Chapter 1023

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

In the following days, Xu Zhangqing did not step a single half-step out of the Qingmu Sect.

He handed over all sect affairs to Mo Qiu Shui to manage, while he himself wholeheartedly taught his two disciples.

Lin Feng had been stuck at Golden Core Peak for a period of time; he was only a layer of window paper away from the Nascent Soul Stage, yet this layer of window paper was precisely what countless cultivators could not pierce through in their entire lives.

Every day, Xu Zhangqing brought him along, breaking down and grinding fine his own insights from when he broke through, explaining bit by bit.

From the flow of magical power, to the key of forming the embryonic Nascent Soul, to how to stabilize the origin and avoid backlash when the Nascent Soul first forms.

No matter how big or small, nothing was held back.

Lin Feng had a steady temperament, never impatient for success; however his master taught, that was how he cultivated, pondering each critical node dozens of times over until it was thoroughly solid before he would stop.

Such a solid foundation made Xu Zhangqing quite satisfied.

At this rate, within three years Lin Feng would surely be able to attack the Nascent Soul Stage.

As for Qingyao, her aptitude was undoubtedly the highest among the several disciples; her spiritual root was pure to the point of almost no impurities, and her comprehension of laws even more far surpassed her peers.

Pity she was too young in age; her cultivation had reached Golden Core Late Stage and she began to rush ahead recklessly.

Xu Zhangqing had no choice but to restrain her, meticulously polishing the most basic things every day.

The days of the three master and disciples cultivating were plain as water, yet exceptionally steady.

At the same time, the changes in the Eastern Domain grew greater by the day.

Especially Fengrao Commandery, this commandery city neighboring the Qingmu Sect, had now become the most prosperous place in the entire Eastern Domain.

After expansion, the city was more than three times larger than before.

Walls built high, market streets standing in rows, the main street wide enough for eight carriages to run side by side.

The street surface was paved with neat blue stone slabs; shops on both sides stood in dense rows, selling pills, spirit talismans, spirit plants, spirit tools — everything one could need.

Cultivators from the five lakes and four seas came and went on the streets.

There were loose cultivators carrying monster corpses, sect disciples in neat uniforms, and ordinary people carrying pole-loads selling spirit grain.

Truly a hubbub of voices, full of the bustle of daily life.

Moreover, ordinary people here could receive spirit fields, cultivators could find work, and loose cultivators who abided by the rules could gain protection.

Even so, no sect dared to bully men and dominate women here, and no evil cultivator dared to kill and rob here.

The Qingmu Sect's Enforcement Team patrolled the city daily.

The Jiuyou Sect's dark nails were even spread throughout every street and alley.

Once there was any rustle of wind or grass, none could escape their eyes.

In just half a year, Fengrao Commandery gained the title "Eastern Domain Garden"; many people who fled from other domains, when mentioning Fengrao Commandery, had eyes that shone bright.

This day, a group of visitors arrived outside the Qingmu Sect's mountain gate.

Leading was a carriage entirely crafted from spirit sandalwood, engraved with an exquisite Spirit Gathering Array on the carriage; the four spirit steeds pulling it were snow-white all over, faint spiritual light flowing through their manes.

Behind the carriage followed a dozen or so flying horses, pulling a string of carriage bodies piled full with boxes and cages sealed with red silk.

The convoy stopped before the mountain gate; the carriage curtain was lifted, and a tall, refined middle-aged man stepped down.

This person was precisely Li Lingbi.

His appearance compared to before had not changed much; his temperament had become even more deep and reserved.

He had discarded his original dragon robe, changing into a plain-colored long robe.

At his waist hung a jade pendant of extremely fine quality; his whole body had no superfluous ornaments.

The gate-guarding disciple came forward and saluted: "Welcome, Family Head Li!"

Li Lingbi smiled and waved his hand: "Is Sect Master Xu in?"

The gate-guarding disciple nodded: "He is, he's been waiting for you all along."

Soon, the two met.

Upon meeting, Li Lingbi sized him up, then laughed and shook his head: "Every time I see you, your cultivation has risen a notch. This senior brother of yours is falling further and further behind."

Xu Zhangqing laughed helplessly: "Senior brother jokes; please, inside."

Li Lingbi did not rush to enter, but pointed at the convoy behind him: "These things, half are for Yueyao and Mu'er, the other half are for you. Although you lack nothing, this is a token of goodwill — you must accept even if you don't want to."

Xu Zhangqing heard this and did not decline: "Alright."

Afterwards, the two walked side by side into the hall.

Li Yueyao and Xu Mu had already been waiting for a long time.

Upon seeing her father, Li Yueyao's eyes reddened slightly; she stepped forward and saluted: "Father."

Li Lingbi carefully examined her face, his gaze pausing for a moment: "You've gotten a bit fatter."

Li Yueyao rolled her eyes at those words, coquettishly chiding: "Is that how you speak?"

Li Lingbi laughed heartily, then turned to look at Xu Mu.

This child had already grown from an infant in swaddling clothes into an adult.

A pair of eyes jet-black and bright; seeing his maternal grandfather he was not shy at all, but rather quite excited.

"Grandson, do you miss Grandpa?"

A pair of eyes, black and bright, showed no shyness upon seeing Grandfather; instead, they were quite excited.

"Grandson, do you miss Grandpa?"

"I do!"

"Good child, then Grandpa will stay a few more days!"

Ever since moving to the Eastern Region, Li Lingbi had completely reined in his ambitions.

On one hand, he kept a low profile developing the clan; on the other, he strove to raise his cultivation and realm.

After Li Yueyao led Xu Mu away to withdraw, only Xu Zhangqing and Li Lingbi remained in the grand hall.

Lamplight flickered, tea fragrance curling.

After a brief silence, Li Lingbi spoke first, his tone a few degrees heavier than before: "The situation in the Central Region — has your side received any news?"

"Received some."

Xu Zhangqing nodded: "Ever since the Demon Realm rift shattered, the situation has grown worse by the day.

Some days ago, word came from the Eastern Region border that a Demon King had already led a team to attack; although they were beaten back, our casualties were not small either."

"Not 'not small' — it's very large."

Li Lingbi set down his teacup: "Since these monsters have begun attacking the Eastern Region border, that means the Central Region today is thoroughly finished.

The living are either killed or kept as blood-food livestock."

Xu Zhangqing's brows furrowed slightly: "You also know the Tianyuan Realm's situation — the Southern Region flooded with water disasters, the Western Region mountain ranges withered, the Northern Region foreign races in turmoil, each with a pile of troubles.

The only one that can still spare energy to watch the border now is the Eastern Region."

Li Lingbi stared straight into Xu Zhangqing's eyes, tone even more solemn: "Junior Brother, I came to find you not to add to your troubles, but to warn you.

Once the Central Region falls, the next is the Eastern Region."

Xu Zhangqing lifted his teacup, slowly sipped a mouthful, the warm tea turning on his tongue tip a round before he swallowed, his mind rapidly calculating countermeasures.

Mobilize more cultivators to reinforce the border, reinforce the spirit stone reserves of the arrays, and the contact channels with the other four regions... there are quite a few usable means, but they may not be able to block a full-scale demon race invasion; to speak honestly, even he had no bottom in his heart.

Just as the two were discussing, a cry came from outside the hall.

Li—

Xu Zhangqing recognized it — this was Kong Ling's voice.

This big peacock was emitting a cry never heard before.

The sound sharp, urgent, startling the whole Qingmu Sect into looking around.

Xu Zhangqing and Li Lingbi exchanged a glance, simultaneously rising and flashing out of the hall.

They saw Kong Ling standing atop a pavilion, both wings fully spread, every feather glowing — not the usual showy glow, but five-colored intertwined light pillars, from crown all the way to tail feathers, like a rainbow bridge arched across the night sky.

Long tail feathers dragging, like a flowing Star River!