Translator: AnubisTL
The Lin Family Patriarch prided himself on having lived an upright life, always treating others with kindness and rarely making enemies.
He had come to attend the Core Formation Ceremony of a newly advanced ancestor of the Shangqing Sect, hoping to forge connections with other cultivators and expand his clan's influence.
Yet he never imagined that during his brief stay at River Gap Market, two mysterious core formation realm experts would target him!
"Seniors, how may I assist you?" Lin Xiaonan asked, his face ashen as he stared at the two remarkably young cultivators who had suddenly appeared in his cave abode.
The faint aura emanating from them sent shivers of terror down his spine. He had once met a core formation ancestor of the Shangqing Sect, and the oppressive pressure he felt now was just as overwhelming. These two were undoubtedly core formation realm powerhouses!
What truly unnerved him was that despite the layers of restrictions he had placed outside his cave abode, these cultivators had strolled in as if walking on flat ground. Their methods were utterly unfathomable.
"Heh, we wish to attend the Core Formation Ceremony three days from now, posing as junior members of your clan. What do you say, Patriarch Lin?"
Because his cultivation far surpassed Lin Xiaonan's, Li Qing saw no need for subtlety. He cut straight to the chase, revealing the purpose of his visit.
Lin Xiaonan froze in place, his mind racing to decipher the implications of Li Qing's words.
These two utterly unfamiliar core formation true lords want to impersonate my clan's juniors and attend the Shangqing Sect's Core Formation Ceremony?
In an instant, Lin Xiaonan grasped the critical point.
Clearly, these core formation true lords, whose identities and origins remain unknown, harbor no good intentions toward the Shangqing Sect.
The mere thought of the potential consequences sent a cold sweat trickling down Lin Xiaonan's forehead.
"Th-this... With your esteemed cultivation, Senior Feng and Senior Li, I'm sure the Shangqing Sect would welcome you to the Core Formation Ceremony with open arms."
Lin Xiaonan felt his heart pounding in his throat. In his half-century of life, he had never encountered such a situation.
Where did these two even come from? he wondered.
Under the Shangqing Sect's control, achieving core formation had become an exceedingly difficult feat.
That leaves only cultivators from the outer domain!
He quickly recalled the recent losses of Shangqing Sect ancestors in the Great Wilderness Domain south of the Azure Ridge Domain. If his guess was correct, these two were likely powerful figures from that great domain.
Li Qing smiled warmly, his voice gentle as he said, "The problem is, the Shangqing Sect probably wouldn't welcome us. That's why we thought of disguising ourselves as juniors from your clan to attend the ceremony."
"Patriarch Lin, attending the ceremony alone must be quite dull. Why not travel with us? We can keep each other company along the way."
"I guarantee, with us two around, you won't encounter any danger on this journey."
Dull attending the ceremony alone? Lin Xiaonan thought sarcastically.
He knew that since they had put it this way, refusing would be truly unwise.
"Since you two seniors are being so gracious, refusing would be utterly foolish of me," Lin Xiaonan replied.
"Very well. Let's travel together to the Core Formation Ceremony three days from now."
Having reluctantly agreed, Lin Xiaonan's unease grew to a fever pitch.
If anything went wrong, the Shangqing Sect would undoubtedly hold the Lin Clan accountable first. There was no doubt about that.
However, if he dared to refuse outright, the consequences would likely be disastrous.
"May I ask how to address you two seniors?" Lin Xiaonan asked, forcing himself to remain composed.
Seeing Lin Xiaonan's tact, Li Qing's smile softened further. "From now on, you may call me Lin Qing," he said. "This is Lin Bing, a member of your Lin Clan. As for your relationship, you can arrange that as you see fit."
As he spoke, Li Qing suppressed his cultivation to the seventh layer of the qi refining realm.
Shen Ningbing, standing beside him, directly suppressed her aura to the sixth layer of the qi refining realm.
For the younger generation of a cultivation clan with a foundation establishment cultivator, maintaining this level of cultivation was ideal—neither too conspicuous nor too mediocre. Being brought by their elders to the Core Formation Celebration to broaden their horizons would be perfectly appropriate!
Hearing this, Lin Xiaonan wiped the sweat from his forehead and repeatedly nodded in agreement.
"No problem at all. Then I'll take the liberty of referring to you two seniors as my nephews and nieces in public."
If the Lin Clan truly had two core formation realm descendants among the younger generation, he'd probably wake up laughing in his sleep.
Unfortunately, these two core formation realm true lords had no connection to his clan, which only made him more uneasy and sent shivers down his spine.
Li Qing, naturally, didn't mind this at all. In fact, he was quite pleased with Lin Xiaonan's cooperation.
But satisfaction aside, he still needed to take precautions.
"Patriarch Lin, as long as you cooperate with us, I guarantee the absolute safety of you and your clan."
"However, since we've only just met, I can't fully trust you yet. I'll place a spiritual seal restriction within your Sea of Consciousness. As long as you don't act against me, there won't be any problems."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaonan's face stiffened further.
Opening his Sea of Consciousness to allow another to implant a spiritual seal restriction was tantamount to handing over his life to their control.
Yet in this situation, he had no choice but to comply, no matter how difficult it was.
"Very well! After this is over, I trust Senior will remember to remove the spiritual seal," Lin Xiaonan said through gritted teeth.
Li Qing's smile widened. With a subtle movement of his divine sense, he directly invaded Lin Xiaonan's Sea of Consciousness.
"Relax, Uncle Lin. There won't be any problems. Once this matter is resolved, I'll personally remove the spiritual seal for you."
As his words faded, Li Qing planted a spiritual seal within Lin Xiaonan's Sea of Consciousness.
This spiritual seal restriction allowed him to destroy Lin Xiaonan's Sea of Consciousness and claim his life with a mere thought.
With this, Li Qing had secured a legitimate identity to attend the Shangqing Sect's Core Formation Ceremony.
In the three days leading up to the ceremony, River Gap Market was far from peaceful.
First, a massive storm had recently ravaged the Boundless Sea, drawing widespread attention. Many rogue cultivators who ventured out to hunt spirit fish perished in the tempest.
"How strange! This time of year should be the calmest season on the Boundless Sea. Why was it so dangerous?"
"The storm was apocalyptic! The waves blotted out the sky. I don't know how many lives were lost in that natural disaster."
"Wait, I heard from survivors who barely made it back to shore that it wasn't just a natural disaster. They sensed a terrifying spiritual pressure that nearly suffocated them!"
"Spiritual pressure... Hiss! That might not have been a natural disaster at all, but a man-made calamity. Perhaps powerful cultivators were battling on the sea's surface."
"Or maybe it was a powerful demon beast from the depths. After all, the Boundless Sea is vast and boundless. Even the Shangqing Sect's Mountain-Bearing Turtle might not be invincible there."
"That's actually quite plausible."
Amidst the swirling rumors, a crucial piece of news related to the Core Formation Ceremony emerged from within the Shangqing Sect.
The Shangqing Sect's newly ascended core formation ancestor, in collaboration with the Mountain-Bearing Turtle, had captured a core formation true lord in the Boundless Sea!
The captured true lord was none other than a remnant of the Lingyun Sect, one of the survivors from their earlier conflict.
"Heh, let the world know," Ling Ying declared publicly, "that in three days, at the Core Formation Ceremony, I will offer True Lord Ziqing's life as a sacrifice to the heavens!"
The news spread like wildfire, carried on the wings of rumor, racing in all directions across the land.
In a secluded chamber hidden within the Shangqing Sect's mountain gate, Ling Ying stood with his hands clasped behind his back, slowly turning around.
Behind him loomed a water prison, within which a cultivator in tattered purple robes was confined.
This was none other than Ancestor Ziqing himself, his body pierced and completely sealed by chains forged from spirit gold.
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Ziqing, how do you find the taste of my sect's Spirit-Sealing Powder?" Ling Ying taunted.
"With this powder, your dantian will wither and stagnate within moments. I trust you've experienced that firsthand?"
"Even if you wanted to detonate your Golden Core and take me with you, you couldn't now. Why not face reality and have a calm conversation with me?"
Ling Ying wore a sinister smile, radiating an air of smug satisfaction.
Ancestor Ziqing, however, remained with his head bowed, allowing the salty seawater to crash against his fleshly body, washing over his wounds, without uttering a single word.
Undeterred, Ling Ying clapped his hands lightly and said, "I've already spread word of your capture. I wonder if it will draw out any of your accomplices?"
"If I recall correctly, quite a few remnants of the Lingyun Sect managed to escape back then, thanks to the Heaven-Devouring True Monarch's selfless sacrifice."
"Why not save me the trouble and honestly reveal your information?"
Ancestor Ziqing, his breathing barely audible, finally spoke, "There are no accomplices. This operation was conceived and executed by me alone."
"Now that it has failed, you may kill or torture me as you please. Death is but a small price to pay."
Ancestor Ziqing's nonchalant attitude left Ling Ying momentarily perplexed.
"Very well. Whether you have accomplices or not, we'll know for sure in three days."
"Publicly executing a core formation true lord during the Core Formation Ceremony... the mere thought fills me with genuine delight."
"I won't torture you further. You deserve to be in decent condition when you meet your end."
With those words, Ling Ying turned and left the water prison connected to the Boundless Sea.
After a long silence, Ancestor Ziqing sighed softly within the prison.
But he quickly chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"Why do I sigh? It's just death. Isn't this the fate I've long anticipated?"
"Alas, Ziqing has failed his sect!"
The news of Ancestor Ziqing's capture by the Shangqing Sect spread like wildfire, instantly causing an uproar in the outside world.
"As expected of the Shangqing Sect! They captured a core formation realm expert with such ease."
"Not just defeated or killed—they captured him alive! The Shangqing Sect's strength is truly unfathomable."
"Such a high-profile move... What's their purpose?"
"Perhaps it's to lure snakes out of their dens. They might be using a core formation true lord as bait to draw out more enemies."
"..."
Li Qing, who had successfully established his cover identity, naturally heard the news immediately.
"Senior Brother Li, have you heard?"
Shen Ningbing rushed to find Li Qing, her expression grave.
Li Qing's expression was no better. He had never imagined that Ancestor Ziqing would reveal himself at such a critical moment.
"I've heard the news as well. It's truly unexpected... Let me think."
To be honest, Li Qing was somewhat flustered at this point.
Originally, his plan was simple: to take advantage of the Shangqing Sect's lack of preparedness during their Core Formation Ceremony and probe the sect's true strength.
However, the sudden appearance of Ancestor Ziqing completely disrupted his plans.
This was something he could never have anticipated!
Now, the Shangqing Sect would undoubtedly be on high alert.
The situation had become somewhat complicated. The sect would certainly suspect Ancestor Ziqing had accomplices.
Yet the captured ancestor insisted he had no allies and remained silent under interrogation.
But Li Qing knew the truth: True Lord Ziqing not only had accomplices, but a considerable number of them were lurking in the shadows!
The Shangqing Sect's strategy was clear: by leaking news of the capture, they hoped to lure out these hidden allies who shouldn't exist in the first place.
"Ah, this is truly..."
"If only we had encountered Ancestor Ziqing sooner, our chances of success would have been at least ten percent higher!"
Li Qing sighed repeatedly, his mind racing with chaotic thoughts.
"Senior brother... what should we do now?" Shen Ningbing asked, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly, fully aware of the stakes.
After a long period of careful deliberation, Li Qing finally made a decision.
"First, we'll send an urgent spirit letter via spirit bird detailing the situation here. We might have to launch a full-scale assault!"
"We'll still proceed with our original plan: infiltrate the Shangqing Sect as Lin Clan disciples to attend the Core Formation Ceremony. We'll reassess the situation then."
With that, Li Qing immediately set to work.
Despite the tense atmosphere, three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Shangqing Sect's Core Formation Ceremony commenced as scheduled. Cultivators from every corner of the world began converging, soaring toward the sect's mountain gate.
Countless figures converged upon the mountain gate overlooking the Boundless Sea!
Among them were Li Qing and Shen Ningbing, disguised as Lin Clan disciples.
"Heh heh, Fellow Daoist Lin, it's been years since we last met. How have you been?"
A middle-aged cultivator riding a flying sword approached the Azurewood Spirit Boat piloted by Lin Xiaonan.
"Ahahaha, Fellow Daoist Feng! I'm doing well, thanks to your concern," Lin Xiaonan replied with a slightly forced laugh.
Cultivator Feng quickly noticed Li Qing and Shen Ningbing on the spirit boat, sensing the faint auras emanating from them.
"These two have such dignified bearing and extraordinary presence," Cultivator Feng remarked casually. "They must be promising young talents from the Lin Clan, wouldn't you say?"
Lin Xiaonan's smile stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered under Li Qing's subtly warning gaze.
"Heh, indeed, they are two nephews from the clan. I brought them along to broaden their horizons."
"Hurry, Lin Qing and Lin Bing, pay your respects to Uncle Feng!"
Upon hearing this, Li Qing and Shen Ningbing immediately clasped their fists in a formal greeting:
"Junior Lin Qing (Bing) greets Senior Feng!"
"Hmm, not bad, not bad at all," Cultivator Feng stroked his beard, his eyes sweeping over Li Qing and Shen Ningbing with admiration. "To have such cultivation at such a young age... it seems the Lin Clan will soon gain two more pillars of foundation establishment realm cultivators!"
Sensing the social dynamics, Li Qing immediately adopted an expression of overwhelming joy, perfectly mimicking the demeanor of a junior being praised by an elder.
"Uncle Feng, you flatter me. I still have a long way to go and wouldn't dare compare myself to a senior like you in the cultivation world," Li Qing replied.
Cultivator Feng was clearly pleased by this response, bursting into hearty laughter. "Hahaha, you're a good lad! The cultivation world is as deep as the sea—it's wise to maintain such reverence."
"Hmm, if you have time in the future, come visit Bright Dao Cliff. I might be willing to guide you in the profound mysteries of daoist arts!"
Li Qing clasped his hands in a gesture of gratitude, his eyes shining with delight. "Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Feng! This humble one, Li Qing, will certainly visit with gifts in the future. I hope you won't find my visit unwelcome!"
It had to be said: Li Qing's acting skills were truly remarkable.
Not only was Lin Xiaonan outmatched, but even Shen Ningbing felt deeply inferior. This kind of performance could only be honed through years of navigating the treacherous currents of human relations, clawing one's way up from the lowest rungs of society.
Shen Ningbing admitted to herself that she could never achieve such seamless perfection!
Soon, their casual conversation brought them to a mountain gate overlooking the sea.
This was the Shangqing Sect!
(End of the Chapter)
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