Translator: AnubisTL
The Shangqing Sect was abuzz with activity!
This Core Formation Ceremony was a grand affair, drawing six to seven out of every ten foundation establishment cultivators from the Azure Ridge Domain.
"Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Li of the Li Family from Black Sand River! How have you been lately?"
"Brother Gu, it's been too long! I recently acquired two key ingredients for the Purple Yang Pill. I might need to commission you for Pill Refinement soon."
"Of course, of course!"
"..."
Li Qing followed Lin Xiaonan, the Lin Family Patriarch, to the Shangqing Sect's mountain gate.
There, he even spotted a few familiar faces!
"Oh, Fellow Daoist Zhong! I heard you were looking for someone to repair your Golden War Boat. Any progress on that?"
Lin Xiaonan, accompanied by Li Qing and Shen Ningbing, immediately approached a familiar figure to exchange greetings.
This man was Zhong Ya, who had once hunted Li Qing alongside Lu Feiyu, the Lu Clan Head, nearly driving him to the brink of death.
Trailing behind Lin Xiaonan, Li Qing instantly recognized this old acquaintance. He sneered inwardly, his expression remaining impassive.
When Zhong Ya and Shen Ningbing arrived at the Shangqing Sect, they had naturally taken precautions to disguise their appearances, making it difficult for others to recognize them easily.
However, Zhong Ya's face darkened slightly when Lin Xiaonan greeted him.
"Hmph, the Zhong Clan's affairs are none of your concern. You'd be better off minding your own business," Zhong Ya retorted.
"I heard your eldest son and daughter haven't been having an easy time at the sect lately. At this rate, it'll be the year of the monkey before they accumulate enough Sect Contribution to exchange for a foundation establishment pill."
Clearly, the two men were not on good terms.
In truth, even a cultivator as amiable as Lin Xiaonan inevitably clashed with others.
In the cultivation world, wherever people gather, conflicts over interests arise. Such disputes are unavoidable.
Lin Xiaonan, however, remained unperturbed. "My children and grandchildren will forge their own paths. No amount of worrying on my part will change that."
The conversation quickly soured and ended on a sour note. As Zhong Ya turned to leave, he cast one last glance at the two young people following behind Lin Xiaonan.
Sensing the auras of Li Qing and Shen Ningbing, he couldn't help but sneer dismissively.
With that, the trio entered the Shangqing Sect's mountain gate together.
The mountain gate stood adjacent to the Boundless Sea, the air thick with humidity. Even the gentle sea breeze carried a faint dampness.
Several spirit peaks rose along the coast, their spiritual energy exceptionally abundant, rivaling that of the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate. This was undoubtedly a grotto-heaven, a blessed land perfect for cultivation.
Before the gate, the Shangqing Sect had arranged for several elders and a large group of disciples to await and welcome guests from all directions.
"Hahaha, Elder Liu, congratulations! Your sect has gained another core formation ancestor—truly a momentous occasion!"
"Tang Clan's Tang Lushan! Presenting a congratulatory gift to the sect's newly advanced core formation ancestor!"
"Yuan Family..."
Nearly every prominent cultivation clan in the Azure Ridge Domain had arrived, each respectfully offering a congratulatory gift.
Lin Xiaonan was no exception. He led Li Qing and Shen Ningbing forward to present his gift to the Shangqing Sect elder stationed at the gate.
Before Lin Xiaonan could even attempt to strike up a conversation with the elder, two voices rang out in quick succession:
"Father!"
"Daddy, over here!"
A man and a woman stood side-by-side within the mountain gate, waving enthusiastically at Lin Xiaonan, quickly drawing the attention of many onlookers.
The man was tall and slender, with a remarkably composed demeanor. His facial features bore a striking resemblance to Lin Xiaonan's.
The woman was strikingly beautiful, with delicate features and an exceptional aura that made her stand out.
"Hmm? What are you two doing here? On a day like this, shouldn't the sect have assigned you duties?" Lin Xiaonan asked sternly.
"Even if you had no tasks, you should be diligently cultivating, not coming out here to greet your father!"
Faced with his children's arrival, Lin Xiaonan immediately adopted a stern expression, scolding them relentlessly.
His eldest son, Lin Xiuzhu, resembled his father in both temperament and conduct, maintaining a composed demeanor.
In response to his father's reprimand, Lin Xiuzhu maintained a solemn expression.
His daughter, Lin Ya, however, had a more lively disposition. She responded to her father's scolding with a playful grin:
"I just missed you, Father! It's been so long since I've been home. How is the clan doing? What about my cousins? I heard my eldest cousin married a cultivator from outside—what's he like?"
Lin Ya fired off a barrage of questions, her attention quickly shifting to the two young people standing behind her father. A puzzled expression crossed her face.
"Father, who are these two?" she asked, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly.
Lin Xiaonan's expression stiffened momentarily, but he quickly replied, "They're the children of a distant cousin who went out to make his fortune. Their names are Lin Qing and Lin Bing. They recently joined our clan. Since we happened to be attending the Core Formation Ceremony of the upper sect, I thought I'd bring them along to broaden their horizons and witness the grandeur of a core formation true lord!"
Lin Ya's cultivation was remarkable. At such a young age, she had already reached the eighth layer of the qi refining realm, poised to break through to the ninth layer at any moment.
Her delicate eyebrows furrowed as she scrutinized Li Qing and Shen Ningbing, sizing them up. After quickly assessing their unremarkable cultivation levels, she lost interest, dismissing them as merely impoverished distant relatives who had come to seek refuge with their clan.
Having been rooted in the Azure Ridge Domain for many years, the Lin Clan's influence was naturally vast, its branches spreading far and wide. It was inevitable that some distant relatives would choose to venture out and make their own fortunes.
Though their blood ties were thin and they rarely visited, their existence couldn't be ignored. When these relatives fell on hard times, they would invariably send their children back to the clan, either seeking a good position or requesting cultivation resources.
Such occurrences were unavoidable, and Lin Ya had long grown accustomed to them.
"Come, quickly greet your distant cousins!" Lin Xiaonan's heart trembled with anxiety, fearing his daughter might show disrespect or speak rudely to the two disguised core formation true lords.
Noticing Lin Xiaonan's unease, Li Qing smiled and stepped forward, clasping his hands in a respectful bow. "Lin Qing greets the Young Miss and Young Master!"
Shen Ningbing hesitated for a moment before quickly mimicking the gesture. "Lin Bing greets the Young Miss and Young Master!"
Following the principle of not striking a smiling face, Lin Ya didn't dwell on the matter. She merely nodded casually, her demeanor tinged with arrogance.
Lin Xiuzhu, however, responded with utmost sincerity, immediately cupping his fist in a respectful bow. "Now that you two virtuous siblings have come to the Shangqing Sect, it is only natural for this elder brother to extend the hospitality of a host. Please do not hesitate to ask me for anything you need!"
Lin Xiaonan, who had been anxiously watching the scene, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Heh, then we thank you in advance, Young Master," Li Qing chuckled, genuinely eager to observe the Shangqing Sect thoroughly.
His motives extended beyond merely seeking traces of Ancestor Ziqing; he also wanted to study the Sect-Protecting Grand Formation in detail.
Ever since crossing the mountain gate, he had sensed a subtle yet palpable sense of danger emanating from beneath his feet.
Without a doubt, this was the Shangqing Sect's Grand Formation guarding the mountain gate.
But there was no time for further investigation now. A ceremonial bell suddenly rang out across the vast plaza before the Shangqing Sect's main hall.
"Hmm? It seems the Core Formation Ceremony is about to begin. Father, allow me to lead the way!" Lin Xiuzhu immediately realized.
Hearing the bell, Lin Ya also grew excited. "Father," she exclaimed, "our Shangqing Sect's newly ascended core formation ancestor is incredibly powerful! Not only does he possess a variant Wind Spiritual Root, but he also captured a cultivator of the same realm shortly after achieving core formation!"
Upon hearing these words, Li Qing's expression remained unchanged, even revealing a hint of longing and admiration in his eyes, perfectly mimicking a naive rogue cultivator who had never seen the world.
Lin Ya immediately grew smug, tilting her chin proudly as she declared, "Come on, consider yourselves lucky. Even my elder brother and I rarely get to see the sect's core formation ancestor!"
"This is your chance to witness the true lord's splendor firsthand and learn just how high the mountains of the Azure Ridge Domain's cultivation world truly rise!"
Li Qing felt no ripple of emotion at these words, remaining utterly calm.
After all, she was merely a junior in the qi refining realm, holding only an average position within the Shangqing Sect—at best, an elite outer sect disciple.
Having already achieved core formation, Li Qing's gaze was fixed on far loftier horizons. He had no interest in indulging the petty boasts of a mere junior.
For now, he could only proceed to the plaza before the main hall and assess the situation, adapting his strategy as needed.
Having infiltrated enemy territory, he couldn't afford any rash actions.
As the crowd converged on the plaza before the main hall, figures radiating formidable auras emerged—all foundation establishment realm cultivators!
Li Qing followed Lin Xiaonan through the crowd, with Lin Ya constantly pointing out and proudly describing the Shangqing Sect's architecture.
Li Qing listened intently, memorizing every detail.
"See that? That's the Shangqing Sect's Hall of Technique Transmission!" Lin Ya exclaimed. "Once I successfully achieve foundation establishment, I can enter the hall and choose two inheritances!"
As she spoke, her gaze dimmed slightly, clearly troubled by the challenges of foundation establishment.
Li Qing's eyes turned toward the Hall of Technique Transmission. The grand structure seemed to embody the idea that all the world's daoist arts were contained within its walls.
He considered releasing his divine sense to survey the area but hesitated, fearing it might alert the Shangqing Sect's ancestor. He maintained his concealed aura.
Finally, as they stopped at the edge of the plaza, a bell tolled once more.
Dong!
Instantly, all the cultivators turned their attention toward the main hall.
A formidable aura surged forth, and a powerful wind swept across the plaza.
Hidden among the crowd, Li Qing's pupils suddenly constricted, as did Shen Ningbing's. She narrowed her beautiful eyes, a fleeting hint of icy coldness flashing through them.
From the powerful gust of wind, they sensed a familiar qi mechanism.
It was Ling Ying!
Li Qing was no stranger to Ling Ying, and Shen Ningbing had even clashed with him before at Lingyun Market.
Who would have thought that after so many years, Ling Ying would have successfully achieved core formation?
It was both logical and expected!
Ling Ying possessed a Wind Spiritual Root and had cultivated wind attribute divine abilities to the peak of mastery. Moreover, his repeated contributions to the Shangqing Sect had undoubtedly earned him abundant cultivation resources.
Li Qing wasn't the least bit surprised by Ling Ying's success in core formation.
"Hmph, the Flying Eagle Bandits of old have finally risen to prominence," Li Qing thought to himself, a surge of heroic ambition rising in his heart. "But I'm no longer the weak rogue cultivator I once was!"
As the gale subsided, Ling Ying finally revealed himself. Radiating confidence, he clasped his hands in a greeting toward the assembled cultivators in the main hall plaza:
"Hahahaha! Many thanks to all of you for traveling so far to attend this Ling's Core Formation Ceremony! I am deeply grateful!"
"However, before the Core Formation Ceremony begins, there remains one more matter to address!"
With these words, Ling Ying clapped his hands.
Immediately, from the rear mountain behind him, the crisp sound of chains dragging across the ground echoed through the air.
A purple-robed elder, his body pierced through by spirit gold chains, was slowly dragged forward. Blood dripped continuously from the wounds, leaving a long, crimson trail in his wake.
"I believe everyone recognizes this man, correct?"
"He is none other than True Lord Ziqing of the Lingyun Sect. Some time ago, he attempted to harm our sect's Sacred Beast and was captured by me."
"While I had originally intended to keep today's Core Formation Celebration bloodless, the circumstances demand otherwise. Therefore, I shall offer his life as a sacrifice to the heavens!"
With that, Ling Ying pointed his finger at the chained and pierced Ancestor Ziqing.
The sight elicited a range of reactions from the crowd in the plaza: some were shocked, others thrilled, and still others felt genuine awe.
This was the Shangqing Sect, now at the zenith of its power, ruling the entire Azure Ridge Domain. No ordinary person could even dream of shaking its foundations.
"Only the Shangqing Sect could bring a core formation realm true lord to such a fate."
"The Shangqing Sect's foundation is truly unfathomable—utterly terrifying."
"Heh, just recently, some were claiming the Shangqing Sect had suffered consecutive losses of ancestors in the Great Wilderness Domain, signaling its decline. Such rumors are clearly unfounded."
Beside Li Qing, Lin Ya's eyes sparkled with excitement as she exclaimed, "See that? That's our Shangqing Sect's Ling Ying Ancestor!"
"I heard that when he first joined the sect, his cultivation was only at the qi refining realm. But because of his exceptional Sect Contribution, he was sent on secret missions near the Heavenly River Sect, where he repeatedly performed extraordinary feats, eventually reaching this level!"
"One day, I'll become a cultivator like him!"
Despite not even having reached the foundation establishment realm, Lin Ya had already set such lofty ambitions, demonstrating the profound influence of a sect's role models.
Li Qing, however, paid no heed to her enthusiasm. On his usually unremarkable face, a chilling killing intent gradually surfaced, sharp and icy.
"Heh, Fellow Daoist Ziqing, allow you one final word before your death." Ling Ying, a sharp scimitar having materialized in his hand, stroked the blade lightly as he approached True Lord Ziqing.
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner
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