"Isn't that the Devil Cleansing Nun from the Empty Mountain Sect? I didn't expect her to lead the team personally."
"Who are the other two?"
"I think I've seen that younger female Daoist somewhere... Oh right, I remember now. She's the only daughter of the Red Peak Master from the Empty Mountain Sect, a true expert at the True Dan Realm! As for the male... I don't recognize him."
"I don't know him either."
The discussions of the surrounding people continued intermittently. Shuro looked at the smiling Qin Jiatian and smiled back. "Yes, we meet again."
Shuro immediately felt a fondness for Qin Jiatian and Hongyin Nun at first sight, perhaps it was what people called fate.
"Hehe." Qin Jiatian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Let me introduce you. This is my senior uncle, known as the Devil Cleansing Nun in the Immortal Dao Realm. Thirty years ago, he broke through the Nascent Infant Realm and is now at the third level of the Nascent Infant stage. He's also the second in command of our Empty Mountain Sect's Outer War Hall, and once..."
"Cut the crap." The Devil Cleansing Nun impatiently interrupted, looking at Shuro. "I don't like empty words, so let's get straight to the point. My Empty Mountain Sect has three ways of accepting disciples. One is to be born into an immortal family and directly enter the inner sect. Another is to select young talents from secular countries, who are then divided into the inner and outer sects based on their aptitude. The third is for young and talented martial artists, who almost all start their cultivation from the outer sect."
"If I recommend you to enter the inner sect as a martial cultivator, would you be willing?"
Shuro remained silent, not giving an answer.
Since ancient times, in cultivation, one must pass on knowledge but not fire. After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, one must plant the Dao Fire to continue cultivation. Therefore, choosing a good sect was crucial, as the higher the sect's rank, the higher the level of Dao Fire they imparted.
Watching Shuro lost in thought, surrounded by sect disciples and independent cultivators, they couldn't help but sigh.
Even ordinary immortal sects that didn't have a high status were places where martial artists fought to join, let alone behemoths like the Empty Mountain Sect. Even many immortal family members regarded being recognized by the Seven Great Sects as an honor, trying their best to squeeze in.
Yet today, first rejecting Andrea from the Mount Kunting, and now hesitating to respond to the invitation from the Empty Mountain Sect, it was indeed surprising.
"May I ask, esteemed immortal, how does your sect compare to Solitary Moon Mountain?" Faithe hesitated for a moment, gathered her courage, and asked.
"Solitary Moon Mountain?" Hongyin Nun was taken aback.
Observing the reactions of those around her, Faithe felt that something was amiss. Obviously, Solitary Moon Mountain had a significant background; otherwise, why would they react like this? Even if Shuro joined this Empty Mountain Sect, it might not be enough to suppress the Third Young Master.
The Empty Mountain Sect... the name of this immortal sect always felt strange.
While Faithe was contemplating, there were murmurs of laughter around her.
"Solitary Moon Mountain? Hmph, a ninth-grade sect that only rose to prominence thirty years ago. What qualifications do they have to be compared with our Empty Mountain Sect, a seventh-grade sect!" Hongyin Nun's face showed disdain, her chest heaving.
Faithe was overjoyed, not paying attention to Hongyin Nun's tone. Shuro glanced at Hongyin Nun, his brows furrowing, but he said nothing.
"A seventh-grade Empty Mountain Sect? Haha, after this year's South Heaven Fighting Tournament, your sect's grade will probably change to eighth-grade. From then on, the South Heaven Seven Sects will only have six sects left." A strange voice rang out.
"Ridiculous! What nonsense are you spouting!" Hongyin Nun glared angrily at Diego not far away.
"What I say, you know in your heart. Otherwise, why would you react so strongly just now? Your Empty Mountain Sect is no longer what it used to be..."
"That's enough." Andrea interrupted her disciple's words, bowed to the expressionless Devil Cleansing Nun, and said, "Let's leave it at that, see you at the Stele Sea."
The Devil Cleansing Nun returned the bow, her expression cold.
The area in front of the Seven Treasures Pavilion fell silent. The rumors about the Empty Mountain Sect were not secret, but Diego's blatant disregard for them still surprised many people.
"If one could join the Empty Mountain Sect for cultivation, it would be perfect."
Shuro's voice rang out.
Hongyin Nun was overjoyed, Qin Jiatian had a naturally expectant smile on his face, and the Devil Cleansing Nun relaxed her brow. However, Andrea, who had already reached the corner, paused for a moment before striding away.
"However, I have two requests that I'm not entirely pleased about," Shuro said.
"But feel free to speak," the Devil Cleansing Nun said warmly.
"After Warden City, I need to make a trip to Caelius Capital to handle some matters."
"That's reasonable. You can have up to six months for that."
"The second thing... I want to enter the Stele Sea," Shuro said, lifting his head.
The Devil Cleansing Nun looked troubled. "Why?"
"I've long admired the past powerhouses of the South Heaven, and I hope to visit their relics," Shuro casually fabricated a reason. At the moment, joining a sect seemed to be the only way to enter the Stele Sea and search for the treasures of the Nine-Dragon Sovereign.
"The slots for comprehending the Stele Sea have already been decided by the sect master himself, and I can't change that," the Devil Cleansing Nun said after a pause.
"Senior uncle," Qin Jiatian suddenly stepped forward, whispering, "You forgot, we still have unused backup slots. Moreover, the young master only said he wanted to enter the Stele Sea, not necessarily to participate in the trials."
"You're right," the Devil Cleansing Nun nodded, then said to Shuro, "So, I agree to both of your conditions. This ring on your hand is a token of our Empty Void Mountain Range. When you officially join the sect, you'll receive your waist token."
A ring?
Shuro looked up and saw Qin Jiatian smiling at him. It seemed he had been calculating everything from the beginning.
As dusk fell, Shuro sat cross-legged in a side building of the Empty Void Mountain Range's palace.
Lee and Lewis sat behind him as usual, but this time there was also Faithe.
After the trip to the Wind Rising Hall, Shuro successfully rescued Faithe, made acquaintances with Adamo and the Heavenly Maimed Elder, and joined one of the Seven Great Sects of the South Heaven, the Empty Void Mountain Range, gaining a lot. In two days, the Stele Sea would open, and immortal sects and Daoist families from all over the South Heaven would send Foundation Establishment stage disciples to comprehensively understand the experiences of past powerhouses of the South Heaven.
In his conversation with the Devil Cleansing Nun and others, Shuro learned that the strong figures in the Stele Sea weren't just from the ruins of the desolate city, but also from various sects of the South Heaven from thousands of years ago. And the reason why there was a Stele Sea in Warden City could be traced back to a chaotic battle that nearly overturned the balance of power in the South Heaven over a thousand years ago.
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Shuro wasn't particularly interested in comprehending the Stele Sea; what he cared about was the treasures mentioned in the memories of the Nine-Dragon Sovereign.
Although a fragment of the Nine-Dragon Sovereign's memory had pointed him to the Stele Sea upon entering Warden City, Shuro still didn't know the specifics. Perhaps only by entering the Stele Sea, experiencing it firsthand, and having his memories triggered, would he finally uncover the truth.
"When night falls and the daylight fades, take the Foundation Establishment Pill. I believe the chance of success will be higher," Shuro said to the uneasy Faithe beside him, smiling. "Aunt, don't be nervous. Even if this Foundation Establishment Pill doesn't work well, I'll find a way to help you step onto the path of immortality."
"Today, I finally learned that the young master guiding me to immortality is actually you," Faithe rolled her eyes at Shuro, then said softly, "You've hidden it from Auntie for so long, what should your punishment be?"
Shuro chuckled, then glanced at the sky, his expression solemn. "It's time. Auntie, take the pill."
As dusk faded and the blue moon rose, Shuro couldn't help but wonder why there was still a sun and a moon underground.
As Faithe swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill, a wave of life force emanated from her abdomen, like a fire burning brightly. Faithe's face flashed with pain, and Shuro knew it was the power of the pill dissolving her Qi Core.
Shuro understood the principle of the Foundation Establishment Pill.
It was simply to first merge the Qi Core, gradually guide the innate Qi out, incorporate it into the true Qi, and finally condense the true Qi into liquid form. It sounded simple, but due to the decades of cultivation habits formed by martial artists, it was difficult to change. Unlike immortal sect disciples who cultivated their Qi from a young age, they easily reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
The basic requirement for martial artists to take the Foundation Establishment Pill was to be under thirty years old and at the Great Spiritual Realm, the younger, the better. Not only because it was easier to change habits, but also because their internal organs were still young and could withstand the oscillations of true Yuan when the true Yuan liquid formed.
On this day, Shuro's thoughts suddenly turned to the independent cultivators.
In theory, independent cultivators had completely lost the hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage and entering immortality. Even with the most skilled immortal Daoist making a move, they couldn't help independent cultivators step onto the path of immortality.
When bidding farewell to Sun Zhongyuan, Wujuren, and others, Shuro could sense their complex emotions. There was joy, but also a sense of loss. Even though they stood at the pinnacle of the secular world, they had already lost hope of moving forward.
As he watched Faithe's breath gradually stabilize, the fleeting thought in Shuro's mind about independent cultivators began to blur and slip away.
A low sigh came from behind. Since returning from the Wind Rising Hall, Lee had been sighing lowly, looking sickly. Whenever he looked at those young Daoist disciples or at Lewis, Lee couldn't help but reveal a trace of envy.
Shuro pondered for a long time and ultimately gave up. Perhaps it was truly impossible for independent cultivators to reach Foundation Establishment.
Gazing at the ever-changing clouds in the sky, Shuro recalled Diego's use of Dao techniques during the day at the Wind Rising Hall.
"The four levels of Qi momentum: Breath, Intention, Image, and Momentum. These four levels of Qi momentum are mainly used to enhance the power of Dao techniques, depending entirely on innate talent and comprehension. If one has the comprehension, they can achieve it in a single morning; if not, they may struggle their whole life without understanding it," Diego's words echoed in Shuro's mind.
As the night grew darker and the blue moon rose like ice, Shuro gradually fell into contemplation.
Finally, Faithe opened her eyes. Her gaze was clear and moving, like two sparkling springs. Her skin was much fairer and more delicate than before, with a rosy blush on her cheeks, adding a youthful glow to her mature and charming beauty.
Bathed in the moonlight, she shimmered like a blue jade crystal from afar. This was because after reaching Foundation Establishment, Faithe's aura had reached its peak, attracting the moonlight. However, due to her insufficient cultivation level, she couldn't absorb it through her pores and could only condense it around her body.
What pleased Shuro the most was not Faithe's increasingly enchanting appearance but her state of cultivation. At this moment, although her cultivation level hadn't improved compared to before, her aura was unstable. However, the aura flowing out of her was full of vitality, rejuvenated, and more ethereal, showing even more potential than before.
"Congratulations, fellow cultivator," Shuro turned to Faithe and pretended to bow.
Faithe chuckled. "Don't tease your aunt."
Giving Shuro a playful glare, Faithe couldn't hide her joy, adding to her charm.
"Cultivating immortality is cultivating the Dao, and Foundation Establishment is cultivating the heart. Mortals often mistakenly believe they've achieved Dao, not realizing it's just their foolish delusion, like a snake never being able to become a true dragon," a voice tinged with mockery came from outside the door.
Shuro's eyelids twitched. He hadn't noticed anyone approaching until now.
"Who's there!" Lee jumped up, turning around to see a group of young cultivators entering.
Shuro glanced at them and saw a total of eleven people, all under twenty years old, wearing uniform gray-white robes with fish-dragon patterns—the standard attire of the Taichi Sect. Their auras were equivalent to that of independent cultivators at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment, enough to dominate the martial world of the Tera Kingdom.
"Who are you?" Shuro asked, though he had a faint idea of the answer.
"You're the young master who caused trouble in the Wind Rising Hall during the day?" the speaker, standing at the back of the group, responded with a calm tone, but inadvertently exuded an air of superiority.
"That's our young master," Lee said proudly.
"And you, do you want to snatch our slots for comprehending the Stele Sea?" another person asked, their tone sharper than the first, a girl with a green hairpin.
"Who said that?" Shuro raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of unease.
"What's wrong, afraid to admit it? Everyone who came out of the Wind Rising Hall knows," another youth with a green hairpin sneered.
"Aren't you the one I warned about earlier? I knew something was fishy when I saw Diego," a tall young man with a fiery red hairpin smiled. "But you guys didn't believe me and insisted on bothering junior brother Chuan."
By now, Shuro had figured out that not everyone had come to pick a fight with him.
These eleven people were divided into two groups: one of six, led by those who had challenged him earlier, looked arrogant. The other five seemed less interested and had come purely to go through the motions. Among them, one person caught Shuro's attention. Despite being only eighteen or nineteen years old, there was a faint sadness lingering between his brows.
Just as the atmosphere was gradually calming down, the voice of the girl rang out.
"Huh, are you the woman warrior who made Diego jealous? Indeed, you are charming and enchanting. No wonder you could fetch a high price of sixty thousand Yin coins. But your cultivation is a bit low; almost thirty years old and not even at the third level of Foundation Establishment."
It was the same girl with the green hairpin who spoke earlier. Despite her youthful appearance, her words were sharp and incisive.
Faithe lowered her head, her expression unchanged, but her previous radiance noticeably dimmed.
Shuro suddenly raised his head, staring coldly at the girl. "Say another word out of line, and don't blame me for being disrespectful!"
Lee also smiled coldly. "So, you're here to cause trouble?"
Lewis didn't speak but clenched his fists, showing a willingness to fight.
"I say, Junior Brother Chuan, why do you always like to hang around with some servants?" At this moment, a faint laughter came from behind the group of people. "Chubby, do you remember me?"
Lee was puzzled for a moment.
Suddenly, a slightly shorter figure stepped out from behind the girl with the green hairpin, a young man of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a golden Daoist crown, teasingly looking at Lee. Except for the melancholic youth, the rest of the group looked at the short young man with respect.
"Haha, Lee, would I ever recognize a little kid like you?" Lee said nonchalantly.
"Is that so?" The young man squinted and laughed. "Fourteen years ago, in the remote town of Fuyong on the southwest border of the Tera Kingdom, there was a group of ignorant little gangsters who dared to charge my second uncle's border tax."
"It's you! You're that kid! No wonder... you guys are from the Immortal Sect." Lee took three steps back, his face contorted almost horrifyingly, and he screamed in a high-pitched voice.
"Hahaha... so you do remember. Your cultivation has indeed recovered now. But it's a pity you've fallen so far as to become a servant." The young man with the golden crown laughed heartily, shaking his head. "To be honest, someone like you, if not for your distinctive appearance, how could I remember you?"
With that, the young man's gaze shifted past Lee and landed on Shuro, who was silent. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Berta, a disciple of the main peak of the Golden Summit Peak in the Empty Mountain Realm. How about you all introduce yourselves, so we can get acquainted with our future inner disciples?"
"Berta, disciple of the main peak of the Emerald Bamboo Peak."
"Alan, disciple of the main peak of the Emerald Bamboo Peak."
The other five disciples gathered around Berta reported their names and the peaks they belonged to—three peaks, the Golden Summit Peak, the Black Dragon Peak, and the Emerald Bamboo Peak, represented by the colors of their Daoist crowns. The remaining five didn't speak, observing coldly from the sidelines.
At this moment, Lee suddenly came to his senses, lifted his head, and stared hatefully at Berta. With more than ten years of strange injuries accompanying him, he had a thousand threads of connection with the young man in front of him. Without Berta's casual remark back then, Lee wouldn't have fallen to his current state.
Berta cast a contemptuous glance at Lee, then smiled at Shuro. "When I was young, this servant offended me. I came to say hello to Junior Brother Luo and ask for this servant. I'll give you ten grand cultivators at the Great Spiritual Void Realm. How about it?"
Glancing at Lee, who looked pitifully at him, Shuro stood up slowly. "The last person who said such things was Apollo from the Cowherd Mountain. After saying that, he became a dead man."
The faces of the disciples changed slightly, and there was a hint of strangeness in their gazes toward Shuro.
With a chuckle, Berta was the first to laugh, pointing at Shuro. "Killing an Immortal Sect disciple? Who do you think you're fooling? Trying to scare us with such nonsense."
"It's impressive to kill an Immortal Sect disciple before even entering the sect!"
"Bluffing without even trying to make it believable. Let me tell you, I've even killed an Immortal."
"Hey, you're a newcomer! How dare you speak to Berta like that!"
The disciples from the Empty Mountain Realm around Berta mocked one after another.
The rest of the neutral disciples showed expressions of watching a good show, but the melancholic youth remained indifferent, still looking out the window.
Shuro smiled faintly, without explanation.
Lee, on the side, sneered in his heart. He also realized that these young disciples of the Immortal Sect might have good talents and high cultivation, but they were still inexperienced. The killings and battles in the world of immortality were still distant concepts for them, and they couldn't understand the ruthlessness and cruelty involved.
Compared to the young master, they were indeed too naive! No wonder the young master couldn't be bothered to deal with them.
"Apollo? Just a dandy. A mere ninth-grade disciple of the Cowherd Mountain. Even if you really killed him, so what? It seems you're lacking some basic knowledge of the immortal world." Berta's tone was casual. "Alan, why don't you teach him a lesson?"
"Alright." The youth with the green hairpin responded and stepped forward, heading straight for Lee. His body movement was like a ghost, leaving only a faint shadow under the blue moonlight, as if it was cut out with scissors.
Shuro's eyes gleamed with cold light, and his figure moved like flowing water, appearing in front of Alan in an instant, his palm turning into a blade and slashing down fiercely. But unexpectedly, the slash hit nothing but air; Alan's figure was clearly beneath his palm, yet it seemed as if there was nothing there.
"Ghost Shadow Step, a technique of the Lower Eighth Grade, using moonlight to vanish without a trace. I didn't expect Alan to master such a technique." One of the neutral disciples remarked, either to himself or to let Shuro hear.
Fortunately, Shuro understood... this technique required the use of moonlight.
Just as the disciple spoke, Alan had already crossed Shuro and was only ten steps away from Faithe.
A pillar of fire shot up into the sky, slightly dispersing the light of the ice-blue moon.
In the light of the flames, Alan's ghostly shadowy figure finally revealed its true form.
Instinctively, Alan turned his head.
In the towering flames, reaching four yards high, he had already reached the ceiling. Within the flames, a twisted fist edge suddenly attacked, like a loach, exploiting the flaw in Alan's body movement trajectory and striking directly!
In an instant, Alan felt his scalp tingle, and his back felt a chill, goosebumps rising.
Alan was taken aback.
He had sneered at the rumors about Shuro before, but now he realized that this seemingly mundane youth, who hadn't even broken through to the second stage of Foundation Establishment, indeed possessed the power to kill someone at the third stage.