Translator: AnubisTL
After three years of confinement to his sickbed, True Lord Fu Xuan finally passed away.
Chu Lingyi, clutching a white jade porcelain bottle in her hand, wept uncontrollably, her tear-filled eyes repeatedly calling out, "Master, Master!"
True Lord Fu Xuan, who had devoted his life to the art of talismanship, should have had decades more to live. Tragically, his attempt to forcefully create a fourth-tier spirit talisman resulted in a catastrophic backlash of talismanic power, inflicting irreversible damage to his divine soul.
With his passing, the Lingyun Sect lost a true pillar of strength—a late-stage core formation true lord and the sect's foremost expert in talismanship.
Seven days later, snow-white talisman paper rained down across the Lingyun Sect's rear mountain as a core formation true lord was laid to rest.
The event sent shockwaves through the cultivation world of the Azure Ridge Domain. Many lamented that even the most powerful individuals, without achieving true immortality, would inevitably meet their end.
"True Lord Fu Xuan has passed... a true grandmaster of talismanship. At an auction years ago, the third-tier talismans personally crafted by this senior sold for astronomical prices."
"With the fall of this talismanship titan, the Lingyun Sect has lost a supreme elder capable of standing alone against any challenge."
"Could this be a sign of decline after reaching its peak? I heard that Ancestor Limitless of the Lingyun Sect, the peerlessly powerful cultivator, hasn't shown his face in decades."
"Hiss! You can't just say things like that!"
"In fact, the Peerless Tiger Ancestor, whom Ancestor Limitless had been raising at the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate, has also mysteriously vanished for many years."
The cultivation world of the Azure Ridge Domain was abuzz with speculation, each person holding a different opinion.
Some believed the Lingyun Sect had begun its descent, no longer as formidable as it once was.
Others argued that the sect was merely biding its time, and Ancestor Limitless's absence was simply due to his seclusion while attempting to break through to the divine transformation stage.
After all, it was common for cultivators at the peak of the nascent soul realm to enter seclusion for decades or even centuries.
However, the rumors of the Lingyun Sect's impending decline seemed to be deliberately fueled by hidden forces. Soon, whispers spread that Ancestor Limitless had perished during the heavenly tribulation of his divine transformation breakthrough!
This outrageous claim sent countless rogue cultivators into a panic, causing them to retreat in fear and avoid the topic altogether.
Even though the Lingyun Sect wasn't at its peak, it remained the undisputed overlord of the immortal dao.
This was a topic best avoided. If the Enforcement Disciples of the Lingyun Sect caught wind of it, the consequences would be severe.
Yet the Lingyun Sect offered no response, issuing no statement to quell the baseless rumors. Maintaining its usual silence, it stood like a tranquil mountain, unmoved by the whispers of the outside world.
This display of unwavering confidence ultimately caused the rumors to collapse under their own weight.
Another twenty years passed in the blink of an eye.
Li Qing had been in deep slumber for fifty years. The Lingyun Sect's outer sect disciples had been replaced several times over. Some had advanced to become inner sect disciples, their dao soaring to new heights as they successfully achieved foundation establishment. But most remained stuck in the late qi refining realm for life, growing old with unfulfilled ambitions.
During these years, numerous new powers emerged in the Azure Ridge Domain's cultivation world.
Rogue cultivators who successfully achieved foundation establishment seized spiritual veins and established new cultivation clans. Small merchant guilds from outer domains also set up shop in various markets, opening branches and engaging in diverse trades.
Among these rising forces, the most prominent was the Golden Profound Sect, a cultivation sect that had established itself right under the Lingyun Sect's nose, a move that sent shockwaves through the region.
The Golden Profound Sect's origins remained shrouded in mystery. They had acquired a Second-Tier Spirit Vein through a transaction with a declining cultivation clan, using it as the foundation for their sect's establishment.
But that wasn't all. The Golden Profound Sect had even staged a grand founding ceremony and ascension conference, presenting themselves as a sect eager to recruit disciples and reign as the new patriarchs of the region.
While the Lingyun Sect had never explicitly forbidden other factions from establishing themselves in the Azure Ridge Domain, the Golden Profound Sect's emergence marked the first such occurrence in recorded history.
Most rogue cultivators adopted a wait-and-see approach, watching with amusement as they anticipated the Golden Profound Sect's inevitable downfall. Few dared to participate in the sect's so-called ascension conference or founding ceremony.
Yet wealth stirs the heart. The Golden Profound Sect had offered five foundation establishment pills as rewards for those who distinguished themselves at the ascension conference.
In an instant, the Azure Ridge Domain's cultivation world erupted into a frenzy.
Many cultivators harboring ambitions for foundation establishment grew restless, ignoring the risks to participate in the Golden Profound Sect's ascension conference.
"Those are foundation establishment pills! If I obtain one, I might actually have a chance to reach foundation establishment in this lifetime!"
"I'm going all in. I'm nearly fifty. If I can join an immortal sect, I might break through to the late qi refining realm and even glimpse a sliver of hope for foundation establishment!"
"As cultivators, we must face adversity head-on, braving dangers and advancing fearlessly with resounding resolve!"
Driven by the promise of these five foundation establishment pills, many rogue cultivators long trapped in the qi refining realm flocked to the Golden Profound Sect to register for the ascension conference.
The Lingyun Sect, however, was utterly astonished by the sudden emergence of this Golden Profound Sect.
"What audacity! The Golden Profound Sect has truly set a precedent in the Azure Ridge Domain, daring to recruit disciples and establish a sect right under our very noses!" Xu Xia narrowed his eyes, sensing something deeply suspicious about the matter.
Recent rumors concerning the Lingyun Sect had already put him on guard. Now, with this sudden appearance of the Golden Profound Sect, he couldn't help but ponder the situation deeply.
"To offer five foundation establishment pills as prizes for the ascension conference—this is no ordinary cultivator's doing."
"A core formation true lord from outside? What could their motive be? Surely they're not just here to establish a sect, are they?"
As sect leader, Xu Xia always had much to consider, especially when the Golden Profound Sect might involve a core formation true lord. This was no trivial matter and couldn't be ignored.
Several days later, Xu Xia selected several trustworthy inner sect disciples, all at the eighth or ninth level of qi refining, known for their good character. With the high-grade magical artifacts he bestowed upon them, their combat prowess far surpassed that of ordinary rogue cultivators in the qi refining realm.
He dispatched these qi refining disciples to register for the Golden Profound Sect's ascension conference, instructing them to gather intelligence on the sect's overall situation.
However, plans rarely survive first contact.
Immediately after the disciples departed, an external affairs elder arrived to report: "Martial Uncle Sect Leader, Martial Uncle Wu has instructed me to inform you that he has already set out for the Golden Profound Sect."
Xu Xia's expression shifted dramatically upon hearing this news, sensing that the situation had taken a perilous turn.
The Lingyun Sect had only one supreme elder surnamed Wu—Wu Chong!
"Quickly, stop Senior Brother Wu! No, I'll go myself. Inform the other supreme elders and urge them to request Ancestor Su Xin to intervene!"
With these words, Xu Xia vanished into the void, leaving the external affairs elder frozen in shock.
(End of the Chapter)
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