Chapter 475: I Will Protect You

Around them, many Jin Dan and Foundation Establishment classmates gradually arrived.

There were only about a hundred; as one's realm rises, everyone's sense of time gradually changes—cultivation, refining treasures, visiting friends, seclusion, and so on all consume great amounts of time, and often fewer than half attend any given class.

This has no real impact; the teacher gives lessons tailored to each individual.

Dong! Dong!

Along with the bell chime, Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun's scholarly and easygoing figure appeared on the lectern.

Jiang Ding's expression stirred.

Compared to his ignorant younger days, he could now faintly sense the subtle spatial changes before Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun's arrival, no longer completely in the dark.

However, locking onto it clearly with sword intent still posed considerable difficulty.

"Good morning, students."

"Good morning, Teacher Zhang."

Jiang Ding and the other classmates rose and bowed.

"Greetings, Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun!"

Yu Yu Qianzi, meanwhile, wore a solemn expression and respectfully performed a full formal bow.

When it came to respecting the strong, cultivators of the Jiudaxian Sect truly left nothing undone—no matter their own status or the situation, such reverence was carved into their very bones.

"Good morning, Student Yu."

Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun nodded slightly and introduced to the crowd: "Student Yu is the first batch of doctoral exchange students from Qingmuxian Sect, and also a brand-new beginning of friendship between Qingmuxian Sect and the Immortal Gate.

If Student Yu has any difficulties, everyone must step up to help, showing the Immortal Gate's peaceful and open bearing…"

A faint transmission reached Jiang Ding.

"The negotiations with Qingmuxian Sect are largely complete."

"I'm very sorry—despite many concessions on our part, even offering to trade with foundational treasures, they still refuse to exchange the Great Sun Sword Pavilion inheritance in their hands, even when we lowered the demand to merely a detailed Soul Transformation inheritance."

Jiang Ding's heart sank.

This was a heavy blow to him.

Perhaps in the future, advancing from Nascent Soul to Soul Transformation would be a tremendous hurdle, entering the Chen Mian Mi Jing to wait hundreds or thousands of years, hoping time would complete the relevant research.

"Don't hold it against Master Dinghai Zhenjun Elder Bo Ming; though he dislikes it, he truly did his best."

Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun sighed.

"The Great Sun Sword Pavilion only fell three thousand years ago. For the Soul Transformation cultivators leading Qingmuxian Sect, the war with the Great Sun Sword Pavilion ran through the first half of their lives—countless senior brothers and sisters died at the hands of Great Sun sword cultivators, vivid in their memories. It's impossible for them not to hold a grudge."

"Therefore, they refused to make the slightest concession on this point."

"Your student understands."

Jiang Ding nodded silently.

"The final outcome is that Qingmuxian Sect and the Immortal Gate have reached a certain strategic cooperative relationship."

Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun continued: "Qingmuxian Sect excels at spiritual plant cultivation and alchemy; their immortal industries and those of the Immortal Gate itself have a certain complementarity. This strategic cooperation simply follows the trend—both sides' cultivators will gain many benefits."

"Over the next few hundred years, the prices of many spiritual medicines and spiritual plants in the Immortal Gate will drop considerably."

"Correspondingly, the prices of various grades of refining materials from Qingmuxian Sect may drop, and supply will actually increase. From Soul Transformation and Void Refining at the top down to Qi Refining mortals at the bottom, everyone's cultivation will be a bit easier than before."

"If you're interested in the stock market or starting a company, you might consider this area."

He advised.

High-level cultivators of the Immortal Gate all had their own way of running their industries—businesses naturally expanded along with their cultivation, mutually complementary and beneficial.

Only this student of his seemed to have made no move in this area for a long time, so he offered a word of guidance.

"Uh… understood."

Jiang Ding, somewhat embarrassed, still nodded.

In this area, he understood nothing at all and felt it was all rather troublesome.

"Everyone has gained benefits."

"Your merit naturally needs to be awarded as well."

Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun returned to the main topic: "We've applied for a Soul Transformation merit contribution; it should reach you within ten years."

A trace of envy unconsciously showed in his words.

Master Dinghai Zhenjun Elder Bo Ming toils away at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while he himself has taught at Qingfeng University for many years, cultivating students of all levels—for what?

Wasn't it just to slowly accumulate Soul Transformation merit contributions!

But it seemed that acquiring Soul Transformation merit contributions wasn't all that difficult for this student of his.

"Understood!"

Jiang Ding's spirit lifted.

With this Soul Transformation merit contribution, Lin Lin Wanqiu's lifespan issue was also temporarily resolved.

Although she had a Wood Spirit Body, Lin Lin Wanqiu's Dao path was still not going smoothly—her comprehension was poor, and reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment by age two hundred and fifty would already be good, and that was with only a Jian Jue-grade Gong Fa.

Her chances of forming a core were slim.

But that was the present.

If he advanced to Nascent Soul, or even Soul Transformation, then difficulties that seemed insurmountable now might in the future be like a gentle breeze across the face—easily accomplished.

Toiling for this, he didn't feel it was hard.

By Nascent Soul or even Soul Transformation, his mother would still be alive; he wouldn't be alone in the world—this was something even Void Refinement great powers would greatly envy.

"Alright, introductions are done."

"Today, we'll cover the Nascent Soul chapter of the 'Wan Hua Ci Yuan Jing'…"

Master Dinghai Master Dinghai Zhenjun's voice slowly came through, explaining the Nascent Soul chapter's Gong Fa in careful, meticulous detail, to compare against his own current cultivation rather than rushing forward step by step.

Time slowly passed three months.

With the bell signaling the end of class, everyone scattered in all directions.

"Great Sun Sword Son."

Yu Yu Qianzi flew over and whispered, "The Central Array Spirit Computer Elder has approved my Jin Dan formation. Can you also agree to guard me during it? Don't worry—it'll take no more than six months."

It was clear that in this unfamiliar environment, she was deeply uneasy, instinctively seeking more support.

Jin Dan,

for a Dao Son, was effortless.

But that didn't mean it was unimportant—any forced interruption or disturbance could ruin the path to Heaven.

The Dao Scripture says: "Once the Dan is formed, there is no turning back!"

One tiny mistake demands a cost a hundred or a thousand times greater—and even then, success is not guaranteed.

Generally, a swordsman's promise could be trusted, especially one who had comprehended Sword Intent.

"Yes."

Jiang Ding hesitated little.

He had matters of his own that needed Yu Yu Qianzi's help.

"When?"

"Now."

Yu Yu Qianzi exhaled deeply and smiled.

Boom—

A thunderclap erupted from the ground; violent winds surged, sand and stones flew, and dark clouds gathered swiftly over the clear sky, turning it pitch black as spiritual energy converged.

The dark clouds expanded instantly to over thirty kilometers, then, in the blink of an eye, to fifty kilometers, continuing to spread outward without pause.

"Jin Dan?"

"Jin Dan celestial phenomena—in the space of a breath, surpassing even Superior Jin Dan, reaching Peerless Jin Dan level—who is this?"

The scattered students around them froze, looking up at the sky.

Each of them was either a Jin Dan cultivator or a Foundation Establishment cultivator on the verge of breakthrough; they had memorized every sign of Jin Dan formation through Mi Fa, drilled into their bones, and recognized instantly what was happening.

After a brief sweep with their spiritual senses, they immediately spotted the woman in the moon-white immortal robe at the center of the celestial phenomenon and spiritual storm.

She faced the sky, eyes gently closed, letting the gale and spiritual storm sweep across her exquisite face as her Foundation Establishment peak aura began to slowly transform.

"Yu Yu Qianzi… Taiyin Sword Son…"

"... a Dao Son from beyond the realm's borders achieving Jin Dan…"

In that instant, countless cultivators from within a thousand li turned their gazes toward her—some with loathing, some with hatred, some with curiosity, some with understanding… a complex tangle of emotions.

Clearly visible were many gazes brimming with murderous intent, wild and barely concealed.

Clang!

A sword's cry

rang out across heaven and earth.

A terrifying Sword Intent of annihilation and spiritual disruption swept through fifty kilometers, severing all gaze-based contact, shielding the surroundings with warning, coldness, and the blood-soaked will unique to sword cultivators.

The spiritual senses of Jin Dan and below cultivators, along with the spiritual radar imagery of aerial combat aircraft and aerial warships, went black.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators felt a sharp sting in their spiritual senses; their imagery blurred.

After a moment of silence,

they withdrew their aerial carrier's spiritual radar waves, making their stance clear.

Three