Hengsheng was stunned by the story he had just heard. His voice quivered slightly as he asked, "First Elder, did you just say that the Lan Clan is not truly a clan, but rather a facade for the remnants of the Blossoming Sword Sect?"
Lan Mingzhi nodded solemnly, his gaze steady. “That’s correct. The day the Blossoming Sword Sect was surrounded and destroyed, it wasn’t only your grandfather, Lan Wangtian, who survived. But Ancestors of the Wang Clan, Hua Clan, and Qian Clan also escaped. All of them were core disciples of the Blossoming Sword Sect, sent out before the final siege to ensure the sect’s survival in some form.”
Hengsheng’s mind raced, struggling to process the revelation. “Hua Clan? Qian Clan? I’ve never even heard of them.”
The First Elder inclined his head. “That’s because they’ve kept a low profile as third-rate forces beyond the Metal Flow Plain. They serve as the final contingency plan. If the identities of the Lan Clan or Wang Clan were ever exposed, they are meant to ensure that the legacy of the Blossoming Sword Sect lives on. But we are not yet strong enough to openly face the Thunderclap Blade Sect. They have at least ten False Immortals, and we are uncertain if any of their three True Immortals remain on the Golden Pillar Continent or have already departed for higher realms.”
Hengsheng frowned, his voice tinged with skepticism. “Why are you telling me this? It seems too dangerous for someone like me—I’m just at the Qi Gathering realm. Besides, who else knows about this?”
Lan Mingzhi’s expression remained serious as he replied, “Aside from the elders residing within the Sacred Mountain, there is the Sect Master, the four Grand Elders, and your father. That’s all. You must remind yourself to keep this secret. Do not reveal your mission to anyone, no matter what.”
Hengsheng nodded slowly, his mind racing as he tried to process the weight of the task ahead. He hesitated for a moment before asking, “I understand, but if I manage to eliminate all their disciples during the Metal Flow Plain Gathering, won’t that alert the Thunderclap Blade Sect to be suspicious there someone is coming after them?”
Lan Mingzhi’s expression hardened, his voice resolute. “It will, but the risk is worth it. Over the past million years, the Thunderclap Blade Sect has actively eradicated every second-rate force in the southern Metal Flow Plain. Their actions have already significantly weakened their Qi Luck. If all their Qi Gathering disciples perish inside the secret land, it will strike a devastating blow to their prestige and further erode their Qi Luck. If everything succeeds, we may finally have the opportunity to confront them head-on.”
Hengsheng’s eyes glimmered with a mixture of determination and apprehension. “I see… so this mission isn’t just about revenge; it’s about creating a crack in their dominance.”
Lan Mingzhi nodded. “Precisely. Remember, Hengsheng, this mission is critical for the survival and revival of our lineage. But success requires you to act with absolute precision and cunning. The future of the Lan Clan—and the legacy of the Blossoming Sword Sect—rests on your shoulders.”
Hengsheng straightened his posture and nodded firmly. “I won’t let you down, First Elder. I’ll make sure their disciples don’t leave the secret land alive.”
Lan Mingzhi’s eyes softened slightly as he regarded Hengsheng. “Good. Prepare yourself. This gathering will be unlike any challenge you’ve faced before.
Hengsheng nodded, his usual smirk replaced by a somber expression. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him. With a simple gesture, the First Elder sent Hengsheng back to his room.
As he reappeared, Hengsheng quickly glanced around. His servants seemed unfazed, likely due to the First Elder.
“You may all rest now. I’ll be entering cultivation. Inform me when we arrive in Golden City,” Hengsheng instructed calmly.
The servants bowed and retreated to their quarters, leaving Hengsheng alone.
He stood silently for a moment, his gaze distant as the enormity of what he had learned settled over him. The truth about the Lan Clan’s origin, the ever-looming threat of the Thunderclap Blade Sect, and the precariousness of their survival—it all felt like a tempest swirling in his mind. He had thought the Lan Clan’s position secure because they didn't have any sworn enemies only minor disputes over resources to contend with. Now, he realized that they were perched on the edge of annihilation.
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His mind raced through scenarios of what could go wrong. The image of his clan falling, consumed by the might of the Thunderclap Blade Sect, flashed vividly in his thoughts. The cold, harsh reality sent a chill down his spine.
Hengsheng’s eyes hardened, his usual laziness replaced with steely resolve. “If things go wrong, we’ll be wiped out…. I can’t let that happen.”
The room seemed to grow colder as his determination solidified. “I need to get stronger. Quickly.”
Without another thought, Hengsheng moved to his cultivation mat. Sitting cross-legged, he took a deep breath, calming his turbulent thoughts. His spirit core pulsed faintly within him, resonating with his will.
As Hengsheng initiated his cultivation, the room subtly shifted. Spiritual Qi in the air responded violently to his pull, swirling toward him in a torrent. The sheer force of the influx caused the furniture around him to tremble slightly, and a faint mist of Qi began to form.
Each breath he took drew an immense amount of spiritual energy into his body. His spirit core refined it, and the Vast Meridian Refinement Art circulated it throughout his spirit veins, eroding the barriers of his unopened meridians.
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Two months later
Hengsheng sat cross-legged on his cultivation mat, surrounded by a shimmering pile of low-rank spirit stones. Each one glowed faintly, pulsing with spiritual Qi as they fed his cultivation. He was nearing the completion of his final Qi cycle, the air around him charged with intense energy as it condensed and flowed into his body.
As the final unit of refined Qi entered his spirit core, a powerful surge rippled through him. His Spiritual Qi inside his spirit core began to evolve, refining its quality and expanding its capacity. Hengsheng’s body turned faintly red as Spiritual Qi coursed through his meridians, purging impurities and strengthening his body.
The spirit stones surrounding him dimmed one by one, their energy completely absorbed. As their Qi depleted, they crumbled into fine dust, scattering around the room like ash in the wind. Hengsheng didn’t pause, cycling through the stones with calculated efficiency, their abundant Qi accelerating his breakthrough.
By the time the process ended, thousands of spirit stones had been reduced to dust, covering the floor in a fine, pale layer. Hengsheng's body pulsed with vitality, his spirit core gleaming with newfound strength and refinement. He had successfully advanced to the middle stage of the Qi Gathering realm.
Hengsheng opened his eyes slowly, his gaze filled with a mix of triumph and exhaustion. He flexed his fingers, feeling the increased power coursing through his veins. The energy was potent and steady.
Despite his success, Hengsheng’s body felt drained, both mentally and physically, from the intense process of his breakthrough. Sitting amidst the dust of countless spirit stones, he took a deep breath, allowing himself a rare moment of reflection.
"Stabilizing the cultivation realm will take some time," he thought, standing up and brushing the fine layer of dust off his robes. His resolve hardened as he gazed at the room, now littered with the remains of his efforts.
A translucent system window appeared before him, displaying his updated status.
[Status]
Name: Lan Hengsheng
Race: Human
Age: 18
Spirit Core: System Neutral Spirit Core {Mortal}
Cultivation Realm: Middle Stage Qi Gathering {25.01%}
Qi Cultivation Method: Vast Meridian Refinement Art
[Attributes]:
* Physique: 62
* Spiritual Qi: 312
* Mind: 53
* Spirit Body: 54
Special Traits: Mind Space, Super Spirit Body, Vast Meridian {124/512}
Qi Techniques:
* Earth-Grade— Endless Step Technique, Horizon Shift Technique, World Shatter Palm Art, Qi Surge Cannon Technique, Heaven’s Pulse Fist Technique, Pure Qi Rebound Technique
Auxiliary Systems Capacity {93/100%}:
* Ultimate Fighting System {34%}
* Recycle System {44%}
* Scripture Maker System {15%}
[System Points]: {0/1000 Points}
[Absorb] [Upgrade]
Hengsheng studied the system window intently, his gaze lingering on the steady progress he had made. “Middle stage at last,” he murmured, a faint sense of accomplishment in his tone. His eyes shifted to the numbers, each representing the fruits of his relentless effort and the countless spirit stones he had consumed.
“312 units of Spiritual Qi,” he muttered, shaking his head. Despite the seemingly impressive number, he couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed. In reality, even a cultivator at the Spiritual Foundation Realm with only 10 units of Spiritual Qi could rival or surpass him due to the fundamental differences in quality and mastery of Qi between the realms.
“This function is misleading and worse than useless,” he thought with a wry smile. “It only takes up system space and gives me a false sense of strength.” His gaze hardened as he made a decision. “I should remove it entirely. There’s no point in keeping something that doesn’t serve a purpose.”
Closing the system window with a wave of his hand, Hengsheng leaned back slightly and thought as he began to cultivate the more he understood about Qi and the world's nature, contemplating the gaps in his power. "Strength isn’t in number." He resolved to refine not only his Qi but also his systems, ensuring every aspect of his cultivation path was optimized for the battles to come.