Chapter 300: The Weight of the Xiang Jianzong

Wasn't it already settled that Chi Jiuyu would be the next sect leader of the Xiang Jianzong?

Could there be others within the Xiang Jianzong who also covet the position of sect leader?

Didn't I just insult someone with that remark?!

No good—I need to make amends! Just as Zhao Yueqing was pondering how to fix this.

Dingling.

A crisp sound rang out as a large yellow dog with a golden bell around its neck ran over, stopped at the corner, and lifted its hind leg.

Zhao Yueqing: "?"

A wave of invisible force spread out; the yellow dog let out a shriek, then fled with its tail tucked between its legs.

Zhao Yueqing's attention returned to the scrolling public screen.

To her surprise, the two hadn't started arguing.

Hmm? That Kong Ming—Zhou Kongming, fine—but why didn't Chi Jiuyu cause trouble? …

…

In Tai Xuan Tian.

Ruins of Ziqing Temple.

The reception platform for those ascending from the Mortal Realm was set above a deep pool—not a physical structure, but a formation etched into the void.

The pool water was clear and transparent; originally it had housed many spirit fish, but all had been eaten by the Longxiang Qingtianzong's trainees.

Om~ Faint blue formation patterns surfaced, spreading gradually until they outlined a profoundly mysterious array.

The array's activation glow, mixed with a shockwave, stirred ripples across the still water.

Several figures emerged from within the array's radiance.

But this commotion alerted some cultivators who were scavenging the Ziqing Temple ruins.

Since Ziqing Temple was destroyed, its scriptures and pills crafted from human bodies had been destroyed by Longxiang Qingtianzong's trainees, yet residual spirit herbs and techniques remained enough to draw interest.

And what if some scriptures survived unharmed? The Cultivation Realm never lacks adventurers! So when news of the reception platform's activation spread, some cultivators deemed further risk unnecessary and descended the mountain to leave, while others, confident in their cultivation or driven by greed, did not depart—instead, they rushed to the reception platform.

The latter outnumbered the former by far.

Thus, as the array's glow gradually dimmed, countless cultivators filled the sky and ground, surrounding them in the center.

Among them, the highest-cultivation individual had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm!

Altogether, over a hundred cultivators—large and small—and the number kept growing!

Glares from all directions—cautious, wary, greedy, or cruel—pierced toward them.

Yet every single person's attention focused on the Spirit Transformation cultivator at the forefront; no one moved.

Chi Jiuyu hovered above the water, her eyes glowing with Jin Guang, fixed on the Spirit Transformation cultivator.

The atmosphere was unnaturally silent.

Behind her, Zhang Yunlu, Xiao Fan, and others wore Expression Grew Serious, watching the surroundings warily.

This scene was truly unexpected.

Too many people!

And they spanned Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Jin Dan, Nascent Soul—even Spirit Transformation!

On our side, only Chi Jiuyu was Nascent Soul Perfect; everyone else was Foundation Establishment.

This is tricky.

Chi Jiuyu muttered under her breath.

Four Nascent Soul, one Spirit Transformation…

She herself had no issue, but Xiao Yunlu and the others couldn't break out easily.

Reckless.

I should've come in alone first to scout the situation.

Thoughts flashed like lightning; in her palm appeared a golden-green longsword, and her body slowly rose until she stood level with the Spirit Transformation cultivator.

The Spirit Transformation cultivator was a handsome youth, but with a shadowed brow and dressed in icy blue robes, giving him a somewhat effeminate air.

Looking at Chi Jiuyu, he too was uncertain.

Is this Nascent Soul or Spirit Transformation?

From his aura, it was clearly Nascent Soul—but for some reason, it made his heart tremble.

They stood like this for a while, tension mounting.

"You've come from the Mortal Realm—are you disciples of Ziqing Temple?" asked the Spirit Transformation cultivator coolly.

"No," replied Chi Jiuyu coldly.

Her expression was solemn, her aura sharp—completely unlike her usual carefree demeanor.

These people were her responsibility; she had to bear the burden.

Not?

The Spirit Transformation cultivator exhaled in relief; this answer alone made his stance clear—the other side was cautious and wished to avoid conflict.

He had no desire to fight someone whose true strength he couldn't gauge, over mere strangers.

The timing was still too uncertain…

The Spirit Transformation effeminate youth bowed slightly: "Friend, please be on your way."

Saying this, he stepped directly out of the crowd.

Chi Jiuyu watched the Spirit Transformation effeminate youth depart until his figure vanished completely from view, then finally lowered her gaze and turned to the other cultivators gathering around.

Some of them, sensing the danger, had already slipped away quietly.

Looking at these people, Chi Jiuyu showed no mercy—her gaze cold and sharp.

"Get lost!"

Several Foundation Establishment cultivators turned pale with rage; one, shrouded entirely in a black robe and whose face could not be seen, could not help but speak up.

"We are both Foundation Establishment. Friend, you are far too arrogant."

Hum~

In response came a sword's cry—a brilliant emerald-gold light sliced a clean, impossibly slender line through the air, its sword intent chilling, shredding the clouds at the horizon.

Everyone by the pool felt a sharp pain between their brows, as if a divine blade had been pressed against their foreheads.

Boom! A burst of blood mist suddenly exploded in midair, spraying in all directions.

From it leapt a seven-inch-tall figure, resembling a child, its body translucent and radiant.

The figure's expression was one of terror, its eyes filled with dread—it tried to vanish in a streak of rainbow light!

But a hand suddenly reached out, effortlessly grasping it, squeezing it tightly in its palm.

Hu~! A terrifying surge of magic power rippled outward, scattering the blood mist.

There stood Chi Jiuyu, eyes cold, one hand gripping the emerald-gold longsword, the other clutching the translucent, radiant Golden Core.

"Ten breaths. Those who do not retreat—die!"

The voice was not loud, but every cultivator by the pool felt a chill crawl up their spines, an endless coldness surging in their hearts—they all fled far from the pool.

Fuck!

Even a Golden Core had his body cut down in a single sword strike—what chance did they have?

Under the might of a single sword slaying a Golden Core, not even five breaths passed before the cultivators by the pool scattered like birds and beasts, leaving only those above the deep pool.

Chi Jiuyu did not relax. She coldly gazed toward the horizon.

A watching gaze hesitated for a moment, then withdrew.

Only then did Chi Jiuyu finally relax, her small face lighting up with a smile again.

She lightly landed by the pool's edge and waved to the others: "All taken care of—come over here!"

The Golden Core she held in her hand looked utterly lifeless.

One misstep, and eternal regret! If he'd known this would be the outcome, he'd never have opened his mouth.

The group stepped across the water's surface and reached the shore.

As Zhang Yunlu stepped onto land, Chi Jiuyu immediately blurted: "How cool was that?!"

"Cool."

The serious, cold senior sister—she had seen this side of her for the first time today.

"Heh."

"Thank you, Little Master Grand Ancestor," Lin Qiuxian said respectfully.

Little Master Grand Ancestor truly lived up to her title.

He had once been a Golden Core, so he saw more clearly than anyone else.

That single sword strike—even in his prime, before he had to re-cultivate—would have been nearly impossible to withstand.

"It's nothing, nothing at all. You're the ones I brought along—I have to keep you safe!"

That cowardly Soul Transformation cultivator—if I hadn't shown my overwhelming force just now, he would have come back to kill us.

That was a lesson she learned during a mission once.

If not for the great fortune of Old Ancestor Jiuyu, she would have died on that mission!

"Still, thank you, Little Master Grand Ancestor," Lin Qiuxian bowed again. "Then we'll take our leave."

"Go, go."

After Xiao Fan and Mo Cheng also thanked her, the three turned and descended the mountain.

Then Chi Jiuyu turned to Zhang Yunlu: "Are you sure you won't come with me?"

"No. Following you wouldn't provide real cultivation trials."

This encounter...

If you hadn't been here, I wouldn't have survived.

This can't happen again—I must grow stronger quickly.

"Fine, fine. Let's split up then. Message me if anything happens."

"Mm."

After giving her instructions, Lin Xuanxuan and Chi Jiuyu took a shared image, and the three set off down the mountain together.

In an instant, only Chi Jiuyu remained by the pool.

She looked up at the sky, then down at the Golden Core in her hand, and smiled:

"Tell me—should I eradicate you completely?"

The Golden Core's face was filled with terror.

…………

Xuan Realm, Central Continent.

Xuanjian City, Jianzhou, under the rule of the Xiang Jianzong.

It was the weekend, and the weather was unusually clear—endless skies stretched without a single cloud.

Li Ming sat on his balcony, beside him a pot of tea; the leaves were bought from the Spirit Net, and as for the taste...

It was just okay.

After all, he hadn't spent many Spirit Coins.

These days, to better understand the Immortal Realm, he took a job as a teacher.

Though he had no teaching experience, his Complete Void Return realm more than made up for it.

He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of teaching and nurturing others.

Of course, during this process, he often went to the school library or the downtown library to study.

From martial techniques, spell arts, and cultivation scriptures, to humanities, history, notes, and miscellaneous essays…

Combining the Spirit Net with the information he had obtained from the Immersion Pool, he finally gained a preliminary understanding of the current Immortal Realm—the Tai Xuan Realm.

This was a wonderful world, exactly as he had dreamed! "Sigh~"

Yet, whether through the Spirit Net or the libraries, he had found no explanation for the strange events he encountered after arriving in Xuan Jian City that day.

Even though he had forgotten the detailed sequence of that experience.

But a hazy impression continued to fuel his curiosity.

What… exactly was it?

"Those are not things you should know yet."

The voice at his ear made Li Ming freeze; he turned to see Xu Xing seated on another chair, having arrived without notice.

"Senior? How did you get here?"

He rose to bow, but Xu Xing waved him back down.

"I came to retrieve something, and also to check on you," Xu Xing replied. "How are you faring? Are you adjusting well?"

"I am grateful, Senior. Everything is excellent," Li Ming replied respectfully.

Xiang Jianzong…

Through this period of study, he had gained a deeper understanding of the weight behind that title.

The flourishing state of the Immortal Realm today owes much to his contributions! (End of Chapter)