One day later.
In the back mountain of the Spark Sect, a small, round figure appeared and landed on Li Sheng's right shoulder.
"Chirp, chirp!"
"Has Junior Sister returned?" A flash of surprise crossed Li Sheng's eyes. He had thought that after going back, she would stay for a while, but unexpectedly, she returned in just four days.
Moments later, Bai Ye, dressed in a snow-white long dress, approached.
"Junior Sister, why didn't you stay longer?" Li Sheng stood up and greeted her.
"Before my mother passed, she longed to come here, so I brought her grave this time." Bai Ye sighed softly.
"That's good."
Li Sheng was taken aback, then led his junior sister toward a low hill behind the spiritual veins.
The low hill was surrounded by mountains on three sides and was about a mile wide. At the edge of the cliff, there was a deep pool of water. The grave of the former sect master was built on the left side, and Li Sheng and Bai Ye now moved to the right. Using their spiritual power, they quickly dug out a tomb chamber.
From their earlier conversation, Li Sheng learned that his junior sister's mother had died from poisoning, so she had been cremated. The urn she brought was small, making the burial easy, and soon, a new grave was formed.
Li Sheng sent a thought, calling Tuan Tuan. Moments later, the small figure appeared, carrying some incense and candles in its arms. After taking the items, the two began to pay their respects.
After leaving the area, Li Sheng instructed Tuan Tuan to set up an illusion array around the area. Without his or his junior sister's permission, no other disciples were allowed to enter.
After all the work, Bai Ye seemed to be in a better mood. The two chatted idly as they headed toward the spiritual veins.
During the conversation, Bai Ye recounted her experiences while away, especially her encounter with Liu Hongfeng.
"Entering the royal palace to steal treasure... Senior Sister really is..."
Li Sheng frowned, already able to imagine the storm this would cause once the news spread. A desperate-level demonic beast and a near-master-level demonic cultivator would certainly keep those grandmasters on edge.
"Senior Brother, don't worry. Senior Sister has gone to the vast wilderness of the Southern Region. As long as she's careful, no one will be able to track her," Bai Ye said softly.
"Mm." Li Sheng nodded, not saying much. It all came down to lacking enough strength. If he could reach the first-rank realm, no one would dare to touch Senior Sister.
After Bai Ye left, Li Sheng sat beside the seven-colored small tree and resumed his cultivation. Over the past four days, he had already comprehended seven spiritual forms, and the formation of his fifth divine ability seed was not far off.
Three more days passed in the blink of an eye. Li Sheng and Liu Hongying were sitting cross-legged beside the seven-colored small tree. Behind Li Sheng floated five divine ability seeds, four of which exuded a sense of perfection, while the fifth was still slightly illusory. However, as time passed, its internal fluctuations grew stronger and stronger.
Liu Hongying, who had been awakened from her own cultivation by Li Sheng's changes, showed a hint of envy on her small face. Over the past three days, under the guidance of Li Sheng and Bai Ye, she had absorbed all the Void Liquid and had stepped into the fourth-rank domain, now trying to condense her first divine ability seed.
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Being startled by Li Sheng, she cautiously stayed by his side to guard him.
"The fifth heaven-grade divine ability... It's ridiculously powerful. When will I be able to catch up to Master Brother?" Liu Hongying tilted her head, carefully observing Li Sheng, her face full of admiration.
After watching for a while, she noticed that Li Sheng's aura gradually stabilized. Only then did Liu Hongying quietly leave, intending to share the news with Bai Ye.
At this time, the Spark Sect was bustling. Half a day earlier, some factions around Lingchuan Prefecture had come to visit, most of them from one-star sects. Even a few top-tier powers had come, including the Great Yan royal family, the Hongyu Holy Land, and the Baibao Pavilion, which spanned several countries.
These factions all brought generous gifts to pay their respects. The Spark Sect was now famous, protected by a fourth-rank grand formation, boasting two heaven-grade prodigies, and its sect master had even suppressed a grandmaster-level prodigy with just a flip of his hand, making a name for himself across the land.
Now, all the major powers of Great Yan were curious about the Spark Sect. This visit was both to establish connections and to probe its strength.
For some of the younger generations from these factions, it was their first time witnessing so many forces gathered together, and their reverence for the Spark Sect grew even stronger.
Under Bai Ye's guidance, the visitors entered the sect just as dusk was falling.
After several rounds of expansions, the reception hall had become quite large, and even with over a hundred people seated, it didn't feel crowded.
As some disciples served the food and wine, the atmosphere in the hall gradually grew lively.
At this moment, Bai Ye sat at the head of the table, her stunning beauty radiating a subtle authority.
With her senior brother in seclusion, all the sect's affairs had fallen on her shoulders.
Feeling the gazes of over a hundred people upon her, Bai Ye slowly spoke: “My Senior Brother, the Sect Master, is currently in seclusion. I will handle the reception. If you have any matters to discuss, please speak freely.”
The representatives of the various factions exchanged glances, then looked towards the three top-tier powers, waiting for them to speak.
At this time, Qingyi, the representative from Baibao Pavilion, stood up and cupped her hands in salute, saying, “Elder Bai, I am here at the invitation of Sect Master Li. We can discuss further once he finishes his seclusion.”
“Sister Qingyi, please have a seat.”
Bai Ye smiled slightly and then turned her gaze to the representatives from the Hongyu Holy Land and the royal family, her eyes flashing with a hint of coldness.
Her affectionate address to Qingyi made the other factions view Baibao Pavilion with a newfound respect.
Given the age and strength of the Spark Sect's master, it was certain that he would soon become a grandmaster. Forming ties with such a powerful force was indeed something to envy.
Qingyi returned the smile, her heart filled with mixed emotions as she felt the many gazes directed at her.
The representatives from the Hongyu Holy Land and the royal family were both grandmasters, but they treated the fourth-rank Bai Ye with great respect. The two exchanged glances and stood up together.
“Greetings, Grand Elder!”
“There's no need for formalities. Just state your purpose,” Bai Ye said, expressionless.
“The Great Yan Ancestor is in seclusion, and he has instructed me to visit the Spark Sect on behalf of the royal family. We wish to form an alliance with your sect. As a sign of sincerity, we are offering thirty million spirit stones, two third-rank divine weapons, and the deeds to Lingchuan Prefecture, Luoshan Prefecture, and Qianshui Prefecture.”
The royal family's representative spoke respectfully.
The Hongyu Holy Land's representative followed: “Our sect's Elder Zhou has instructed us to offer a medium-sized spirit stone mine and a century-old herb garden, hoping to invite your sect to join the Seven Stars Alliance.”
The conditions they offered shocked everyone present.
Those with less self-control couldn't help but exclaim.
“Thirty million spirit stones, three prefectures of land, rare divine weapons—the royal family is making a big move!”
“And Hongyu isn't bad either—a medium-sized spirit stone mine and a herb garden? That's like having a goose that lays golden eggs!”
Hearing the exclamations, a hint of pride flashed in the eyes of the two representatives.
They couldn't believe the Spark Sect would refuse such abundant resources.
At this moment, Bai Ye was also feeling conflicted. It would be a lie to say she wasn't tempted by such resources, but she knew that her senior brother would never agree to join the Seven Stars Alliance.
Seeing the confident looks in their eyes, Bai Ye gathered her thoughts and calmly said, “The Spark Sect declines to join. If there is nothing else, you may leave.”