On this day, the sky was clear and cloudless for ten thousand li, yet multiple streaks tore across the firmament, heading straight for the immortal city. Each of these flying streaks carried an exalted aura and terrifying cultivation, making the high-level cultivators, mighty experts, and venerable patriarchs below tremble with awe. It had been a long time since so many top-tier cultivators had flocked to the immortal city together; no one knew what momentous event had occurred.
The multicolored streaks of light—complete with radiant ribbons and halos, accompanied by immortal consorts and mythical beasts—finally revealed individual figures upon reaching the skies above the immortal city, descending toward the grand council hall.
The sand-table map in the center of the hall remained as before, but the cultivators had not set foot here in quite a long time.
Everyone had their customary seats, so they took their old places one by one. Then, a figure slowly materialized in the central main seat. The cultivators were all slightly taken aback; none had expected Wei Yuan to be present—and in his true form, no less, completely bypassing everyone's perception.
Wei Yuan looked around and saw Zhang Sheng, Baoyun... all the way to Sun Yu and True Monarch Chuhe, all present. Perched on a roof beam was a fiery-red little bird.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Wei Yuan said, "It has been a long time since we all gathered like this. We've all been busy with our own affairs and our own cultivation. Recently, I had a sudden premonition and felt that many of you have found the opportunity for a breakthrough. It just so happens that I gained a great deal from the Lü Clan Ancestral Land, so I called you all together to assess your cultivation realms and refine some pills for you, to give you a lift."
The cultivators fell silent. In the end, it was Xiaoyu who was less formal, asking, "Dare I ask what realm the Realm Lord is at now?"
Wei Yuan had long been waiting for this question; he just hadn't expected Xiaoyu to be the one to ask it. With a smile, he said, "Not particularly fast. A few days ago, my spirit mansions reached perfection, and each true spirit began linking to the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth."
Though Xiaoyu had grown far more shrewd and guarded, the corners of his eyes still twitched several times. Forcing a smile, he said, "Congratulations, Realm Lord. So you are already in the late Scenery Command realm. You summoned us here specially just to boast about this, didn't you?"
The smile on Wei Yuan's face did not waver as he said mildly, "Junior Brother Xiaoyu, you speak mistakenly. I was indeed barely considered late stage, but a few days ago, my Seventh Grotto-Heaven took form. It still lacks a spirit mansion, and its true spirit has yet to be settled, so currently I am still a mid Scenery Command cultivator."
Xiaoyu's smile froze, and he cursed himself for having a big mouth. He wised up this time, resolving never to ask about the rank or wonder of the Seventh Grotto-Heaven.
Yet even if he didn't ask, someone else was curious. Feng Tingyu asked, "What does the Seventh Grotto-Heaven do? What rank is it?"
Wei Yuan's spirits lifted, and he spoke before Xiaoyu could intervene: "This Seventh Grotto-Heaven is indeed somewhat unique. Its foundation was formed by fusing the Azure Dragon of Heavenly Tribulation with the Azure Dragon of the East. Though it currently takes the form of a dragon, its miraculous qualities include endless vitality and a trace of temporal power. It is truly unlike any ordinary dragon."
In Xiaoyu's sea of consciousness, Star Lord Shaoyang sighed, yearning deeply. Here with Xiaoyu, as far as the eye could see, there was only a crimson desert and three blazing suns hanging high in the sky. Where were there any other formidable true spirits? Star Lord Shaoyang didn't even have anyone to debate the Dao with.
Having finished talking about his Seventh Grotto-Heaven and looking at the somewhat contorted expressions on the cultivators' faces, Wei Yuan finally felt his Dao heart completely clear and refreshed. He laughed heartily, then got down to business: "Over the past year, as the grand formation neared completion, I began excavating and managed to dig up quite a bit of immortal essence—enough to produce a furnace of great pills to aid in achieving mindscape worlds and breaking through to Scenery Command. The reason I summoned you all here is, first, because we haven't met in a long time; and second, to collect a strand of qi from each of you to incorporate into the furnace, which will bestow an extra touch of wonder upon the resulting pills."
Hearing this, all the cultivators felt their hearts thump with excitement. Although they were now all celestial idols—having not been originally—over the years Wei Yuan had continuously poured karmic luck into them, trained their divine senses in Flourishing of the Many Realms, and sent them to the Desolate Realm to temper their dharma bodies, forcefully elevating them into celestial idols.
By this point, the cultivators had cultivated for less than fifty years, and nearly all were in the late dharma idol realm or at peak perfection—miraculous speed in the outside world. Yet seeing that the youngest among them, Wei Yuan, was already on the verge of touching the immortal threshold and had even pre-refined several grottos, everyone present felt as foolish as pigs.
Aside from Wei Yuan, there was also Zhang Sheng. By age, she wasn't exceptionally fast, but her Dao path aimed to be foremost in slaughter. Even Wei Yuan might suffer defeat against her; among the cultivators present, aside from Baoyun with her bizarre divine abilities, probably none could withstand a full-power strike from Zhang Sheng.
Finally, there was Chuhe. Needless to say, the old Daoist was sprinting along the narrow footpath of attaining sainthood through merit, his cultivation speed surpassing even Wei Yuan's. Although his combat power was virtually zero, if the old Daoist guarded a pass, it truly was a case of one Daoist holding the pass against ten thousand cultivators—none dared touch him.
Thus, in this entire hall, no one knew what to say. To claim they didn't want the great pills would certainly be a lie, but for some reason, receiving them from Wei Yuan's hands always felt somewhat humiliating...
At that moment, Wang Hu coughed. Just as he was about to speak, he caught Xu Henshui frantically shooting him meaningful glances. Wang Hu was taken aback, then gave Xu Henshui a subtle nod, conveying: *Understood, don't worry, I will definitely mention you.*
After clearing his throat, Wang Hu puffed his pecs and said, "There's one thing I don't quite understand. Wouldn't it be better to leave this pill-refining business to Junior Brother Henshui?"
Xu Henshui's vision went black. Gritting his teeth in fury, he cursed inwardly, *That bastard doesn't think before opening his mouth...*
Wei Yuan's spirits were lifted yet again; he had been waiting for this exact line. Smiling mildly, he said, "My Dao of alchemy isn't refined; I'm only familiar with a few pill formulas, so naturally I cannot compare to Martial Uncle Xu. However, my pill value is passable, so refining these Scenery Command pills shouldn't be much of a stretch."
Wang Hu's curiosity was instantly piqued. Puffing out both sides of his chest, he asked, "What is your pill value? Could it actually be higher than Junior Brother Xu's?"
Wei Yuan said, "I'm not entirely sure either. The Creation Abbey should have records; you'd have to ask Martial Uncle Xu."
Wang Hu turned to Xu Henshui, his eyes shining intensely and his muscles bulging throughout his body, thoroughly invigorated.
Gritting his teeth, Xu Henshui said, "His pill value... is around a few..."
His voice trailed off, growing so quiet that even with Wang Hu's hearing as a body cultivator, he couldn't make it out. Picking at his ear, Wang Hu pressed, "A few what? Million qingyuan? That's quite a lot..."
Driven past endurance, Xu Henshui let his voice detonate in Wang Hu's ears like thunder: "Hundreds of millions! It's *hundreds of millions*! Did you hear that clearly?!"
This fright was no small matter; Wang Hu's muscles twitched and surged all over his body, as though dozens of mice were scurrying under his skin. Uncomprehending of why Xu Henshui was throwing a tantrum, he was just about to retort when Xu Henshui glared at him and snapped, "Shut up, girl!"
Wang Hu shuddered all over and instantly fell silent.
Wei Yuan was somewhat baffled by this inexplicable exchange, but business took priority. He collected a strand of qi from each cultivator one by one. Fully satisfied, he scheduled the opening of the furnace and retrieval of the pills for one month later, when all cultivators would need to be present to catch their respective pills.
Although Zhang Sheng and Chuhe were already in the Scenery Command realm, taking another pill would still greatly benefit their mindscape worlds.
With this settled, Wei Yuan said, "Alright, that is all from me. Does anyone else have anything to raise?"
Feng Chutang said, "There is one more matter. Over the past year, the number of people opening academies to preach the Dao and teach disciples in Qingming has suddenly surged. I investigated them one by one and found that several came from the Pure Land. Then I returned to our main mountain to consult the Dao scriptures, discovering that several visualization methods and deity-worship rituals they teach carry traces of Buddhist teachings from the Buddhist lands—and quite profound Buddhist teachings at that."
Wei Yuan said, "I am aware of this. There are many paths of Buddhist cultivation under heaven, and plenty have surely arrived in Qingming. Hasn't the Four Sages Academy sent quite a few people as well? Even the Sword Palace sneakily opened two swordsmanship training grounds."
Feng Chutang said, "All the visualizations and deity worship in those sects are directed at you! I believe there's something very wrong with this."
Wei Yuan gave a faint smile and replied, "Rest assured. Incense aspiration power cannot taint me; it will only augment my divine abilities."
"As long as you are on guard, then."
Wei Yuan nodded to indicate that all was well.
Meanwhile, inside a small temple in the Pure Land, Liandeng looked at an offering tray that had suddenly appeared on the altar table before the Buddha. He rubbed his eyes, bewildered as to when it had materialized.
The brass offering tray was ancient, heavy, and unadorned, seemingly of an archaic design. Incense smoke coiled above it, and after a moment, a fruit unexpectedly congealed—white suffused with red, looking utterly delicious. Liandeng swallowed hard, feeling an inexplicable urge to take a bite, yet he did not dare.
Just then, a hand made purely of withered bones reached out from the side, took the fruit, and swallowed it in a single gulp.
Chapter 1212