Immortal Road.

as time flows.

In the same month that the Sunflower Fairy broke through to the Great Divine Power realm, good news also came from the Ghost Valley Holy Land.

As the master of the Star Vortex, Qian Bu was the third to successfully draw Star Essence into his body, open the Heavenly Gate and create the Spirit Sea, thus ascending to the position of a Great Supernatural Being!
This caught everyone at the Ghost Valley Holy Land completely off guard.

Even Liang, the head of the Liang lineage, his other disciples, and the Supreme Elder of the Ghost Valley Holy Land were all surprised that Qian Bu had actually changed into a different person overnight!

When he truly emerged carrying boundless power, all the disciples stared wide-eyed in disbelief, trembling as if they were seeing things.

"Brother Qian, what's going on?"

"What, can't you tell?"

Qianbu was calm and composed, his steps steady and powerful.

In front of everyone, he walked step by step to the center of the giant stone square, in front of the Supreme Elder of the Ghost Valley Holy Land, and four pairs of eyes met!

"Qianbu greets the Supreme Elder."

Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside to witness this moment.

The Supreme Elder of the Ghost Valley Holy Land was shocked. He never expected that this young man would surpass him. He originally thought that this kid was only cultivating by relying on the Star Vortex, and the Liang Clan Master had also reported this to him.

Who knew it would be used to temper the body and open up the spiritual sea!

The question is, where did this kid get a Nascent Soul stage body tempering technique?
Of course, that's no longer important.

With Qian Bu successfully ascending to this level, the die was cast, and his status subtly rose. Even though he was a powerful being at the primordial spirit stage, it was not appropriate for him to forcibly interrogate the other party's privacy.

After all, everyone has their own opportunities and chances.

However, this trick was really well executed, not only fooling the Liang family leader, but also deceiving everyone else!
"Okay, okay, okay"

The Supreme Elder of the Ghost Valley Holy Land didn't know what to say, so he could only say "good" three times. In front of everyone, he held a celebration banquet for Qian Bu and bestowed upon him the title of Venerable as a way of winning him over.

If they continue to suppress it deliberately, then the Holy Land is probably nearing its end.

"Child, you have extraordinary talent in the art of military formations. You will surely surpass your master in the future. I hereby bestow upon you the title of Venerable Xunbing, hoping that you will carry forward the legacy of our holy land!"

"Thank you, Elder."

Qianbu bowed deeply and accepted the new title without hesitation.

The title of "Venerable One" can be given to anyone outside, but it is passed down within the Ghost Valley Holy Land!

The title of Venerable Xunbing represents a complete system, and the Supreme Elder of the Ghost Valley Holy Land subsequently sent him the relevant cultivation manuals.

Although Qian Bu doesn't possess great supernatural powers or magic now, he is still a genuine master of supernatural abilities once he becomes a grandmaster of military strategy!
As long as you have the strength to maintain a massive army, you can even compete with those at the Nascent Soul stage!
He broke through first and obtained the title of Venerable of the Military Formation School, acquiring the inheritance. He immediately began to win people's hearts.

Bingzhenliu already had many followers, and now, with his great success, he has instantly gained the allegiance and loyalty of many stewards, protectors, and even elders!
Next, they continuously consolidated their network of connections, seized power, installed trusted confidants, and eliminated dissidents.
In particular, many senior elders who held high positions were confidants of the Liang lineage master, and he directly transferred them away from key real power and handed them over to a new generation of young Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

The Supreme Elder of the Ghost Valley Holy Land turned a blind eye to this and did not intervene.

When Qianbu heard from somewhere that Huiming had foreseen this long ago and advised the Liang clan leader to kill him in advance, he was immediately furious and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter!

"Reporting to Your Excellency, Elder Huiming has been missing for several months."

"What? Ran away?"

Qianbu angrily flicked his sleeve.

"You're lucky you ran fast, otherwise you would have been in big trouble!"

Of course, Huiming ran away, but Huicong couldn't escape. He was currently serving as a military supervisor in the first two levels of the Xun Gu Sect. Qianbu immediately sent someone with his warrant to capture him!
Jade shattered in the cold pool.

The members of the Xun Gu Sect gathered together, watching as three Nascent Soul stage elders from the Ghost Valley Holy Land came up from below, specifically requesting to take Elder Huicong away.

Lin Shan sat on the leader's throne on the stage, quietly watching the farce unfold below.

Elder Huicong shouted sternly from the crowd:
"What are you three juniors trying to do? I am your senior uncle! Disregarding seniority and rebelling against your superiors, are you trying to rebel?"

The three men didn't recognize his seniority at all and tried to drag him away without saying a word.

"Old man, stop acting like you're so old and arrogant. You call yourself a senior uncle? You've been wasting your life all these years, and all you dare to do is bully your own kind!"

"We're fighting tooth and nail on the front lines against the holy lands, while you're hiding in the rear, acting like a tyrant in the Ancient Seeking Sect. You must have been lining your own pockets quite a bit, right?"

"We are here on the orders of Venerable Xunbing to arrest you and bring you to justice. We are determined to investigate the case of embezzlement of the first two layers of Ice Jade Essence. If you obediently accompany us, you will suffer less!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Huicong's face changed color in shock.

He had only recently learned about Qianbu's attainment of great supernatural powers and his being granted the title of Venerable of the Chariot Soldiers by the Supreme Elder through an informant.

Because he harbored a侥幸心理 (a sense of侥幸, or a belief that he could escape with the help of others), thinking that he was alone and guarding the Xun Gu Sect as a military supervisor, it would be inconvenient for the people in the Red Dust Star Sea to make a move against him, he did not escape with Elder Huiming and decided to wait until the Liang Clan Master broke through to the Great Divine Power realm before making any moves.

But now the other party is acting quickly, clearly coming to arrest him and thoroughly investigating the embezzlement case, and he immediately panicked!

He began to regret not heeding Elder Huiming's advice. If he had known, he would have escaped with them, and now he wouldn't be able to run away even if he wanted to.

"Leader Lin, you must help me! They're going to take me down to the underworld for trial. Qian Bu has openly declared his intention to rebel against Senior Brother Liang. Our trusted junior brothers are in grave danger. Please lend a helping hand immediately!"

"Ok?"

Upon hearing this, the three immediately turned around and warned the Xun Gu Sect not to act recklessly.

"This is an internal matter of our Ghost Valley Holy Land. Your sect had better not interfere, or you might end up not only losing people but also getting yourself into trouble!"

The scene was silent for a moment.

The three of them didn't dare to make a move. After all, this was the territory of the Xun Gu Sect. Although Elder Hui Miao was dead, her example was still fresh in their minds.

Lin Shan smiled and then surprisingly greeted the audience warmly:
"Elder Huicong, how long have we known each other?"

The crowd's eyes darted around, their minds racing. Was the cult leader going to protect someone?
Elder Huicong was overjoyed, thinking there was a way out, and quickly tried to get closer to him.

"I have known Leader Lin for over ten years since I came to Leibo Sea Spirit Tide."

"Oh? It's been that long."

Lin Shan did some quick calculations: the first two levels of the Spirit Tide Expansion would take at most half a year, the third level, the Lava Sea, should take a year, the fourth level, the Yin-Yang Mystic Ladder, a little over a year, and the fifth level, the Mortal Star Sea, would take close to eight or nine years. By this calculation, it would indeed take more than ten years.

In the first two levels, apart from the major battles with other forces in the first few years, the Seeking Ancient Sect has basically been in a stalemate and has been stationed there peacefully ever since.

After Elder Huicong succeeded Elder Huimiao, he always kept to himself and supervised the army. Time flew by and the present day has arrived.

"Over ten years of continuous mining and excavation, the resources have slowly been depleted, but the combined profits from the micro-moss and ice jade essence in the first two layers amount to tens of thousands of kilograms—truly an incredible fortune!"

"Uh, yes, yes, yes."

Elder Huicong nodded hurriedly, unsure of what he meant, his heart burning with anxiety, hoping only to save himself as soon as possible. Unexpectedly, Lin Shan suddenly changed the subject and beckoned to Lü Xiuming below the stage.

"Go and take out the account books and profits from the past ten years, make a copy and give it to the three fellow Daoists from the Ghost Valley Holy Land."

"Yes!"

Lü Xiuming immediately found the account book, copied a jade slip, and handed it to the visitor.

The three Nascent Soul cultivators looked surprised and hesitated slightly as they held the jade slip.

"Master Lin, what is this?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Elder Huicong has been collecting 80% of the Holy Land's share from us for many years. We don't know if he's corrupt or not, but the Xun Gu Sect has never missed a single payment."

Lin Shan handed the evidence directly to them, which was tantamount to handing them a knife as well.

“This ledger is clear and accurate, which can prove my innocence in teaching, so that no one will try to smear me later.”

"When you get back, ask them carefully, and while you're at it, also ask Gu Jiao to investigate whether Elder Huicong embezzled the 20% of the profits from the Ghost Valley Holy Land on the lower three levels?"

"If so, please remember to help recover it. I, Lin, would be extremely grateful!"

Everyone was stunned; they hadn't expected him to do this.

The three men looked embarrassed and their eyes darted around. They could only give a vague reply. They did indeed have the idea of ​​killing two birds with one stone: to cause trouble for the Xun Gu Sect.

However, Lin Shan suddenly threw out the ledger, which clearly recorded the monthly revenue, open and transparent, and genuine, leaving them with no way to investigate and even less daring to mention the profits of the three lower levels.

Isn't this like lifting a rock only to drop it on your own foot?
Elder Huicong was shocked when he heard this. Was the Xun Gu Sect going to abandon him?
"Master Lin, we've known each other for over ten years, how can you just stand by and watch me die! If you're not going to help, fine, but why kick me when I'm down???"

He has now truly experienced the wickedness of the world. He never expected that he would be trampled on by the Ancient Searching Sect when he was in dire straits. Can you believe this is something a human being would do?

"Don't forget, Senior Brother Liang has treated you well, always showing you courtesy and even agreeing to send an inspection team to monitor the Holy Land. How can you repay kindness with enmity?"

"Alright, fellow Daoists, hurry up and take him away. What are you dawdling about? I've had my eye on him for a long time!"

Lin Shan waved his hand impatiently, like a heartless traitor, and got up to leave without even glancing at Elder Huicong.

Old man, I've put up with you for far too long!

You've been a parasite in the Xun Gu Cult, eating your fill and strutting around all day. I've wanted to beat you up for a long time, and now that Qianbu has sent people to drag you away, that's perfect.

It's best to destroy them completely!
The three Nascent Soul stage cultivators looked at each other, equally unwilling to stay any longer, and only wanted to finish their mission quickly and return to report.

He immediately put away the account book, clasped his hands in farewell to the people of Xun Gu Sect around him, and took his leave.

"Then I won't bother you any longer."

"Very well, very well. Xun Gu taught you to be heartless. If this place doesn't want me, there are plenty of other places that will!"

Elder Huicong knew he would suffer no good fate in Qianbu's hands, so he immediately roared and rushed out of the hall, making a quick escape to arrest him!
Ran?

The members of the Xun Gu Sect all watched the show; not one of them went out to chase after them.

The three men disregarded everything else and immediately led their men out to pursue and capture Huicong, determined to bring him to justice.

Half a year later.

The mortal world and the starry sea have finally changed once again.

When Master Liang emerged from seclusion, he was so angry he almost died on the spot!

Looking around, he saw that the military formation had changed hands overnight, with his trusted confidants either dead or fleeing, leaving him all alone in a daze!
No, I'm the leader of the lineage, how come I'm all alone?

Especially after learning the truth, I felt like the sky was falling!

"Qianbu, I'll fight you to the death!"

As the spiritual energy of this world gradually declines.

There were three waves of spiritual energy in the first year of the Huiyuan era, but now they have declined from their peak. The concentration of spiritual energy in the world has dropped sharply, and everyone in the cultivation world can clearly feel it.

In the past, whenever I left the bustling cities and towns of the mortal realm and ventured into the mountains, forests, and fields, a refreshing spiritual energy would rush towards me, and I could feel my cultivation level soaring even without much effort!

It was precisely because of this prosperous era that the number of cultivators exploded like a geyser. Qi Refining cultivators sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and Foundation Establishment cultivators, who used to be the backbone of major sects, could now be seen everywhere in various markets. There were countless independent cultivators.

The number of Golden Core cultivators, who were once so rare, has gradually increased, and they are no longer so noble and mysterious.

The number of Nascent Soul stage cultivators has tripled compared to the same period, making it an unprecedented golden age!

Even when the Holy Land descends to fight across the continent, causing countless deaths and widespread devastation, it cannot withstand the nourishment of the world's spiritual energy. Talented individuals emerge in every generation, and new talents replace the old.

But now,
Everything has changed!

The spiritual tide receded, and the world suddenly turned upside down.

Those who have already broken through to a higher level are fine, but those who are stuck at the threshold are in trouble. They find that breaking through again is as difficult as climbing to the sky!
The first problem is the lack of spiritual energy from heaven and earth, and the second is the shortage of rare and precious natural materials.

The cultivation world seemed to have instantly entered the Dharma-ending Age!
As the Great Depression approached, the spirit stone currency system began to crumble, and inflation in the cultivation world continued to rise.

Foundation Establishment Pills, which used to cost only a few hundred or a thousand spirit stones, can now be sold for tens of thousands of spirit stones each!

The land for the shops in the market area is impossible to rent out, let alone sell.

With the changing environment, everyone is now careful with their money, so who would dare to spend lavishly on renting?
In the lower levels of society, thieves and murderers began to increase, and social order in the cultivation world gradually deteriorated. The major and minor sects struggled to recover from the wounds of war, while the holy lands only cared about reaping the benefits and then abandoned the mess.
This plunged the world into chaos!

In the middle region of the State of Lu, there is the Leibo Sea.

The four holy lands sensed the illusions fading away on the fifth level, the mortal world and starry sea began to calm down, and the soft mantle flow in the mantle layer gradually hardened. They realized that the Wanhui year was coming to an end and it was indeed time to withdraw.

Otherwise, even a Nascent Soul stage cultivator would be trapped deep underground forever!
The main force began a ceasefire and withdrew in an orderly manner from bottom to top.

The materials for the Yin-Yang Mystic Ladder were recycled, and the floating bridge from the Lava Sea was taken directly.

When we returned to the second level, the Jade Shattered Cold Pool...

The Xun Gu sect, along with the Confucian families of Lu and various academies, have basically exhausted the essence of the Ice Jade over the years, and finally, the major holy sites have returned.

Since the conflict between the spiritual tides had come to an end, people no longer had to fight to the death when they met. Instead, they nodded to each other from afar, and everyone sighed with relief.

it is finally over!
However, some old acquaintances made a special trip to visit.

"Second Brother, it's been a long time. Your Ancient Searching Sect looks deserted up there. How are you doing these days?"

(End of this chapter)