Mythical Cultivation

Afterward, Wu Ming visited the sect's alchemy hall and carefully selected and purchased a batch of elixirs suitable for his current stage of cultivation. Thoroughly prepared, he confidently embarked on his retreat, determined to break through the bottleneck of the eighth level of Qi Refining and advance toward a higher realm of cultivation.

As Wu Ming locked himself in his room, devoting himself to his retreat and striving to reach the eighth level of Qi Refining, he was completely unaware of the dramatic changes quietly unfolding within the sect. This event, however, was so profound that it could completely rewrite the future of Qingjiang County. However, this event had no direct connection to Wu Ming.

At this moment, within the grand and solemn hall of Qingyun Sect, a young man stood respectfully. This man was Zhang Tianming, a leading figure among Qingyun Sect's outer disciples. He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his features strikingly handsome, his brows radiating a heroic spirit. He cupped his fists and bowed, performing a standard ceremony toward the dozens of people seated at the upper level of the hall. He declared in a clear voice, "I am Outer Disciple Zhang Tianming, greeting the Sect Master and all the elders!"

Following Zhang Tianming's gaze, he could see that within the spacious and bright hall, all the people present were dressed in the uniform attire of Qingyun Sect elders. Among them were elegant middle-aged men, as well as elderly men with youthful features and white hair; there were heroic women and powerful men. Some were whispering among themselves, while others stared intently at Zhang Tianming below, their expressions varying.

Particularly striking were the ten chairs neatly arranged on either side of the hall, each bearing a distinguished presence. Each possessed a sagelike demeanor, graceful demeanor, and exuded an otherworldly aura in their every gesture. These ten individuals were undoubtedly the renowned Ten Elders of the Qingyun Sect.

At this moment, an ethereal and majestic voice came from above the hall: "No need to be so polite. Are you Zhang Tianming? You are indeed a handsome man with extraordinary talent." Hearing this, Zhang Tianming hurriedly bowed and thanked him again, wondering in his heart why he was summoned to the hall this time...

Zhang Tianming bowed respectfully before cautiously raising his head. His gaze was instantly drawn to the figure seated at the head of the table. Clad in a dark green Taoist robe, he stood tall and straight, like a pine tree, resembling an ethereal immortal. While his features weren't exceptionally handsome, his ethereal demeanor and gentle, bright eyes, like the warm spring sun, elicited a sense of familiarity.

The wisp of beard gracing his chin fluttered gently in the breeze, adding a touch of otherworldliness to his appearance. Yet, despite his seemingly ordinary features, when the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile, Zhang Tianming keenly sensed a unique aura within him. An invisible majesty spread like vast smoke, silently enveloping the entire hall.

Under this overwhelming pressure, Zhang Tianming's once upright frame involuntarily hunched slightly. However, the sway was so slight that even he didn't notice. This intimidating yet respectful figure was none other than the current head of the renowned Qingyun Sect—Yin Muchen, nicknamed the "Eternal Sword Immortal" by the Jianghu.

"So this is the leader of my Qingyun Sect! Although his appearance is not stunning, just by looking at him, one can feel the kind of demeanor that makes people sincerely convinced." Zhang Tianming thought to himself.

Then, he gathered his thoughts and asked, "Why did the Sect Master and the elders summon me here today? I wonder?"

In reality, Zhang Tianming had a rough idea of ​​the reason for this summons; it was simply about the inheritance of the Shenmu Sect. But he still wanted to hear the sect's final decision.

"I called you here this time because I'm sure you have some guesses in your mind. Yes, it's because of the inheritance of the Shenmu Sect. This matter is of vital importance, and its impact is so far-reaching that it even concerns the future prosperity and decline of our entire Qingyun Sect! So I called you here today to ask you to tell me the details of how you obtained the inheritance of the Shenmu Sect this time. If there is anything that is inconvenient to say, you can tell me frankly." Yin Muchen's eyes were like torches, as if he could see through Zhang Tianming's inner world and easily expressed what he was thinking.

Zhang Tianming nodded slightly, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Reporting to the Sect Master and the elders, after the Shenmu Sect opened its doors, I, along with the others, entered this mysterious place. Upon entering, I was greeted by the sight of thousands of stone steps stretching endlessly, towering into the clouds. I climbed these stone steps, step by step, each one feeling like a thousand-pound burden, making it all the more arduous."

At this point, Zhang Tianming paused briefly before continuing, "As we continued to climb... at this critical moment of life and death, the time limit in the secret realm expired, and I was able to escape."

After Zhang Tianming finished his story, the hall fell into silence.

After a long while, an old man sitting on the right, stroking his snow-white beard, asked doubtfully, "According to what you said, as long as we reach the top of those stone steps, we can receive the inheritance of the Shenmu Sect? Could this be a path to refine our hearts?"

Just listening to Zhang Tianming's vivid description, Yin Muchen already understood in his heart that this must be the Path of Refining the Heart! He couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "I can't believe that the Shenmu Sect's Path of Refining the Heart still exists in the world!" You have to know that as the head of the Qingyun Sect, Yin Muchen's knowledge and understanding are far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

In ancient times, the Heart Refining Path was a treasure unique to major sects, used specifically to select the most desirable new disciples. It was simpler and more straightforward than their current tests and assessments, quicker and more convenient, and could save significant manpower and resources. And don't underestimate it; the Heart Refining Path wasn't just for selecting new disciples; it actually contained numerous now-lost mysteries! The most crucial element was the combination of formations and restrictions.

To be more specific, this combination of formations and restrictions cleverly blends various formations with different functions, forming a new, highly comprehensive composite formation. However, in the current cultivation world, the formations and restrictions used are generally limited to a single function. They are either powerful killing formations, defensive trapping formations, or illusion formations capable of confusing the mind. It was for this reason that he was shocked and moved to learn of the existence of a well-preserved and fully functional composite formation here.