Although out of respect for Wang Jingyi, Sect Master Qu Yunjian would have pointed at a dog and called it a qilin even if Wang Yulou were just a dog, Yulou was no dog after all. Seeing the sect master approach, he imdiately bowed.
"Wang Clan's Yulou pays respects to the Sect Master!"
Qu Yunjian laughed heartily and said, "Yulou, rise. Speaking of which, we have t before... well, let us not bring that up. Fellow Daoist Jingyi and I are old friends, so I can be considered half an elder to you. Back when you entered Dripdrop Cave, I was the one who signed your docunt to join Azurewater Palace. But you are getting married tomorrow, and I only found out today. Why did you not invite ?"
Wang Xianzhou glanced at Qu Yunjian but remained silent. This man surnad Qu spoke beautifully, calling himself half an elder, but it was nothing but hot air. For three years, he had not paid attention to or contacted Wang Yulou even once. What kind of elder was that?
"Sect Master Martial Uncle might not know, but Yulou is only holding a concubine-taking ceremony tomorrow, so there was no need to trouble you."
Wang Yulou provided an explanation, which only made Qu Yunjian more curious. You are taking a concubine, yet you managed to rope in two Foundation Establishnt cultivators from the Wang family to support you? What is the aning of this?
However, he did not dwell on it. As the sect master of Dripdrop Cave, Qu Yunjian had too many secular matters to worry about and had no interest in paying close attention to the affairs of a low-level cultivator like Wang Yulou.
"Alright then. Fellow Daoist Jingyi, the sect is tangled up with mundane affairs, so I will escort you only this far today. I shall co over again tomorrow. Once Yulou's wedding concludes, you and I can invite three to five other fellow Daoists to my place to have a proper Dao discussion and exchange our experiences on cultivation. Hahaha."
Qu Yunjian only gave Wang Yulou a brief acknowledgnt but chatted extensively with Wang Jingyi. To put it bluntly, the only reason he would speak politely with a low-level cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining like Wang Yulou was entirely due to Wang Jingyi and the Wang Clan's reputation. Words like 'half an elder' seed like pure hypocrisy to Wang Xianzhou, but countless people never even got the chance to hear such polite pleasantries from a sect master.
Wang Jingyi nodded slightly without saying much. Qu Yunjian knew this fellow martial sister's temperant was like this, so he took his leave and headed back.
However, on his way back, he reflected for a mont and sent a transmission talisman to the stewards of the Sect Master's Hall, ordering them to deliver Wang Yulou's records to him as quickly as possible. The so-called entanglent of mundane affairs naturally had nothing to do with Qu Yunjian. A sect master's primary responsibility was to serve as a caretaker for the three Purple Palace Grand Cultivators, with the added duty of making final decisions. All kinds of miscellaneous chores were handled by the low-level subordinates below.
However, a re hour later, inside Qu Yunjian's grotto-estate outside Droplet Heaven, the sect master, who was currently imparting the Dao to a newly recruited female disciple, was shocked by the information transmitted by his subordinates through the Sect Master's Seal. Seeing her master's deanor suddenly turn solemn and his expression stiffen, the female disciple asked with a hint of fear, acting coy, "Master... why have you stopped moving? Did your disciple do sothing wrong?"
Patting his favorite disciple's bottom, Qu Yunjian stood up without explaining the reason and directly gave an order. "Go, go quickly and invite Martial Uncle Yuan over."
"Ah? Which Martial Uncle Yuan?" The female disciple was dazed and had not fully grasped the situation. They were just enjoying themselves monts ago, so why was he suddenly asking to invite so martial uncle? "Master, you are speaking without any context. Your disciple is a little frightened."
"Fool, your Martial Uncle Daoshen."
Qu Yunjian's face shifted continuously between dark and clear, and his mood was unusually erratic. Even though she was a disciple he had favored heavily recently, he actually snapped at her.
Seeing her master in this state, the female disciple did not dare to delay. Since she had chosen a shortcut, she had to accept the consequences. No matter what Qu Yunjian wanted to do, she could only endure it.
The Yuan Clan was a massive family with deep foundations, and Yuan Daoshen was one of the few seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators in Dripdrop Cave. His strength was extraordinary, and his grotto-estate was also located outside Droplet Heaven. Upon receiving the ssage, he arrived at Qu Yunjian's place within less than fifteen minutes.
To the female disciple's surprise, she was driven out the door by her master. For a mont, she did not know whether she should feel relieved or regretful. If she could have two high-level Foundation Establishnt cultivators serving her, wouldn't her blessings be imnse?
"Yunjian, why did you suddenly..."
Qu Yunjian's younger sister was married to Yuan Daoshen's third younger brother, so their relationship was that of allies bound together by a family marriage alliance. In the daily friction among the various clans and factions within Dripdrop Cave, the Qu family was usually tied to the Yuan family. Thus, their communication was very intimate, with absolutely nothing to hide.
"Brother, Fellow Daoist Jingyi, who is under the tutelage of True Person Xuanzhuan, visited the grotto-heaven today. I escorted her, but as a result... The situation is roughly like this. That Wang family youth has cultivated from the first layer of Qi Refining to the third layer of Qi Refining in just three years. Right now, he is rely holding a concubine-taking ceremony, yet the Wang Clan sent two Foundation Establishnt cultivators, and Fellow Daoist Jingyi even ca in person. I suspect that the Wang family arranged for this disciple to enter our Dripdrop Cave, and is now creating such a huge fuss over a non-traditional concubine ceremony because they actually have an underlying motive behind it!"
Yuan Daoshen naturally understood what three layers in three years implied. Even a single spirit root cultivator would find it difficult to achieve such a cultivation speed. If a Qi Refining cultivator wanted to progress quickly, they had to rely either on talent or resources. But three layers in three years was no longer just a matter of talent and resources. It ant that his talent was extraordinary, and it also indicated that the resources allocated to him far exceeded the norm. The marginal utility of increasing cultivation speed was very low. The thousand spirit stones Wang Yulou expended each month on his cultivation yielded an effect only twice as good as a dual spirit root Qi Refining cultivator spending a hundred spirit stones monthly. Ten tis the cost for double the returns!
Yuan Daoshen understood this all too well. Within this, there lay a type of resolute ruthlessness and overbearing ambition. What kind of ambition? The two n stared at each other in silence, both reading the answer from the shock in each other's eyes.
Yuan Daoshen remained silent for a long ti, thinking of many, many things. "Is this the intention of True Person Mangxiang?"
There would always be small factions within a large power. The Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom was considered a vassal of the Mangxiang Lineage. Now that they wanted to nurture a Purple Palace seed within Dripdrop Cave, there were many possibilities behind it. Old Yuan was most worried that this was a chess move deployed by True Person Mangxiang. Placing a piece in advance to secure a position, so that once he successfully achieved his Golden Core, he could naturally nurture another Purple Palace cultivator within Dripdrop Cave. By then, the situation of the Mangxiang Lineage would be entirely different. A young Purple Palace cultivator could accomplish far too many things. Furthermore, the internal situation within Dripdrop Cave was already incredibly complex. If Wang Yulou truly were a position-securing chess piece for True Person Mangxiang, the Yuan family's future Purple Palace plans would collide directly with that True Person who was about to achieve the Golden Core realm!
"Brother, regardless of whether it is the True Person's intention or not, we must make preparations early. What do you think?"
This was exactly what Qu Yunjian was worried about, which was why he had notified Yuan Daoshen imdiately. Over the past few years, the nurous factions and groups within Dripdrop Cave had been fighting one another. For what? Was it not precisely for the position of the next Purple Palace cultivator of Dripdrop Cave!
Wondrous Peak Mountain and Dripdrop Cave, as the two largest affiliate sects of Hongdengzhao, similarly possessed three Purple Palace cultivators each. However, Wondrous Peak Mountain's forr sect master Li Haiping was already attempting a breakthrough to the Purple Palace realm. Judging by the current montum, he had hitched a ride on Patriarch Mangxiang's journey to attaining Golden Core, so he stood a great chance of succeeding in the future. Dripdrop Cave naturally had to begin its own Purple Palace project as well. Because of this, Yuan Fourth had been killed, and the Yuan Clan had joined forces with Qu Yunjian to launch a three-year crackdown. Right now, they were fighting so intensely that they were practically knocking each other's brains out, yet an outsider had suddenly popped up. Worse, he was an outsider from the Mangxiang Lineage, and he had arrived with an aggressive montum. Sigh...
Yuan Daoshen, whose expression shifted continuously, managed to squeeze out a slight smile and replied, "No matter. Regardless of which family the sect's next Purple Palace cultivator cos from, it will be a grand occasion for our sect. Yunjian, we ought to possess such open-mindedness!"
In reality, both of them were overthinking it. How could Wang Yulou possibly have the support of Mangxiang? He had co to Dripdrop Cave solely to cultivate the Source Vein Gui Water Qi.
River Bend Fishing Port, Demon-Warding Terrace.
Inside Yulou's residence, Wang Yulou was currently conversing with his three elders. It was primarily Ancestor Jingyi asking questions while Yulou provided answers.
"Have you made any enemies?"
Wang Jingyi sat at the head seat, Wang Rongjiang sat on the right side, Wang Xianzhou sat on the left side, and Yulou sat opposite Ancestor Jingyi. The ancestor must have cultivated so sort of divine ability, as she was vastly different from the last ti he saw her. In the past, her divine abilities and spiritual rhythm could be released and retracted at will, but now they had beco difficult to control. Just by sitting there, the entire room fell into dimness. Even though the artificial sun outside was shining brightly, the interior was incredibly dark.
Hearing the ancestor's question, Yulou hurriedly replied, "No. I have basically never moved around recklessly over these three years, remaining inside the residence to cultivate. Naturally, there is no possibility of having ford enmities with anyone. On this point, Ancestor Xianzhou can bear witness."
Ancestor, I have been incredibly well-behaved!
"Xianzhou, from your observations, is there anyone who could potentially pose a danger to Yulou? Since I have co over this ti, I can just kill them along the way to prevent any accidents."
Yulou was sowhat shocked. As expected of Ancestor Jingyi! Back then, Ancestor Jingyi had used her sword to slice away Hongi's weight bit by bit. Now, the first thing she wanted to do upon arriving to support him was to draw up a hit list. The rules of the Immortal Alliance? Apologies, but Ancestor Jingyi had already reached a tier where she could act from a position of absolute strength, ignoring the Immortal Alliance's restrictions on Foundation Establishnt cultivators! Moreover, Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven was only semi-connected to the outside world, so the Immortal Alliance within the grotto-heaven...
Wang Xianzhou was about to say there was no one, but he suddenly rembered that demon beast nad Stone Ancestor. He hesitated for a mont, stood up, walked to Wang Jingyi's side, and placed his hand on her shoulder.
Wang Jingyi's eyes narrowed, and she directly released her newly mastered Formless World divine ability—to be precise, the Lesser Formless World. Of course, calling it the Lesser Formless World didn't sound grand enough. Just like the First True Person Law, it was better to call it the Formless World to sound dominating and awe-inspiring.
The effect of the Formless World divine ability was extrely domineering. Once it unfolded, everything within a radius of dozens of ters around Wang Jingyi was temporarily severed from Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven. This severance was a 'distancing' in terms of existence, and an 'isolation' in a conceptual sense. Distancing did not an physically moving away; rather, because of the obstruction from the Formless World, its very existence beca more distant from the original Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven, thereby achieving isolation. Any attempt to spy on the area shielded by the Formless World from within Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven would have to pass through the Formless World under Ancestor Jingyi's thods. However, this distancing and isolation did not an that the space within dozens of ters had truly vanished. They had rely beco 'formless' under the effects of the divine ability, and would still return to a normal state once the divine ability ceased.
It was precisely with such a divine ability at her disposal that Wang Jingyi dared to help Yulou eliminate enemies from a hit list—unless a Grand Cultivator interfered, those Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Immortal Alliance would never be able to trace it back to her!
"Speak directly. My divine ability has the capacity to shield us; no one can eavesdrop," Wang Jingyi said.
"Second Sister, right after Yulou took up his post at River Bend Fishing Port, he discovered that the frequency of demon beast attacks over the past seventy years... as it turns out, he is actually the demon slave of a Great Demon! That Great Demon possesses a divine ability... as such, I can be considered to have won the gamble. However, I am not entirely certain whether that demon beast can be killed. How do you view this, Second Sister?"
Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven was the legacy of Dripdrop精尊, and its control lay in the hands of the Immortal Venerable's three disciples. Considering what Zhuo Chi had ntioned about 'demon beasts being necessary'...
Wang Jingyi fell into deep thought, weighing the matter for a mont before saying, "Go right now and contact Wu Jinyan. Invoke your status as an Immortal Alliance Walking Envoy to invite him here, and tell him that I wish to see him!"
Wang Xianzhou's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly to show his understanding. Thus, Yulou saw Ancestor Jingyi withdraw her divine ability, while Ancestor Xianzhou straight up walked out the door, mounted his spirit crane, and flew away.
"This..." Wang Rongjiang was sowhat perplexed.
"Yulou, do you have any other questions?" Wang Jingyi, on the other hand, smiled and continued helping Yulou resolve his issues.
Considering his own ancestor's strength and her background of long-term cultivation within Hongdengzhao, Yulou thought that perhaps Ancestor Jingyi could provide so guidance on how he should break through his bottleneck once he reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining in the future. This matter was sothing even Wang Xianzhou had failed to devise a foolproof thod for. The strategy of consuming pills to break through could not be used, because this precious strategy, which could affect future breakthroughs, would be much more appropriate to save for after achieving Foundation Establishnt.
"Ancestor, regarding my cultivation, I will face... in short, Ancestor Xianzhou's opinion is that I cannot consu pills to break through during the Qi Refining stage. However, the bottleneck of the sixth layer will definitely be more difficult than the current bottleneck of the third layer. I wonder if you have any excellent solutions?"
Wang Rongjiang felt a faint trace of envy. When he was at the third layer of Qi Refining, no one had told him that he could not consu pills to break through. Wang Yulou had truly encountered a good ti, and he even enjoyed the affection of Ancestor Xianzhou. In the future, Foundation Establishnt would rely be the beginning; he might even be able to...
"Spiritual material stimulation!" Ancestor Jingyi stated imdiately. "Spiritual material nourishnt can serve to break through bottlenecks for those cultivators whose foundations are not deep enough, but it will not work for you, Yulou. You require spiritual material stimulation. Spiritual material nourishnt repairs a deficient foundation, while spiritual material stimulation uses the spiritual energy and spiritual rhythm contained within the material to trigger your body's latent potential, thereby achieving a rapid breakthrough. Dripdrop Cave possesses the rank seven spiritual material Wondrous Spiritual Greenwater, and Hongdengzhao possesses the rank seven spiritual material Volcanic Lava Liquid. When you reach the sixth layer of Qi Refining, contact , and I will arrange for soone to assist you in breaking through using these two types of spiritual materials. You originally possess a water-fire spirit root, so stimulating it with water-fire spiritual items will allow you to break through easily, provided a dical master and I are watching over you from the side."
Excellent, excellent. Yulou had never expected that as a re low-level Qi Refining cultivator, he would actually be able to enjoy such treatnt. If the bottleneck of the sixth layer could be passed through quickly, reaching peak Qi Refining by the age of fifty would be absolutely no problem! Moreover, listening to Ancestor Jingyi's words, she had not even intended for Wang Yulou to provide the spirit stones; she did not even ntion the cost of the spiritual material stimulation.
The Wang family's little qilin was treated in such a manner. Wang Yulou only needed to display his talent, and the elders within the clan would take turns lifting him up. No matter how his future path went, it would be an easy one to walk. The group chatted for a while longer before Wu Jinyan arrived at Yulou's residence under Wang Jingyi's summons.
Ancestor Xianzhou was also an interesting character. He had explicitly instructed Wu Jinyan to fully unleash his spiritual rhythm when arriving at River Bend Fishing Village to support Yulou's work. How should one put it? The display of an Immortal Alliance supervisory steward was actually just diocre. Compared to the previous waves of visitors like Wang Rongjiang, Wang Jingyi, and Qu Yunjian, Wu Jinyan, who ca to support the work in this third wave, looked sowhat... well, let us leave Senior Jinyan with so dignity. After all, he had also co to support Yulou's work.
"Are you Wu Jinyan?"
Wang Jingyi sat there, the nearby space completely blackened. Looking at this Core Disciple of Hongdengzhao who carried a rather indescribable aura, Wu Jinyan tremblingly bowed and replied, "Yes, Senior."
Senior... As soon as these words were uttered, Wang Rong江 and Wang Xianzhou remained expressionless, while Wang Yulou forced himself to maintain a solemn deanor. On the contrary, Wang Jingyi smiled slightly.
"You may call Senior Martial Sister. The reason I summoned you this ti..." As she spoke, she manifested the Formless World divine ability. The black world surged toward Wu Jinyan, scaring little Wu so badly that he thought he was about to be executed on the spot. Seeing Wu Jinyan conjure up a laughable high-grade dharma weapon in an attempt to defend himself, Wang Rongjiang nearly failed to contain his laughter. However, Yulou and Wang Xianzhou held it in perfectly. Ancestor Xianzhou was well-traveled and knowledgeable, while Yulou was filled entirely with respect for Senior Wu—Senior Wu would be of great use in the future!
"Little Wu, relax. Inside my divine ability, our conversation will not be overheard by any Grand Cultivator."
Wang Jingyi had no intention of attacking little Wu. Wu Jinyan, who had just made a fool of himself, comically put away his tool and thought with lingering fear that a Foundation Establishnt cultivator from a major clan was indeed different; even a conversation had to be shielded from Grand Cultivators.
"Senior Martial Sister Wang, this junior..."
"Alright, I shall speak plainly. A Great Demon has appeared inside Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven. As the Immortal Alliance's supervisory steward within Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven, you are required to perform your duty and slay the demon."
"Ah, ?" Little Wu was slightly dumbfounded. He pointed at himself, his face filled with disbelief. Asking him to slay a demon, and a Great Demon at that... That wasn't slaying a demon; that was offering himself as a snack to the Great Demon!
"It was the Immortal Alliance Walking Envoy Wang Xianzhou who discovered its tracks and reported it to you. Since you happened to know , you invited to assist you in slaying the demon. In short, we are rely borrowing your na. After killing the Great Demon, I shall allocate ten percent of the spoils to you. What do you think?"
Once Ancestor Jingyi explained it this way, little Wu's—no, Wu Jinyan's suspended heart finally settled down. This clever little fellow rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to say, "No need for ten percent, five percent will do, five percent will do! I am rely lending my na!"
Wang Jingyi gave him a deep look without saying much, only nodding slightly.
"We shall leave imdiately. Delays breed complications. In truth, whether that Great Demon is still at its original location remains unknown."
Ancestor Jingyi departed to look for Stone Ancestor with the anxious Wu Jinyan in tow. The remaining two elders stayed behind and conversed with Yulou for a long ti. Yulou had been away from ho for three years and was highly concerned about the clan's situation, so Wang Rongjiang naturally told him everything without reservation.
On the other side, the gatekeeping cultivators at the entrance and exit of the grotto-heaven changed shifts and returned to their respective hos. They imdiately reported the news of encountering the two visiting Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Wang family today to the elders within their clans. Indeed, the gatekeeping cultivators were all descendants of the Foundation Establishnt families within Dripdrop Cave. The reasoning was not complicated. Under Dripdrop Cave's closed-off exploitative system, the positions guarding the internal and external entrances of the grotto-heaven naturally yielded imnse profits.
Among these gatekeeping cultivators, one happened to be Lin Ying's second uncle, a mber of the Lin family. Inside the residence of the Lin family's ancestor, Lin Hengtai, located outside Droplet Heaven, he reported the visit of the two Wang family Foundation Establishnt cultivators to Lin Hengtai. The reason for the report was simple: anyone with half a brain knew that a Foundation Establishnt cultivator like Wang Jingyi must possess incredibly formidable strength. Furthermore, the fact that Wang Jingyi and Wang Rongjiang had entered the grotto-heaven one after another solely to attend a young clan mber's wedding indicated that the Anbei Kingdom Wang family, which appeared to be an extrely powerful cultivation clan, was heavily investing in supporting a certain clan mber's developnt within Dripdrop Cave. As such, to the nurous factions within Dripdrop Cave, an outsider family like the Wang Clan that was currently doubling down represented an asset that could be wooed as an assistant. In the future, as the Wang Clan established a firm foothold within Dripdrop Cave, the value of roping them in would increase even further. Those who ca from cultivation families, had achieved Qi Refining, and were dispatched to lucrative positions like the grotto-heaven's entrances were rarely foolish playboys; they could naturally perceive this layer of possibility.
"Good, I understand. What a pity..." After listening to the report from the second Lin brother, Lin Hengtai shook his head with a peculiar expression. He had actually known for a long ti that a young male cultivator from the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom was cultivating within the grotto-heaven. Back then, Lin Ying, along with Ji Yuan and Wang Yulou, had fought the iron crocodile dragon. However, Ji Yuan had released the iron crocodile dragon, which was followed by Lin Ying reporting to Lin Hengtai and Wang Yulou reporting to Elder Zhuo Chi. Using this incident as a starting point, the nurous Foundation Establishnt cultivators within Dripdrop Cave began a covert spiritual duel, which ultimately culminated in Yuan Fourth's blood staining the front of Azurewater Palace and the Yuan family initiating a retaliatory purge.
Regarding Wang Yulou, the observant people within Dripdrop Cave were well aware of him, but no one could have anticipated that the Wang Clan valued this disciple so highly. If he had known this earlier, Lin Ying could have actually married into the Wang Clan. Lin Ying cultivated wood thods, and the Wang Clan also cultivated wood thods. Marrying into the Wang Clan would not only cause Lin Ying no grievances, but it would instead serve as a form of mutual benefit. However, hindsight is a luxury that cannot be bought. Since matters had reached this point and Wang Yulou's wedding day was right around the corner, Lin Hengtai stopped thinking about it.
anwhile, within the Zhuo family, Elder Zhuo Chi and Zhuo Yinsheng were in the middle of a discussion.
"So, you are saying that this Wang Yulou was already highly favored by the Wang Clan's patriarch?"
Zhuo Yinsheng was over three hundred years old. His stature was similar to Elder Zhuo Chi's, not very tall, but he was a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator who possessed divine abilities. Precisely because of this, he was capable of leading the Zhuo family to compete against the Yuan family. He was dressed in a dharma robe fashioned from unknown feathers, looking much like a witch doctor performing a ritual dance in a primitive tribe. However, a spiritual rhythm actually rippled across that dharma robe—this item was a spiritual artifact! A cultivator's dharma robe was often an expression of their wealth; these items usually prioritized appearance over practicality. However, Zhuo Yinsheng's feathered dharma robe could actually reach the level of a spiritual artifact. Under such circumstances, its slightly shriveled appearance was no longer a major issue.
"Yes. Back then, he secretly gave a residence constructed from spiritual wood and used my hand to present it to Wang Yulou. The reason he gave was that he feared Wang Yulou would beco overly arrogant due to being spoiled, which was why he had , an outsider, deliver it. But as for becoming arrogant due to being spoiled, I see it as nothing more than an excuse. Thinking about it now, Wang Xianmao's behavior was actually an expression of his anxious state of mind. Wang Xianmao regards Wang Yulou with extre importance. Now, there are even two Wang family Foundation Establishnt cultivators arriving for his wedding. Ancestor, I believe our Zhuo family can rope this lad in. In the future, he stands a high probability of successfully achieving Foundation Establishnt."
Elder Zhuo Chi offered his analysis and proposed a plan. However... Zhuo Yinsheng's murky eyes stared straight at Elder Zhuo Chi. Under the ancestor's gaze, Elder Zhuo Chi nervously pressed his lips together.
"Is this all you managed to see?" The Zhuo family ancestor's voice was very coarse, even stirring up faint echoes inside the spacious room. Facing the ancestor's disappointed gaze, the pressure in Elder Zhuo Chi's heart grew even heavier.
"Forget it. Tomorrow you shall pay a visit and present a congratulatory gift to that lad. Rember, it must be delivered after the Yuan family's gift. No matter how much the Yuan family sends, we shall send a little more!"
Elder Zhuo Chi received his orders and withdrew, while Zhuo Yinsheng removed that feathered dharma robe. The body beneath the robe had already suppurated and decayed to an unrecognizable state. While using a knife to scrape away the newly ford putrid flesh, he sighed inwardly. They were both Foundation Establishnt cultivators and both hailed from clans, but the gap between individuals was simply too vast. Zhuo Yinsheng believed that Yuan Daoshen and Qu Yunjian had definitely arrived at the sa conclusion as he had, yet Elder Zhuo Chi completely failed to see through it. How could a dull-witted diocrity preserve a family while surrounded by a pack of wolves? But once one set foot on this path, no one could easily extricate themselves and leave. You might want to leave, but others wanted to scrape your flesh clean, even if it was putrid flesh. They would even extract your bones to use as spiritual materials! Zhuo Yinsheng stuffed the putrid flesh scraped from his body into his mouth, enduring the foul stench as he swallowed it into his stomach. No matter how difficult, he had to keep walking. Not rely for himself, but also for the Zhuo family!
The wedding was tomorrow, but unlike Qin Churan, who was anxious and hesitant, Bai Xiaoyu did not feel the slightest nervousness about becoming a wife. Stepping onto the Demon-Warding Terrace with light footsteps, Bai Xiaoyu's dharma robe crafted from snow-wool grass fluttered around her as she moved, carrying a kind of ethereal and carefree beauty. Even though she had not yet begun Qi Refining, under the influence of her pure heart, Xiaoyu had already developed a certain unique deanor.
Entering Yulou's residence, Xiaoyu first flicked He Laosan's shiny red crown, waking up this dozing, lazy bird before laughing and running away. She ran and He Laosan pursued; she stopped and He Laosan stopped as well. It turned out this bird also knew it could not peck Bai Xiaoyu too harshly, and the pursuit just now was rely for show. Xiaoyu's eyes darted around, and she instantly accelerated. This ti, she beca the pursuer instead, chasing He Laosan all over the courtyard. He Laosan was also foolish. Perhaps because it had just woken up, it actually forgot it could fly. After running two laps, it finally hopped and fluttered up into the air. Looking at the female cultivator in white pointing and laughing at it from the ground, He Laosan felt a surge of malice and flew right over Bai Xiaoyu's head. It adjusted its trajectory and was about to exert so force when it was struck on the rump by a pebble thrown by Wang Xianzhou, dropping straight down.
"Hahaha, foolish bird!" Looking at He Laosan rubbing its rump with its wing while squawking miserably, Bai Xiaoyu laughed with absolute delight.
"Alright, Xiaoyu, stop bickering with it. Did you co to look for Yulou?"
"Yes, Ancestor~" Bai Xiaoyu obediently greeted Wang Xianzhou, who was dozing on a reclining chair.
"Haha, go on then. He is always in the quiet room, as you know. Go ahead."
Ancestor Xianzhou looked at Bai Xiaoyu's retreating back and nodded with satisfaction. This girl possessed a certain spiritual energy. It was not the spiritual energy of cultivation, but rather that special aura. Even Ancestor Xianzhou could not help but marvel at Wang Yulou's excellent luck upon seeing her.
In truth, Yulou did not think his luck was excellent; he believed his achievents today were entirely due to his own hard work. The family's favoritism was indeed abundant, and the platform's assistance was also imnse, but Yulou always believed that the one who truly helped him reach this point was himself. Therefore, even though the concubine-taking ceremony was to be held tomorrow, Yulou was still seizing every mont to cultivate. As soon as Xiaoyu entered the quiet room, she saw Yulou sitting completely naked in a bathtub, soaking in a dicinal bath. The dicine was formulated primarily from Great Blood-Generating Herb, demon beast flesh essence, and Crimson Spiritual Ginseng, with the addition of many different auxiliary materials, among which there were even tallic and stone ingredients.
Great Blood-Generating Herb, demon beast flesh essence, and Crimson Spiritual Ginseng were the ingredients for the Three Crimson Marrow-Generating Paste. The Wang Clan originally possessed this body-refining prescription, and Wang Xianzhou had even made nurous improvents based on Yulou's spirit root and bodily characteristics. The ultimate effect was exactly what was happening now. Yulou sat cross-legged in the bathtub drenched in sweat, and beneath that bathtub crafted from fire-repelling wood, the Red Lantern Fire raged furiously. Wang Rongjiang was also covered in sweat, but his sweat was due to the exertion of manipulating the Red Lantern Fire to heat Yulou up. This kind of chore used to be perford by Ancestor Xianzhou, but now that the young worker Wang Rongjiang had arrived, the ancestor could naturally enjoy so leisure.
Having consud two and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources before successfully breaking through, Wang Rongjiang owed the clan far too much. He now understood his own aptitude as well, which likely had nothing to do with the Purple Palace. Thus, the only thing he needed to do in the future was to slowly repay the clan—two and a half portions, after all.
"Xiaoyu, wait outside for a mont first!" Yulou spoke through gritted teeth.
Spiritual fire was ant for combat, artifact refining, and pill concoction. Now that it was being used to refine a human, it naturally would not feel pleasant. However, under the stimulation of the spiritual fire, the efficacy of the Three Crimson Body-Refining Soup could be better absorbed by him. In comparison, this kind of agony did not feel as excruciating. Wang Xianzhou had originally wanted to feed Yulou pain-relieving spiritual pills during the process of his body refinent. Of course, this type of spiritual pill did not need to be as high-end as the Source Vein pain-relieving spiritual pill, so the price was relatively much lower. However, after Yulou expressed his refusal several tis, Ancestor Xianzhou finally set down his pill furnace, albeit only temporarily.
Driven out the door by her husband, Xiaoyu puckered her lips and began searching for the little stone turtle. This stone turtle seed to have been frightened by the several visitors today, as it had actually dug a hole for itself and crawled underground in a corner of the courtyard to hide. However, under Xiaoyu's pursuit, its little hiding trick was nothing more than burying its head in the sand. Hauled up by its tail, the little stone turtle let out a sound akin to a purr.
"What is the use of hiding? From now on, I will be considered half your master. If you hide again, I will beat you."
While Bai Xiaoyu was interacting with the little stone turtle, Wang Jingyi, who had gone ahead to search for Stone Ancestor's location, returned to River Bend Fishing Port alone. As she passed by Xiaoyu crouching in the corner, she noticed the little stone turtle in Xiaoyu's hands.
"Are you Bai Xiaoyu?"
"Yes, Ancestor."
"Water-earth spirit root?"
"Correct."
Wang Jingyi's aura was not particularly overbearing, but she had only mastered the Formless World divine ability not long ago, so the divine ability manifested externally to a severe degree, making her look exceptionally terrifying. Under the ancestor's 'genial' questioning, Bai Xiaoyu's little face grew stiff with fear. Wang Jingyi knew the child was afraid of her, so she did not ask further questions.
"Here, take this corundum sword pendant. This is a dharma weapon I used a very long ti ago. Well, although it only has ten layers of restrictions, it can still be considered useful." Xiaoyu accepted the jade pendant, but Ancestor Jingyi did not leave, instead saying, "Give that little turtle in your hand."
Bai Xiaoyu extended both hands, and resting upon them was that trembling, Miscellaneous Demon Realm initial-stage little stone turtle. It possessed intelligence, so facing Ancestor Jingyi, who resembled a terrifying arch-demon, it was naturally frightened out of its wits.
"I shall rely take two drops of its blood... alright." Ancestor Jingyi collected two drops of the little turtle's blood, nodded to Bai Xiaoyu, and departed.
"Little turtle, don't be afraid. The ancestor is still very nice." Fiddling with the corundum sword pendant in her hand, Bai Xiaoyu was in a great mood. In her eyes, this was not rely a mid-grade dharma weapon, but more importantly, a token of recognition from her husband's clan elders.
The little stone turtle thought, You are truly noble and pure. She took my blood but gave you a dharma weapon, yet you have the cheek to tell she is a nice person?
Wang Jingyi had taken the little stone turtle's blood for the purpose of locating Stone Ancestor. The matter the group was worried about had indeed occurred. Inside that small island lake where Stone Ancestor used to reside, there was no longer any trace of it. Wang Jingyi, who had brought Wu Jinyan along, ended up making a completely empty trip, failing to discover even a single piece of turtle shell. This Great Demon seed to have completely fled to parts unknown after being extorted by Wang Xianzhou, concealing itself thoroughly. Perhaps it was precisely because of this caution that it had been able to cultivate step by step into a Great Demon. Wang Jingyi utilized a secret thod fueled by the little stone turtle's blood, attempting to seek out Stone Ancestor's tracks, but even after the two drops of blood were completely exhausted, there was still no clue whatsoever. She let out a sigh and shook her head helplessly. The grotto-heaven was not large, spanning a radius of only a thousand kiloters, but a thousand kiloters was indeed vast. Attempting to find a Great Demon that was intentionally hiding was still extrely difficult.
Late at night, inside the quiet room, Wang Yulou was still cultivating, though he was currently tracing his veins. Wang Jingyi personally guarded him. Under the ancestor's watchful eye, Yulou's vein-tracing proceeded very smoothly. As the effects of the Silkworm Spirit Pill gradually faded, Yulou moved his eyes and let out a long sigh of relief. The black Formless World unfolded, allowing the ancestor and Yulou to finally converse in private.
"You wrote a secret letter to Xianmao, and Xianmao then sent a secret letter to , requesting my presence here. Is there so anxiety in your heart?" For Yulou's wedding this ti, Wang Rongjiang had been summoned by Ancestor Xianzhou, whereas Wang Jingyi had been invited by Yulou actively contacting the patriarch under the pretext of his wedding.
"Ancestor, Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven is highly unusual. I have cultivated here for three years and have discovered multiple bizarre occurrences!" Yulou's very first sentence caused Ancestor Jingyi's heart to tremble violently. Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven was highly unusual? "What bizarre occurrences?" she inquired softly.
Looking at that smiling dharma image of the Immortal Venerable before him, Yulou spoke in a low tone, "Based on my interactions with multiple fellow disciples, I discovered that the three Purple Palace cultivators of Dripdrop Cave have never once appeared before the public. Although Hongdengzhao's Purple Palace Grand Cultivators will also undergo long-term secluded cultivation within the grotto-heaven, they will still occasionally erge. However, according to the information I have co into contact with, Dripdrop Cave's Purple Palace Grand Cultivators have never left Droplet Heaven. No matter how significant an event occurs, they only permit their disciples and the Foundation Establishnt cultivators within the sect to handle it."
Wang Jingyi reflected for a mont and analyzed, "Among Dripdrop Cave's three True Persons, one has a lifespan that is nearing its end, and another was originally from the demon race. It is entirely understandable for these two not to erge. As for the third one, Yulou, the information you obtained might not be entirely complete. Standing at different positions, the things you see will naturally differ." Climbing high allowed one to view afar; if one did not stand high, they naturally could not see far. Yulou understood the ancestor's aning. However, the problems he had discovered were more than just one.
"The second issue, Ancestor, is that I suspect Dripdrop Immortal Venerable did not actually sit into ditation at all."
The Immortal Venerable had not sat into ditation? Wang Jingyi also looked toward that smiling dharma image of the Immortal Venerable, feeling a trace of goosebumps rising in her heart. "Your reasoning?"
"An Ning's grotto-heaven began to gradually collapse after An Ning sat into ditation, yet Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven is actually still expanding right now." The grotto-heaven was expanding. This point was a clue Yulou had discerned from the changes in the water level of Beautiful Water Lake. "The climate of the grotto-heaven is stable, or rather, it is controlled. Beautiful Water Lake, as the largest body of water within the grotto-heaven, exists surrounding the landmass within the grotto-heaven. Standing upon Droplet Heaven, one can see from afar that the end of Beautiful Water Lake is a boundless gray expanse. Under conditions of a stable climate, the water level of Beautiful Water Lake should not decrease. However, over the course of three years, the water level of Beautiful Water Lake has dropped by half a foot. If this is still insufficient, then Yulou possesses further testimony. Multiple elderly Qi Induction cultivators at River Bend Fishing Port have stated that the current Beautiful Water Lake has receded considerably compared to what they witnessed during their youth."
Looking at the solemn Yulou, Wang Jingyi did not know what to say. "Dripdrop Immortal Venerable died while defending Wunan against a Demon God. On this point, both the Ten Sects and the Immortal Alliance are in agreent, and all cultivators throughout the world are aware of it. Yulou, could it be that you are overthinking things?"
What Ancestor Jingyi considered was that regardless of whether the Immortal Venerable was dead or alive, it did not affect Wang Yulou. "If you are worried that cultivating within Dripdrop Grotto-Heaven is unsafe, then once your cultivation of the Source Vein Gui Water Qi is mostly complete, you can directly transfer to Hongdengzhao and continue serving as an inner disciple there. I can even directly recomnd you to True Person Danri or my master. Given your aptitude and innate talent, even if they do not accept you, there will still be opportunities with other True Persons."
Wang Yulou shook his head and asked in response, "Ancestor, can we still separate ourselves from the lineage of the founder? Once kindness was bestowed upon you, you had to repay it. As long as Mangxiang does not cross the line, the Wang Clan must remain loyal to the end."
Wang Jingyi's brow lowered, her eyes manifesting a type of hatred that seed almost tangible, before she said, "The patriarch and I can no longer leave, but you and Yu'an still have a chance. You two are the future."
"Therefore, I cannot lightly head to Hongdengzhao, Ancestor. The cultivation path Ancestor Xianzhou mapped out for is to cultivate until peak Qi Refining before entering Hongdengzhao, timing it precisely to enter and participate in the Immortal Alliance Envoy Combat Selection thirty-four years from now. Entering the sect, participating in the selection, and becoming an Immortal Alliance Walking Envoy—the entire tifra is to be controlled within three months, preferably achieving the status of an Immortal Alliance Walking Envoy in one fell swoop. Following that, imdiately achieve Foundation Establishnt after entering the Immortal Alliance. Upon reaching Foundation Establishnt, automatically advance to the position of an Immortal Alliance Steward."
Wang Yulou's speaking speed was not fast, each word uttered with absolute clarity. As it fell into Wang Jingyi's ears, her heart brimd with imnse emotion. Yulou had caught a good era. The Wang Clan now possessed so many Foundation Establishnt cultivators that if one were to drift away, the founder or the founder's two disciples would not take it to heart. Had it been any other ti, when the Wang Clan did not possess many Foundation Establishnt cultivators in each generation, they would have had to serve the founder with all their might. How could they possibly allow Wang Yulou to escape?
"After becoming an Immortal Alliance Steward, one can enjoy a bit more freedom." Yulou lit three incense sticks, renewing the incense offerings for the Immortal Venerable.
"Thirty-four years from now is still too rushed. You are only twenty-six years old this year; you can completely afford to wait for the one eighty-four years from now. That one would be a certain success."
Hongdengzhao did not hold major competitions, and most of the Ten Sects did not feature any major or minor competitions. The Immortal Alliance Envoy Combat Selection was already the sole opportunity open to all Qi Refining cultivators within Hongdengzhao. However, this also carried a prerequisite: you had to be an inner disciple of Hongdengzhao to be eligible to participate. The combat selection was held once every fifty years, and the next occurrence was precisely thirty-four years from now. At that ti, although Yulou would no longer be young, his accumulation would still be far from sufficient. Perhaps his cultivation level could be raised, but could his combat strength also be raised?
"So many things are always urgent. Ancestor, over these years, from Clear Stream Market to River Bend Fishing Port, Yulou has never suffered any grievances. With the protection of the clan elders, fellow disciples who see the na of my Wang Clan will also show a fair degree of deference. But Yulou feels uncomfortable in his heart. I wish to hold my own at an early date, becoming a person who can protect the Wang Clan."
Having cultivated for thirteen years, Yulou had never engaged in a spiritual duel with anyone, had never ford enmities with anyone, and had never participated in any expeditions. He had walked completely smoothly down to this day, yet he instead experienced a sense of unreality. He feared that he would be unable to bear the responsibility and fail the clan's trust. He wished to hold his own at an early date, so he was incredibly, incredibly rushed. Furthermore, if he could secure the qualification to enter the Immortal Alliance as an envoy during the combat selection thirty-four years from now... perhaps Ancestor Xianzhou would still be able to witness the day he entered the Immortal Alliance. In this manner, Yulou could be considered not to have failed Ancestor Xianzhou's grace of protecting his path.
Wang Jingyi did not speak. This sharpest sword of the Wang Clan stepped forward a few paces, arriving before the dharma image of the Immortal Venerable. Following that, beneath Yulou's astonished gaze, she knelt on the ground and perford a formal grand kowtow to the Immortal Venerable.
"Yulou, offer more prayers to Dripdrop Immortal Venerable. She perford an imnse kindness for Wunan."
Yulou pressed his lips together. He understood. Shielded by the protection of the Formless World divine ability, Ancestor Jingyi had finally answered his greatest doubt. However, he did not offer a respectful bow to the Immortal Venerable as the ancestor had done.
An Immortal Venerable is rely another Grand Cultivator with a solemn dharma appearance. Relying on an Immortal Venerable is better than relying on oneself!
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