Chapter 295: The Reappearing Other Race (Seeking Moon Tickets!)

"Daoist friend, wasn't it odd why Jiang was injured last time? Moreover, that wound, though it seemed light, has lingered like a sacrificial slab on the ankle bone, hard to fully dispel."

Jiang Hanning said.

Yunhe sat up straight and, in a serious tone, said: "I wish to hear the details."

"Daoist friend, do you know the Sea Clan?" Jiang Hanning did not elaborate, but asked.

"The Sea Clan? Isn't it one of the Other Races from the ancient era?"

Nowadays Yunhe has at least some understanding of the former history of the Eastern Realm.

It is said.

In the ancient age, within the old cultivation world, ten thousand races stood, with the Human Race and the Demon Race being the strongest.

Beyond the Human and Demon races, there also existed the Other Races.

The Other Races were not a single race, but a conglomerate of countless large and small races, formed to counter the Humans and Demons.

Among the Other Races, three were relatively powerful, and the Sea Clan was one of them.

There were also the Descendants of the Immortal Race and the Abyss Race, together called the three great Other Race groups.

Beyond these, there were groups like the Spirit Fire Clan, the Benevolent Water Clan, the Soul Clan, the Void Clan, and others of varying sizes and uneven strength.

"Indeed, it's the Sea Clan passed down from the ancient era," Jiang Hanning nodded gravely.

"But wasn't it said that the Sea Clan has already—"

Yunhe frowned; the texts he had read all indicated that the Sea Clan had already vanished.

Tang Yier stroked his white beard, sighed deeply, and said, "The Sea Clan has not been exterminated; the Boundless Sea is vast and unreachable. As long as the Sea Clan hides deep within the Boundless Sea, annihilation is far from easy."

That struck a chord with Yunhe.

After all, when he first saw claims that the Sea Clan had been wiped out, he found it odd; the Boundless Sea is so vast that any Sea Clan with a modicum of sense could hide deep within it, making total extermination impossible.

Then a thought sparked in his mind, and he tentatively asked, "So, Daoist friend Jiang, is your injury sourced from the Sea Clan?"

"Indeed it is," Jiang Hanning's eyes grew heavy, and after a brief pause, he briefly recounted how, above the Boundless Sea, several of their Yuan Ying Cultivators had encountered the Sea Clan's Qi Lin branch, Qi Lin Qian Gong.

That Qi Lin Qian Gong was a Sea Clan member at mid Fourth Level, whose strength could rival a mid Yuan Ying Cultivator!

Fortunately, many early Yuan Ying Cultivators were present then; after a skirmish with Qi Lin Qian Gong, they only sustained minor injuries.

After hearing Jiang Hanning's account, Yunhe understood the reason behind their proposed "alliance."

Qi Lin Qian Gong's appearance signified not just a single being comparable to a mid Yuan Ying Cultivator, but the entire Sea Clan, likely poised to rise again!

This caused Yunhe's complexion to darken.

Wait.

Yunhe seemed to recall something and suddenly asked, "The Sea Clan probably hasn't manifested for the first time, has it?"

Jiang and Tang exchanged glances; after a sigh, Tang Yier exclaimed:

"Daoist friend Feng is correct."

He paused, then continued: "Indeed, this is not the Sea Clan's first appearance. At first it went unnoticed, but as their manifestations grew more frequent and entered our sight, what this signifies, I think Daoist friend Feng should understand."

What does it represent?

Those not of our kind must be exterminated!

The Sea Clan's emergence could very well herald a clan war!

He took a sip of spiritual tea and said, "It seems the War of Righteous and Demonic is also because of this."

Jiang Hanning's hand holding the tea cup paused.

"Over a hundred years ago, the head of the righteous path, Grand Elder Xuanxu Daoist of the Tai Xuan Zhengyi Sect, met the foremost of the demonic path, Luosha Laomo of Black River Valley, and thereafter began the War of Righteous and Demonic," Tang Yier said slowly.

Indeed.

Yunhe lowered his eyes, gazing at the floating tea leaves in the cup, confirming his suspicion.

No wonder the demonic path launched a massive invasion, seizing many righteous sects' mountain gates; not only the lands of the Ten Domains and Nine Sects, but also several major cultivation nations, yet few old Yuan Ying monsters boldly intervened.

It seems those old Yuan Ying monsters of the righteous sects have reached some tacit understanding with certain old Yuan Ying monsters of the demonic sects.

Whether righteous or demonic, their conflicts ultimately boil down to Dao inheritance, resources, and celestial fate, but they are all still humans.

And the Sea Clan is an Other Race!

Humans are indeed peculiar; no matter how fierce internal strife becomes, when faced with an external enemy they always manage to unite.

Of course, there are occasional exceptions, but overall they remain relatively cohesive.

Although he does not know the exact details of the discussion between the righteous head Xuanxu Daoist and the demonic chief Luosha Laomo, the righteous side's concession must have a reason, or perhaps the demonic cultivators yielded other benefits.

"Our Wu Nation may not be coastal, but Yuan Nation borders the sea, and Wu Nation lies on Yuan's western side. If a clash with the Sea Clan truly erupts, Wu Nation would inevitably be on the front line," Tang Yier added.

Yunhe nodded, instantly feeling a headache.

How could he encounter the fragmentation and internal turmoil of Yunshang Hall, the greatest power in Yunshang Realm, only to face a possible racial war after moving to the Eastern Realm for peace?

What to do?

He can't just retreat back to Yunshang Realm, can he?

The situation there likely won't resolve that quickly.

Moreover, his cultivation method issue can only be pursued further in the Eastern Realm.

The only fortunate thing.

Is that Yunhe finally broke through the Nascent Soul Realm, gaining stronger self‑protection and some initiative.

"Alas."

He let out a long sigh.

Fortunately, the matters he feared should not erupt so soon, after all more than a hundred years have passed.

"It seems seeking the continuation of the cultivation method should be put on the agenda promptly."

"Regarding the alliance, I wonder what your intentions are?" Tang Yier asked again.

Yunhe pressed his lips together.

To be honest, he didn't want to get involved in messy affairs.

But this matter concerns the entire race; he can't avoid getting involved.

Hide in the Cloud Realm?

What about that cultivation technique?

As for fleeing to the far west of the Eastern Realm, that would be pointless.

If they form an alliance, they could at least gain the aid of two Nascent Soul cultivators.

Moreover, whether from the Cold Sword True Monarch's first visit to the Ice Immortal Pavilion or from the words and deeds of those two Nascent Soul cultivators of the Snow Sword Sect when he formed his Nascent Soul, it's not hard to see that their conduct is still good.

At least on the surface, they appear fine.

Of course, one cannot lack vigilance toward others; necessary precautions must not be lacking.

Finally, he said in a deep voice: "Good!"

Upon hearing this, both of them smiled at the same time.

"Excellent!"

Jiang Han'ning laughed as he stood up, picked up the warmed wine pot, and said with a smile: "This occasion calls for celebration! Though Senior Brother's 'bitter-heart tea' is good, festivities are far better with wine. Come, Fellow Daoist Feng, try this spiritual wine!"

Saying that, he poured a cup for Yunhe.

As for this, Tang Yier could only smile helplessly and shake his head.

He knows his junior disciple best; although he can't be said to love wine as much as life, he is especially fond of wine, calling himself the exiled sword immortal of wine, seeking enlightenment within it.

"This wine comes from the East Realm's top brewing sect, the Drunken Immortal Sect; the 'Wine Immortal' Carefree Qingfeng Daoist brewed this 'Nine Sorrows Wine'!"

"The Qingfeng Daoist who wrote 'Raise your cup, glance sideways at the azure sky, bright as a jade tree before the wind'?"

Yunhe showed surprise on his face.

He had also heard of the Eastern Realm's top brewing sect, the Drunken Immortal Sect, from Tang Yier.

It is likewise a fairly large sect.

And the Wine Immortal Carefree Qingfeng mentioned by Jiang Han'ning also has considerable fame in the Eastern Realm.

Not only because of his brewing skill earning him the title of Wine Immortal, but also because he is a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!

It is said that he entered the Dao through wine, possessing extraordinary talent; he successfully formed his Nascent Soul in just two hundred years, and the spiritual wine he brews is even more potent than some elixirs, having a significant effect even on Nascent Soul cultivators, so many Nascent Soul cultivators treat him with even greater respect than they do fourth-rank alchemists.

Thus, although the hundred arts of cultivation are led by formations, elixirs, artifacts, and talismans, if any other path can reach an extremely high level, it can also bring considerable benefit to one's immortal journey.

This is the same idea as earlier expressed by Bitter Sword True Monarch Tang Yier, that one might seek the Great Dao through the Way of Tea.

"Exactly!"

Jiang Han'ning presented it as if offering a treasure, inviting the two to taste it.

Afterwards.

The three raised their cups and clinked them, and they conversed very happily.

During this, through the accounts of Tang Yier and Jiang Han'ning, Yunhe finally understood the origins of the Snow Sword Sect and the Ice Immortal Pavilion.

Originally, the Snow Sword Sect and the Ice Immortal Pavilion were indeed the same sect in ancient times, called the "Ice Heaven Sect."

However, later the Ice Heaven Sect produced three extremely powerful Nascent Soul cultivators, who were of the same generation.

For a sect to produce three Nascent Soul cultivators is indeed a sign of great prosperity for the Ice Heaven Sect.

Yet, among these three Nascent Soul cultivators who grew up together, some feelings arose: the ancestor of the Snow Sword Sect fell for the ancestor of the Ice Immortal Pavilion, but the Ice Immortal Pavilion's ancestor fell for someone else—who was solely devoted to the Dao—so in the end none of them became Dao companions; instead, the Ice Heaven Sect split into three branches, becoming the Ice Heaven Sect, the Snow Sword Sect, and the Ice Immortal Pavilion.

And the ancestor of the Ice Heaven Sect who had no interest in the sect caused the Ice Heaven Sect to gradually decline, while the Snow Sword Sect and the Ice Immortal Pavilion were preserved.

Furthermore, the lovesick ancestor of the Snow Sword Sect left a precept that Snow Sword Sect disciples must not attack the Ice Immortal Pavilion.

After so many years, that affection has actually faded almost completely.

Until a thousand years ago, the Ice Immortal Pavilion produced another extraordinarily talented Nascent Soul cultivator, who then, by chance, developed mutual affection with an ancestor of the Snow Sword Sect, causing the Snow Sword Sect's attitude toward the Ice Immortal Pavilion to shift again.

After hearing this, Yunhe was speechless for a long time.

Thus it seems the Snow Sword Sect and the Ice Immortal Pavilion truly have an endless karmic bond.

No wonder that when Jiang Han'ning and Yunhe earlier spoke of the deep connection between the two sects, their expressions were a bit odd, and they didn't directly reveal the details.

But regardless, the entanglement between the Snow Sword Sect and the Ice Immortal Pavilion is indeed quite deep.

Since they are forming an alliance, they must determine primary and secondary roles.

Yunhe has no objection to this; he is willing to take third place, after all the alliance doesn't need the three of them to manage it.

On the contrary, the two of them, because they had not sent a congratulatory gift for Yunhe's successful Nascent Soul formation last time, each now produced a valuable treasure—both to congratulate his breakthrough to Nascent Soul and to celebrate the success of this alliance.

Afterwards.

The two also gave Yunhe much advice on what to pay attention to after breaking through to Nascent Soul, as well as their own insights.

This is truly what benefited Yunhe greatly, saving him a lot of time.

Meanwhile.

Through the two's connections and channels, Yunhe can also get to know more Nascent Soul cultivators.

After all, upon reaching the Nascent Soul stage, many things each party needs cannot be simply bought, nor measured by spirit stones; mutual exchange of goods is the mainstream among Nascent Soul cultivators.

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(End of chapter)