Qingzhou was a territory of the Chen Clan Immortal Family, situated atop Yellow Cloud Mountain.
They were the only immortal sect to have retained the form of an Aristocratic Clan since ancient times. All disciples entering the sect had to forget their roots, change their surnames, and join the Chen clan.
At the beginning of Taiyuan, with the Start of Spring approaching, on a bright day as winter receded, the grand formation around Yellow Cloud Mountain was suddenly lifted. The immortal mist that had shrouded the mountains gradually dispersed with a sweep of the Sect Master's sleeve.
Heavenly light surged. Inner Court and Outer Court disciples stood in ranks along both sides of the mountain path, whispering among themselves.
"Disciples from another sect are coming to pay respects at the mountain?"
"The sect-protecting formation has been lifted. This clearly isn't a mountain visit, but an inquiry of the mountain."
"What is the difference between paying respects at the mountain and inquiring of the mountain?"
"No matter who they are, disciples of other sects—even direct disciples of the current generation—must first submit a visiting card before going to another sect. That is called paying respects at the mountain. Only when the Sect Master of another sect comes on business can it be called inquiring of the mountain. To show respect, the immortal clan being visited must lift its sect-protecting formation."
"Why have I never heard of a Sect Master from another sect leaving their mountain?"
"Yesterday, a senior brother saw someone from Spirit Sword Mountain come. They say the one coming this time is that Young Master Jian, Spirit Sword Mountain's direct disciple."
At the summit of Yellow Mountain, where the sea of clouds stretched for ten thousand miles, three figures stood amid the wind and waves. At their feet, the rising sun cast down myriad rays of golden dawn, dyeing the rolling cloud sea until white waves shimmered with gold.
Two of the three were young man and woman. One was Chen Luo, the other Chen Xi; they were siblings of the main family bloodline.
Though young, both had already reached the Middle Dao Integration Realm and were the Chen Clan Immortal Family's direct disciples of this generation.
Behind them stood an old woman, a Boundless Realm expert and their Dao protector.
The three looked down from above the cloud sea and saw Chen clan disciples arrayed across the mountain, with immortal cranes flying alongside the clouds. Their expressions were filled with confusion.
"Last autumn, my sister and I also went to Spirit Sword Mountain, bearing the rites of a mountain visit. Yan Shuyi is merely a direct disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain. What gives her the nerve to come inquire of the mountain and even alarm the Old Ancestor?"
Chen Luo spoke coldly, looking toward the old woman behind him.
The gray-haired old woman answered, "Young Master is right, but Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian differs from other direct disciples."
Chen Xi could not help asking curiously, "Granny Wu, how is she different?"
"Among the Seven Great Immortal Sects today, aside from the Celestial Academy, which has yet to choose a direct disciple, the other Six Great Immortal Sects all have one. But Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian is the only exception."
The old woman clasped her hands behind her back. "Because among the six direct disciples, she alone already wields a Heavenly Dao Sacred Artifact. Though she is not the Sect Master, she already possesses the standing of one."
Chen Xi and Chen Luo exchanged a glance, surprise rising in their eyes.
In truth, they also knew that becoming a Sect Master's direct disciple did not mean one would certainly become the Sect Master.
Take Chu Xian of the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion. His profound arts were invincible wherever he went, and his talent was breathtaking. Yet the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion ultimately bore the Ji surname.
Thus, whether the current Sect Master Xuan Yuan would truly pass the sect on to Chu remained an unsettled matter.
The Immortal Dao of Qingyun World was indeed flourishing, but it ultimately shared the same nature as mortal dynasties: the world belonged to a family.
Among the common folk of Great Xia, plays often told of disciples whose brilliance stunned the ages. After ascending the mountain, they won the Sect Master's favor, received both cultivation arts and the Sect Master's daughter in marriage, as though the Sect Master wished to give them everything.
But one only had to think to know: in an immortal sect passed down for thousands of years, who would truly be willing to hand over an enormous clan, along with the power over its rise and fall, to someone of another surname?
Even among those of the same surname, the internal struggle for power could drag on endlessly and fiercely.
Take Spirit Sword Mountain's three main branches—Heaven Sword Peak, Mystic Sword Peak, and Inquiry Sword Peak. They had fought one another for thousands of years, until Heaven Sword Peak seized sole control of great authority and produced five consecutive generations of Sect Masters.
But after the previous Young Master Jian, who came from Heaven Sword Peak, mysteriously vanished, the Spirit Mirror likewise lost its master.
Until that day, when it fell into Mystic Sword Peak's hands.
Therefore, Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian differed from every direct disciple of the present age.
Because she wielded a Heavenly Dao Sacred Artifact, she was destined to become Spirit Sword Mountain's next Sect Master. Even the current Sect Master had no authority to interfere.
A sacred artifact represented a Dao lineage. Only while the Dao lineage's inheritance remained could disciples within the sect have a chance to enter the Immortal Approaching Realm from the Upper Five Realms.
And if one of the Seven Great Immortal Sects lost recognition from its Dao lineage, it could only be considered a somewhat larger Aristocratic Clan.
Thus, no one among the other Six Great Immortal Sects truly regarded her as nothing more than a minor direct disciple.
Even if she went to the first-ranked Celestial Academy, the Celestial Academy Sect Master would personally lift the sect-protecting formation to display the friendship between their two sects.
After hearing this, Chen Luo and Chen Xi were both astonished.
The old woman could not help saying, "Qingyun World has remained peaceful for a thousand years because the Seven Great Immortal Sects each kept to their own territory. But in recent days, evil seeds have appeared again and again. It seems a chaotic age is approaching. On her first journey out of the mountain, Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian came to our Chen clan. Whatever her reason, this is a deterrent to the other immortal sects and petty villains alike."
Chen Xi suddenly understood. "So that was why, on the day she broke through, Dao Seeking Sect's direct disciple went to congratulate her with gongs and drums?"
"Exactly. After all, she is a woman. Sooner or later, she must marry."
"..."
Chen Luo and Chen Xi pondered this for a moment before the immortal cranes in the clouds suddenly raised their heads and cried toward the sky.
Then they saw a woman of peerless beauty appear on the divine path that led through the mountain. More than ten people followed behind her as she calmly made her way toward the clan's main hall.
Several old elders of the Chen Clan Immortal Family were already seated within the hall. Sect Master Chen Ruhai stood before the chamber, and when the two sides met, they exchanged formal greetings.
"Young Master Jian has come from afar. My Chen clan is deeply honored. Please take the seat of honor."
Yan Shuyi smiled faintly. "Thank you, Sect Master Chen."
Chen Ruhai stroked his beard and nodded, then gave the person beside him a look.
Before long, a thin and gaunt clansman was brought into the main hall. He first saluted Old Master Chen, then saluted Yan Shuyi.
Standing beside Chen Ruhai was the clan's chief steward, Chen Sheng. He spoke at this moment. "We have investigated the person Young Master Jian sent up the mountain yesterday. His name is Chen Qinghe. He was once a disciple of our Chen Clan Immortal Family. This is the teacher who instructed him when he cultivated within the clan: Chen En."
Yan Shuyi raised an eyebrow slightly. "Once?"
Chen En immediately cupped his hands. "In answer to Young Master Jian, Chen Qinghe was indeed once my disciple. But he remained stalled at Perfection of the Lower Three Realms for many years and left the mountain more than a year ago."
"So the disciple my Spirit Sword Mountain lost has nothing to do with your Chen Clan Immortal Family?"
"Young Master Jian is discerning. Chen Qinghe's actions were absolutely not ordered by our Chen Clan Immortal Family."
Yan Shuyi looked at Chen En. "Then do you know where Chen Qinghe went after leaving the mountain?"
Chen En shook his head. "Once the five-year term ended, the bond between master and disciple ended as well. I do not know what happened after he left the mountain."
Chen Ruhai spoke gravely at this point. "Since Spirit Sword Mountain's disciple disappeared in Qingzhou, my Chen Clan Immortal Family naturally bears responsibility. We have already sent Outer Court disciples to search for him."
Yan Shuyi glanced at Chen Ruhai, then turned back to Chen En. "When he left, he was at Perfection of the Lower Three Realms. Yet a little over a year later, he reached the Upper Dao Integration Realm?"
"After receiving Spirit Sword Mountain's message yesterday, we also found it strange. We instructed disciples through the night to compile every cultivation technique Chen Qinghe practiced, the medicines he took, and records of his meals and sleep. Please come with me to the Disciples' Hall, Young Master Jian."
Yan Shuyi immediately rose and followed Chen En to the Disciples' Hall to examine everything concerning Chen Qinghe.
Chen Ruhai, meanwhile, glanced at Chen Sheng. The two left through the rear hall, entered a narrow passage, and finally arrived in a stone chamber.
Chen Qinghe was bound in iron chains, struggling inside the stone chamber. He had not stopped from last night until now. Clearly, he had already lost his humanity.
"Have you found out?"
"We have. After leaving the mountain, he went to Qiling Town in Central Province."
Chen Ruhai spoke expressionlessly. "The largest Ancient Ruins lies in Qiling, and no one has been able to open it to this day."
Chen Sheng glanced at Old Master Chen. "Could it be connected to the evil seeds suddenly leaving the ruins?"
"It must be connected. But that is not the key. The key is that in a little over a year, it allowed someone at Perfection of the Lower Three Realms to break through into the Upper Dao Integration Realm. There must be an extraordinary secret treasure within those ruins."
"But Chen Qinghe has lost his humanity."
Chen Ruhai chuckled. "So what? Even if he is merely a weapon of slaughter, he cannot be allowed to fall into another's hands. The Celestial Academy sent disciples to investigate this so-called evil seed incident; I fear it is not simply for the sake of sect prestige."
Chen Sheng pondered for a long while after hearing this. "Then we must quickly send people there as well, lest we fall behind the other immortal sects."
"Precisely."
"Then... should we report this to Old Master Chen?"
The Chen Clan Immortal Family passed down its legacy as an Aristocratic Clan, so even Sect Master Chen Ruhai did not possess complete authority.
The one who truly controlled the Heavenly Dao Sacred Artifact was the clan head, Old Master Chen, who had always cultivated Dao deep in the mountains. He was an Immortal Approaching Realm cultivator of the present age.
After pondering for a moment, Chen Ruhai waved his hand. "We do not even have a lead yet. How could we dare disturb the old man? Find some clues first, then speak of it."
"Yes."
"And find a way to keep the Spirit Sword Mountain party steady. Have them stay a few more days, lest word leak out."
Chen Ruhai rolled up his sleeve. "Spirit Sword Mountain's Young Master Jian is no trivial figure, but she has ultimately lived fewer years. She focuses only on finding the missing disciple, yet overlooks the greater opportunity behind this."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng immediately turned and secretly sent messages to the Inner and Outer Courts. He selected a group of disciples, had them swiftly change attire, and sent them down the mountain by the back-mountain trail toward Qiling Town.
As the group of disciples slipped away, Zhuo Wanqiu and three disciples emerged from behind a thousand-year-old tree beside the back-mountain trail.
"Just as Young Master Jian guessed. Follow them."
"..."
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