Chapter 355: Either Stay or Leave

When the Spirit Fox Sect was wiped out, it was rumored to be the work of Demon Cultivators.

At the time, people speculated that their next target would be another sect in the area.

But things had been quiet ever since.

Now that the players had gone over and found some unusual information, she decided to go take a look.

After all, she had her eyes on the Spirit Fox Sect’s land. It was the only sect in the vicinity that had ever raised spiritual beasts, and she needed that land to raise them herself.

Song Jiulai didn’t just prepare to go in person.

Her avatar in the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect prepared to set out as well.

She needed an excuse to go to Demon Cave Valley. It wasn’t just to gain experience and earn Contribution Points, but also to use the advantages of her position to get more information from the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect’s front line.

Under her identity as Jiushong, she sent a message to her master, Chihe Zhenren, announcing her intention to go out for training.

Chihe Zhenren had no objections.

Training was highly beneficial for a Cultivator, so naturally, he wouldn’t stand in her way.

However, the Steward in the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect responsible for disciples’ training missions was very surprised. "Jiu Song, you’re heading out so soon? You’re only in the Late-stage Qi Refining Realm. You must be careful. The border of Demon Cave Valley is perilous. The demon beasts on the front lines are at least Third Rank. With your current strength, I’m afraid you’ll need to be extremely cautious. Why not wait until you reach Foundation Establishment before you go?"

The Spiritual Energy in the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect was incredibly dense.

Even though Song Jiulai had only recently reached the Late Stage of Qi Refinement, if she just stayed a little longer, with the resources Chihe Zhenren had given her...

...her breakthrough to Foundation Establishment would be a certainty.

This was all because she was Chihe Zhenren’s disciple.

Had it been anyone else, the Steward would not have been so pleasant.

Song Jiulai’s expression was grave. "Slaying demons is the lifelong duty of us Cultivators. Don’t worry, Senior Brother, I’m not a reckless person. I will be careful. Besides, I have a feeling that my opportunity for Foundation Establishment lies within Demon Cave Valley."

Hearing this, the Steward from the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect naturally wouldn’t try to stop her further. "Be careful, Junior Sister. Once you arrive and register, someone will assign you your demon-slaying missions."

Song Jiulai nodded.

Members received a discount for using the Teleportation Array in Ten Thousand Immortals City.

With Song Jiulai’s status, the discount was even greater; it only cost fifty Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

Ten Thousand Immortals City was quite far from the border, so the price was acceptable.

’After all, Chihe Zhenren was footing the bill.’

Song Jiulai’s avatar departed.

Meanwhile, new players began to arrive at the Longevity Sect in a steady stream, the influx continuing all day without a break.

Han Daozi sat in an inn in Wang’an County. Since he was the one who had laid the grand array, he could faintly perceive something.

New auras were constantly pouring forth.

Song Jiulai hadn’t lied; she truly did have a way to recruit countless disciples with Spirit Roots.

However, the sensation wasn’t as clear as when he had first laid the array.

Ever since that statue had descended, his perception of the grand array he had personally laid had grown faint.

’What terrifying power could this be?’

’That statue... what were its origins?!’

Han Daozi’s expression was grave.

Of course, he hadn’t helped Song Jiulai just so she could do him a simple favor in return.

With every step a Cultivator takes on their path, their understanding of the Heavenly Dao deepens.

And within that understanding, hints of their own future destiny often lie hidden.

At his level, every step was a test of his Cultivation.

’This step I’ve taken... was it right or wrong?’

There were things even Han Daozi couldn’t figure out. He clasped his hands behind his back and gazed up at the sky outside the window.

Even someone like him had things he could not understand. After pondering for a moment, Han Daozi went out into the main street.

A short while later, he sensed an aura vanish.

Looking in that direction, Han Daozi clasped his hands behind his back and wondered, ’She’s not going to Dragon Frost Swamp. What is she doing over there?’

He remembered what lay in that direction. It was the Spirit Fox Sect.

Han Daozi had never been there, but in his time here, he had learned that the Spirit Fox Sect had recently been wiped out by Demon Cultivators.

Such events were not uncommon on the Yunzhou Continent.

Plenty of small sects like it had been annihilated by Demon Cultivators.

After a moment’s thought, Han Daozi decided not to follow Song Jiulai. Instead, he suddenly appeared in a different location.

Han Daozi materialized in the room of Gong Xingsi, the Young Master of the Yinxiao Sect.

Gong Xingsi was now an ordinary mortal, unable to sense a Cultivator’s aura.

However, he still sensed that someone else had suddenly appeared in the room. He turned his head and saw Han Daozi. Gong Xingsi’s heart tightened, but he still cupped his fist in greeting. "Greetings, Senior!"

This old man was a mysterious figure in Wang’an County.

It was his presence alone that kept the few Golden Core cultivators at Gong Xingsi’s side from making any rash moves.

Ordinarily, they kept to themselves, so Han Daozi’s sudden appearance in his room left Gong Xingsi with a sense of unease.

Han Daozi scrutinized Gong Xingsi from top to bottom. "You are the Young Master of the Yinxiao Sect."

Gong Xingsi was inwardly shaken.

His movements had been relatively discreet; he hadn’t expected the old man to discern his origins at a single glance.

Gong Xingsi dared not hide it, lowering his head and replying, "I am."

"I was acquainted with your mother, so for her sake, I’ll give you a choice. I can wipe your memory and let you and your people leave. Or, you can stay here, but you will not be allowed to leave for at least fifty years!"

Gong Xingsi was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected Han Daozi to present him with such a choice right away. He was confused, but he knew he couldn’t defy the man’s wishes, so he could only tentatively ask, "Senior, what is the meaning of this?"

Han Daozi’s brow furrowed. "Before you lost your cultivation, what was your Realm?"

After all, it had been many years. He had only met the Yinxiao Sect Master and heard about Gong Xingsi’s accident, but he didn’t know the young man personally.

Gong Xingsi paused for a moment before answering, "Mid-stage Nascent Soul."

Even now, mentioning it brought a pang of pain.

To fall from a universally praised prodigy to a mortal, his cultivation lost.

No one could know the torment he had endured at the time.

Especially from the Mid-stage Nascent Soul Realm.

With his aptitude, it was no exaggeration to say Gong Xingsi’s talent was extraordinary.

Han Daozi was silent for a moment before asking, "Why did you come here?"

Gong Xingsi thought for a few seconds.

’Han Daozi knows I’ve lost my cultivation and knows my identity, so he must also know what happened to me.’

There was no point in hiding it, so Gong Xingsi told the truth. "As you may know, Senior, my Yinxiao Sect specializes in divining Heavenly Destiny. After I lost my cultivation, the sect performed a divination for me. It was calculated that my only hope of recovering my cultivation... lies in the east. They just told me to keep heading east."

A hint of bitterness crept into his voice as he spoke.

They had been traveling for five years.

For five years, they had been heading continuously east.

The Ten Thousand Immortals Sect was already at the eastern edge; any farther and they would be leaving the Yunzhou Continent.

Beyond it lay the legendary origin of Demon Cultivators, the birthplace of Holy Beasts.

A terrifying, forbidden abyss lay between, which no one below the Transcendance Tribulation Stage could cross.

Here in the far east, there was only the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect.