Chapter 221 - 147: Peerless Saintess, Crowned with the Sect Name

Chapter 221: Chapter 147: Peerless Saintess, Crowned with the Sect Name

"Since he has never been to Thousand Sects Island, what is his purpose for going there?"

"Whatever it is, Thousand Sects Island probably won’t be at peace anymore."

The arrival of such a terrifying young figure in that Earth Realm would inevitably trigger clashes between geniuses. The ensuing storms could already be glimpsed just from this tip of the iceberg. As Elder He finished speaking, an unusual gleam flashed in his eyes. Song Changlin only needed to glance at him to know what his old friend was thinking.

"He doesn’t have a Guardian by his side, nor is he a genius from the surrounding Earth Realms. He’s most undoubtedly a Loose Cultivator," Elder He said nonchalantly at that moment, unable to help but look toward Song Changlin.

Evidently, both of them were on the exact same page. If they could pull this person into the Cyan Mist Sect, the sect’s status on Thousand Sects Island would inevitably skyrocket. Moreover, the Cyan Mist Sect wasn’t a small sect in the traditional sense; they were fully capable of retaining such a heaven-defying figure. The only question was whether he would be willing. Even if he wasn’t, becoming an honorary disciple of the Cyan Mist Sect was a rare opportunity that many could only dream of. However, despite sharing these thoughts, both remained silent. It was obvious that trying to recruit him outright would seem far too abrupt. They needed to take it slow and plan carefully.

After nearly half a day of meditating and regulating their breathing, everyone had recovered to some extent. Although Song Changlin and Elder He’s injuries were far from fully healed, they didn’t dare linger here any longer. Therefore, at dawn, the group set out once more, flying toward Thousand Sects Island.

Following the battle the previous night, the attitude of the Cyan Mist Sect Cultivators toward Jiang Hao had undergone a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree shift. The disciples, in particular, now looked at him with an involuntary yet boundless respect. Mu Wan Ning frequently stole glances at the figure in white. Whenever the young man inadvertently looked her way, she would avert her eyes, appearing slightly unnatural.

"So, Young Master Qin, you have traveled from very far away?" During the journey, Song Changlin appeared exceptionally enthusiastic and took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Jiang Hao.

Jiang Hao nodded at his words. "I am a newcomer here. I hope you can look after me in the future on Thousand Sects Island."

"You flatter me, Young Master. Although I am a sect Elder, my cultivation base isn’t even one or two-tenths of yours. Talking about looking after you only makes this old man feel deeply ashamed."

Having said that, Song Changlin refrained from asking too many questions, even deliberately avoiding sensitive topics for fear that the other party might think he was prying. This wise Elder didn’t breathe a single word about Jiang Hao’s purpose for crossing the Eastern Domain to reach Thousand Sects Island, opting instead to stick to casual topics that could draw them closer. Eventually, the old man even took the initiative to introduce Thousand Sects Island to Jiang Hao.

At this, Jiang Hao immediately grew interested. "Senior, does Thousand Sects Island truly live up to its name? Are there really over a thousand sects within its Earth Realm?"

Seeing the young man rarely speak up on his own accord, Song Changlin immediately understood that he had finally hit upon a topic of interest. He promptly began to explain.

"Tens of thousands of years ago, there might have been even more than a thousand great sects. Now, however, the name is likely just an empty title.

"After tens of thousands of years of slaughter and conflict, the number of surviving sects on the present-day Thousand Sects Island has probably long fallen below a thousand.

"But there are still about six to seven hundred major sects..."

Although the number of sects on Thousand Sects Island had sharply decreased, the overall strength of the island had become even more terrifying and formidable. Every sect that managed to survive was a world-shocking colossus standing firm against the test of time. It wasn’t about having many sects, but about having strong ones. Thanks to Song Changlin’s introduction, Jiang Hao finally gained a certain level of understanding of the Earth Realm he was about to reach.

"Thousand Sects Island, as legends go, is a new world pioneered by a supreme existence who was passing through the Eastern Domain.

"Back then, Thousand Sects Island didn’t have a name. It was virtually desolate and uninhabited. Separated by Demon Ridge, the Cultivators of the Eastern Domain couldn’t even cross the ridge, let alone discover the world behind it.

"It could be said that before that supreme existence arrived, in the eyes of the Eastern Domain Cultivators, Demon Ridge was the absolute end of the Eastern Domain.

"That was until a hundred thousand years ago..."

A hundred thousand years ago, an unfathomably powerful supreme being arrived in the Eastern Domain. With a single sword strike, they cleaved through Demon Ridge, forcefully carving out a path. From then on, the world learned that there was a hidden paradise behind Demon Ridge. Beyond the mountain range lay a vast, boundless expanse of the Nether Sea. No one knew where the end of the Nether Sea led.

However, on the side closer to Demon Ridge and the Eastern Domain, there were a hundred thousand islands. Each island was comparable to one-tenth the size of the entire Eastern Domain. Not only that, but beneath these a hundred thousand islands lay endless Spirit Veins, twisting and intertwining, totaling over three thousand branch veins. These three thousand-plus branch veins connected to three main Spirit Veins. The Spiritual Qi was so extraordinarily dense that it defied logic—even a single branch vein was more than enough to nourish a second-rate sect.

"Later, that mysterious existence used Great Divine Techniques to converge the three thousand-odd branch veins, forming nine hundred and ninety-seven Earth Veins that echoed the three main veins from afar."

The three main Spirit Veins were called Celestial Spirit Veins by the Cultivators of Thousand Sects Island, while the nine hundred and ninety-seven converged branch veins were known as Earth Veins.

"Later still, that supreme existence brought countless Cultivators from the Outer Realm. Some rumors say they were Cultivators from a destroyed region, while others claim they were descendants of a clan that had been ordered to be exterminated.

"As for which one is true, even we ourselves don’t know."

That supreme existence settled the Cultivators brought from the Outer Realm across the hundred thousand islands, distributing them over the Earth Veins and Celestial Veins. As time passed, thousands of sects gradually emerged across the hundred thousand islands.