Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Late Mao Hour, Xia Yu Lian awoke from her sleep with a long yawn.

Since Junior Martial Uncle left Red Flame Peak, she no longer needed to get up early to prepare breakfast, and since she had reached the Qi Refining Perfection level, she was no longer troubled about increasing her cultivation, leading her to slack off.

Not only her, Li Cheng also slacked off, perfunctorily patrolling the mountain forests daily, then went to the Spirit Field outside Red Flame Peak to busy himself.

Huang Xuan mentioned it a few times, yet his attitude remained unchanged.

Xia Yu Lian walked out of the stone house, ready to stretch lazily, but was stunned by the sight outside.

The mountain was often foggy in the morning, and with a deep pool on Red Flame Peak, this area was even more enveloped in mist.

Usually, at this time when she came out, visibility was only about ten feet.

But now, all the fog had dispersed.

The phenomenon of the fog dispersing early usually only occurred when Junior Martial Uncle was cultivating.

When Foundation Establishment cultivators cultivate, they absorb large amounts of spiritual qi, causing the fog to be drawn into the cultivator’s body.

’Junior Martial Uncle has returned?!’

Xia Yu Lian’s face lit up with joy as she hurried towards the orchard, her light blue skirt fluttering.

As usual, Junior Martial Uncle would be cultivating in the orchard of fire element plants in the morning.

Soon, she saw a familiar figure sitting cross-legged near the Dragon Blood Tree.

Emerald spirit light, yellow spirit light, black spirit light, and orange-red spirit light flickered continuously, resembling a dreamscape.

A genuine smile appeared at the corner of her mouth; she bowed gracefully and left joyfully.

She had once considered the possibility of Junior Martial Uncle dying in battle at Mingfeng Mountain.

If he perished, the benefit she could obtain was forgiveness of spirit stone debts, aside from that, nothing else.

Junior Martial Uncle had no offspring or relatives, all his belongings would be reclaimed by the sect.

Conversely, if he returned safely, she could maintain a connection with a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the assistance she could garner would only be greater.

’What should I prepare for lunch today? Hmm, go to Luoyan Mountain and see if there’s any fresh Foundation Establishment Demon Beast meat!’

Xia Yu Lian took out the Talisman Bird and injected magical power, and the delicate Immortal Crane-shaped Talisman Bird grew against the wind.

Since Junior Martial Uncle left the mountain, she hadn’t gone to Luoyan Mountain to shop, today she was going to see if there were new varieties of demon beast meat on sale.

…

The sunlight gradually grew intense, the golden Sun Bing Fire was drawn by the cultivation technique, and along with the spiritual qi, entered Ji An’s body.

Spiritual qi circulated in the Immortal Vein, ten Dao Seeds flickered in turn.

Various spirit mechanisms entered the body with the spiritual qi, processed by the Dao Seeds, began to nourish the internal organs.

The Jia Wood Dao Seed symbolized budding prosperity, and the Wood of Yi Dao Seed represented hidden vitality and survival plunder.

Processed by the Dao Seeds, the verdant wood element spirit mechanism appeared more lustrous, partly refined into magical power with the spiritual qi, and the other part merged into the liver.

Patterns resembling leaf veins surfaced on the liver, occupying roughly eight-tenths of its area.

Initially, the leaf veins were emerald, with faint light flickering, their budding intention ready to emerge.

Gradually, the emerald turned dark green, the light brighter, displaying vibrant vitality.

As time went by, the dark green slowly became withered yellow, vitality began to gather and hibernate, the brilliance of the pattern dimmed, finally disappearing completely.

The Sun Bing Fire and the Light of Ding Fire from the fire element plants merged, integrating into the heart.

A light golden flame pattern appeared on the heart’s surface, its pulse more forceful.

Suddenly, the heart trembled sharply, emitting a brief resonance.

Like spring thunder rising, the withered yellow patterns on the liver surface released strands of green aura.

Black Gui Water Radiance emerged from the Yongquan Acupoint, nourishing the kidneys.

With the cloud pattern brightening on the kidneys’ surface, the green aura on the liver surface deepened.

On the spleen, presenting a desert sea-like structure, Ji Earth Radiance appeared warm and crystalline, the pattern on the liver shone more brightly.

Simultaneously, the lungs appeared bright white, their glow faint, yet the qi mechanism was strong.

Heart with fire, liver with wood, spleen with earth, lung with metal, kidneys with water, five-color radiance brightened and darkened.

Ji An felt neither joy nor sorrow, maintaining the circulation of the Evergreen Wood Skill.

After several grand circulations, the spiritual qi within his body was refined into a vibrant, budding emerald magical power.

The speed at which he refined spiritual qi was half faster than before he went to Mingfeng Mountain.

As the magical power converged in the Dantian, the Stone Turtle immediately devoured exactly thirty percent, no more, no less.

Its carapace glowed with an azure brilliance, the Vine Position and Xun Position were exceptionally bright.

At this moment, Ji An felt as if his body was akin to a burning furnace, his internal organs all undergoing tempering and refining.

Strands of black-red residue expelled through his pores, remnants of accumulated pill poison and waste blood.

The time reached noon, the sun’s power at its most intense.

More Sun Bing Fire was absorbed by the Evergreen Wood Skill, Ji An began to feel the burning sensation in his Immortal Vein intensify, his organs ablaze, the sense of pleasure from cultivation diminished.

He ended his cultivation, deeply exhaled, and thought to himself:

’It’s better to cultivate at Red Flame Peak!’

Mingfeng Mountain, although a Tier Two Upper Grade spiritual vein, within the Immortal City, it’s hard to find even one green plant, the cultivation technique could only absorb earth element spirit mechanism, and very limited wood element, water element spirit mechanism.

The improvement gained from cultivation was much less than at Red Flame Peak.

Ji An stood up, took out a transmission Golden Sword, activated it to report his safety to his master, and then headed to the Cold Pool Stone House.

Huang Xuan and three other disciples were already waiting by the table, bowed together to greet:

“Welcome back to Red Flame Peak, Junior Martial Uncle!”

The news of the retreat from Mingfeng Mountain had spread throughout the entire sect, and they were very fortunate that the master of Red Flame Peak had returned safely; otherwise, they would have to accept the sect’s new arrangements.

Ji An glanced at the dishes on the dining table and a set of bowls and chopsticks, his expression becoming stern:

“I said that once I return, we would have a grand celebration together, but it seems everyone has treated my words as the wind passing by their ears?”

He originally thought he would stay at Mingfeng Mountain for a long time and might miss several people breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, but the situation now was much better than expected.

It would be perfect if he weren’t afflicted by the Blood Transformation Soul-Chasing Curse.

“Haha, forgive us, Junior Martial Uncle.”

The three disciples instantly beamed with joy, and the sense of distance caused by separation vanished.

Xia Yu Lian said:

“I’ll get the bowls and chopsticks.”

“I’ll run to the warehouse to fetch some drinks,” Li Cheng said as he jogged away.

Huang Xuan scratched his head foolishly; everyone has something to do, what should I do?

Ji An smiled and sat on the stone stool, then pointed to the adjacent stool:

“Sit down, don’t be restrained.”

The four of them drank merrily, and Ji An briefly recounted the battles at Mingfeng Mountain.

The Qi Refining Disciples felt the intense killing aura from his calm tone.

The vast majority of the Loose Cultivators had perished in Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City, and the sect disciples’ casualties were equally astounding.

The three disciples narrated the situations at Red Flame Peak over the past half year and the various new orders executed by the sect.

Unconsciously, the sky became quietly dark.

…

Night, dark clouds cover the moon, cold winds chill.

Pu Yun Mountain, Chen Clan Ancestral Land.

Clan Leader Chen Daochang sat on the Blackwood Master’s Chair, his gaze deep.

The clan cultivators who had settled in Mingfeng Mountain returned to the clan today, and the immense casualties caused his heart to bleed incessantly.

Originally, the clan had 136 cultivators in Immortal City, but only 24 returned home, along with 112 urns of ashes.

Among the deceased were three Foundation Establishment cultivators, leaving the clan with only three remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators.

After a long time, Chen Daochang slowly spoke:

“Xingzhou, among the generation marked by Dao characters, only I and your fourth uncle remain, and both are in our declining years.

The generation marked by Xing characters has only you left as a Foundation Establishment cultivator; the future of the clan relies on you.

From today on, you will relinquish all mundane affairs and focus entirely on cultivation.”

He was now a hundred and sixty years old, with a cultivation at the Seventh-Layer Foundation Establishment, having faced the bottleneck of Late-stage Foundation Establishment for over twenty years, and had extinguished the thought of advancing further.

The other Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Dao generation was a hundred and seventy years old and had been injured in his youth; now he was merely lingering on, with little time left.

Chen Xingzhou’s originally sorrowful expression revealed a hint of joy, and he immediately bowed his head, replying solemnly:

“Ancestor, the clan’s mundane affairs cannot go unmanaged. I am willing to continue managing them to alleviate the clan’s burden.”

Managing mundane affairs wastes time, and only clansmen with great prospects on the path of cultivation enjoy the privilege of dedicating their efforts solely to cultivation.

From the clan leader’s tone, he was being groomed to become the next clan leader!

The most promising candidate for the clan leader’s position had been his cousin Chen Xingxuan, but unfortunately, he had perished at Mingfeng Mountain.

Another strong contender was Chen Xingyun, who, although a sect disciple, was not among the most core disciples, and if the clan faced a crisis, after a certain price, he could return to the clan.

However, Chen Xingyun also died in battle at Mingfeng Mountain, leaving only Chen Xingzhou capable of bearing the clan’s heavy responsibility.

Chen Daochang waved his hand and sighed:

“From tomorrow, I will take over the clan’s mundane affairs, while your sole task is to focus all your efforts on cultivation and improving your cultivation.

Xingzhou, you are now just over ninety years old and already at the Fourth-Layer Foundation Establishment; the clan will prepare the Purple Heart Barrier-breaking Pill for you.

If you can break through to Late-stage Foundation Establishment before my time ends, you will be able to guard the family’s legacy.

Although the Golden Spirit Sect promised us compensation, if the clan doesn’t prosper, whether we can smoothly obtain the promised items is uncertain.”

When Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City was first established, the Three Sects reached agreements with the respective clans within their domains.

When a Demon Calamity erupts and should any clan lose Foundation Establishment cultivators, the sect would provide Foundation Establishment Pills as compensation and do their utmost to protect the clans’ unbroken heritage.

Based on the past credibility of the Three Sects, this promise was considered reliable, and thus various clans were half coerced, half enticed, to dispatch large numbers of clansmen to settle in Mingfeng Mountain.

After a moment of silence, Chen Xingzhou knelt on the ground:

“Thank you, Clan Leader, for your nurturing. I, Xingzhou, will spare no effort, fulfilling the Clan Leader’s expectations and the hopes of the clansmen! One day, I will reclaim the items promised to us by the Golden Spirit Sect.”

Suddenly, a mocking voice echoed outside the grotto mansion.

“With just you muttonheads like you, even if the Golden Spirit Sect defaults, what could you possibly do?”

“Who is it?”

Chen Daochang exclaimed, the guardian magic array of the grotto mansion was in an active state.

At this time, the Qi Mechanism was unidirectional; they could perceive the happenings outside the mansion, but those outside should not overhear their conversations.

What followed shocked him—a terrifying scene unfolded as the Dharma Prohibition of the grotto mansion was instantly breached by an unknown powerful force, and the overwhelming Spiritual Pressure flooded in.

Chen Daochang and Chen Xingzhou instinctively trembled; the Spiritual Pressure was too powerful, making their magical power operations extremely difficult.