Yellow Court Daoist

"Senior Sister Yue's view happens to coincide with mine."

Zhou Yuan stroked his grizzled beard and nodded as he spoke.

Hearing this, Mei Qingyan widened his eyes and pondered for a moment before saying, "Do the Sect Master and Senior Sister Yue worry that Elder Lu will be so resolute that if he cannot secure a spot in the Hundred Herbs Garden within our Luoxia Sect, he might switch his allegiance to one of the other three factions?"

Although Mei Qingyan is fiery in temper, with over two hundred years of cultivation, he is no fool.

With a little thought, he understood the implications of Yue Lingxi and Zhou Yuan's words.

"I have also heard a bit about this Elder Lu's character from Miao Yin,"

Yue Lingxi's voice, hoarse, slowly continued, "Given Elder Lu's character, it's unlikely for him to defect to other factions. But if he really is determined, I fear he won't give up easily. Rather than jeopardizing our relationship later, it's better to agree now. Furthermore, Miao Yin once mentioned that Elder Lu has always been cautious and exceedingly mysterious. Since he actively seeks entry into the Hundred Herbs Garden, he must be confident in his ability to protect himself."

"Even if Elder Lu is just an ordinary Condensed Liquid Realm Practitioner, as long as I am by his side, neither the demon clan's nor the demon sect's offspring would dare hurt a single hair on him. If this can completely keep him within the Luoxia Sect, what would I regret giving up this life for?"

At the end, Yue Lingxi's words revealed a determination to lay down her life.

"Senior Sister Yue, you're being too serious,"

Mei Qingyan said in succession.

Zhou Yuan and Sui Hanshan looked toward Yue Lingxi, understanding her intention.

Senior Sister Yue was the earliest among them to be initiated—she had been in the sect for three hundred and six years, from the age of twelve.

The life span limit for a Foundation Establishment Stage practitioner is around three hundred years. Yue Lingxi had once consumed a Returning Yang Fruit, but now she had long had a premonition that her life's limit was approaching.

Considering that she had no hope of ascending to the Spirit Void, Yue Lingxi did not wish to waste the sect's treasured Returning Yang Fruits and might pass away at any moment.

That was the reason for her words.

If she could gain the favor of Lu Qingfeng by defending him in the Hundred Herbs Garden with her dying body and thus secure a promising Second Rank Alchemist for the Luoxia Sect, it would be her final contribution before death.

Upon mentioning this,

no matter it was Zhou Yuan, Sui Hanshan, or Mei Qingyan, all felt a heavy emotion for a while.

In the current Luoxia Sect, only the four of them came from the era of the Luoxia Ancestor.

And Yue Lingxi was the oldest among them.

Seeing this noble and virtuous senior sister could pass away at any moment, their hearts could not help but grieve.

In the silence,

the matter of Lu Qingfeng entering the Hundred Herbs Garden was settled.

On the same day, Lu Qingfeng received the news from Jinyun Peak.

Although he had expected it, he still felt relieved. Being able to settle the spot in the Hundred Herbs Garden through the Luoxia Sect saved him the trouble of looking elsewhere.

…

Upper Sun Country.

Fujiang Cliff.

A decade had passed since Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu—the 'Three Qings Ancestors' of the Qingyuan Sword Sect—left the Qingyuan Sword Sect.

The Qingyuan Sword Sect was thriving, growing increasingly powerful within the Upper Sun Country.

With Fujiang Cliff and Dangyang County as their foundation, they expanded across three counties. In a blink, it had become the strongest force in the Upper Sun Country.

With branches in one country and three counties, Fujiang Cliff was revered as a holy land.

Having been established for over a decade, the Sword Sect had more than ten thousand disciples.

Among them, those excellent in Root Bone and temperament had already advanced to the True Qi Realm, numbering over a hundred.

Among these hundred-plus True Qi Realm disciples, Zhang Bo, Ma Wenju, Xie Tian, Xie Di, and Han Baiyun are the ones who have advanced the fastest, leading the way with a cultivation at the True Qi Realm Fourth Level.

Surprisingly, they have surpassed Elders Lu Qingshan and Qingyu, claiming higher positions successively.

However, this was an inevitable trend.

Zhang, Ma, and the others have superior Root Bones and are diligent and ambitious. Even if they cultivate step by step, their advancement would not be slow.

Beyond that.

Before leaving the Upper Sun Country, Lu Qingfeng continuously sent Elixir Pills through his puppets from Fujiang Cliff, and the cultivation chamber he arranged with Spirit Stones played a significant role.

The combination of innate factors and external elements such as the cultivation environment and resources explains why these five have achieved such heights without surprise.

True Qi Realm Fourth Level, the middle phase of the True Qi Realm.

Reaching this level, it would take a vast amount of time to make further progress within the Upper Sun Country.

Being senior members of the Qingyuan Sword Sect, which is unrivaled in the Upper Sun Country, they can hardly find any competitors. Their only option for self-improvement is to enter the perilous mountains on the South Shore, fighting fierce beasts.

The South Shore is dangerous, and few choose to do this.

That day.

Zhang Bo and the rest emerged from the Ancestor Master Hall, their expressions tinged with excitement as they gathered in the conference hall.

Zhang Bo, a few years the senior among them, was the first to enter the True Qi Realm and True Qi Realm Fourth Level. He was calm by nature, but excitement and light flickered in his eyes, clearly struggling to contain his emotions.

He glanced at the other four and took the lead, saying, "The Three Qings Ancestor has already opened a path in the Crying Swamp, leading to the Cultivation World at Biyang Lake. Disciples of the Qingyuan Sword Sect who have reached the True Qi Realm Fourth Level may apply to partake in the Crying Swamp Trial.

"If they pass, they may cross the Crying Swamp and reach Biyang Lake, from which their future is boundless. If not, they will be returned to the Upper Sun Country, only getting a second trial opportunity upon reaching the True Qi Ninth Layer. And without passing, they will have no more chances in the Cultivation World."

"What do you four junior brothers think?"

Ma Wenju, Xie Tian, and the other three exchanged glances, all showing eagerness.

Today.

The 'Black-clothed Guardian' of the Qingyuan Sword Sect suddenly summoned them, informing them of the Three Qings Ancestor's intentions—

The Crying Swamp Trial!

Success means leaving the barren cultivation lands of the Upper Sun Country, advancing into the Cultivation World of Biyang Lake.

Failure means a lifetime of stagnation within the Upper Sun Country.

For the disciples of the Qingyuan Sword Sect, this is undoubtedly a trial that concerns their fate.

The five are eager to try, yet they worry about the trial's difficulties.

Should they fail, setting aside the inconceivable time it would take to cultivate to the True Qi Ninth Layer for a second trial, that would be their only chance - pushed into a corner.

And if they fail again, then their remaining years would be hopeless.

Upon suddenly hearing that they could enter the Cultivation World, their hearts were ecstatic. But as they stepped out of the Ancestor Master Hall and calmed down to think it over, they realized that hurrying into the trial might not be wise.

"I believe we should not rush into the trial," said Ma Wenju, genteel and correcting his expression. "Reaching the True Qi Realm Fourth Level grants us one trial chance. But with that level of cultivation, the chances of success are undoubtedly slim. If we can cultivate to the True Qi Fifth Level or Sixth Level, the odds would be much better."

At these words, Xie Di, a burly figure with a dark complexion, nodded continuously, "Brother Ma is right. Before leaving the Upper Sun Country, the Ancestor Master left behind many techniques. Plus, he has sent over the methods of Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and talisman making through the Black-clothed Guardian. Increasing our cultivation levels and mastering a few techniques will surely give us a better chance to complete the trial."

"But—"

Xie Di had barely finished speaking when Han Baiyun, fair and delicate as a lady, frowned and said, "The Ancestor Master has bestowed upon us the methods of Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Talisman Making, indicating that in the future, Elixir Pills, Artifacts, and talismans will rarely be granted. Without the aid of Elixir Pills, how easy could it be to raise our cultivation within the Upper Sun Country?"

"To learn the way of Alchemy and Artifacts now, who knows when we will achieve anything."

At that remark, the four others in the hall sunk into silence.

...