Innate Immortal Seed

Hanxiu Peak.

Before the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators left, they set a great fire that burned the Endless Bamboo Sea to the ground.

After extensive repairs and reconstruction, the scorched black rock faces on both sides of the mountain path were still visible.

However, the Bai Family took this opportunity to rebuild their clan’s estate.

With carved beams and painted rafters, halls of jade and marble, and vast swathes of transplanted Jade Grass and Exotic Flowers, the scenery was now otherworldly.

"The Bai Family is so magnificent! I’ve been to the Qingxi Huang Family’s estate, and it was nothing compared to this..."

A few Loose Cultivators, who had come to offer congratulations and attend the celebration, followed behind the Bai Family’s welcoming steward and spoke in hushed tones.

"Indeed. The Bai Family has always kept a low profile. I can’t believe they’re this wealthy."

The yellow-robed, flute-carrying Loose Cultivator sighed with emotion as he stepped onto the white jade stairs.

The Loose Cultivators invited to the Bai Family’s celebration were all well-known in the vicinity, and most had a Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivation.

"Brother Tian, you haven’t been in Black Mountain for long, so you don’t know the Bai Family’s true strength... Bai Clan Leader’s cultivation is impressive; he’s considered one of the best among the leaders of the various Cultivation Families."

Another man, an old-timer with a white beard and hair and enough wrinkles on his face to trap a mosquito, stepped closer and said with a smile.

The old man’s surname was Huang. He was said to be from a branch of the Qingxi Huang Family, and his Alchemy was renowned among Loose Cultivators. He went by the elegant moniker, Yellow Stone Lord.

"Now that Fairy Bai Ling has successfully reached Foundation Establishment, the Bai Family has two Foundation Establishment Elders. Based on their visible strength alone, they could squeeze into the ranks of the Seven Great Cultivation Families, not to mention their relationship with *that* person..."

Just as Cultivator Tian’s curiosity was piqued, Yellow Stone Lord gave a mysterious chuckle and trailed off.

"Yellow Stone Lord, stop being so cryptic... You just want me to take your granddaughter as my disciple, don’t you? After the Bai Family’s celebration banquet is over, I’ll pay a visit. If she truly meets the requirements of my Cultivation Technique, taking on another disciple is no big deal."

The Cultivator Tian held his long flute horizontally and spoke with a hint of resignation.

"Haha, that would be for the best."

Yellow Stone Lord laughed heartily. This Cultivator Tian had moved to Black Mountain from Central Province less than ten years ago.

In his early forties, he had already reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, a rare achievement for a Loose Cultivator.

Furthermore, he practiced an extremely rare Sound Technique. Since his own granddaughter had loved playing zithers and flutes since she was a child, he had gotten the idea to have her become his apprentice.

"Brother Tian, you don’t know much about the truly powerful figures in Black Mountain. Don’t be fooled by the Huang Family and Liu Family each adding a Great Foundation Establishment Cultivator in recent years, looking all glamorous... The real power in Black Mountain is, and always will be, the Qingfeng Sect."

Yellow Stone Lord slowed his pace, and the two of them fell back, putting some distance between themselves and the other Loose Cultivators ahead.

"I didn’t hear much about the Qingfeng Sect back in Central Province. It was only after coming to Black Mountain that I learned it was the sect Master Ge Cang came from..."

Cultivator Tian said thoughtfully.

"Could it be that the Bai Family is connected to some influential elder in the Qingfeng Sect?"

Central Province was the most central province of Liang Country, composed of twelve counties surrounding Qii Mountain.

In such a vast and fertile land, aside from the Holy Lotus Sect, there were only four or five other sects, all of which were branches that had developed from it.

If you looked into the history of those Cultivation Families, you would find they all had intricate connections to the Holy Lotus Sect.

It was either an elder from the Holy Lotus Sect who had retired, returned to their hometown, and started their own clan...

...or they were descendants of some powerful figure within the Sect. Their backgrounds and strength were all extraordinary.

Because of this, everyone came from the same source. Strength, weakness, and the distribution of resources all depended on one’s connections within the Sect.

If their backer held a high and powerful position in the Sect, the branch and Cultivation Family they supported would rise with the tide.

The opposite was also true.

When Master Ge Cang roamed the world in his younger days, he once sat and discussed the Dao with several Core Formation True Men from the Holy Lotus Sect in Central Province.

He competed in both his understanding of the Great Dao and his combat prowess, overpowering all the Core Formation True Men present. That was why his name was still spoken of in Central Province.

It was also because of that discussion that Master Ge Cang caught the eye of True Monarch Jiulian.

"Hah, not just any elder... We’re talking about Elder Bai, hailed as the next Core Formation True Man! An Unparalleled Sword Cultivator who has slain at least five or six Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivators!"

Yellow Stone Lord’s face lit up, and he spoke with a sense of vicarious pride.

"Once Elder Bai also breaks through to become a Core Formation True Man, how would the Ghost Spirit Sect dare to invade Black Mountain again? They’ll have to spit out all the benefits they took... A pity this old man is getting on in years. I might not live to see that day."

"Although this Elder Bai rarely returns to the clan, he has still chosen a few Bai Clan Members to bring into the sect, and he contributed greatly to the rebuilding of the clan’s estate... With such a powerful figure backing them, which family wouldn’t show the Bai Family some deference?"

"I see. So the Bai Family is truly adding brocade to flowers, a land of outstanding people... To think they could produce so many talented individuals one after another."

As they spoke, the group of Loose Cultivators had already started up a straight, ascending path.

The steps were like white clouds. After climbing a hundred of them, they found themselves suspended in mid-air, facing a field the size of a hundred mu, shaped like a full moon.

Before them stood pavilions and towers fit for paradise, with rosy mists rising, resembling a celestial realm.

"Cloud Ladder Moon Land... The Bai Family really spared no expense! To build such an extravagant and impractical venue... This must have cost at least ten thousand Spirit Stones!"

Yellow Stone Lord clicked his tongue in amazement. Many of the less experienced Loose Cultivators were already dumbfounded, unsure of where to even step.

Jade tables and chairs were arranged in two long rows. Many cultivators had already taken their seats, their wine glasses clinking as they socialized and mingled on this occasion.

"Huh, I didn’t expect the Clan Leader of the Qingxi Huang Family to come in person. I thought they would just send a Foundation Establishment clan elder..."

Yellow Stone Lord’s expression shifted. He was widely traveled and knew many people, recognizing a good number of the cultivators present.

With a single glance around, he identified several Great Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including both Clan Cultivators and renowned Loose Cultivators.

"Paper Crane Daoist, Qiong Qi... There are more than ten Foundation Establishment Elders here!"

The status of Yellow Stone Lord and Tian Fei wasn’t high enough to be seated at the very front, but their seats were placed just behind those of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

"Yellow Stone Lord, who is that person? How can someone with only a Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivation be seated at the head table, with several Foundation Establishment Elders even taking the initiative to greet him?"

For someone of Tian Fei’s age to have such a cultivation level was considered top-tier even among the Loose Cultivators of Central Province, a place rich in resources and opportunities far surpassing other provinces and counties.

If not for some unavoidable circumstances, he would never have left his home to come to a place like Black Mountain County, which was considered a poor and bitter land in the eyes of Central Province cultivators.

"That’s Steward Lang from the Qingfeng Sect’s Market. He’s currently in charge of managing all the shop leases... Anyone who has any ideas about getting a shop in the Market definitely needs to be on good terms with him."

Yellow Stone Lord raised his wine cup, drained it in one gulp, and replied discreetly via Sound Transmission.

He had been a Tier One Peak Alchemist for over a decade, but limited by his own cultivation, he had always been separated by a barrier from becoming a Tier Two Alchemist.

However, with his years of experience, refining Tier One Elixirs was child’s play for him, and he had accumulated a good number of Spirit Stones.

Among his descendants, only five or six had Spiritual Roots, and none of them were particularly outstanding. Thus, he planned to acquire a shop in the Market to pass down, so that future generations could have a stable income to support their cultivation livelihood.

Ever since Wei Dao broke through to become a Core Formation True Man, the cultivators in Black Mountain had regained their confidence in the Qingfeng Sect, and as a result, the rent for shops in the Market had once again risen sharply.

Yellow Stone Lord truly didn’t dare to offend Steward Lang, who held power over which merchants could enter the Market, the length of their leases, and whether they could be renewed.

"He failed in his attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage and has since given up all hope on the Great Dao. He’s spent these years indulging in sensual pleasures, and many people have a poor opinion of him... But he’s protected by a powerful figure in the Sect, so his position is unshakable."

...

"Brother Jiu’an, I was wondering, did Elder Bai say if he would be attending the celebration this time?"

Lang Zhongping was slightly overweight and already showing signs of age, with dark circles under his eyes.

"Well, I’m not entirely sure myself... Chenn’er has been in long-term seclusion. I don’t know if he received the message."

Bai Jiu’an looked slightly awkward. The Bai Family had invited guests far and wide for two reasons: one, to congratulate Bai Ling on reaching Foundation Establishment, and two, to display their strength in preparation for seizing more resources in the future.

In recent years, the Bai Family had consolidated its territory to rest and recuperate. Relying on the resources from the reclamation war and the large amount of assets Bai Zichen had exchanged for with Sect Contribution back then, the strength of the clan’s cultivators had risen by a whole new level.

They were in no way inferior to the bottom two of the Seven Great Cultivation Families.

Of course, their greatest advantage was still having a clan member like Bai Zichen.

"Normal, completely normal. Elder Bai is a heaven-sent talent, and he cultivates so diligently. It’s no wonder Core Formation is on the horizon for him..."

Lang Zhongping’s smile was a bit forced. For the past two months, he had been busy running around, helping the Bai Family organize this celebration.

He had even used his authority to sell two batches of spiritual building materials from the Market to the Bai Family at a low price. Wasn’t it all just to curry favor with Elder Bai?

If the main attraction didn’t show up, wouldn’t it be like winking at a blind man?

The auspicious time had arrived. A crisp chime from a jade plate silenced the entire venue.

Bai Xianzhong walked slowly onto the high platform. After a few words of greeting, he introduced the star of today’s event.

Tempered by so many years, from the reclamation war to the Ghost Spirit Sect’s invasion, Bai Ling had long since shed her initial naivete and was now in the prime of her life.

Dressed in a simple palace gown, her black hair like ink, she raised her wine cup and toasted all the guests with a cup of Spirit Wine before sitting cross-legged at the highest point of the Cloud Ladder Moon Land.

Behind her, a sturdy osmanthus tree was in full bloom with delicate yellow flowers, setting off Bai Ling’s beautiful face and graceful figure, making her look like a Moon Palace Fairy.

"Elder Bai of the Qingfeng Sect has arrived!"

A young Bai Family member rushed up the Cloud Ladder, panting, and shouted the announcement from the entrance.

He knew this Elder Bai was a senior in his clan, but in the moment he wasn’t sure how to address him, so he could only announce his status as an elder of the Upper Sect.

The words had barely faded when a young man with a carefree air and well-defined features appeared at the entrance. He exuded a sharp, pressing aura, as if he had just finished a fight.

His eyes were filled with an incomparably confident light, elevating his merely above-average looks to another level entirely.

No matter who stood beside him, their presence would be overshadowed by those eyes.

"Sect Steward Lang Zhongping greets Elder Bai."

Lang Zhongping reacted the fastest. While others were just rising to their feet to welcome the newcomer, he had already rushed forward, bowing his head in deep respect.

This gesture left everyone dumbfounded.

If they hadn’t heard the announcement and judged solely by Lang Zhongping’s attitude, they would have believed a Core Formation Ancestor of the Qingfeng Sect had arrived.

Only Lang Zhongping, as a member of the Sect and someone holding the sensitive position of Market Steward, truly understood Bai Zichen’s status within the Sect.

His identity as a Supervisor Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall alone was enough to make him tremble with fear and act with extreme caution.

What’s more, the rumors in the sect were becoming more and more credible: of the four people Ancestor Ge Cang had favored, Dai Hui had failed at Core Formation, Wei Dao had successfully advanced to become a True Man, Zhou Suqing was unskilled in combat, leaving only Bai Zichen, who was outstanding in every aspect.

In a few decades, the Qingfeng Sect would surely welcome its third Core Formation True Man.

As a result, even though Bai Zichen hadn’t been active in the sect for years, his reputation had only grown. Some of the more radical young disciples had even started chanting slogans like "Junior Martial Uncle Bai has the potential to reach Nascent Soul."

Their reasoning was that at the same age, Ancestor Ge Cang’s cultivation had, at best, only been equal to Junior Martial Uncle Bai’s.