New Year's Day

As the new year approached, the days grew longer and the nights shorter.

This was a very auspicious and important festival in Qingyun World, signifying the beginning of the four seasons' cycle, when all things would gradually revive.

Every year at this time, Shengjing City would be decorated with lanterns and streamers, with lantern festivals held alongside temple fairs.

The common folk would also prepare spring banquets and draw spring talismans, praying for the early return of spring and the melting of ice and snow.

At this moment, in Shengjing's most prosperous Apricot Blossom Alley, a group of disciples from Mountain Sea Pavilion hurried past, their expressions urgent.

Leading them was Qiu Ni, who had once spent a mere tael of silver at Celestial Academy to practice swordsmanship. He was currently holding a portrait and asking passersby and vendors if they had seen the people in the picture.

They had lost five disciples yesterday and had searched for them for a day and a night without any trace.

Meanwhile, on the upper floor of the nearby Apricot Blossom Tower, a group of Outer Court disciples from Celestial Academy were drinking together, discussing recent events in the academy.

"Chu He condensed his seventh spiritual light yesterday; he's only two steps away from breaking through."

"It's not just Chu He, but Du Zhu too. Do you remember Du Zhu?"

"The Nirvana Realm cultivator from Liangzhou?"

"That's right. It's like he suddenly achieved enlightenment. A month ago, he suddenly reached Perfection of the Lower Three Realms. He then took leave, saying he was going to visit relatives outside the city. I didn't expect him to return already having condensed two spiritual lights."

Upon hearing this news, the Celestial Academy disciples who didn't know the details exchanged glances, looking incredulous.

Chu He's sudden breakthrough, from being dejected to condensing seven mystic lights, was still somewhat reasonable in the disciples' minds.

After all, the Chu family's talent was known throughout the world.

And although Ji You was a rogue cultivator from the countryside and shouldn't have been favored, he had sensed the Heavenly Tome and had steadily cultivated his way up under everyone's watchful eyes, so there was nothing to complain about.

Especially a while ago, when he single-handedly controlled two battlefields with three swords, saving two Inner Court senior brothers from the hands of a Dao Integration Realm cultivator, his prestige had been quite high recently.

But Du Zhu, who was initially an unremarkable figure, had now suddenly surpassed everyone, which was truly astonishing.

"I thought Ji You's entry into the Inner Court was a sure thing, but I didn't expect it to be so full of twists and turns."

"Cultivation is indeed a profound and mysterious matter."

"Ji You isn't a progeny of a noble family. If he truly suppresses us and enters the Inner Court, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to everyone?"

The disciples present chattered amongst themselves, and at the same time, couldn't help but turn their heads to look at Xihe Tower across the way.

Lu Qingqiu was hosting again today, inviting some classmates for drinks, including Ji You.

She had originally wanted to invite Chu He and Du Zhu as well, but ever since their breakthroughs, these two had become somewhat unapproachable, not going anywhere except for cultivation.

"Chu He has now gathered seven mystic lights and is about to enter the upper five realms. What are your thoughts on this, Young Master Ji?"

"As long as he doesn't snatch my position as Sect Master."

"?"

Lu Qingqiu thought he was joking to lighten the mood. After a smile, her brow furrowed slightly.

She had thought she had befriended a promising Inner Court disciple, but she hadn't expected Chu He and Du Zhu to be so formidable.

Qian Yunxiao picked up a piece of food and suddenly looked at Bai Rulong, "A'long, why are you so quiet today?"

Bai Rulong's brow was tightly furrowed. "A few days ago, my family sent me a spirit pill for cultivation, telling me to take it and that the Bai family's glory rested on me, etc. I don't know what to do."

Lu Qingqiu, who had been taking pills since she was young, didn't think much of it. "Taking pills is a common practice."

"But I always feel something is wrong with this."

"What could be wrong with a pill?"

Bai Rulong crossed his arms. "Ever since my mother died, my father has favored my second wife, and all the family resources have been given to my second brother. If there were truly any spirit pills for cultivation, how would they fall into my hands?"

Hearing this, everyone suddenly remembered the scene from the day the sword was delivered.

When they had speculated about the attacker's identity at the time, Bai Rulong had mentioned this second brother.

He believed that the attack had been orchestrated by his second brother, Bai Si Hu, with the aim of crippling him so that he wouldn't return to inherit the family fortune.

"All medicine has some toxicity. It's best to take fewer pills to avoid harming yourself."

Ji You emptied the plate in front of him. "Although there's no evidence of the harm caused by pills, those who have reached the upper five realms by taking them have basically stagnated at the Profound Connection Realm. Look at me, I never take pills."

Bai Rulong was stunned for a moment. "Isn't it because you're poor?"

"That was just my disguise."

Ji You was a little annoyed and reached out to take the untouched ginseng soup in front of him for himself.

Lou Siyi suddenly remembered something and looked up. "Speaking of breaking through, the Young Master Jian of Spirit Sword Mountain also broke through the other day."

"Broke through again?"

"Yes, Heavenly Beginning Realm at twenty-two years old. The foremost personal disciple of this generation. I don't know if she has condensed a Dharma Idol yet."

Lou Siyi said with some admiration, "It's said that when she broke through the day before yesterday, something very interesting happened."

Lu Qingqiu, who loved gossip, looked up. "What interesting thing?"

"The personal disciple of Dao Seeking Sect has had feelings for that Young Master Jian for many years. Upon hearing of her breakthrough, he went to congratulate her with great fanfare, bringing countless gifts, but he didn't get to see her."

"Why didn't he get to see her?"

"The Sect Master of Spirit Sword Mountain said she left the mountain the night she broke through her realm. She's not here now, and they don't know where she went, but everyone thinks that's just an excuse."

"Spirit Sword Mountain is the foremost sect in the South, its status almost equal to that of Celestial Academy. Dao Seeking Sect has always wanted to befriend Spirit Sword Mountain, but they were too eager. It's no wonder they weren't received."

Just as the group was chatting, a fierce gust of wind and waves suddenly rose in the distance, causing the lanterns all over the city to sway violently.

Everyone stopped drinking. Before they could even figure out what was happening, they saw that the waist tokens they carried were all emitting a golden mystic light.

They were stunned for a moment, then saw the Celestial Academy disciple sitting opposite them rushing back.

"It's Celestial Academy's summons!"

"I've never seen the summons light up before. I thought it was just an ordinary waist token."

"When something unusual happens, there's bound to be a reason. It looks like something is going to happen tonight."

The few exchanged glances, then put down their chopsticks and returned to Mount Ni along with the twilight.

As expected, a large number of disciples had already gathered at the Ascending Immortal White Jade Platform.

Before them stood the three stewards of the Affairs Management Courtyard, their faces stern, fists clenched, and then they spoke with composure.

Every year on New Year's Day, the Pill Sect escorts a large batch of spirit pills to supply the various sects. Tonight, they were attacked in Wanzhuo Mountain outside the city.

The Pill Sect primarily cultivates the Dao of Alchemy, and their combat power is generally not strong.

However, the higher the quality of the spirit pills, the less stable they are and the easier they are to damage. Therefore, each pill escort requires at least five Pill Masters to guard the pills.

Cultivators in this era are extremely reliant on pills, so this matter is no small thing.

Because it happened so suddenly, they had no choice but to use the summons.

At this moment, as the three stewards brought their fingers together, a massive flying sword roared down from the sky and landed on the White Jade Platform.