Immortal Road.

Chapter 232: A Stranger Comes to Join
Two years later, Tianfu Mountain.

The top of the mountain was covered with leaden clouds, thick fog was everywhere, and alternating hot and cold temperatures filled the mountain.

"Come, come, come~~~"

"Bump, bump, bump~~~"

“Squeak, squeak, squeak~~”

Strange screams echoed around, as if countless ghosts were calling, or there was an army of skeletons walking, or snakes, insects, rats and ants rustling and scurrying around, alarming all the disciples of Xun Gu Sect.

One by one, they walked out of the cave and looked at the thick fog in confusion.

The bell tower on the top of the mountain rang twice, and Master Zhankong's voice spread throughout the mountain:
"Boom!~~~"

"All disciples, please be patient. This is because Elder Hei Ku, who taught me, succeeded in refining a magic weapon and put it into the sword washing pool to temper it. Everyone, please stay where you are and do not cause any disturbance."

"Boom!~~~"

After the disciples learned that it was not an invasion by foreign enemies or a natural or man-made disaster, they just looked up at the mountain curiously and returned to their respective caves.

Two days later, the fog dissipated and the dark clouds dispersed.

The large formation on the top of the mountain was removed, and the door of the weapon refining hall opened. The Black Skull Demon Lord walked out holding a flaming flag.

Master Zhankong, Lv Xiuming, Mu Yan, Wu Hanqiao and others who were waiting outside the door for a long time bowed and saluted:

"Congratulations to Elder Hei Ku for his successful treasure refining!"

The Black Skeleton Demon Lord nodded and caressed the flagpole lovingly, but as he touched it, he extended his dark bone claws. The four people in the audience wisely lowered their heads and didn't look.

The big flag fluttered in the wind, rustling, with black flames burning on all four sides of the flag and thick smoke blowing into the distance. The flagpole was a thick black-gold bone spur with a sharp tip and a black line faintly visible.

The four people below could all feel the magical power of the magic weapon at this moment. It was extremely hot at one moment, icy cold at another, and then a series of illusions at another moment. Everyone felt a chill in their hearts.

Is this the magic weapon that Elder Hei Ku has been refining for two years?
The Black Skull Demon Lord played with it for a while, then swallowed it in one gulp. The flag did not go down to find his dantian, but instead went up into the soul fire in his skull, and began to calcine and nourish it with a "crackling" sound.

The nurturing of one's natal soul treasure is no different from that of one's natal magic treasure. The nurturing period is calculated according to the number of magic prohibitions.

Generally speaking, a magic weapon with twelve levels of magic restrictions needs to be nurtured for twenty-four years, and a magic weapon with thirty-six levels of magic restrictions needs a full seventy-two years.

But it varies from person to person.

The nurturing of soul treasures and magic treasures depends solely on the calcination of the cultivator's soul and the refining of his magic power. If the cultivator's soul and magic power are strong enough, and their quality and density are higher, then the nurturing time will naturally be faster.

The quality of mana in the late Jindan stage and the early Jindan stage is naturally not the same.

The Black Skeleton Demon Lord cultivates his soul, so its density and quality are naturally terrifying. With the quality of his soul at the Nascent Soul stage, it should be enough for him to nurture this mid-grade soul treasure with twenty-four levels of magic prohibitions in just over ten years.

As for the functions of this newly-made soul treasure personally refined by the weapon-refining grandmaster, he naturally would not tell anyone, and the four people below did not dare to ask.

"Where is Master Lin? Has he come out of seclusion?"

The Black Skull Demon Lord casually glanced around, looking at the magnificent scenery of Tianfu Mountain. The mountains, rivers and streams were all green, and his mood also became beautiful.

"Report to the elder, the leader has been in seclusion and has not come out yet."

The four of them answered respectfully.

"Hmm~"

The Black Skull Demon Lord glanced at the four people and found that two years had passed. Except for Master Zhan Kong who was still stuck in the late stage of foundation building, Lu Xiuming, Mu Yan and Wu Hanqiao had all broken through the foundation building stage. He nodded repeatedly.

These people are very capable, and the future development of Xun Gu Sect will still require them to manage it, so necessary training is indispensable.

On the way to the meeting hall, Lu Xiuming reported on the expansion and progress of Xun Gu Sect in the past two years when Lin Shan and Black Skull Demon Lord were away. Everything was on the right track and in an orderly manner, which showed that they were indeed talented.

However, when it comes to expanding the sect's enrollment, there is one thing they are unsure of and requires approval from both the chief and deputy leaders.

……

"What? There are Foundation Establishment cultivators who are willing to surrender? And there are several of them at once?"

In the meeting hall, Lin Shan had been in seclusion for only two years. After hearing about this, he hurried out. The Black Skull Demon Lord was sitting next to him, leaning back in his seat, gazing at the person coming from below with a gleam of divine light.

A group of high-ranking members of the sect sat on the ground on both sides. Lu Xiuming, who was already in the early stage of foundation building, introduced the identities and origins of the people who came to seek refuge to the two leaders.

There were five people in total in the audience, four men and one woman, all of them were casual cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage, with more or less vengeance on their shoulders. When they learned that the Xun Gu Sect was just founded and was recruiting talents, and that there were mid-grade spiritual veins available for cultivation, they all decided to come and try their luck.

If you can get in, you can lean against a big tree for shade. Not only will you have a place to stay, but you can also hide from your enemies.

Generally, when a casual cultivator reaches the foundation-building stage, he needs channels to obtain his own cultivation resources, and it is extremely difficult for him to bring his skills with him to visit a mountain.

When recruiting guests from other families, aristocratic families of cultivation pay more attention to skills, while sects of cultivation prefer to train disciples from a young age. No one is likely to share the limited resources with outsiders, so they are not very concerned about recruiting independent cultivators.

For example, among the four sects of Lu Nan, each sect has Jindan-stage cultivators, but the resources within the sect are limited, and are only enough to train a few personal disciples, while the rest are left alone.

It is impossible to accept all the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators into the sect just because they come to join the sect. One reason is that the cultivators are used to being wild and their loyalty cannot be guaranteed. Another reason is that resources are tight and they are afraid of feeding ungrateful people. Wouldn't it be better to keep them and train their own disciples?

Therefore, Lu Xiuming, Master Zhankong and others did not dare to act on their own and could only ask Lin Shan and the Black Skull Demon Lord to make the decision.

The two leaders of the Xun Gu Sect were both the first generation who started the sect halfway through, and all their direct descendants were gathered from various sources. Therefore, adhering to the principle of the more the better, if the people who come to join them have decent qualifications and do not have many enemies behind them, they will be accepted.

After all, there are too few people available under his command. Master Zhan Kong is good at playing formations, Lu Xiuming is suitable to be a housekeeper, Wu Hanqiao is suitable to be a staff officer, Mu Yan is the face of a cross-level resistance, but apart from him, there is no one else available.

However, you still need to understand it before collecting it, and it is necessary to find out the roots.

The first person to come out was a middle-aged man.

The man had messy hair, an untidy beard, and slight scars, and looked very shabby.

"I was born in the southern part of Lu State, in the Mekong Delta, and I am in the middle stage of foundation building. Because I offended my enemies, I am a late stage foundation building cultivator, so I am hunted everywhere. Today, I come to pay my respects to the master and beg him to take me in!"

Lu Xiuming below nodded imperceptibly, indicating to the two people on the stage that they had investigated his background and what he said was true.

Lin Shan, who was sitting high on the throne of the leader in the main hall, hummed slightly. He didn't care that he had an enemy in the late foundation building stage. What's more, he was just a casual cultivator. My great Xun Gu Sect can naturally handle him.

As for that lone cultivator enemy, will he grow into a giant in the future, come here to seek revenge, and implicate the Xun Gu Sect?
Lin Shan didn't care at all. After all, he was a cheater. If he didn't even have this confidence, then he shouldn't recruit anyone. Which cultivator doesn't have enemies? This is the most normal thing. There is nothing to be afraid of.

"What's your name? What did you do before you became a casual cultivator?"

The sloppy middle-aged man answered respectfully:

"My last name is Gao, and I used to be a fishmonger. When my father named me, he hoped that I would set sail and become big and strong!"

Lin Shan suddenly straightened his back, his eyes gleaming with brilliance:
"So, your name is Gao Qiqiang?"

The middle-aged sloppy man: "No, my name is Gao Zuoda!"

Lin Shan: "."

Black Skull Demon Lord: “.”

Master Zhankong: “.”

Everyone: "."

What I fear most is that the air suddenly becomes quiet and the situation becomes a little awkward for a moment.

This sloppy middle-aged man named Gao Zuoda observed the other's words and expressions and had a very heroic temperament. He immediately changed his words:

"If the leader does not forsake me, I will change my name to Gao Qiqiang from now on, and serve you at your side and conquer the world!"

"No need!" Lin Shan waved his hands quickly. The name was given by his parents, so how could he change it just because an outsider said so?

Besides, the name Gao Zuoda is also acceptable. If he were called Gao Qiqiang, he would be afraid of being backstabbed!
"Okay, wait aside first, and we'll discuss whether to take you in later."

"I will obey the master's command!"

This sloppy middle-aged man named Gao Zuoda, although he was a fishmonger, was very polite and had the potential to be a lackey. Lin Shan had a very good impression of him.

……

The second person to come out was a short and thin young man.

This person had a face full of bitterness and hatred, as if he was carrying unimaginable pressure. He walked down the steps step by step and introduced himself to the people in the hall:
"I am Li Yuanjie, a man from a fallen country. I am in the middle stage of foundation building. I was once the crown prince of Guo. Later, Guo was destroyed by a sect in Jin. I had no choice but to live in a foreign land. I changed my name to Ajie and fled to Lu."

"If I could be taken in by the leader today, I would sacrifice my life for him!"

Although the short and thin young man had weak shoulders, he gave people a very tough feeling when he spoke, and every word he said was powerful. Lin Shan and the Black Skull Demon Lord in the hall smiled and nodded, with admiration in their eyes.

Lu Xiuming also specially investigated the origins of this short and thin young man who used the alias Ajie, and told the two of them in secret.

In the vast demonic camp to the east of Lu, there are many countries, big and small. The big ones are about the same size as Lu, and the small ones may only be the size of a county. Basically, they all rely on the support of the demon sect behind them.

It is not surprising that if the backing of some countries collapses, they will be on the verge of destruction.

On both sides of His Highness's seat, Master Zhankong, the head of the Formation Hall, was the first to ask:

"I know that Jin is a superpower in the northeast, but I have never heard of Guo. I don't know which sect in Jin you have offended?"

Li Yuanjie did not dare to neglect him, turned around and saluted and replied: "Guo State is a tiny country, not worth mentioning. It was destroyed by the Swallowing Star Sect of Jin State only because the Demon Sect behind it was disbanded."

The head of the Internal Affairs Hall, Lu Xiuming, looked at the hall and found that the leader and the deputy leader were silent. He immediately stood up and continued to ask:

"How strong is the Jin Kingdom's Swallowing Star Sect? If you become successful in your cultivation in the future, will you return to Jin Kingdom to seek revenge?"

Li Yuanjie's eyes were red, and he gritted his teeth: "Tunxingmen is a medium-sized sect. There are three Jindan-stage ancestors in the sect. The hatred of destroying the country will never be forgotten. If I have the ability in the future, I will naturally go and take revenge!"

The head of the Foreign Affairs Hall, Mu Yan, asked:
"If you take revenge, will you restore the country?"

Li Yuanjie was stunned, then hesitated for a moment, and then followed his heart and explained honestly:
"I think so. Guo State is the legacy left by our ancestors. If I have the ability, I will definitely restore the country."

After these questions, everyone understood what was going on.

Master Zhankong, Lv Xiuming, Wu Hanqiao, and Mu Yan, the four hall masters, all stepped out and bowed towards the hall:

"Master and Deputy Master, please be aware that this person has a deep blood feud. Not only has he offended a great enemy, but he will also seek revenge in the future. If he leaves the sect to restore his country, it will not only bring disaster to our sect, but also waste resources to train him. He must not be accepted!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanjie clenched his fists, but was too weak to release them.

He seemed to know that his idea was not very authentic and was suspected of taking advantage of the Xun Gu Sect, so he remained silent.

Unexpectedly, Lin Shan in the palace smiled and praised:

"It is human nature to avenge a grudge; it is a loyal act to restore the country; it is clear that he is an honest gentleman. Such people are trustworthy and loyal. How can I abandon them?"

The princes and the others were shocked and wanted to dissuade them.

The Black Skull Demon Lord also nodded continuously at this time, and his thoughts coincided with Lin Shan's:

"That's right! I teach people to be honest with others, and I believe that others will not let me down! The Star Swallowing Sect is just a second-rate sect in the demonic world. What can it do to me?"

When everyone saw that the deputy leader, Elder Hei Ku, also said this, they couldn't help but stop talking and hesitate.

Lin Shan frosted the armrest of the throne beside him and spoke softly, responding with domineering attitude:

"Lu is the territory of the righteous. Not to mention that the Star-Swallowing Sect dare not invade in a large scale, even if they really dare to come for revenge, do they think that the 72 forces of the Lujiang League are vegetarians? Moreover, with Elder Hei Ku and Master Zhan Kong as the guards, Tianfu Mountain is as solid as a rock. What is there to be afraid of?"

Everyone thought about it and realized that this was indeed the truth.

Li Yuanjie's nose felt sore and his eyes filled with tears. He immediately knelt down and said:
"My two masters are so righteous. I am ashamed! Today I swear to Dao Xin that if I can avenge my country in the future, I will make Xun Gu Religion the state religion, Guo State a vassal, and my descendants will be disciples of the religion from generation to generation, forever and ever!"

"it is good!"

Lin Shan stood up and held out his hand, motioning him to go to the side and stand with Gao Zuoda.

When the four hall masters saw this scene, they all praised the leader for his broad mind, extraordinary courage, and magnanimity, and that their subordinates were far inferior to him.

……

After these two, it was the turn of two burly men.

They were a pair of brothers, eight feet tall, strong as bears, with broad shoulders and round waists, and ferocious looks, especially the muscles in their arms and chests, which were bulging and looked very powerful!
"I am the Second Tyrant of Rangshan. We are both in the late stage of foundation building. I once offended a merchant from a cultivation family in Lu State, so I had no choice but to become a bandit. Today, I heard that Tianfu Mountain was recruiting people, so I came here specially to surrender!"

Lin Shan and Hei Ku Demon Lord's eyes lit up. These two men were too strong and looked like tools that were easy to use!

The chief steward Lu Xiuming began to secretly transmit messages to them, explaining to them the intelligence information he had investigated behind the scenes.

It turns out that these two brothers were born with intellectual disabilities because of their mothers, even though they were born to different fathers. However, they were accepted into Shangyang Academy, one of the top ten academies in Lu State, which ranked tenth and last.

Because of his good aptitude, he was promoted smoothly all the way and cultivated to the late stage of foundation building. However, he accidentally offended one of the financial backers behind the Shangyang Academy, a businessman from a family of cultivators.

This is similar to the model of other academies. For example, among the financial backers behind Yunchuan Academy, Xun Gu Sect is one of them. They have to provide a large amount of spirit stones to the academy every year in order to obtain more than a dozen training places.

This kind of commissioned training belongs to core training, which is different from the simple training of ordinary cultivators. It is like the gap between true disciples and outer disciples, so it can be called a cooperative relationship.

The two brothers stayed in the academy and practiced until the late stage of foundation building, but because they were not very smart, they could not stay to become teachers in the academy and bring benefits and contributions to the academy.

Even the sects and aristocratic families don't keep idle people. You can't teach, you can't make pills or weapons, and you're clumsy at looking after elixirs. So what's the point of keeping you?
Fighting and killing?
As an academy, Shangyang Academy belongs to the neutral camp. Naturally, no force will provoke it, and it may not become an enemy for hundreds of years.

What's more, there are numerous factions in the academy, fighting for power and profit like a whirlpool. The two brothers are clumsy and always mess up the tasks assigned to them, which makes the gentleman who once invested in them very disappointed.

Seeing that graduation had been postponed for more than ten years and he had not been able to make any further progress, he had no choice but to leave Shangyang Academy and make a living on his own.

At this time, the merchants from the cultivation family finally got the chance, and seeing the two fools leaving the academy, they immediately took action to get rid of them. It was a pity that although the two brothers were not smart, they still had some strength.

After a series of battles, the two brothers simply ran into the Rangshan Mountains and became bandits.

The merchants sent people to encircle and suppress them many times, but they would hide in the mountains and always return empty-handed.

Although this family of cultivators is not without Jindan-stage masters, it is not good to bully the weak in the world of cultivation, and it will also expose the family's incompetence.

It would absolutely be a laughing stock for a family of cultivators to be unable to deal with even two independent cultivators and yet need a Jindan-stage ancestor to take revenge on them.

So these two brothers are still alive and well today.

This time, upon hearing that Tianfu Mountain was recruiting talents, the two brothers, who had been rejected repeatedly in other places, came here again in a hurry to try if they could get in. They didn't expect to be able to meet the two leaders in person. At this moment, they were so excited that they couldn't stop grinning.

Lin Shan and the Black Skull Demon Lord looked at each other. Neither of them was the kind of person who judged people by their appearance. Besides, all they needed was to expand their strength. They were a little bit looking forward to these two brothers who had no special skills.

This kind of stubborn and stupid big guy, others don't want him but I want him, he's just two more mouths to feed, I can afford to support him in the Xun Gu Sect!

Lin Shan is amiable:

"Please stand up quickly, two brave men. I don't know your names yet."

The two brothers clasped their fists together:
"I am Shanglu!"

"I am Song Zhong!"

"Meet the Master!!!"

(End of this chapter)