Chapter 232 | Return

Chapter 232: 232 | Return

At the first light of dawn, the Flying Spiritual Ship of the Crimson Nimbus Sect lifted anchor from the Cloud-Docking Spire of Sky-Pillar City, its crimson sails catching the high mountain gale as it turned southward toward home.

Gao Chen, Zhou Kai, Fang Yu, and Chen Hao spent their days recovering and recounting every move of Lin Tian’s match to the ecstatic junior alchemists and array disciples.

Elder Bai spent the calm afternoons examining the fragmented runes of the demonic saber cores alongside Lin Tian, growing noticeably accustomed to having him sit beside her stone table while his quiet Yang aura kept the high-altitude wind from agitating her mind.

And when night fell over the sea of clouds, the isolation arrays of the main luxury cabin at the stern burned bright until dawn.

True to her promise beneath the maple bridge, Elder Liu claimed Lin Tian for the first three nights of the voyage—shedding all the dignity of the Alchemy Peak Master the moment her cabin doors locked, tangling passionately with her young Sovereign on the wide silk bed as their Primordial Yin-Yang dual cultivation nourished her Middle Stage Golden Core to overflowing fullness.

On the fourth night, as the ship neared the southern border mountains, Instructor Qing slipped quietly into his side cabin after the night watch changed—spending two hours curled in his lap, letting him kiss and caress her until she climaxed softly against his shoulder while whispering for him to save his Yang essence for their seclusion chamber tomorrow.

On the morning of the fifth day, the sea of white mist parted ahead.

Rising out of the southern mountain range like nine pillars of red sunset jade stood the familiar, majestic peaks of the Crimson Nimbus Sect!

WUUUUUM—BONG!

As the massive hull of the Flying Spiritual Ship glided through the outer mountain barrier and descended toward the central Cloud-Receiving Plaza below the Main Peak, the great welcoming bell of the sect tolled nine times in succession!

Word of the tournament’s shocking conclusion had already arrived ahead of the ship yesterday afternoon via a high-grade flying sword talisman sent by Elder Liu.

Before the ship’s gangplank even touched the white jade floor of the plaza, over outer and inner disciples, dozens of deacons, and nearly every Elder of the sect had gathered around the square in a sea of crimson robes!

At the very front of the welcoming platform stood a tall, middle-aged man wearing a grand robe embroidered with golden clouds and a jade crown atop his black hair.

He had a refined, gentle face, a neatly trimmed beard, and a warm, benevolent smile that made him look every bit the righteous leader of a major sect.

He was Hong Xuan—Sect Master Hong of the Crimson Nimbus Sect.

Half a pace behind Sect Master Hong stood the grey-robed First Elder and several senior council elders.

When the gangplank lowered and Elder Liu, Elder Bai, Instructor Qing, and Lin Tian stepped down onto the plaza ahead of the other representatives, a deafening cheer shook the mountain peaks!

"Welcome back, Elder Liu! Elder Bai! Instructor Qing!"

"Look at Senior Brother Lin! He’s the one who defeated Sky-Pillar Sword Sect’s Core Formation genius in the Grand Final!"

"Three entire southern spirit-stone veins! Our Crimson Nimbus Sect hasn’t won a victory like this in a hundred years!"

Amidst the thunderous applause, Sect Master Hong laughed heartily and walked down the steps of the platform himself, his arms spread in warm welcome.

"Good! Truly magnificent!" Sect Master Hong praised loudly, his voice ringing with righteous joy across the square. "When word reached the sect that our ship had encountered demonic bandits in the northern clouds, this Sect Master could barely sleep out of worry for Junior Sisters Liu and Bai! Who would have thought that not only did you arrive safely, but you also exposed the Black-Sun Sect’s treason and brought back the championship and three spirit-stone veins!"

Elder Liu stepped forward with calm, impeccable grace and handed over the carved jade scroll containing the northern council’s official boundary decree.

"The Black-Sun Sect has been erased from the northern register, Senior Brother Hong," Elder Liu said evenly. "All three disputed southern veins are now sealed under our sect’s name, and the main credit belongs to Lin Tian."

Sect Master Hong accepted the jade scroll, his warm, smiling eyes turning immediately toward the tall, dark-robed youth standing beside Instructor Qing.

To the cheering disciples around the square, Sect Master Hong’s gaze looked filled with boundless paternal admiration.

Yet at that exact instant, faint crimson runes flickered silently deep inside Lin Tian’s golden pupils.

Insight Eye.

Looking at Sect Master Hong’s smiling face, Lin Tian felt awkward and slightly uneasy under his gaze.

As Sect Master Hong’s spiritual sense brushed briefly over Elder Liu, Elder Bai, and Instructor Qing, Beneath Hong’s warm smile, a cold spike of disbelief surged.

Hong was not looking at the boundary deeds at all.

He was staring in hidden shock at the fact that Elder Liu’s years of alchemical toxicity—which should have flared up after fighting the demonic ambush on the ship—had vanished without a trace!

Even more shocking to him was Instructor Qing: the five-year Lethal Fire-Poison that had kept the Inner Sect’s fiercest swordswoman trapped in the Foundation Establishment Realm was gone, her aura already humming at the very gates of Core Formation!

He seems to know their exact afflictions, Lin Tian suspected. And he didn’t seem worried about the attack on the ship. Was he waiting for news that it had never reached Sky-Pillar City?

Within a single heartbeat, Sect Master Hong’s facial expression smoothed back into flawless benevolence.

"Lin Tian!" Sect Master Hong stepped forward and clapped a warm, heavy hand onto the air just above Lin Tian’s shoulder in a show of grand appreciation. "Entering the sect from the outer peaks, mastering artifact refining, and now defeating an Early Core Formation genius to bring back three spirit-stone veins! Our Crimson Nimbus Sect is blessed by the ancestors to have a dragon like you!"

Turning slightly toward the assembled elders and ten thousand disciples, Sect Master Hong raised his voice:

"Listen well! For unmatched meritorious service to the sect, Lin Tian is hereby promoted to First Seat Core Disciple, and if his breakthrough succeeds, he will be granted the title of Artifact Peak’s Hall Master, along with thirty thousand sect contribution points, and given access to the Subterranean Earth-Fire Chamber beneath the Main Peak to prepare for his Core Formation breakthrough!"

The crowd roared in envy and admiration. The Subterranean Earth-Fire Chamber was normally reserved only for Peak Elders refining treasures or breaking through major realms!

Then, Sect Master Hong reached into his own storage ring and drew out an ornate, crimson-lacquered jade box sealed with a golden talisman.

"Furthermore," Sect Master Hong said with a gentle, encouraging smile as he pressed the jade box directly into Lin Tian’s hands, "I see that your foundation has already reached the peak of foundation Level 9. Inside this box is a pair of Three-Leaf Core-Condensing Herbs that this Sect Master has kept in my personal treasury for ten years. Take them when you enter seclusion—they will ensure your Golden Core condenses without a single flaw!"

"The Sect Master is too generous! Bestowing Core-Condensing Herbs!" several deacons cried out in praise.

Standing beside Lin Tian, Elder Liu and Instructor Qing both looked at the crimson-lacquered jade box.

As Lin Tian’s fingers closed around the crimson jade box, his Insight Eye pierced effortlessly through the thin wooden lid and the golden sealing talisman.

Inside the box lay two lush, emerald-green herbs glowing with dense spiritual vitality.

Yet coiled deep within the central stem-vein of both herbs—completely invisible to standard spiritual sense and masked by the natural fragrance of the leaves—was a hair-thin thread of colorless, odorless Demonic Marrow-Stagnation Ash!

If a Peak Foundation cultivator brewed or swallowed those herbs while attempting to condense a Golden Core, the herb wouldn’t kill them on the spot—instead, the hidden demonic ash would fuse permanently into their newly formed Core, leaving them with a crippled, stagnant meridian flaw for the rest of their lives.

Not a single ripple showed in Lin Tian’s golden eyes.

He bowed his head with calm, impeccable politeness and slipped the crimson jade box into his spatial ring.

"This disciple thanks the Sect Master for the generous gift," Lin Tian said evenly. "I will make sure these herbs are put to good use."

Sect Master Hong’s smile deepened, his eyes crinkling warmly as he nodded. "Go back and rest in your courtyard today, Lin Tian. Once you are ready to enter the Earth-Fire Chamber, simply send word to the Main Hall."

As the grand ceremony dispersed and Lin Tian turned down the mountain path leading toward his private residence—where Madam Shen and Aunt Lin were already waiting for his return—he exchanged a single, silent glance with Elder Liu walking half a pace beside him.

Without needing a single word spoken aloud, the real enemy had never been in Sky-Pillar City—he was sitting right on the throne of the Main Peak.?