The Founding Cult Master

"The Great Xia government officially designated the site the Immortal Ruins." "The Immortal Ruins are situated in a small mountain near Dayan Commandery. The locals call it Mount Fei. Resources there are scarce, and the scenery is utterly unremarkable, so locals rarely go there." "Preliminary surveys suggest the ruins date from the late ancient era." Prior to departing for the ruins, Yun Zhi gave Lu Yang and the Immortal Fairy a brief overview of the site. Present-day understanding of the ancient era relied seventy percent on records left behind by forebears, and thirty percent on excavations of Great Qian Dynasty ruins. Because the Ancient Nameless One had refined the starry sky, ruins from the ancient era were exceedingly rare, and most were fragmentary and dilapidated, yielding virtually no useful information. Lu Yang was an exception: his understanding of the ancient era relied a full hundred percent on the Immortal Fairy. Listening to Eldest Senior Sister's briefing, Lu Yang opened his mouth, hesitating visibly. "What is it?" "Is it really necessary for us to discuss the ruins over hot pot?" The hot pot before Lu Yang was bubbling merrily, surrounded by plates of beef arrayed across the table. According to the shopkeeper, the cuts included chuck, rib eye, three-flower shank, five-flower shank, and an assorted offal platter... Lu Yang had never imagined beef cuts could be categorized in such meticulous detail. Across the table, the breathtaking female cultivator sat watching Lu Yang eat with an impassive expression, subjecting him to immense pressure. This felt like an execution; he would honestly rather head straight to the Immortal Ruins. The beef hot pot here was world-renowned, and every patron had come specifically for the meal. However, Eldest Senior Sister's ethereal, otherworldly demeanor was completely out of place in such an establishment. Many diners could not help glancing toward Lu Yang and Yun Zhi, curious about their identities. An observant person would notice that although the young man and woman were conversing, not a single word could be overheard. This was no simple soundproofing formation, but a much deeper art bordering on an illusion realm. Yun Zhi lifted a slice of beef from the broth, lightly dipped it in shacha sauce, parted her lips slightly, and placed it into her mouth. Her movements were so graceful that she seemed to be partaking in some priceless heavenly treasure rather than hot pot. "Beef hot pot is a specialty of Dayan Commandery. Since visits here are rare, you should savor the local cuisine to broaden your horizons. With your lively temperament, you are destined to walk the path of secular cultivation, and this, too, is part of your training." Yun Zhi paused, then added, "It is also to celebrate your successful breakthrough to the Golden Core stage." With that, Yun Zhi raised her teacup and clinked it gently against Lu Yang's. Lu Yang was overwhelmed by the honor and lifted his teacup with utmost care. After the meal, the two stepped out of the restaurant. Lu Yang savored the lingering flavors in his mind—truth be told, it really had been delicious. Just as he was about to ask where they were headed next, he felt Eldest Senior Sister grab him by the collar. She took a single step forward. Space warped, the scenery shifted, and they went instantly from the restaurant's entrance to the desolate Mount Fei. "Now that is true Shrinking the Earth to Inches!" the Immortal Fairy exclaimed excitedly. After spending so much time around Lu Yang, she had almost forgotten that the genuine Shrinking the Earth to Inches was a spatial art, not burrowing around in dirt. *** Atop Mount Fei, government troops had pitched camp, standing at high alert. These were the elite forces of Great Xia, each possessing cultivation and capable of forming an Army Soul Formation to engage foes. The Immortal Ruins were the birthplace of the Immortal Cult, so the imperial court could not afford to take them lightly. "Might you be Fellow Daoist Yun Zhi?" An old general clad in heavy armor and radiating decisive authority approached, the metal clanking heavily with every step. The old general had already received word that the Dao Seeking Sect would dispatch someone to explore the Immortal Ruins. Commanding this elite force, he was capable of contending even against a Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivator, granting him considerable standing in the imperial court. Yet he dared not rely on his rank to act arrogantly before Yun Zhi. The reason was simple: he had been fortunate enough to witness Yun Zhi make a move. At the same time, he wondered inwardly: *In inviting Yun Zhi here, does the court actually want to explore the Immortal Ruins, or demolish them?* Yun Zhi nodded slightly without saying much. The old general's gaze lingered on Lu Yang, puzzled as to why Fellow Daoist Yun Zhi had brought along a minor cultivator who had only just formed his core. The old general did not pry. Since Fellow Daoist Yun Zhi had brought him, there was no need to question it. Could he stop Yun Zhi anyway? "This way, please." The old general gestured respectfully, inviting Yun Zhi toward the Immortal Ruins. Watching this, the soldiers secretly speculated on the identity of the newcomer who commanded such grave deference from their general. The Eldest Princess? The First Princess? Some mighty Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivator? The soldiers were exceptionally disciplined; despite their curiosity, none showed it, instead remaining steadfast at their posts and drilling battlefield combat techniques. The old general led the two to a deep, pitch-black cavern. "This is the place," he said. "According to confessions from Immortal Cult members, over ten thousand years ago, the founding cult master received a divine summons from the Immortal Celestial. Struck by sudden inspiration, he arrived here in a dream and saw two elderly figures playing chess. One was the Immortal Celestial, and the other was the Ancient Nameless One. "The founding cult master was captivated by the chess match. When the game concluded, the two elders and the board vanished together. Awakening from his dream, the founding cult master found that he had unknowingly walked into the mountains and stood before the entrance of the Immortal Ruins. "However, according to our investigation, that entire account was fabricated just to glorify the cult's origins. The only detail consistent with reality is that the protagonist was indeed the founding cult master. "The truth is that the founding cult master was illegally logging timber here to sell. When the imperial court caught him, he was imprisoned for fifty years. Upon his release, he reviewed his criminal history, synthesized the lessons learned, and proactively improved his methods. He then specifically studied the Tree Planting Art, planting trees while uprooting them, quickly mastering the Tree Planting Art to great success. "When he uprooted one ancient tree, he discovered a bottomless cave beneath it. Greatly astonished, he bought a personal accident insurance policy and ventured into the cave to explore. "There, he discovered the Immortal Ruins, learned of the Immortal Celestial's existence, and acquired several immortal treasures. Deeply inspired, he figured that running an evil cult earned spirit stones much faster than cutting down trees. "This is reflected in criminal law as well: the former carries the death penalty, while the latter is only fixed-term imprisonment. "Founding the Immortal Cult came with countless obstacles as well—insufficient capital, a shortage of manpower, and so forth. "When short on funds, he took out loans; when short on manpower, he recruited peers straight from prison. Overcoming every hurdle, the founding cult master finally established the Immortal Cult." "...How on earth did you uncover such detailed history?" Lu Yang marveled at how colorful the founding cult master's life had been—enough to fill an entire book. The imperial court was truly impressive to investigate in such detail. "Oh, investigating this wasn't difficult at all. After all, he wrote a memoir." The old general pulled a book from his robes. "This one right here. I've been reading it like a storybook lately. Quite entertaining, really." Lu Yang: "..." *You actually thought you made it big, didn't you?* The old general added, "Later, the second-generation cult master usurped power, knocked off the founding cult master, and fraudulently claimed the founding cult master's insurance payout."