Volume 1, Chapter 69 – Attention from the Outside World

While Yaochi Immortal Palace entered a new cultivation frenzy following the opening of the Myriad-Phenomena Tower, time continued to pass quietly in the outside world.

Among the Three Great Sacred Lands of the Southern Region, as well as the major sects and clans, undercurrents had long since begun to stir.

The Law Secret Realm had one strict requirement: only cultivators whose bone age did not exceed fifty could enter.

As a result, it was not only a stage upon which the younger generation could make a name for themselves, but also a means for the various factions to test one another.

The secret realm contained not only many rare natural treasures, but also numerous cultivation techniques and inheritances left behind by ancient cultivators.

Every time the secret realm opened, it produced a new group of geniuses. At the same time, many proud talents would meet their end and perish within it.

There was no need to mention the three great powers of Qingyun Sacred Land, Lingxu Sacred Land, and Tianyuan Sacred Land.

Long-established first-rate sects such as the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, Heavenly Fire Valley, and Wondrous Sound Pavilion, as well as certain ancient clans with profound foundations, had also begun preparing in earnest.

At the martial practice ground of Qingyun Sacred Land, dozens of young disciples were engaged in fierce sparring matches.

The weakest among them was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, while the strongest had already reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

They were the finest elites of Qingyun Sacred Land’s current generation.

On a raised platform, Sacred Lord Chu Tianchen stood beside several core elders and silently watched the matches.

“Mubai has already grasped seventy percent of the true essence of the Qingyun Sword Art. His sword qi remains condensed without dispersing, and his offense and defense are well balanced. Not bad.”

One elder stroked his beard and nodded slightly, his gaze settling on a cold and imposing young man in the arena whose swordsmanship was sharp and fierce.

“Su Wan’er’s techniques have also become increasingly proficient. There is strength within their softness, and they flow without end. Her future holds great promise.”

Another elder looked toward a graceful woman in a blue dress who was controlling water vapor that filled the sky.

Chu Tianchen remained composed as his gaze swept across the energetic disciples who were fighting with all their strength.

They were all the future hope of Qingyun Sacred Land.

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Yet another figure involuntarily flashed through his mind: Gu Luoli.

Several years ago, she too had stood on this martial practice ground, radiating such brilliance that her peers could barely breathe beneath the pressure.

Back then, her double pupils had just begun to reveal themselves, and her cultivation advanced at an astonishing pace. Everyone had regarded her as the hope behind Qingyun Sacred Land’s future rise.

“If she had never been injured, just how dazzling would she be now? She would probably have reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm long ago, or perhaps even be on the verge of forming her Nascent Soul…”

Chu Tianchen sighed inwardly, only for a trace of complicated emotion to replace his regret.

Elsewhere in the Southern Region, within Lingxu Sacred Land, several figures with vast auras sat facing one another in an elegant pavilion atop an immortal mountain.

Seated in the central position was an elderly man dressed in a Daoist robe patterned with the Eight Trigrams and holding a horsetail whisk. Starlight seemed to circulate within his eyes whenever they opened and closed.

He was Xuanyangzi, the Sacred Lord of Lingxu Sacred Land and a great cultivator at the early stage of Mahayana.

“You have all heard the recent news from the outside world, I presume?”

Xuanyangzi’s voice was calm, yet it naturally carried an air of authority.

A cold-faced middle-aged man seated below him, with a long sword strapped to his back, gave a snort.

“That Chu Tianchen is certainly capable of swallowing his pride. He can even endure the humiliation of his former Holy Maiden entering someone else’s tutelage.”

“It seems Yaochi Immortal Palace truly inspires deep apprehension in him.”

He was Perfected Jianchen, the Enforcement Elder of Lingxu Sacred Land. With cultivation at the peak of Body Integration, he was renowned for both his Sword Dao and his unyielding temperament.

Another speaker was a beautiful, dignified woman dressed in palace robes. She chuckled softly and interjected,

“The examples of the Flying Cloud Sect and the Green Mountain Sect are right before us. The Mountain-Covering Ape King did more than merely smash their sect gates. He also forced many factions to recognize the situation clearly.”

“For its Palace Master to subdue three demon kings at once and make them elders, her cultivation is likely no weaker than that of the two ancestors within the forbidden grounds.”

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She was Yuxuanzi, the Foreign Affairs Elder of the sacred land. She was meticulous in thought and highly skilled at dealing with others.

Another gray-robed elder responsible for intelligence wore a grave expression.

“If this continues, the balance of power in the Southern Region will inevitably change.”

Xuanyangzi nodded slightly.

“The secret realm will soon open. It will be the ideal opportunity to observe the true strength of this sect. Fighting is not prohibited within the secret realm. Only opportunities and ability matter.”

“When the time comes, have those youngsters under us pay some special ‘attention’ to the disciples of Yaochi Immortal Palace.”

“If Chu Tianchen can remain patient, Lingxu Sacred Land does not lack patience either. Before we uncover their true foundation, we should not act rashly.”

“Yes!”

Everyone accepted the order in unison.

At the ancestral grounds of Tianyuan Sacred Land’s body-tempering lineage, a towering giant of a man stood inside a rough-hewn stone hall, holding a jade slip with his thick brows tightly furrowed.

He was the Barbarian King, one of Tianyuan Sacred Land’s Supreme Elders. A late-stage Mahayana cultivator, he was renowned for shattering all techniques with raw strength.

“Yaochi Immortal Palace? That’s the sect where the Mountain-Covering Ape King became an elder?”

The Barbarian King’s voice boomed like a great bell, making the stone hall hum and vibrate.

“Heh, that old fellow. I fought him once in the Wanjue Mountain Range back in the day. He was pretty strong, though a little too straightforward.”

“I never expected that Palace Master would actually be able to subdue him.”

Below him, another cultivator who was similarly broad and muscular but appeared somewhat younger bowed and said,

“Supreme Elder, should we have the youngsters under us give their disciples some special attention inside the secret realm?”

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“In particular, the ones trained by the Mountain-Covering Ape King likely follow the Dao of Strength as well. It would be an excellent chance to compare abilities.”

The Barbarian King rubbed the stubble on his chin, a combative gleam flashing through his eyes.

“A match? Certainly! But don’t strike to kill, and don’t be foolish enough to let someone else use you.”

“Those people from Lingxu Sacred Land and Qingyun Sacred Land are full of schemes. Who knows what kind of trouble they’re plotting?”

“We at Tianyuan Sacred Land prefer to be direct, but that doesn’t mean we’re brainless.”

“Who knows… heh, perhaps we’ll have opportunities to deal with them in the future.”

He was clearly more interested in the Palace Master who had managed to subdue the Mountain-Covering Ape King.

Apart from the Three Great Sacred Lands, the other first-rate sects and clans were also making plans of their own.

Some were apprehensive and instructed their disciples to keep their distance.

Others intended to use the secret realm as an opportunity to test the depth of this newly risen power.

An invisible undercurrent began to gather slowly throughout the Southern Region, centering upon Yaochi Immortal Palace.

Yet at the heart of it all, Yaochi Immortal Palace remained immersed in its fervent cultivation, entirely unaware of the turmoil in the outside world.

Before the Myriad-Phenomena Tower in Yaochi Immortal Palace, it was the day the eighth group of disciples would complete their cultivation inside the tower and emerge.

The elder leading the group was Jin Feng.

Light flowed across the tower gate, and more than a dozen figures emerged one after another.

Compared with before, most of the youthful inexperience of these disciples from the eighth group had already faded.

At their head was Wang Teng, who now possessed considerable prestige among the younger generation of disciples.

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Much of his formerly impatient temperament had settled, and his steps carried the faint steadiness of a mountain.

“Elder Jin, thank you for your hard work!”

Yun Yun nodded slightly to Jin Feng as he led the group out.

Jin Feng cupped his fists in response, a faint smile on his face.

“Deputy Palace Master, these disciples all performed admirably. Their foundations have been refined well, and several of them even achieved breakthroughs inside the tower.”

His gaze swept across the dozen or so disciples behind him, lingering for an extra moment on Wang Teng.

This boy, who had once nearly suffered a serious problem because of his impatience for quick results, had now undergone a complete transformation.

Sensing Elder Jin’s gaze, Wang Teng straightened his back, confidence shining in his eyes.

The lesson he had learned before had also allowed him to truly understand the meaning of cultivation.

“Very good.”

Yun Yun swept a gentle gaze across the group before announcing,

“Return and rest first. Consolidate what you have gained!”

“The next group of disciples will be Yue Shan, Sun Qiao, Qian Mengmeng, Han Xue, Li Wen…”

“The accompanying elder will be Xuanya!”

As the ninth group of disciples entered the Myriad-Phenomena Tower under Xuanya’s leadership, a new round of cultivation began once more.

The overall strength of Yaochi Immortal Palace continued to rise steadily at an astonishing speed.

In private, the disciples exchanged their cultivation insights and sparred to test what they had learned. The bonds between fellow disciples grew deeper with each passing day.