Chapter 278 : One Nascent Soul and a Group of Nascent Souls

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Ji Yuan returned from Linhai City, he directly made a detour to Forgotten Worry Island.

He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had bitterly cultivated at home for several months without ever coming to pay his respects, so Ji Yuan felt somewhat uneasy about it.

Fortunately, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when he went out this time, he had brought plenty of Wishful Wine with him… When he arrived on Forgotten Worry Island, Hua Yaoyue was rarely not resting in the pavilion, nor was she at the summit.

Instead, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she was strolling along the sandy shore beside the lake.

“Disciple ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍greets Master.”

After ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ji Yuan landed, he cupped his hands slightly toward Hua Yaoyue while simultaneously handing over a Storage Pouch. “This is the wine this disciple brewed during this period.”

Inside were not only Wishful Wine and Peerless Wine, but also some Spiritual Wine enhanced by the 【Wine Cellar】.

Hua Yaoyue, who was walking ahead, did not turn around. She merely raised her right hand, and with a slight movement of her snow-white hand, the Storage Pouch fell into her palm. She casually placed it at her waist and put it away before saying:

“Kong Xifeng left.”

“Hmm?!”

Ji Yuan abruptly raised his head.

“She went to meet the Nascent Soul Cultivators of the other sects.”

Hua Yaoyue added an explanation, and only then did Ji Yuan relax. “This disciple thought… thought the Patriarch was gone.”

“As long as she doesn’t fight someone with all her strength, living another few decades shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then they went to… discuss the matter concerning the Abyssal Continent?”

“Mm. Let’s see what they choose.”

Clearly, this matter had affected Hua Yaoyue’s state of mind somewhat. Otherwise, she would not have been strolling beside the lake at this time.

“Right, Master. That Fourth-Tier old turtle beneath the great marsh asked me to pass a message to you.”

The moment Ji Yuan finished speaking, Hua Yaoyue abruptly turned to look at him. She sized him up from head to toe before slowly withdrawing her gaze. “When you have nothing to do, behave yourself. Don’t run around recklessly.”

“If I hadn’t discovered that old thing’s existence beforehand, do you think you could have met it and still come back alive?”

“This… disciple went to seek an opportunity to break through and happened to encounter it by accident. There was nothing I could do.”

Ji Yuan was truly helpless. He had been forced by circumstances and had no other choice.

“What realm has your Body Cultivation reached?”

Ji Yuan could conceal his Body Tempering from others, but not from Hua Yaoyue.

“Peak Foundation Establishment.”

Ji Yuan answered truthfully.

“Not bad. Your talent in Body Cultivation is higher than in spell cultivation. Don’t waste it. If you have the opportunity in the future, you can make a trip to the Martial God Continent. There are quite a few opportunities for body cultivators there.”

Hua Yaoyue unusually revealed the existence of another continent.

Ji Yuan hurriedly asked, “Martial God Continent… what kind of place is that? Is it far from our Cangluo Continent?”

“Very far. When you have the strength to travel among the many continents, you’ll naturally know where it is. As for the Martial God Continent… spell cultivators are extremely rare there. The cultivators of the entire continent are basically all body cultivators.”

Hua Yaoyue explained.

“Then isn’t that just like our Cangluo Continent? We’re all spell cultivators here, with no body cultivators!”

Ji Yuan said with slight excitement.

Hua Yaoyue: “Heh.”

“Do you know what the Cangluo Continent counts as in the eyes of those truly great continents?” Hua Yaoyue had not expected Ji Yuan to be able to answer, so after asking, she answered it herself.

“It counts as Cangluo Island, or perhaps a tiny village… it can’t even be considered a town.”

Ji Yuan: “……”

…The Martial God Continent had no spell cultivators because they disdained walking the path of spell cultivation.

The Cangluo Continent had no body cultivators because it was not worthy of having them.

‘Just how vast is this world?’

Ji Yuan could not help having such a thought.

Hua Yaoyue walked ahead while Ji Yuan, her final disciple, followed closely behind, step for step.

“Who do you think counts as a genius on our Cangluo Continent?”

Hua Yaoyue asked softly.

“That would naturally only be Master.” Ji Yuan cupped his hands and replied.

Hua Yaoyue: “…Get lost!”

“Alright. This disciple doesn’t know. Nowadays, everyone I look at seems like a genius, and none of the cultivators capable of Core Formation are simple.”

Ji Yuan answered honestly.

“That’s about right. In truth, what this world lacks least are geniuses, because there are simply too many of them. Heroes are the same, as countless as crucian carp crossing the river, ceaseless and unending.”

As Hua Yaoyue spoke, she stopped.

Ji Yuan stood with his hands respectfully at his sides, then looked at the vast marsh before him and softly said, “Flowing water does not compete to be first; what it competes for is to flow endlessly.”

“This disciple is the same. This disciple does not seek invincibility among those of the same realm, nor supremacy beneath the heavens. This disciple only seeks everlasting longevity.”

After he finished speaking, he did not receive Hua Yaoyue’s response.

Just as he stepped forward in confusion, wanting to see what had happened to Hua Yaoyue, he heard her murmuring, “Flowing water does not compete to be first; what it competes for is to flow endlessly…”

“Flow endlessly…”

“……”

Hua Yaoyue seemed to have comprehended something and slowly closed her eyes.

Then, in an instant, Ji Yuan felt as though the entire world had become still. The vast boundless marsh instantly fell silent, yet the sound of rushing water that did not actually exist rang beside his ears.

The sound was clear and pleasant.

It made Ji Yuan feel as though he were beside a mountain river, watching a small stream flow endlessly down the mountain.

“This…”

As Ji Yuan listened, he felt refreshed and carefree. Even his entire state of mind became incomparably tranquil.

Although he did not know exactly what had happened,

judging from the current situation, Hua Yaoyue had most likely comprehended something, and Ji Yuan, standing beside her, had managed to share in a trace of that opportunity.

But as for what exactly he should do, he did not know.

He only knew… just enjoy it.

However, this sensation made him feel extremely comfortable and free inside.

Only after nearly half a stick of incense passed did the feeling gradually fade from his heart, with the sound of flowing water beside his ears disappearing soon afterward.

Ji Yuan opened his eyes from his enjoyment and happened to meet Hua Yaoyue’s gaze as she turned her head toward him.

“Master.”

He hurriedly called out.

Yet Hua Yaoyue’s gaze toward him carried a trace of complexity.

…In her previous life, before Hua Yaoyue began fleeing for her life, she had once sought out an old man, an old man whose divination and calculation were unmatched beneath the heavens and who had watched the world for tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of years, asking him to point out a clear path for her.

In the end, the old man took out a Map of Mountains and Seas, lifted his brush, and made a single point, landing on the Cangluo Continent.

Thus, Hua Yaoyue came here.

In her early years, she had searched countless times, attempting to find the clear path the old man had spoken of.

Yet she had never found the proper way.

Until now, after accepting Ji Yuan as her disciple.

If the previous Wishful Wine had been an opportunity of the Great Dao, then this casually spoken sentence during an idle conversation was a staircase leading upward step by step.

…So, was Ji Yuan the clear path that old man had spoken of?

Hua Yaoyue simply looked at her final disciple before her.

She stared for a long time, until Ji Yuan was beginning to feel uneasy, before she finally changed the subject.

“Do you know how long that old turtle has lived?”

“I don’t.”

“Five thousand years ago, it was already at Early Fourth Tier, yet it only successfully advanced to Mid Fourth Tier a few years ago.”

“It outlived all its enemies and all its opponents. In the end, only it remained alive.”

Ji Yuan nodded. “This disciple understands.”

“No, you don’t. You want everlasting longevity. Wanting to live a long time is one aspect.”

“What about the other aspect?”

“You can disguise yourself, and you can show weakness, but you cannot truly be weak. Understand?” After Hua Yaoyue finished speaking, she transformed into Escape Light and returned to the pavilion halfway up the mountain.

Ji Yuan could only follow.

By the time he arrived, Hua Yaoyue had already lain down again and returned to her usual indifferent appearance.

“Speak. What else is there?”

Hua Yaoyue casually asked as she looked at Ji Yuan, who had followed her.

Ji Yuan did not speak. He merely silently summoned the eight Canglan Sword Embryos from his Dantian. When they hovered one by one before Hua Yaoyue,

his Master immediately became more attentive and even sat upright.

“What? Are you going to condense the final Sword Embryo? Is your Magic Power also about to break through to Peak Foundation Establishment? Fine. Tell me where you’re going. Your Master will accompany you on this trip.”

This matter genuinely brought Hua Yaoyue a trace of joy.

“It may still take some time. This disciple only just condensed the eighth Sword Embryo.”

Hua Yaoyue lay back down. “That’s still alright. Your talent isn’t too bad.”

“Then why did you come looking for me? To show off?”

Ji Yuan looked somewhat embarrassed and said, “Uh… for this disciple’s final Flying Sword, I want to go to the Immortal Spring of Medicine King Valley and condense an Evergreen Sword there.”

“But this matter is rather difficult to handle. This disciple doesn’t know whether it will cause trouble for Master, so I wanted to ask in advance. If Master finds it difficult, then this disciple plans to go to Yellow Spring Lake on Blood Bone Island and condense a Yellow Spring Sword there.”

“It’s fine.”

Hua Yaoyue still wore that casual expression, as though nothing in the world could truly concern her.

“For killing power, these few swords of yours are already sufficient.”

Hua Yaoyue raised her hand and pointed in turn at Ji Yuan’s Blood Slaughter Sword, Blazing Flame Sword, Thunder Punishment Sword, and Great Gate Sword.

“You indeed need a recovery-type Flying Sword. When your preparations are nearly complete, just come find me. Your Master will take you there.”

“Yes.”

Ji Yuan cupped his hands in salute and finally relaxed.

Truthfully, he wanted the Evergreen Sword more, but he also knew that condensing this Flying Sword would be extremely difficult.

That was because the Immortal Spring was located within the forbidden grounds of Medicine King Valley. Put plainly, it was guarded by Medicine King Valley’s Nascent Soul Supreme Elder.

After all, the Immortal Spring’s greatest effect was… lifespan extension.

In the Cultivation World, anything capable of extending lifespan could be considered among the most supreme heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

After all, why did people cultivate if not to prolong their lives?

Now that something existed which could directly extend lifespan, how could it not count as a supreme treasure?

The very reason Medicine King Valley had chosen to establish its sect in that place was because of the Immortal Spring… Forget an outsider wanting to borrow the Immortal Spring’s Water Fortune to condense a Flying Sword Embryo.

Even members of their own sect were forbidden from casually approaching it.

That was why Ji Yuan had wanted to first ask Hua Yaoyue’s opinion.

If she felt it was difficult, Ji Yuan would naturally give up.

Yet unexpectedly, she had agreed so readily, making Ji Yuan somewhat anticipate what kind of scene this trip to the Immortal Spring would bring.

There were no other matters.

Ji Yuan naturally put away the Flying Sword Embryos, returned to Forgotten Worry Island, and continued his secluded cultivation.

……

At the same time.

South of the Falling Star River, west of the Water Dragon Sect, and farther west beyond Medicine King Valley, at the foot of Shang Mountain.

Within an unknown mountain valley.

Kong Xifeng, holding her walking stick, appeared out of thin air.

She turned her head and looked around.

At the front-left, an old man wearing a gray robe embroidered with a Pill Cauldron and carrying an immortal air was playing a board game with a young man who had a long sword hanging at his waist.

The old man was naturally the Supreme Elder of Medicine King Valley. His name was “Medicine King”.

Whether his surname was Medicine and his given name King, or whether he had given himself the title King of Medicine Practitioners, no one knew.

In any case, ever since anyone could remember, everyone had already called him this.

And he did not disgrace the name Medicine King.

Among the Nascent Soul Cultivators of Eastern Shang, if one spoke of killing power, then naturally the “One Sword Master” of the Sword Ruins was the strongest.

But if one spoke of who was the hardest to kill, then it had to be this Medicine King.

His recovery ability could be said to be unrivaled beneath the heavens.

The green-robed Sword Cultivator sitting opposite him was the second Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Sword Ruins on Shang Mountain.

His name was: Xu Sheng.

His talent was extremely high. After cultivating for barely over a hundred years, he had successfully formed a Nascent Soul, making him the cultivator of the Cangluo Continent with the greatest hope of reaching the Transformation-Divine Stage in the past thousand years.

Upon seeing the newcomer,

Medicine King and Xu Sheng both raised their heads and nodded toward the newly arrived Kong Xifeng.

“After not seeing you for so many years, I thought you old woman had already died.”

Medicine King narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard with a smile.

“Heh. Before this old lady dies, I can still take one person with me. How about I bring you along to keep me company on the road?”

Kong Xifeng looked at him and sneered.

Medicine King put away his smile, shook his head, and stopped speaking.

After dealing with Kong Xifeng for several hundred years, he knew her temperament extremely well. When she was young, her explosive temper had been famous throughout all of Eastern Shang.

If she said she would come kill you at the third watch, she definitely would not wait until the fifth watch.

The same was true of what she said now. If she were pushed too far, she genuinely could ignore everything else, self-detonate her Nascent Soul before death, and drag someone down with her.

If that truly happened, once they were dead, who would there be to reason with?

Xu Sheng stood up, gave up his seat, and expressionlessly said to Kong Xifeng, “Fellow Daoist Kong, come. I’m not interested.”

Medicine King hurriedly waved his hand and put away the chessboard on the table.

“Then forget it.”

Kong Xifeng sneered and turned to look at the graceful beautiful woman reclining against the trunk of an ancient pine tree, slightly bent over with her long snow-white legs exposed.

“You’re already this old, yet you still dress so gaudily. Who are you trying to seduce?”

Kong Xifeng’s mouth was as sweet as ever, taking a few bites out of everyone she met.

Hearing this, the beautiful woman swung her leg over and jumped barefoot from the tree.

She wore a pink robe with an extremely high slit, while the opening at her chest was equally deep, revealing an endless abyss.

She did not speak to Kong Xifeng. Instead, she turned toward the green-robed Sword Cultivator who had walked aside and closed his eyes to rest, covered her mouth, and smiled seductively:

“Isn’t it because I want to seduce Little Brother Xu Sheng? Little Brother Xu, how about the two of us Dual Cultivate? Dual Cultivation between you and me would definitely bring tremendous benefits. When the time comes, we could even enjoy ourselves together.”

Xu Sheng did not open his eyes. He merely lowered his right hand and rested it on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

“Survive one sword strike from me, and I’ll Dual Cultivate with you.”

The “Joy Lady” of Joy Palace rolled her eyes.

“That won’t do. Little Brother Xu’s sword is both thick and hard. If it cuts into me, wouldn’t I be chopped into pieces all over the place?”

Joy Lady shook her head and said, “I’m scared.”

After greeting everyone one by one, Kong Xifeng finally looked north and said, “What, those two old immortals still haven’t arrived? Could it be that we’re supposed to go invite them ourselves?”

“We wouldn’t dare. Who would dare trouble Fellow Daoist Kong to personally invite us?”

A chuckling voice sounded from within the dense forest.

Immediately afterward, two figures appeared in the far distance, then arrived nearby in the next instant.

The one on the left was an utterly ordinary middle-aged man. He wore a snow-white robe, had an average build, and an equally ordinary face. If a person like him were thrown onto a street, there would be eight or ten others who looked just like him.

Yet he was the Supreme Elder of the Beast Taming Sect, known as the “Ten Spirits Patriarch”, with ten Spiritual Beasts under his command.

Several hundred years ago, one of them had already reached the Fourth Tier. As for how many Fourth-Tier Demon Beasts he possessed now… only he himself knew.

As for the old man beside him who resembled a dried corpse, he was the Patriarch of Corpse Herding Mountain, named “Lu Shi”.

There were barely a few hairs left on Lu Shi’s head. His clothes were tattered and ragged, and his hands were extremely thin and withered, resembling eagle claws. If everyone present had not known him, they might genuinely have mistaken him for a clothes-drying pole that had been brought over.

Kong Xifeng looked the two of them up and down without showing the slightest mercy.

“Lu Shi, you old thing, why do you look even older than me? Don’t tell me you’re about to die?”

“And you too, Ten Spirits. I sent you a message ages ago, yet you didn’t know to leave earlier and made everyone wait for you. What a useless bastard.”

Ten Spirits Patriarch stroked the beard on his chin and chuckled. “You old woman didn’t arrive much earlier than us either, did you? What are you shouting about? They may fear you, but I don’t.”

“Come, then let’s spar first and see who’s afraid of whom!”

As Kong Xifeng spoke, she gripped her walking stick with both hands and slammed it into the ground.

In an instant, an invisible fluctuation spread outward in every direction. Xu Sheng, whose eyes had been closed, immediately opened them, his right hand silently gripping the sword hilt. Joy Lady, who had already been floating in midair, rose even higher.

Medicine King instantly flashed into the sky.

In the end, it was still Lu Shi who stepped forward and stood between the two of them.

“Enough. You’re all already this old. There’s nothing worth fighting over. Old Woman Kong, just say it. You summoned the Six Sects this time and said a major event capable of destroying all Six Sects was about to occur. Tell us.”

Lu Shi stroked the few strands of beard on his chin and sighed.

Ten Spirits Patriarch looked at Kong Xifeng and chuckled. In the end, the small scarlet snake crouched on his shoulder flicked its tongue before crawling back into his sleeve.

Kong Xifeng withdrew her aura.

The others also gathered around again.

Seeing that all Six Sects had arrived, Kong Xifeng went straight to the point. “The Demonic Path of Western Shang has contacted the Abyssal Continent and intends to attack our Eastern Shang from both front and rear. Which one of you can hold them off?”

“What?!”

Medicine King, who had only just sat down, immediately stood again. His expression became extremely ugly as he said, “Abyssal Continent… Old Woman Kong, you can’t speak nonsense about something like this!”

“Heh.”

Kong Xifeng looked at him and sneered, not even bothering to reply.

Ten Spirits Patriarch and Lu Shi, who had only just arrived, exchanged a glance. Both of their eyes became solemn.

“Western Shang alone is already difficult enough for us to deal with, and now there’s also the Abyssal Continent… How are we supposed to withstand that?! How could we possibly withstand it?!”

Medicine King truly looked frightened.

After hearing the news, he was also the most agitated.

“How do we withstand it? With our lives, of course. Unless you’re thinking of defecting to Western Shang?” Ten Spirits Patriarch said while stroking his beard.

“Heh, with a mouth like yours, no wonder you start bickering with Kong Xifeng the moment you meet.”

Medicine King said, looking somewhat flustered and exasperated.

Lu Shi, who had remained silent throughout, instead looked toward the wordless Xu Sheng opposite him and asked, “Does the Sword Ruins truly know nothing about this?”

Only after hearing “Sword Ruins” did Xu Sheng raise his head. But he still did not answer. Instead, he looked toward the sky and said solemnly, “If you don’t come down, I’ll draw my sword and ask.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of lightning crossed the sky. Immediately afterward, a figure descended from within it and landed directly in the mountain valley, laughing loudly:

“Fellow Daoists, Plum Manor offers its greetings.”

——