Settling Down

When Fang Qing said he wanted to join the sect of those old men, the other students were all stunned.

Good heavens, was he really so familiar with joining sects? They were all still feeling melancholy, lost, and deep in thought, yet he had directly said he wanted to join their sect—and even wanted to help it flourish?

Was his mind working a little too fast?

"Damn, Brother Fang really knows his stuff. We're strangers in a strange land now, and it seems joining their sect is our only path."

"We're considered talented now too. They might really want to take us as disciples. Brother Fang said it outright, and it really is a case of mutual interest."

"Joining this Immortal Gate? Does that mean we'll have an Immortal Gate to belong to from now on?"

Many of the students were shocked and curious, while the old men nodded and settled the matter.

"Good. There is no time to lose. From this day onward, all of you will join our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven. In the future, you will know that this was an incomparably correct choice."

One of the old men spoke with a smile. As he spoke, a ray of light flowed from his body and enveloped everyone, then he whisked them away.

He did not linger for even a moment.

What a joke. Their luck this time had been far too good. They had obtained thirty excellent seedlings worthy of being called Immortal Seedlings in one stroke. Naturally, they had to take every last one into their sect and leave as quickly as possible, lest other sects see them and claim some of the spots.

There were a total of Six Blessed Lands in Yan State, and the competition between them was extremely fierce. This competition showed itself in every aspect, including an intense struggle for talent.

Now that they had thirty good seedlings, of course they had to run immediately.

In the blink of an eye, all the elders of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven and Weiwei had left the small town far behind, flying toward Lingxu Grotto-Heaven.

As they flew, some of the elders continued extolling the greatness of their sect.

"Our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven inherited its teachings from a certain Holy Land. Our foundational arts are absolutely first-rate in this world. Moreover, if any of you soar to great heights, we will provide you with an even broader stage. We certainly will not delay your cultivation."

"That's right. If any of you prove exceptionally gifted in the future, you may even enter that Holy Land to cultivate under its tutelage, gaining more resources and inheritances as you rise across the Eastern Wasteland."

"Weiwei is the peerless genius our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven produces only once every thousand years. Before long, she will be selected to cultivate within that Holy Land. Though we are reluctant to part with her, we do not wish to hinder her cultivation."

The old men spoke mysteriously of their sect's origins.

Fang Qing and the other students listened attentively, gathering more common knowledge about this world.

The entire world was divided into the Eastern Wasteland, Southern Ridge, Western Desert, Northern Plains, and Central Province. Every region was unimaginably vast.

Take Yan State, a small country under the Eastern Wasteland. It stretched two thousand li from north to south and three thousand li from east to west, its territory vast indeed. Yet within the Eastern Wasteland, it was merely a drop in the ocean. There were countless countries like it.

This was an exceedingly vast world. Ordinary people could spend their entire lives without traveling very far. Only by stepping onto the path of cultivation might they hope to see more scenery.

Many elders of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven held great expectations for Fang Qing's group, especially Fang Qing, Ye Fan, and Pang Bo. They knew that Fang Qing and the others had consumed Sacred Medicine from the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone and could go farther upon the path of cultivation.

Amid explanations and hopeful anticipation, the group stopped before a hazy range of immortal mountains. The place was peaceful, with flowing springs and cascading waterfalls, Immortal Cranes dancing through the air, and pavilions and lofty buildings scattered throughout. It truly looked like an excellent place.

"So this is Lingxu Grotto-Heaven?"

Pang Bo could not help but stare in shock. He then looked at the Immortal Cranes flying about in the distance. "Those Immortal Cranes are pretty fat. Can we catch one and roast it?"

The moment he said this, several old men glared at Pang Bo in annoyance. "Those are Immortal Cranes that have gained intelligence. With your current abilities, you cannot even get close to them."

"If I can get close later, can I eat them then?"

Pang Bo muttered softly, leaving the old men utterly speechless.

Everyone continued flying deeper inside. When they arrived at a place hidden deep within the clouds, a Great Green Stone stood before them, bearing the two characters Lingxu.

Lingxu.

It was said that this place had once been ruins. After later generations cleaned it up somewhat, it became a Blessed Land. However, its history was exceedingly ancient, traceable all the way back to the Ancient Desolation era. It was said to contain many secrets.

Yet later generations had excavated and cleared this place on a large scale many times, but they had never discovered anything of value.

The powerful cultivators of every generation who cultivated in this Blessed Land all felt that this place was far from simple, yet after so many years, they still had gained nothing.

When Fang Qing's group passed the Great Green Stone and entered the immortal mist ahead, an incomparably magnificent world appeared before them, as though they had arrived in another heaven and earth.

"So this is Lingxu Grotto-Heaven?"

"It really looks like an immortal paradise!"

"We'll be cultivating in this immortal paradise from now on!"

Many students cried out in amazement, their faces full of shock as they stared ahead.

Ancient trees towered into the sky here, medicinal herbs gave off fragrant scents, and rare beasts appeared from time to time. Even ordinary grass and trees looked exceptionally verdant after being nourished by the Essence of Sun and Moon, as though they had been carved from green jade.

Not far away, waterfalls poured down like an inverted Milky Way. Their thunderous roar resembled a galloping army of ten thousand horses, magnificent and breathtaking.

Along the way, they could see numerous artificially cultivated medicine fields. The ginseng within was as thick as a child's arm, alongside many unknown medicinal herbs. Their fragrance drifted through the air, refreshing the heart and mind.

"There are thirty of you. We will assign accommodations for you. You three, come with me."

An old man spoke, pointing at Fang Qing, Ye Fan, and Pang Bo before heading in one direction.

The other students were led elsewhere by the remaining elders.

"This isn't a life-and-death parting. You'll meet again during lectures in the future, so there's no need to look at each other so affectionately."

An old man said with a smile.

"Alright."

Fang Qing, Ye Fan, and Pang Bo looked once more at the other students, then followed an old man to the foot of a low hill. There were three or five Thatched Cottages here, a medicine field beside them, and several ancient trees growing close together.

The place looked tranquil and natural, enough to cast aside the restlessness in one's heart and allow one to devote oneself fully to cultivation.

"You few will stay here for now. I will report what happened today to the elders. When the time comes, an elder will arrange your cultivation."

The old man spoke, gave Fang Qing and the others a few instructions, then left.

Only Fang Qing, Ye Fan, and Pang Bo remained in this area of Thatched Cottages.

"We've finally arrived somewhere new! It's different from the immortal cultivation I imagined, but lying in a Thatched Cottage is still more comfortable than lying in the mountains."

Once the old man had left, Pang Bo shouted excitedly, picked a Thatched Cottage, and claimed it as his own.

"Yeah, we've finally settled down in this new world."

Ye Fan was also somewhat emotional. They had encountered far too many things along the way, but fortunately, everyone had emerged safe and sound in the end.

"Perhaps we can look forward to the life ahead."

Fang Qing smiled and sat down cross-legged, seemingly about to begin circulating his mysterious technique again.

"Brother Fang, do you have to be this hardworking?"