Chapter 60 - Rumors

Lai Jianlin had heard that the cultivation of the ancestor of the West Gate Immortal Sect was at the early stage of Mahayana.

It was said that the Nangong Immortal Sect also had an ancestor who was at the early stage of Mahayana.

Only the North City Immortal Sect had an ancestor at the middle stage of Mahayana.

Lai Jianlin had also heard that no one had ascended for ten thousand years.

He saw a Wood Spell, with a disciple holding it in his hand, but he just watched without recording it.

“Excuse me, senior brother, would it be possible for this junior brother to record the jade slip?”

The disciple hummed without raising his head and said, “First come, first served, don’t you know the rules?

I like to read slowly, what can you do about it?”

“Ah, well, then take your time senior brother, I’ll look for other magic manuals first.”

This time, Lai Jianlin went to look for the Golden Magic Manual, and he saw someone about to reach for that manual.

He quickly grabbed the jade slip and, without a second word, pressed it against his forehead, immediately imprinting the spell in his mind.

“You really are…”

A Qi Cultivation Stage disciple was about to scold him when he realized it was a senior brother whose cultivation was definitely higher than his, although he couldn’t make out exactly how high.

“Here, take it junior brother.”

Lai Jianlin had already recorded the contents in his mind and suavely placed the jade slip in the junior brother’s hand.

“Thank you, senior brother.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lai Jianlin then went on to look for an Earth Spell, and this time he was lucky to find an Excavation Technique Manual.

Lai Jianlin didn’t care about the slightly odd name of this Earth Digging Spell Manual, as long as it was related to earth, he recorded it first to decide later.

After looking around, Lai Jianlin didn’t find any other Wood Spells that caught his eye, so he returned to the disciple who was still head down, looking at the jade slip.

“What do you want?”

It seemed as if the senior brother sensed why Lai Jianlin had approached him.

“Senior brother, could you let me have it now?”

Lai Jianlin put on a smiling face, knowing the Scripture Pavilion had rules — no fighting or brawling inside, as it would disturb others reading and might damage the Pavilion.

If someone fought here, the formation would activate and trap the disruptor.

Lai Jianlin would not do something so foolish.

He had many more important things to do and did not want such a blemish on his reputation in the Sect over a jade slip.

There were other ways to get what he wanted in the Cultivation World, like spirit stones, magical treasures, or inviting someone to a meal.

“Then why are you standing in front of me?” The senior brother looked up, his gaze fixed on Lai Jianlin.

Lai Jianlin got a good look at the man’s face.

Their cultivations were similar, but he wondered if their combat abilities were the same?

Another matter was the man’s age; he seemed to be middle-aged, didn’t he?

Addressing him as senior brother was not inappropriate.

“Senior brother, I would like to invite you to a meal.”

The man’s expression changed from a glare to a smile upon hearing about a meal.

He said, “How could I imposet, junior brother?

We haven’t even met.

But since junior brother is inviting senior brother to a meal, I accept.

Let’s go eat.”

Lai Jianlin did not expect that simply inviting someone to a meal would be so effective.

Could it be that the Sect’s meals weren’t tasty?

That wasn’t right either; the food outside was made from similar ingredients, perhaps it was just about the better taste when eating out.

Their cultivator’s appetite for food shouldn’t matter that much.

“Senior brother, wait a moment, let me record the spell from the jade slip in your hand first.”

“Sure, here you go…”

The senior brother had not expected that the junior brother’s invitation for a meal was just to record a spell.

But he had already looked at the jade slip.

Wasn’t it just an ordinary Wood Spell?

Soaring Trees?

How could one ascend to the skies when none of the cultivators had been able to ascend?

As he looked at it, he was just curious to know how tall these Soaring Trees actually were.

Lai Jianlin took the jade slip unhesitatingly and recorded it in his mind.

“Senior brother, wait for me, I need to find a couple more manuals.”

“Junior brother, don’t deceive me.

Don’t cross the river and demolish the bridge!”

The senior brother was skeptical.

Lai Jianlin watched time pass by and knew he had to find the manuals before time ran out and they were forced to leave.

“It’s true, you can follow me if you don’t believe it.”

“I’ll follow.

If you don’t treat me to a meal today, I’ll go to your residence and make sure to have it.”

“Fine, fine, fine.”

In the end, Lai Jianlin found two more manuals suitable for his Triple Spirit Root cultivation and recorded them into his mind.

“You have recorded five manuals, that’s enough…

Get out.”

Suddenly, a voice echoed in Lai Jianlin’s mind, a voice he found somewhat familiar—it was the voice of the brother guarding the entrance.

“Brother, let’s go!”

“Oh, oh, oh”

Lai Jianlin and his brother left the Scripture Pavilion one after the other, then together they employed their footwork, exited the Sect, and headed to the marketplace to dine at a restaurant.

In Immortal Lord City, the Jiang Family received a report that the Huang Family had sounded the alarm.

“The Huang family, who are usually so arrogant, are having a bad day.

But we won’t take advantage of others’ misfortune.

If others don’t offend me, I won’t offend them.

Send someone to keep an eye on the Huang Family.”

The Jiang Family Head was aware that his family’s strength was not enough to annihilate the Huang Family.

In the past few years, some of their branch villages had suffered famine, and people had died from eating poisoned rats.

These past years, they had been consolidating their strength, and unless the Huang Family instigated a provocation, they would not engage in armed conflict.

If their family were to clash with the royal family, it would only benefit the opportunists.

Perhaps both sides being injured would allow those fishermen to rise from second-rate families during this time and opportunity.

Maintaining strength was what they should be doing now, and even more so, they needed to cultivate the younger generation.

The disciples of the Jiang Family could only follow the orders of the Jiang Family Head, to watch over the Xia Family side.

They also provided more resources for the younger generation to cultivate stronger Cultivation.

Although they harbored ambitions, they dared not make any moves for the time being.

Fighting would come at a cost.

The three families also held a disciple competition every year.

However, the elite disciples of the families were all practicing in the Immortal Sect, leaving the remaining disciples to compete just for participation and lacking strong combat capabilities.

The competition rules forbade the killing of opponents, resulting in a rather lackluster affair where full strength could not be exerted, which was not much fun.

But those were the rules — to stop when a point was made.

It was just a friendly competition among the three top families, and the prizes awarded came from all three families.

Having competed so frequently, they were well aware of the daily Cultivation Techniques and spells of each other’s disciples.

There was no overwhelming sense of dominance, and fighting was unsatisfying.

Family Head Huang, accompanied by several Elders, went to the Mount Tai Sect and directly sought out his grandson’s Master, a Golden Core Elder.

The Golden Core Elder, facing Family Head Huang, had been expecting them for a few days.

He had been consecrating a Magical Treasure and was watching out for the arrival of strangers.

He had met Family Head Huang before, but not the other Elders.

Their aggressive arrival and the reproachful look on their faces somewhat irritated the Golden Core Elder.

However, not wanting to disrespect the face of Buddhahood, he remembered that the Huang Family had indeed provided him with abundant resources and Spirit Stones for Cultivation over the years.

“Family Head Huang, I had already anticipated your arrival, but bringing so many people with you…”

“Esteemed Elder of the Immortal Sect, what happened to my grandson?”

Family Head Huang, facing someone with higher Cultivation, also did not dare to act recklessly.

A single move from the Golden Core Elder would be enough to defeat all of them, especially since they were on someone else’s territory.

Absolute assertiveness was out of the question.

“A few days ago, they went out for a training excursion and brought many treasures with them at night.

Somehow they were killed.

It is said that someone wanted to rob them of their treasures and killed them.

Then, someone related to the victims sought revenge.

That person’s Cultivation is beyond both of us, so we have no means of seeking revenge.”

The Golden Core Elder, seeing the suppressed anger on Family Head Huang’s face, revealed the truth to them.

“What?

Who is that person?

How can they be so powerful?”

Family Head Huang knew his grandson all too well; always haughty and arrogant.

But it was common for cultivators to kill for treasures during outdoor training.

He himself had done many such things in his youth.

Otherwise, how could his family have remained unshakable as the First Family all these years?

The word ‘ruthless’ was key.

“Su Chang’an of the Sword Sect.

You must be aware of his Cultivation, Great Perfection of Nascent Soul.

If we sought revenge, we would be slaughtered like ants by him.”

“The Young Master of the Sword Sect?

How could it be him?”

Family Head Huang initially harbored thoughts of revenge, but now, facing such a powerful enemy, he truly had nowhere to start.

“Yes, it’s him.

I saw it through the Mirage Mirror, there’s no mistake.”

Upon hearing the words of the Golden Core Elder, Family Head Huang stood dumbfounded in the Elder’s parlor, having not even taken a seat upon his arrival.

The other three Elders exchanged glances after looking at Family Head Huang.

If they could not seek revenge, they could only return to their own family.

Yet, Family Head Huang was not willing to let things rest so easily.

Although he couldn’t retaliate openly, could he perhaps be more underhanded?

With their family producing an abundance of Magical Treasures, Family Head Huang, contemplating this idea, decided to investigate Su Chang’an after meeting with the Golden Core Elder.

“Esteemed Taoist, where is my grandson’s soul?

Our family’s Jade Token has shattered, but even if he is dead, his soul should still exist, right?

We couldn’t summon his spirit back even in the Soul Summoning Forest.”

One of the reasons Family Head Huang was determined to visit the Mount Tai Sect was to summon back his grandson’s soul to the family.

He thought about refining a Magical Treasure to provide his grandson with a dignified resting place, or even better, allow him to continue practicing Cultivation inside it, even if he couldn’t become a Human Cultivator.

He could also look for a Ghost Cultivator’s Secret Manual, making the Ascension on the Path of Cultivation possible.

“Well, you’ve come to the right place.

What I want to tell you is that my disciple is cultivating inside a Magical Treasure.

Family Head Huang, rest assured, my treasure is quite powerful.

I plan to consecrate it for forty-nine days, then send my disciple to a place where he might grow stronger.”

“Really?

Are you not deceiving us?”

Family Head Huang and the Elders were skeptical.

Could this old Taoist just be putting them off, sending them away and then acting as if nothing had happened?

“If you don’t believe me, I’ll let you see Huang Chen.”

The Golden Core Elder calmly took out a Magical Treasure from his person, the Soul Summoning Bell, channeled Spiritual Power into it, and the souls within the Bell took on physical forms.

Six disciples stood inside, and Huang Chen looked at the outside with surprise and joy.