High above, a starship gleamed as it cleaved through the clouds, accelerating away with the speed of lightning.
The vast inner space of this high-grade magical artifact could easily accommodate thousands of cultivators without strain. Qi Shuyu and her twenty-plus fellow sisters had all settled in comfortably.
Those with minor injuries were able to heal themselves with spiritual pills, while those with more serious wounds required Qing Muling’s intervention. With his extraordinary abilities, no injury was too complex to heal, and he left no lingering side effects, much to the amazement of the sisters who had thought their conditions beyond recovery.
“…Big Sister, we owe our lives to your timely arrival. Otherwise, we would have been in grave danger. Those bastards from Lumming Island are utterly despicable!”
After Qi Shuyu recounted the events that had transpired, she concluded with heartfelt gratitude.
She and her sisters had stumbled upon an anomaly in a desolate rocky mountain, which they initially mistook for a sacred herb. But after breaking through the mountain’s protective seals, they discovered an unknown shrine housing three scrolls of Daoist scriptures.
This was an unexpected delight. Qi Shuyu and the others collected the treasure, intending to find a place to discuss its distribution. However, at this critical moment, a group of cultivators from Lumming Island appeared, greedily insisting on sharing the spoils with neither good intentions nor relenting.
Qi Shuyu’s temperament was far from harmless, unlike her appearance. After a brief exchange, negotiations broke down, and a fight ensued.
The cultivators from Lumming Island had the advantage in numbers, and their ranks included two sealers, putting Qi Shuyu’s group at a disadvantage. They were forced to retreat. Amidst the chase and counter-attacks, just as they were about to falter, Qing Muling led the Big Sister and her group to the rescue, averting the crisis.
“It’s nothing. Once the Gathering of Immortals concludes, our Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace will seek justice from them. Moreover, there are still many of their disciples in this mystical realm. We’ll cut them down on sight!”
Xuebing Xuan said coldly. When Junior Brother had ventured out for his trials, he had been harassed by people from Lumming Island. Qi Yalan had wiped them out completely. Now was the time to settle both new and old scores.
A power that didn’t even count as a Supreme Dao Lineage dared to lay hands on the female cultivators of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. They needed a bloody lesson to curb their thieving desires.
Qi Shuyu glanced at Qing Muling, her fair face blushing slightly as she spoke softly, “Junior Brother, we owe you our thanks as well…”
She understood the crucial role Qing Muling had played. Without him, Big Sister would not have found them so easily. Any further delay could have been disastrous.
Qing Muling smiled warmly, “There’s no need to mention it, Sister Qi. It’s only right for fellow disciples to help each other. Should I encounter trouble in the future, I trust you wouldn’t stand idly by either.”
Qi Shuyu’s eyes sparkled as she nodded in agreement. Yu Binghua came over and pulled her into the next cabin, claiming they needed to talk privately.
This was exactly what Qi Shuyu wanted. The two women had a close friendship, akin to besties. Now that Yu Binghua had achieved her desires, Qi Shuyu, envious and resentful, naturally wanted to inquire and learn from her. She also hoped her bestie could put in a good word for her with Junior Brother, so she could also benefit from his favor.
After all, they would soon be moving with Big Sister, increasing her chances of contact with Qing Muling and possibly making progress.
Moments later, Qi Shuyu returned with Yu Binghua, now dressed in a stunning peach-pink palace gown. With her carefully adorned beauty, she was more radiant than snow, and her presence was captivating. In her hands, she held an exquisite crimson jade box with a subtle, magnificent glow.
“Junior Brother,”
Qi Shuyu approached gracefully, placing the jade box before Qing Muling with great care, “I can never repay you for saving our lives. This is one of the items we found in the rocky mountain. It’s a fine gift, so please accept it as a token of our gratitude.”
Seeing Qing Muling hesitate, Yu Binghua chimed in with a smile, “Sister Qi is no outsider, Junior Brother. Don’t refuse. Just accept it. This ancient sword scripture is of high quality, and since you’re currently lacking powerful combat techniques, it’s perfect for you to study.”
Qi Yalan and Luo Wanqing exchanged glances and smirked silently. These seductresses were going to great lengths to please Junior Brother, generously offering up the fortune they had just acquired. Their sweet words were nothing but a guise for their lustful desires for his body.
“Well, then I shall humbly accept.”
Qing Muling nodded, opened the jade box, and found three jade slips inside, linked by bright crimson jade pieces, translucent and shimmering with beautiful colors. Despite being sealed for ages, the jade slips exuded a warm and gentle aura, with a profound Daoist charm emanating from them.
“The Phoenix Star Cloud Sword Canon” was the name of this sword technique. The identity of its creator was lost to history. After a quick perusal, Qing Muling concluded that the technique was only slightly inferior to Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s sect-defining “Azure Fall Qingming Primordial Pivot Secret Canon.” Its astonishing value was self-evident.
In short, aside from those Supreme Dao Lineages, most sects and noble families in The Great Void could not compare their inheritance techniques to this sword canon in terms of sophistication and depth.
Qing Muling looked up at Qi Shuyu, who was radiant and peerless, at a loss for words. Even his master, Mu Yinghua, would agree that this gift was extraordinarily precious. It could lay the foundation for a first-rate sect, and yet Qi Shuyu had given it to him so freely.
“Alright, having accepted such a generous gift from you, Sister, I must also show my gratitude,”
Qing Muling thought for a moment, then took out twelve exquisite golden-purple jade tokens and slid them across to Qi Shuyu, “These are for sect merit points. Take them and share with the others.”
He understood Qi Shuyu’s intentions. The technique was not hers alone; all the sisters who had been with her had a share. Now that she had given this opportunity to him, the compensation for those sisters would come out of her pocket, a staggeringly large sum.
Therefore, Qing Muling offered twelve billion sect merit points for Qi Shuyu to distribute among the sisters, so she wouldn’t suffer too much of a loss.
Qi Shuyu was about to refuse, but Yu Binghua subtly tugged at her sleeve and persuasively said, “Sister, there’s no need for formalities. You and Junior Brother can study the technique together. If there’s anything unclear, you can consult and verify with each other. Once you’ve mastered it, you can offer it to the sect for rewards, isn’t that wonderful?”
From Yu Binghua’s perspective, all the Big Sisters were from the same faction. Currently, she was alone in Junior Brother’s harem and would inevitably face exclusion and opposition over time. It was both reasonable and necessary to find allies as soon as possible, which is why she was so eager to speak on Qi Shuyu’s behalf and create opportunities for her.
“Then, thank you, Junior Brother.”
Seeing that Qing Muling had no objections, Qi Shuyu no longer hesitated and happily accepted the tokens.
The starship sped on its way, and in less than half an hour, it encountered another group of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace disciples in a vast primeval forest.
There were twenty-seven of them, currently teamed up to search the dense forest for medicinal herbs and rare delicacies, hunting uncommon spiritual beasts and birds. Ice Falcon Heavenly Lord, whose cultivation was sealed, was among them, so they faced no threats they couldn’t handle.
After reuniting, Ice Falcon Heavenly Lord was overjoyed, bombarding Qing Muling with questions and offering her various treasures for him to choose from. Her enthusiasm was so apparent that Xuebing Xuan couldn’t help but feel somewhat speechless.
Big Sister suddenly realized that these Supreme Elders arranged by the Master had never had Dao companions. They had always been by Junior Brother’s side as protectors, watching over his growth. Over time, could sparks fly between them? It was hard to say.
After witnessing the many benefits of being close to Qing Muling, it was hard to guarantee they wouldn’t be tempted. This meant that the pressure on her and her sisters would be immense. Just the thought was exhausting.
Xuebing Xuan rubbed her face, feeling a headache coming on. If only she already had her Master’s level of cultivation, she could use her overwhelming power to drive away all rivals and monopolize Junior Brother, preventing any seductress from approaching and taking advantage. Unfortunately…
Qing Muling carefully stored the sword canon and took out a tortoiseshell jade coin, silently operating the secret art of divination to calculate the positions of his fellow sisters. Soon, he had the results and the starship changed course to continue on its way.
Tens of thousands of miles away, amidst the ruins of a broken palace, swords clashed and thunder roared, with the light of various magical treasures and divine spells illuminating the sky.
Su Yunmo was leading nearly a hundred sisters in a fierce battle against a group of disciples from the Azure Fall Divine Sect, with casualties on both sides.
As the disciples of the Azure Fall Divine Sect were fewer in number, they gradually fell into a disadvantage and could only curse as they fought and retreated.
“…You little wretches from Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, don’t get too pleased with yourselves,”
The leading sealer shouted through gritted teeth, “We’ve already contacted the Big Brother, and he’s on his way here with reinforcements. It won’t be long before you’re all caught in our net!”
Su Yunmo sneered slightly, “Is that so? Unfortunately, by the time they arrive, most of you will already be dead!”
With that, she launched a fierce attack with her flying sword, sweeping thousands of sharp sword beams across the sky. Several disciples on the opposing side were unable to dodge in time and were shredded by the sword light, their souls extinguished before they could even scream.
The sealer on the other side was furious, unable to fight back effectively, and could only continue to spew threats while doing his best to cover the retreat of the remaining disciples.
Su Yunmo stole a glance at the distant horizon, feeling a bit anxious. Although her side had the upper hand, it was only temporary.
The number of disciples the Azure Fall Divine Sect had brought into the Hidden Cave Mystical Realm far exceeded that of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. So when they said reinforcements would arrive soon, it might not be an empty threat.
If they couldn’t take advantage of the timing and quickly deal with this wave of enemies, once more disciples from the Azure Fall Divine Sect arrived, it would be their side that would suffer.
Shortly after, the sleek and elegant silhouette of the starship appeared on the horizon, rapidly approaching with a trail of bright light.
Su Yunmo’s heart lightened, and a relieved smile spread across her flawless face, “Big Sister has arrived. Your doom is at hand. Now, go in peace!”
What followed was predictable. Ice Falcon Heavenly Lord and Xuebing Xuan, along with the other sisters, joined forces to wipe out the several dozen disciples from the Azure Fall Divine Sect. Since there were no important figures among them, and they lacked life-saving jade talismans, their deaths were complete, with no hope of resurrection.
Thus, the starship continued on its journey, searching for fellow disciples while also hunting spiritual beasts and gathering resources. After several days of travel, they had gathered most of the sisters, although over a hundred disciples had unfortunately fallen due to lack of support.
It was an unavoidable reality. The world of cultivation was cruel. The idyllic life of leisurely crane rides and transcendence from worldly concerns was nothing but a fanciful dream of mortals. The norm was a world of blade shadows, deceit, and bloodshed.
Once one embarked on the path of cultivation, no one could guarantee they wouldn’t face such a day.
Of course, along the way, Qing Muling and the sisters had killed even more disciples from other Dao Lineages, totaling over ten thousand, including many well-known sealers and prodigious talents.
Especially those from hostile forces like Shadow Assassination Hall, Armillary Sphere Star Palace, and Bright Moon Sword Sect—Xuebing Xuan would not let any of them go, ensuring their complete eradication.
The more of their people that died, the less pressure Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace would face in the future.
“…Alright, let’s hurry to Star Peng Plain now,”
Inside the starship, the radiant Lolita elder Yu Lingzhou spoke, “Judging by the time, many old friends should have already arrived. We can’t fall behind!”
Xuebing Xuan nodded, “Don’t worry. With the starship’s speed, we’ll arrive in at most a day. The opportunities on the periphery aren’t important. Others can have them. We just need to seize the opportunities in the core area.”
Qing Muling looked at the sisters thoughtfully, “After this Gathering of Immortals concludes, the number of disciples lost by the various Dao Lineages must be significant, right? Some forces might even be completely wiped out. This…”
He wanted to say, could this be the Dao Court’s deliberate doing? To weaken the major Dao Lineages in The Great Void by throwing out enough bait to incite their disciples to fight and kill each other over treasures in the mystical realm. As a result, their enmity would deepen and become irreconcilable.
Although there were life-saving jade talismans, and the leading prodigies, high-ranking protectors, and sealers could survive, the ordinary disciples were also the lifeblood of the sects. If too many were lost, the higher-ups would certainly feel the pain.
“Sword Coming”
“Perhaps,”
How could Yueyi Heavenly Lord not understand Junior Brother’s meaning? She smiled knowingly, “It’s inevitable. Before entering the realm, the Dao Court had already made all the consequences clear. Those Dao Lineages knew as well, but they still chose to participate. Whatever happens next, they can’t blame the Dao Court.”
This was an open secret, clear to all, but with the lure of significant opportunities, no one was willing to back out. It was a case of mutual consent, and no one would criticize afterward.
Qing Muling nodded slightly. With his current limited cultivation and status, he really didn’t need to worry about this. Taking good care of his sisters was enough.
At the entrance to the mystical realm.
In the temporary camp of Shadow Assassination Hall, as nine gigantic, treasure-laden heavenly boats descended gracefully, all the remaining disciples lined up to welcome them.
The massive doors of the heavenly boats opened, and a silent tide of elite disciples from Shadow Assassination Hall poured out. Dressed in uniform black robes with metal masks covering their faces, only their cold and merciless eyes were visible.
They formed neat squares on the plaza, a total of five thousand strong. Their connected and intermingled auras created a formidable pressure that even stirred the clouds above, with a vast cyclone storm faintly visible.
“Lan Qiyao, what’s going on…”
The leader, Lan Qiyao, frowned as she stared at the defeated-looking Su Zhengji, unsure of what to say.
This disciple of the Hall Master was now dignified and imposing, dressed in a black cloak that concealed her voluptuous figure, her stunning face cold as ice, exuding an untouchable nobility. Her piercing eyes shone with a sharp light.
In terms of status, the two weren’t much different, but Su Zhengji had botched the mission and was now awaiting punishment, while Lan Qiyao had come bearing the Hall Master’s orders and tokens, giving her a greater say.
“This old one has suffered a setback this time,”
Su Zhengji clenched her teeth, her expression emotionless, “Upon my return, I am willing to ask the Hall Master for punishment. The affairs here will be decided by the Holy Maiden.”
She had indeed suffered a significant loss. In the past few days, after re-entering the mystical realm, she had managed to gather nearly a thousand disciples and was planning to seek revenge on the disciples of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. Unexpectedly, they encountered Qing Muling and his group again.
The outcome was predictable. All her disciples were wiped out again, forcing Su Zhengji to resurrect at the ritual platform at the entrance to the mystical realm.
With these two lessons learned and a psychological shadow cast, Su Zhengji no longer dared to enter the mystical realm and settled in the camp, waiting for the reinforcements from Shadow Assassination Hall to arrive.
Now, of the tens of thousands of disciples from Shadow Assassination Hall who had entered the mystical realm, less than ten percent were still alive. Without timely support, this last ten percent would likely not survive much longer and would die for various reasons.
Lan Qiyao sighed softly, her voice clear and melodious, “Then please return to the Main Altar immediately to report to the Hall Master, Elder Su. Leave the mission here to me.”
Twenty or so imposing men in blood-red cloaks and a chilling aura surrounded them. They were the enforcers from the Punishment Hall, answering only to the highest authorities of the sect and possessing the authority to judge and punish all disciples, including core elders.
Su Zhengji nodded silently, handed over her command tokens, and was escorted onto the heavenly boat by the enforcers, which then ascended and departed.
Lan Qiyao entered the main camp and took her seat at the head, her cold gaze sweeping over those present, “Alright, who will update me on the situation inside the mystical realm? Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace didn’t send many people, so why have they been so outstanding this time? What’s the reason?”