Led by Zhao Gan, Li Wuyang flew for about half a day with Xuan, whose condition was still poor, until they reached a mountain range with relatively dense spiritual energy. Pavilions and towers were built along the slopes, clouds and mist curled through the peaks, and sword lights flickered in and out of sight, giving the place quite the air of an immortal sect.
This was the mountain gate of the Qingyun Sword Sect.
However, in the eyes of Li Wuyang, a "native" from the "high-end version" of the Primordial World, the Qingyun Sword Sect was rather underwhelming. Its mountain-protecting formation looked intricate, but it probably could not withstand a full-powered blow from a true Primordial Celestial Immortal. Those dancing sword lights had plenty of grace but not enough killing intent. They looked more like... a performance?
"Senior, this way, please!" Zhao Gan respectfully led Li Wuyang and Xuan to the main hall on the central peak.
Having received word beforehand, the Qingyun Sword Sect's leader—a white-haired old Daoist who looked every bit the immortal sage and possessed early Golden Immortal cultivation, equivalent to a Primordial True Immortal—was already waiting outside the hall with several elders. Zhao Gan had clearly reported the situation through a communication talisman.
"This old man is Qingyunzi, the unworthy sect leader of the Qingyun Sword Sect. Welcome, fellow Daoists, to our humble sect!" Sect Leader Qingyunzi said with a warm smile, cupping his hands in greeting. His attitude was exceedingly polite, even carrying a faint, barely perceptible reverence. He could sense the pure Dao aura on Li Wuyang, utterly different from that of Spiritual Stream Realm cultivators, as well as Xuan's unfathomable, though weakened, presence.
"This humble Daoist is Li Wuyang, and this is my master, Daoist Xuan. We were traveling through this region and have come to trouble the sect leader," Li Wuyang replied with a return salute. He casually fabricated an identity and placed Xuan in the position of his "master," making him seem all the more inscrutable.
Xuan continued meditating with his eyes closed. He merely gave a slight nod in greeting, his aloof demeanor fully on display.
Seeing this, Qingyunzi and the others became even more convinced that their visitors had extraordinary origins. They did not dare slight them and quickly invited the two into the main hall, serving fragrant tea and spiritual fruits.
After some pleasantries, Qingyunzi cautiously asked, "May I ask where Fellow Daoist Li received his teachings? Your true qi is vast and pure, seemingly unlike any cultivation method of our Spiritual Stream Realm."
Li Wuyang had prepared for this. Calmly, he said, "My master and I have traveled the myriad realms for many years and happened upon an ancient inheritance. We are not native cultivators of the Spiritual Stream Realm." His words were half true and half false, both elevating their status and explaining the origin of their techniques.
A flash of envy and understanding crossed Qingyunzi and the others' eyes. So they were reclusive masters who had obtained an ancient inheritance! No wonder they were so formidable! Their attitudes toward Li Wuyang and Xuan became even more respectful.
Li Wuyang took the opportunity to request a temporary stay so Xuan could recuperate from his injuries, while he could consult texts concerning the Spiritual Stream Realm and even the surrounding void.
Qingyunzi naturally agreed without hesitation. Not only did he arrange the finest Guest Quarters for them, but he also granted them access to the sect's Scripture Repository. He practically wanted to tie these two "great masters" firmly to the sect.
After settling in, Li Wuyang began studying this "low-end version of the Primordial World" in depth.
He first went to the Scripture Repository. The Qingyun Sword Sect's collection was sizable, but in Li Wuyang's eyes, most of its cultivation manuals were crude and simplistic, with many concepts that were outright mistaken. Even the sect's supreme inheritance, the Qingyun Sword Canon, was at most comparable to a decent Earth Immortal-level sword art from the Primordial World. Compared with Tongtian's sword Dao, it was like clouds and mud.
Cultivators of this realm were limited by the low activity of spiritual energy and an incomplete Heavenly Dao. Their cultivation required twice the effort for half the result, and they easily encountered bottlenecks. No wonder the highest level attainable was only Golden Immortal, or True Immortal.
As for resources, the spiritual stones, spiritual herbs, and minerals of the Spiritual Stream Realm were generally of poorer quality than those of the Primordial World. A piece of "ten-thousand-year cold iron" revered here as a supreme treasure might only be ordinary artifact-refining material in the Primordial World.
"No wonder Zhao Gan and the others felt so... hollow. Their foundations were never properly laid," Li Wuyang thought, shaking his head. It was like building a house with inferior materials. It might look fine, but it would never be sturdy.
Still, there were advantages. Because the overall level here was so low, Li Wuyang, with the pure foundation cultivated through the Huang Ting Jing and his Earth Immortal cultivation, could practically roam unchecked! So long as he did not encounter one of the few ancient Golden Immortal monsters, he was basically invincible.
That gave him enough confidence and time to plan his next move.
Several days later, Xuan's injuries had stabilized considerably. Though he was still far from returning to his peak, there was no longer any serious cause for concern. He began trying to refine that wisp of the Devour Origin Core, proceeding slowly and cautiously.
Meanwhile, Li Wuyang used the Qingyun Sect's resources to consolidate his cultivation while gathering intelligence through various channels. He focused on two matters: first, whether there were rumors of unfamiliar powerful spirit beasts such as Huaihuai or Little Fire, or a sprite such as Yingying; second, information about spatial passages or ancient ruins connecting the Spiritual Stream Realm to the outside world.
Yet he found no news of his companions. He did, however, hear an interesting rumor concerning spatial passages: every hundred years, the three major powers of the Spiritual Stream Realm jointly opened a passage to an ancient battlefield called the Sea of Falling Stars. The Sea of Falling Stars was a buffer zone between the Spiritual Stream Realm and the main Primordial World. Space there was extremely unstable, but it was said to contain ancient treasures from the primordial age and even the age of Chaos. Danger and opportunity coexisted there. The next opening would be in three years!
"The Sea of Falling Stars... an ancient battlefield... Chaos relics?" Li Wuyang stroked his chin, a gleam flashing in his eyes. Could there be clues about the Chaos Demon Gods there? Or a way to return to the main Primordial World? Perhaps... there was even a chance of finding his scattered companions?
It seemed the Spiritual Stream Realm was not entirely without value. At the very least, this Sea of Falling Stars was worth visiting!
A preliminary plan took shape in Li Wuyang's mind: use these three years to increase his strength as quickly as possible while learning the full situation in the Spiritual Stream Realm. Then, he would participate in the once-a-century Sea of Falling Stars expedition and seek an opportunity to return to the Primordial World and find his companions!
With his goal clear, Li Wuyang was full of motivation. He bid farewell to Qingyunzi and the others, who spent their days entertaining guests, and used secluded cultivation as an excuse to bring Xuan to a quiet cave dwelling in the Qingyun Sect's back mountain. There, he began his first formal secluded cultivation in the Spiritual Stream Realm.
This time, he would not only consolidate his Earth Immortal cultivation, but also attempt to learn several practical divine abilities and spells recorded in the Huang Ting Jing, preparing for future adventures!
His cultivation life in this low-end version of the Primordial World had officially begun!
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