sword Intent."

The blow landed on Great Venerable Hongfa, shattering his defensive Secret Technique. Just then, his Kasaya flared with a brilliant golden radiance and rose up, intercepting the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword.

This Kasaya was a specific acquisition of Great Venerable Hongfa, a heritage treasure belonging to Little Lei Yin Temple.

While Little Lei Yin Temple serves as a branch of Da Leiyin Temple, it maintains a degree of independence and possesses its own unique legacy.

Though its overall heritage might not be grand, it still held onto several significant artifacts.

This Kasaya was a top-tier defensive item at the peak of Tier Four, which Great Venerable Hongfa had borrowed to bolster his protection.

Shaken by the sword strike Li Yuanba had displayed earlier in the day, he had sought this extra layer of security for himself.

The Kasaya indeed proved its worth by saving his life; the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword was successfully halted by the garment.

Based on the feedback from the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword, Li Yuanba estimated it would take no more than two breaths to shred through the Kasaya, but that window was enough for Great Venerable Hongfa to attempt a counterattack.

However, the assault wasn't limited to the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword. Because of that distraction, Great Venerable Hongfa had failed to execute his space movement, allowing the two thousand energy-converted flying swords to close the distance.

"Spare me!" Great Venerable Hongfa suddenly cried out, abandoning all defense.

His plea came just in time. The lead flying sword, vibrating with Great Cultivator Sword Intent, stopped dead in front of his chest, barely a centimeter from his skin.

While the Artifact Spirit of the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword lacked the high intelligence of someone like Artifact Spirit Jin Hong, it shared a mental link with Li Yuanba. Upon sensing Li Yuanba’s intent to pause after hearing the plea for mercy, the Artifact Spirit ceased the onslaught of energy-converted flying swords.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Great Venerable Hongfa’s bald head—the first time he had felt such fear in thousands of years.

"If you spare my life, I will swear a soul contract to serve you as my master!" To survive, Great Venerable Hongfa was willing to surrender his freedom entirely.

Li Yuanba was stunned to hear a Great Cultivator from a superpower begging for his life, let alone offering to become a servant.

A soul recognition master contract is a restrictive bond entirely controlled by the master; the servant's very existence lies in the master's hands.

The most unique aspect of this contract is that it allows a master to bind a servant one realm higher than themselves. However, this requires the servant to offer their mind up completely, without a shred of resistance.

In the world of Cultivation, very few have the capability to bind a servant of a higher rank, and contracting a Great Cultivator as a subordinate was almost unheard of.

"What value do you possess that would make a contract worthwhile?" Li Yuanba asked. This question nearly drove Great Venerable Hongfa to madness. He never expected that after offering himself as a slave to stay alive, Li Yuanba would actually question his worth.

He didn't realize that Li Yuanba truly didn't hold him in high regard.

Between Li Yuanba’s own prowess and his use of the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword and the "Ten Thousand Sword Peak," his strength already eclipsed that of the monk. Furthermore, he could always summon Great Cultivator Luo Pei, who possessed the Spiritual Treasure Black Water Sword.

In a true fight, Great Cultivator Luo Pei was far more formidable than Great Venerable Hongfa.

"I am a specialist in space rules! I can construct various space teleportation formations!" Great Venerable Hongfa shouted, racking his brain for his most valuable skill.

Li Yuanba’s interest was finally piqued.

He had been considering studying such matters and hadn't expected Great Venerable Hongfa to be an expert in space teleportation formations.

"Open your soul and drop all defenses, or else..." Li Yuanba let the threat hang. In response, the two thousand energy-converted flying swords and the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword hummed with "Chaos Sword Intent," trembling with lethal intent.

Before the sentence was even finished, Great Venerable Hongfa bared his soul completely, leaving it totally vulnerable to Li Yuanba.

Li Yuanba acted immediately, tracing a soul recognition master contract rune in the air using a blend of Spirit and Spiritual Power Pattern.

The rune settled into Great Venerable Hongfa’s soul. Even as the contract merged with his essence, the monk remained perfectly still, offering no resistance.

"Hongfa pays respects to the Master!" Once the contract was finalized, Great Venerable Hongfa finally relaxed, bowing deeply to Li Yuanba with his hands pressed together.

"Hongfa, I don't understand. Why are you so cowardly?" Now that the monk was his servant, Li Yuanba asked plainly.

"Hongfa was once merely a talisman master at Da Leiyin Temple. My affinity for space was discovered, and I was chosen to attempt the Divine Foot Skill heritage, which I luckily attained. Aside from the Divine Foot Skill, however, my talents are lacking. I have always been assigned to logistics rather than the front lines. While I was in the mid-stage Venerable realm, I somehow gained an inkling of space rules while studying teleportation formations, which allowed me to break through to Great Venerable. I have almost no combat experience and have always disliked violence. Once I reached Great Venerable, I requested to be stationed here!" Great Venerable Hongfa confessed.

Li Yuanba was genuinely amazed. This was a perfect example of how certain Buddhist Cultivation techniques could allow someone to reach the Great Venerable level through sheer fortune rather than martial struggle.

A Great Venerable with no real battle experience—he hadn't thought such a person could exist.

In the brutal "survival of the fittest" reality of the Cultivation World, how did such a person even live this long?

Then again, with the protection of Da Leiyin Temple, it was possible—though it must have required an incredible amount of luck to reach such heights.