Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

Until the last rebel cultivator was detained and boarded the warship...

General Zuo, clad in armor, turned around and clasped his hands in a fist salute to the Palace Master of Xuanming Palace:

"Palace Master Xuanming, we have finished receiving Ni Xiu. We will take our leave now."

"General... take care."

The Xuanming Palace Master's voice was somewhat hoarse.

General Zuo nodded, said no more, turned around and transformed into a streak of light, flying back to the warship.

hum-

With a deep hum, the two golden warships simultaneously burst forth with dazzling light.

The runes on both sides of the ship lit up again, and golden light shot out from the bow, weaving into a huge portal in the void.

That's a "Boundary-Breaking Array," capable of tearing through space and enabling long-distance teleportation.

Rumble!
The warship slowly sailed into the gate.

First the bow, then the hull, and finally the stern...

As the last inch of the ship disappeared into the portal, the portal suddenly contracted, turning into a point of light, and then vanished completely.

Calm returned to the skies above the ice field.

After a long time...
The high-ranking members of the Northern Underworld Palace then slowly withdrew their gazes.

The protective formation closed again, and a deep blue light enveloped the world.

But the heavy sense of oppression did not dissipate.

"call……"

The Third Elder let out a long breath, as if he wanted to expel all the pent-up emotions in his chest.

"This ordeal... is finally over."

His voice was filled with exhaustion and relief.

The other elders nodded in agreement.

The Fifth Elder smiled wryly:

"Yes, it's finally over."

But... the price was too high.

What is the cost?
It means handing over 137 fellow disciples.

The ancestor was seriously injured and went into seclusion.

This caused the status of the Northern Underworld Palace in the Northern Region to plummet.

The sect's dignity has been swept away today.

"But at least... the sect was saved."

The Palace Master of Xuanming Palace spoke slowly, his voice deep:

"The ancestor is right. As long as people are alive, the sect will exist."

The humiliation of today may well be washed away in the future.

That being said, there was little confidence in his eyes.

wash?

What should we use to wash it?
Facing a behemoth like the Cultivator Association, facing two Half-Saint Hall Masters, and possibly even the Nascent Soul Guild Master...

The Northern Underworld Palace had absolutely no chance!
"Palace Master," the Second Elder suddenly spoke, his tone grave.

"After this incident, I believe that... the sect must strengthen its control over its disciples and followers in the future."

“In particular, those forbidden techniques must be thoroughly investigated and dealt with without any leniency.”

"That's right!" the Fourth Elder echoed.

"The reason why the Xuan Shuang lineage has come to this point is because we were too lax in our supervision and too lenient with them in the past."

If it had been discovered and stopped earlier, this wouldn't have happened.

"And then there's the relationship with the Cultivator Association..." the Sixth Elder murmured.

"Should we send someone to the Holy City to show goodwill to the Monks' Association?"

At least... express your stance?

The group began discussing the future of their sect.

But the core of the discussion always revolves around the same theme—

How to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

How can the Northern Underworld Palace survive in this era dominated by the monks' association?

“What the elders say makes sense.”

The Palace Master of Xuanming Palace nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:
"Starting today, a comprehensive investigation will be conducted within the sect."

Anyone who practices forbidden techniques or violates the prohibitions will be severely punished without exception.

"As for the Cultivator Association... we'll make a decision after the Ancestor comes out of seclusion."

"Now, each of you should go back and comfort your disciples."

Tell them... the calamity has passed, and the sect is safe and sound.

"Yes!"

The seven elders bowed and accepted the order, then dispersed.

On the icy plains, only the Lord of Xuanming Palace remained.

He gazed in the direction where the warship had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.

The cold wind whipped his robes, making them flutter loudly.

···
Time slips through our fingers like sand, silently passing by every inch of the cultivation world...

The mountains and rivers that were once shrouded in mist and ethereal beauty have been quietly enveloped by a cold and desolate aura.

As this aura grew stronger, the Cultivator Association, a terrifying war machine that had been dormant for a long time and was capable of shaking the heavens and earth, roared into action.

at first!

Its actions were still confined to the Endless Sea, but in just a few days...

This crackdown, initiated by the Cultivator Association, spread like wildfire, its reach widening day by day.
Ultimately, it completely swept through the entire cultivation world—

No corner was spared.

Countless forces, large and small, including even the most prestigious immortal sects with an ancient heritage?
Or is it a sect that occupies a certain area?

Or perhaps it was the immortal race, whose lineage had lasted for millennia, all of them were drawn into this cleansing without the sound of gunpowder.

No one can remain unaffected.

same!

The brutality of this storm far exceeded the expectations of all the monks.

Many sects and immortal clans have been ruined simply because their core disciples and bloodline members were driven by momentary greed.
Or, through ignorance and carelessness, one might violate the prohibitions issued by the Cultivator's Association, which could lead to utter destruction—

Cultivator Guild's law enforcement cultivators, clad in jet-black battle armor and radiating chilling killing intent, stormed through the mountain gates and stormed straight into the immortal abode.
Countless cultivators who violated the ban were killed on the spot before they could even beg for mercy.

Blood stained the stone steps of the mountain gate.

Those forces with slightly better luck...
The strongest members of their sects, or perhaps the patriarchs of the immortal race, were not directly involved in violating the prohibitions and were not included in the investigation, thus managing to survive by chance.

Despite suffering heavy losses, they were able to barely maintain the foundation of their sect and prolong their existence.

But those who are unlucky will only end up being reduced to ashes.

Those sect leaders and immortal ancestors directly linked to violating the prohibitions against cultivators, even with profound cultivation and deep foundations, cannot escape the sanctions of the Cultivator Association.

Among the law enforcement cultivators, there are many top experts at the Nascent Soul and Half-Venerable levels.

They showed no mercy, and these once powerful figures were often captured on the spot without even having a chance to resist.

They were either suppressed and imprisoned, or killed on the spot.

This directly led to a cruel situation:
Many factions, having lost their strongest leaders, were leaderless and morale was low.

Such a large force either falls apart due to internal strife or...

Either it will be gradually devoured and annexed by other covetous forces in the surrounding area.
He was removed from the cultivation world from that day forward.

Similar tragedies were playing out almost every moment in every corner of the cultivation world during this period.

A sect that was bustling with activity and filled with immortal energy just a moment ago may be trampled to pieces by law enforcement cultivators the next moment.
The immortals who were once a powerful force could become homeless and destitute the very next day.

A chilling atmosphere permeated the surroundings, and panic spread like a plague, casting a lingering shadow over the hearts of every cultivator.

In a short time.

The order that the cultivation world had just stabilized after hundreds of years of war seemed calm on the surface, but undercurrents were already surging and a storm was brewing.

The power structure that once existed, with each side keeping the others in check and living in peace, is being completely shattered by this purge.

A new upheaval seems to be brewing quietly.

same,

It was precisely because of the cultivators' association's thunderous and ruthless actions that the entire cultivation world was thoroughly awakened.

No force dared to underestimate any of the prohibitions issued by the Cultivator Association.

Even those remote, isolated, and traditionally unruly sects have put aside their past arrogance and are carefully restraining their cultivators, for fear of angering this terrifying war machine.

It could even be said that in today's human cultivation world, there is only one unified voice:

—The Monks' Association!
Its authority reached an unprecedented level.
No one dared to question it, and no one dared to disobey it.

This can be seen from the various intelligence reports compiled by the Cultivator Association's Surveillance Hall.

In the past, cases of clandestine battles, private feuds, and vendettas frequently occurred within the various immortal cities.
Cultivators often fight each other to compete for spiritual materials, magical treasures, and cultivation sites, resulting in countless deaths and injuries.
However, with the ongoing crackdown, the number of these clandestine power struggles has decreased significantly, almost to the point of extinction.

As for the broken spiritual vein incidents that had plagued the cultivation world for many years and caused countless cultivators great distress, not a single one has been reported since.

You should know that before this, in order to quickly improve cultivation and forge a natal magic weapon?
Or, in the struggle for control of spiritual veins, countless cultivators did not hesitate to forcibly shatter spiritual veins, causing the spiritual energy in the cultivation world to become increasingly scarce, and many immortal mountains and blessed lands to become wastelands.

Now, this chaotic situation has been completely contained.
It's as if the cultivation world, which was once filled with strife and slaughter, has been put on pause.

Those cultivators who were always driven by profit and quick to resort to violence seemed to have transformed overnight into refined gentlemen and graceful ladies.
Moreover, his words and actions showed more restraint and less hostility.

At the same time.

In the inland region of the cultivation world, the Beidou Sect—

This Nascent Soul level sect, with its thousand-year-old heritage and profound foundation, was filled with an extremely solemn atmosphere in its main hall.

A deep and majestic voice came from the depths of the main hall, breaking the deathly silence within.

On the high platform, a gilded throne stood majestically, and on the throne sat an old man dressed in a purple robe.

The old man had a weathered face and white hair, yet he was remarkably vigorous. His deep eyes, like unfathomable ancient wells, swept over the many cultivators standing on either side of the main hall.

Wherever his gaze fell, no one dared to meet his eyes; they all lowered their heads, their expressions respectful and solemn.

The old man spoke slowly, his voice carrying an undeniable authority that resounded throughout the entire hall:
"I believe you have all received news of the Cultivator Association's actions, so I won't go into further detail."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd again, his tone growing increasingly heavy:

"Therefore, I solemnly remind you once again that you must strictly abide by every prohibition of the Cultivator Association."
Especially the first one, the [Spiritual Vein Protection Law]!
You must remember this: never take the risk of completely shattering your spiritual veins for the sake of a magical artifact or to quickly cultivate a technique that relies on spiritual veins.

Even if you manage to evade the Cultivator Association's surveillance at that time,

If I were to find out, I would not hide it from you in any way, and I would report it to the Cultivator Association immediately without any leniency!

Speaking of which,

The old man paused slightly, and the pressure emanating from his body grew even stronger, making many cultivators in the hall feel suffocated.

He then continued, his tone becoming more resolute:
"Moreover, not long ago, the sect's patriarch sent word, issuing a death order:"
"Strictly investigate all cultivators, both inside and outside the sect, regardless of their status or cultivation level. Anyone who violates the cultivator association's prohibitions will be executed without prior notice!"

With this remark,
The hall fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.

All the cultivators' eyes were fixed on the majestic figure on the high platform throne, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

They knew full well that the sect's patriarch was a powerful figure at the Nascent Soul stage, and was always benevolent, rarely issuing such ruthless orders.

But now that the patriarch has made such a decision, it's not hard to imagine that the current purge by the Cultivator Association has truly reached a point that cannot be underestimated.

After a while,

On the left side of the main hall, a Nascent Soul True Monarch dressed in a blue Taoist robe with a resolute face slowly raised his head.

He exhaled a soft breath, suppressing his shock, then stepped forward and bowed to the old man on the platform.
With a hint of hesitation in his voice, he asked:
"Senior brother, did the Ancestor really issue such an order?"

Upon hearing this, the elderly man on the high platform, dressed in a purple robe and with a dignified expression, slowly nodded and said firmly:
"good!
This is a decree personally transmitted by the Ancestor; it is absolutely true.

As he spoke, he slightly turned his wrist, and a flash of light appeared, revealing a pure white jade talisman engraved with intricate runes in his palm.

The jade talisman exuded a faint aura of power, proving its authenticity.

Then,
With a wave of his hand, the jade talisman transformed into a stream of light, piercing through the air and landing steadily on the table in front of the group of Beidou Sect elders.

Upon seeing this.

Without the slightest hesitation, the elders immediately stood up, carefully picked up the jade talisman, and began to examine the information contained within it.

Silence fell upon the hall once more...
All that remained were the faint sounds of spiritual energy circulating and the ever-changing expressions on the elders' faces.

A short while later.

An elder of the Beidou Sect with gray hair and a kind face was the first to put away the jade talisman and spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity:

"Our ancestor now holds the position of Hall Master in the Cultivator Association, and is a high-ranking member with excellent access to information."

Even the patriarch personally issued such a death order.

The cultivators' association's extensive purge this time is definitely not just empty talk; it's for real.

"rational!"

Another elder, a burly man with a full beard, immediately echoed, his tone carrying a hint of agreement.

"Otherwise, the ancestor would not have expended so much spiritual energy and resources during this sensitive period to send the message back to the sect in such a short time."

This is enough to demonstrate that the Monks' Association's determination this time is far greater than ever before.

"In that case, we must take this very seriously and not be complacent in the slightest!"

"I second that!"

"Dear fellow disciples, you must keep a close eye on them and strictly discipline them."

This is no longer the era when the three major alliances were separate entities, checking and balancing each other.
The authority of the Cultivator's Association is unassailable; the slightest misstep could lead to the annihilation of the entire clan!

"···"

...(End of this chapter)