Chapter 736: Main Peak (3)

Chapter 736: Chapter 291: Main Peak (3)

His tone was level, yet he possessed an extraordinary air.

“You flatter me, Elder Luo.” Chen Qing put away his spear and clasped his fist, his attitude neither servile nor overbearing.

Luo Ping didn’t waste words, getting straight to the point. “Now that you have reached the True Essence Realm, according to Sect rules, you must make a trip to the main peak’s Ten Thousand Laws Return to Truth Hall. There, you will leave an imprint of your True Essence Intention and inscribe a Life Token. If you have no other business, Chen Zhenchuan, please come with me now.”

“I’ll have to trouble you to lead the way, Elder Luo.” Chen Qing cupped his hands and agreed.

Luo Ping nodded, then turned to Gong Nansong, who was standing to the side. “Elder Gong, our business here is concluded. I’ll trouble you to see to the repairs of the Seven-Star Platform.”

Gong Nansong quickly replied, “Rest assured, Elder Luo. I will arrange it at once.”

With the instructions given, Luo Ping turned and led Chen Qing away from the bustling Seven-Star Platform, heading toward the main peak in the Sect’s core region.

The Nine Great Inner Peaks stood like colossal pillars holding up the sky, piercing straight through the clouds.

Between the peaks, countless palaces and pavilions were built into the mountainside, their tiered roofs resembling fish scales. The flying eaves and bracket sets glinted with Spiritual Light under the sun.

Mist and clouds coiled around these buildings, and from time to time, Spiritual Birds would glide gracefully past, stirring up gentle breezes.

Disciples and Stewards came and went in an endless stream, crossing between the peaks on suspended ropeways and covered bridges.

The deeper they went, the richer the Primordial Qi became. In front of some of the more important halls, they could even see groups of Servant Disciples moving in orderly fashion, responsible for burning incense, lighting lamps, sweeping, and patrolling.

“Our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect was founded several thousand years ago. Our foundation is all here.”

Luo Ping seemed to notice Chen Qing’s observations and spoke lightly, “The Outer Twenty-Seven Peaks are the foundation, the Inner Nine Peaks are the support beams, and this main peak is the heart.”

Chen Qing nodded silently, committing everything he saw and felt to memory.

The two of them slowly ascended a flight of White Jade steps that seemed to lead to the heavens. Ancient stone lanterns and Spirit Beast statues lined both sides, suffusing the air with a solemn and majestic atmosphere.

Finally, they arrived before a massive hall situated on the main peak’s mountainside.

The entire hall was an esoteric black, made of a material that was neither metal nor jade, with faint runes flowing across its surface.

Above the doorway hung a massive plaque, inscribed in ancient seal script with the hall’s name: Ten Thousand Laws Return to Truth!

The hall’s doors stood open, revealing a somewhat dim interior. A scent of sandalwood wafted out, involuntarily calming one’s Heart and Spirit.

Luo Ping stepped into the hall first, with Chen Qing following close behind.

The space inside the hall was vast, far larger than it appeared from the outside.

Giant pillars, each requiring several people to encircle, supported the dome. Carved upon them were images of the sun, moon, and stars; mountains, rivers, and great peaks; and scenes of ancient sages achieving enlightenment.

The dome above was inlaid with countless Luminous Pearls and glowing Spirit Stones, resembling the constellations of the heavens, casting down a clear, cool light.

The most eye-catching feature was the countless giant, black wooden racks, like massive bookshelves, that stood in rows along the sides and in the central area of the hall.

And upon these racks, densely packed and neatly arranged, were hundreds upon hundreds of Jade Tokens!

Every single Token emitted a faint glow, and from each one, a unique ripple of Intention could be faintly felt.

This was the Ten Thousand Laws Return to Truth Hall, the repository for the Life Tokens and Intentions of all Cultivators at the True Essence Realm and above in the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect!

Near the entrance was a long desk. A withered old man sat in a wheelchair, silently reading an ancient scroll he held in his hands.

A thin blanket covered his legs, and his aura seemed to have merged completely with the great hall.

Behind the old man stood six disciples with sharp, focused auras, clearly the dedicated guardians of this place.

Seeing Luo Ping enter, the old man in the wheelchair gave a slight nod, while the six disciples bowed in unison.

“This is Elder Yan Song, the guardian of the Ten Thousand Laws Return to Truth Hall.”

Luo Ping introduced him to Chen Qing. “Elder Yan has been guarding this place for over a sixty-year cycle.”

“Junior Chen Qing pays his respects to Elder Yan.” Chen Qing clasped his fist, his expression solemn.

‘To guard this place for so long, this Elder Yan must be no ordinary person.’

Yan Song lifted his eyelids, glanced at Chen Qing, and nodded without a word before looking back down at the scroll in his hands.

Luo Ping, seemingly used to this, walked to the long desk and picked up a blank Jade Token, which bore no inscriptions.

He held two fingers together like a brush, and with a flow of True Essence, he carved the two words “Chen Qing” onto the Jade Token. The characters were archaic in style, etched deep into the jade.

“Just infuse a wisp of your True Essence Intention into it.”

Luo Ping handed the Jade Token to Chen Qing. “This wisp of Intention is connected to your Heart and Spirit, but it is not your origin source—it is an external object. The Sect uses this to know if you are alive or dead. If you were to meet with disaster and fall into a desperate situation, the Sect could even use a Secret Technique, with this wisp of Intention as a guide, to try and lock onto your position and offer aid.”

“Of course, if you feel it’s inappropriate, you can sever the connection to this Intention at any time. The Life Token will then shatter, signifying that you have either voluntarily left the Sect or… that your Intention has dissipated.”

“In the past three hundred years, only one person has severed the Intention in their Jade Token. I imagine you’ve heard of him. It was Li Qingyu.”

Chen Qing took the Jade Token. It was warm and smooth to the touch.

Hearing Luo Ping’s explanation, understanding dawned on him. ‘So it has such a marvelous use.’

He had originally been worried that this would allow others to control him, but hearing that he could sever the connection at any time put his mind at ease.

As for the name Li Qingyu, Chen Qing had of course heard it. It was a name that thundered in one’s ears.

He did as instructed, Concentrating and Calming the Mind, and separated a wisp of his True Essence Intention, slowly infusing it into the Jade Token.

HUMMM…

The Jade Token trembled lightly. The two words “Chen Qing” on it suddenly lit up with a faint glow that quickly receded. The entire Token seemed to have been imbued with life, and a subtle connection formed between it and Chen Qing.

Luo Ping took the Intention-infused Jade Token, and after confirming there were no issues, handed it to one of the disciples standing behind Yan Song.

The disciple accepted it respectfully, then his figure drifted over to a wooden rack on one side of the hall. He found an empty spot and carefully placed Chen Qing’s Life Token upon it.

From this moment on, Chen Qing had officially left his mark in the core of the Sect.

“Once you step into the True Essence Realm, you become a true pillar of our Celestial Treasure Upper Sect.”

Luo Ping looked at Chen Qing, his tone calm. “The Sect has its own benefits. At the True Essence Realm, you receive one thousand Contribution Points and one opportunity to use the Grotto Heaven each month. Once you re-enter the Dubhe Pavilion, the Human Position will grant you an additional one thousand Contribution Points and another Grotto Heaven opportunity per month. These benefits all stack.”

‘The position of a True Inheritance Disciple!’

‘The benefits from the True Essence Realm and the Dubhe Pavilion position can be stacked!’

Chen Qing calculated silently. ‘If I can secure a place in the Dubhe Pavilion, my fixed monthly income will be two thousand six hundred Contribution Points and four Grotto Heaven opportunities!’

And that didn’t even include income from completing missions.

‘With such resources, my Cultivation speed could rise to another level!’

Luo Ping smiled faintly. With a flip of his hand, he produced a palm-sized Jade Bottle and handed it over. “This bottle contains Earth Essence Qi. It’s an item needed to cultivate the Mountain and River Seal Divine Technique from the True Martial Concentration Technique. The Sect Leader specifically ordered for it to be bestowed upon you.”

Chen Qing’s heart stirred. He accepted the Jade Bottle and could feel the pure, heavy Earth Element Essence Qi contained within.

He clasped his fist again and said solemnly, “Many thanks to the Sect Leader for this generous gift. I, Chen Qing, will remember it always.”

“When it comes to Divine Secret Techniques, the more the better.”

Luo Ping advised, “All things in this world are interconnected, they generate and overcome one another. When facing an enemy, the more methods you have at your disposal, the stronger your ability to adapt, and the greater your chances of survival, and even victory. As for the matter of the Dubhe Pavilion, although it is not under my jurisdiction, you already meet the requirements. I expect someone will come to guide you into the pavilion soon enough.”

He waved his hand. “If you have no other questions, you may go. Cultivate well, and do not fail the Sect’s expectations.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Elder Luo.”

Chen Qing clasped his fist solemnly once more. “This one takes his leave.”

With that, he did not linger, turning to leave the Ten Thousand Laws Return to Truth Hall with a steady gait.

After Chen Qing’s figure had disappeared outside the hall, the ever-silent Elder Yan Song slowly raised his head, looked toward the entrance, and spoke in a raspy voice, “For the Sect Leader to bestow Earth Essence Qi… it seems he holds this one in high regard.”

Luo Ping stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly piercing through the hall to the shifting world outside. He said softly, “Indeed. He is certainly not simple. Only a few years after his entry-level assessment, he’s risen from a disciple of Xu Wang Mountain to a True Inheritance Disciple, defeating Lu Chenming and Zhang Baicheng in succession… It seems he’s about to stir these muddy waters even further…”