Translator: AnubisTL
The two core formation realm cultivators accompanying Li Qing exuded an overwhelming aura, inspiring genuine fear in those who sensed it.
Every Lingyun Sect cultivator on the spirit boat watched this scene with profound shock etched on their faces.
So, rebuilding Lingyun Sect isn't just talk—Li Qing really has something to back him up!
"Wait, that's Ancestor Bing Yun's Personal Disciple, Senior Sister Shen Ningbing!" someone recognized Shen Ningbing's identity. They instinctively wanted to call her "junior sister," but quickly realized Shen Ningbing had already reached the core formation realm, making such familiarity inappropriate.
Wu Chong, however, burst into hearty laughter as he flew forward. "Junior Sister Shen, long time no see! You've achieved core formation too—this is fantastic!"
A cultivator with a variant spirit root who successfully reached core formation was undoubtedly a formidable force. With Shen Ningbing's support, their chances of successfully returning to Azure Ridge Domain and rebuilding Lingyun Sect had significantly improved.
"Senior Brother Wu," Shen Ningbing nodded with a slightly softened expression. "It's been so many years. I never imagined you'd change so much."
Wu Chong had indeed undergone a remarkable transformation. The once-chubby cultivator had become remarkably lean and wiry.
Wu Chong scratched his head and chuckled, "Hahaha, it's because of the cultivation manual I practice. Once you reach the core formation realm, this transformation occurs. I never expected it myself."
At this, the group recalled Ancestor Devourer of Heaven, who had also cultivated the Gluttonous Divine Art. His physique had been remarkably slender, a stark contrast to Wu Chong's former corpulent frame.
This was the true power of the Gluttonous Divine Art. During the foundation establishment realm, practitioners must constantly consume vast quantities of food to forge a solid dao foundation.
Upon reaching core formation, all the energy accumulated during foundation establishment is converted into nourishment for the core formation process, providing the final push to break through.
Soon, Senior Brother Wu noticed the other core formation realm cultivator present.
He turned to True Lord Fu Xuan and asked with a hint of curiosity, "May I ask who this fellow Daoist is?"
Li Qing smiled and introduced him, "Fatty Wu, let me introduce you. This is True Lord Fu Xuan, a renowned master of talismanship from the Great Wilderness Domain!"
"Thanks to Junior Sister Chu's efforts, Fellow Daoist Fu Xuan has agreed to join our Lingyun Sect. After the sect is rebuilt, he will become one of our esteemed ancestors!"
Hearing this, Wu Chong was naturally overjoyed.
A core formation realm true lord specializing in talismanship!
Even during the Lingyun Sect's heyday, they had never possessed such a figure. With his assistance, the sect's reconstruction would undoubtedly proceed much more smoothly.
"I see!"
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Fu Xuan! On behalf of all the cultivators of the Lingyun Sect, I thank you for joining us!" Wu Chong solemnly clasped his hands, his expression utterly earnest.
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Wu, you're too kind," True Lord Fu Xuan replied with a cheerful smile. "From now on, we're all in the same boat. No need for such formalities."
In the same boat... Their relationship was indeed just that.
Though they hadn't been particularly close before, their connection through Chu Lingyi had bound them together.
And so, the two groups finally reunited.
The fire seed, scattered by the Shangqing Sect, had gathered once more, its flames burning even brighter than before!
"What's our next move? Should we head straight to the Azure Ridge Domain?" Wu Chong asked, turning to Li Qing.
Li Qing paused, considering the situation carefully before making his decision.
"Wen Xing, that old hag, suffered severe injuries. While her wounds won't heal quickly, we can't rule out the possibility that the Shangqing Sect possesses spirit pills and elixirs that could accelerate her recovery."
"Given the circumstances, we should move to the Azure Ridge Domain as swiftly as possible. Before making our move, we need to gather intelligence on the Shangqing Sect's true strength and weaknesses!"
Li Qing's words sent a subtle chill through everyone present.
Though they had mentally prepared themselves for this moment, hearing it spoken aloud still stirred a strange premonition within them.
They hadn't expected the opportunity for revenge to arrive so swiftly; many had dismissed it as mere talk.
"Hah! If that's the case, let's set out then!" Wu Chong's gaze hardened, a fierce flame burning in his eyes.
Images of the Lingyun Sect's destruction flashed before his mind. Every time he recalled that day, his heart churned with unrest.
"Indeed. But before we depart, there's one more matter to attend to," Li Qing said with a mysterious smile.
Time flowed on, and several more days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the western reaches of the Great Wilderness Domain, within the territory of Moonchase Palace:
"I have urgent news for your holy maiden!"
Outside the frosty palace gates, Li Qing presented the token Liu Hanyue had given him.
The female cultivator who received the holy maiden's token quickly adopted a solemn expression.
"Senior, please wait a moment. I will immediately inform the holy maiden."
"..."
Before long, Li Qing was escorted inside and led to the holy maiden's hall.
"Brother Li, you never fail to surprise me! It's only been a few months since our last meeting, yet your cultivation has already advanced again!"
In the Holy Maiden's Palace, Liu Hanyue, clad in a moon-colored Daoist robe, sat gracefully on a jade platform, a soft smile playing on her lips.
Her aura had grown even more holy, as if a moon palace fairy had descended to the mortal realm, utterly ethereal and otherworldly.
Li Qing shook his head with a wry smile. "Just a few fortunate encounters, nothing worth mentioning."
But Liu Hanyue quickly composed herself, her expression turning serious. "Brother Li, what brings you here today?"
Li Qing clasped his hands in a formal greeting. "I recently ventured into the Nether Domain and brought back all the fellow sect members from Lingyun Sect. Now that the timing is right, I plan to depart for the Azure Ridge Domain immediately. I came to inform you personally."
During the Moonchase Grand Assembly, Liu Hanyue had specifically requested that he notify her before leaving for the Azure Ridge Domain.
As if anticipating this news, her holy and ethereal face remained composed, her beautiful eyes closing gently. Her features were exquisitely refined, her skin as flawless and luminous as the moon, without a single blemish. Even in deep contemplation, not a single wrinkle appeared on her face, a clear indication that she had mastered some kind of age-defying spell.
After a long silence, Liu Hanyue slowly opened her eyes again, her pupils seeming to reflect the rising of a bright moon.
"As the Holy Maiden of Moonchase Palace, I shouldn't be meddling in worldly affairs anymore."
"But my clan and sect were both destroyed by the Shangqing Sect. If I stood by idly, my conscience would never find peace."
"I'll accompany you to the Azure Ridge Domain and lend my strength to your campaign against the Shangqing Sect!"
As she spoke, Liu Hanyue's expression gradually hardened with resolve.
Her words seemed less directed at Li Qing and more like a declaration to herself.
"Excellent! With your support, our chances of success have increased by at least tenfold!" Li Qing felt a surge of elation.
Liu Hanyue was not only the Holy Maiden of Moonchase Palace but also a core formation realm cultivator!
Even without considering her other abilities, her mastery of Moonchase Palace's inheritance alone made her an invaluable ally. Ordinary core formation realm cultivators were no match for her.
Thus, Liu Hanyue joined Li Qing's team to rebuild the Lingyun Sect, adding significant strength to their ranks.
Using the excuse of seeking worldly experience, Liu Hanyue left Moonchase Palace with Li Qing.
Several days later, when Liu Hanyue saw the group of companions Li Qing had gathered, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
Having some understanding of Li Qing's character, she knew he wouldn't embark on a battle without thorough preparation.
Even now, seeing the core formation realm cultivators gathered before her, including Li Qing, she couldn't help but feel a surge of awe.
When the Lingyun Sect was finally destroyed, everyone believed their fate was sealed.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, the remnants of the sect who had fled had amassed such formidable power once more.
This was a wildfire that no immortal dao faction could afford to underestimate.
Even the top cultivation sects of the Great Wilderness Domain wouldn't dare dismiss such a force.
Four core formation realm true lords—even the Lingyun Sect in its prime hadn't possessed such overwhelming combat strength.
And all of this stemmed from that man—his features unremarkable, yet his posture strikingly upright.
"Move out! Head north to the Azure Ridge Domain!"
Li Qing waved his hand decisively, issuing the order to set course for the Azure Ridge Domain.
Wu Chong, at the helm of the spirit boat, urged it forward.
The giant spirit boat swiftly ascended into the sky, its imposing aura sweeping across the Great Wilderness Domain as it hurtled toward the snow-capped mountain range in the north.
The Azure Ridge Domain, specifically the Boundless Sea region in the east, was the territory of the Shangqing Sect.
In the past, few cultivators dared venture into this area, for it was the stronghold of the Shangqing Sect, the undisputed overlords of the Azure Ridge Domain.
Today, however, was different. Figures streaked through the sky from all directions, even from the distant sea, all converging on a cultivation sect nestled along the coast.
"Heh, isn't that the Tang Clan Patriarch? Arriving so early?" A middle-aged cultivator in gray robes chuckled from his spirit boat.
Though his words seemed ordinary, his tone dripped with contempt and disdain.
"The Tang Clan's territory is far from the upper sect. We dared not delay and came at once," the Tang Clan Patriarch replied.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, your Lu Clan is clearly within Liang Country. Why have you arrived so early as well?"
If Li Qing were present, he would have recognized both cultivators as old acquaintances!
The Tang Clan was none other than the one that had once been affiliated with the Lingyun Sect!
Li Qing had presided over an ascension conference for the sect, during which the Tang Clan Patriarch, humiliated and enraged, had attempted to disrupt the proceedings. Li Qing had swiftly suppressed him, asserting his authority as an elder of the Lingyun Sect and silencing him completely.
Fellow Daoist Lu was also a familiar face—Lu Feiyu, the Lu Clan Head!
Before joining the Lingyun Sect, this man and another cultivation clan's patriarch had relentlessly pursued Li Qing for thousands of miles, only ceasing their pursuit at the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate.
Undoubtedly, after the Shangqing Sect dominated the Azure Ridge Domain, cultivation clans that hadn't directly opposed them became vassals of the Shangqing Sect.
After all, even with the Shangqing Sect's insatiable appetite, they couldn't possibly monopolize such a vast domain. They naturally had to share some benefits with other cultivation clans.
Lu Feiyu, clad in a black robe, still wore a hint of disdain on his face.
The Tang Clan had pledged allegiance to the Shangqing Sect relatively late, and they had previously been vassals of the Lingyun Sect. Their status naturally couldn't compare to that of the Lu Clan.
"I naturally have important matters to attend to," Lu Feiyu said coldly. "As for the Tang Clan Patriarch, I heard a Spirit Stone Mine was recently discovered in the Mu Kingdom region. Quite the fortuitous destiny!"
Tang Lushan's expression stiffened slightly. "It's merely a small Spirit Stone Mine," he replied. "It will be depleted within a few decades at most. I came to the Shangqing Sect early to report this matter."
And so, the two parted ways, flying toward the Shangqing Sect's mountain gate, one ahead of the other. It was clear their relationship was strained.
Besides them, numerous cultivators from all directions were converging on the Shangqing Sect's territory.
The weakest among them were in the early foundation establishment realm, as cultivators in the qi refining realm were simply unqualified to participate in this grand assembly.
Rogue cultivators gossiped in the streets, revealing what had transpired within the Shangqing Sect to draw so many foundation establishment cultivators to visit.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. As expected of the Shangqing Sect—another core formation success already?"
"I heard the one who achieved core formation this time has a variant spirit root. Truly blessed by the heavens!"
"Heh, they dominate the entire Azure Ridge Domain, after all. Nearly seventy percent of the domain's cultivation resources belong to the Shangqing Sect. High-level cultivators naturally emerge in an endless stream."
"That's to be expected. What I find curious is why they're making such a grand spectacle of this. Usually, when a new core formation realm cultivator appears, they don't make such a fuss. Could this person be of extraordinary status?"
As soon as these words were spoken, those who knew some of the inside story whispered:
"Recently, the Shangqing Sect suffered a significant setback in the Great Wilderness Domain, with several ancestors falling in succession."
"I bet they're trying to restore the sect's prestige with this ceremony, to prevent others from thinking they're in decline."
The crowd fell silent, understanding such sentiments.
After all, as the overlord of an entire domain, the sect needed to maintain sufficient external authority. How else could they claim dominance over the region?
Over the years, rogue cultivators in the Azure Ridge Domain had deeply felt the Shangqing Sect's overbearing nature.
It was said that even a Spirit Stone falling from the sky would belong to the Shangqing Sect!
Under such oppressive conditions, resentment naturally accumulated.
Yet the Shangqing Sect's power was overwhelming. With a constant stream of core formation realm cultivators emerging from within, no other cultivator dared to challenge them.
They could only seethe in silence, their anger bottled up in their hearts.
Amidst the crowd, a rogue cultivator in purple robes suddenly appeared. He asked:
"Heh, Fellow Daoist, which ancestors of the Shangqing Sect have fallen?"
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner
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