Grandmaster Pure Land

The earth pulse impact continued, but it was only aftershocks, limited in scope, and under the Dragon Turtle Diagram's resistance, it had lost its power.

After the distant mountains collapsed, crimson glow burst from the ground, filling the sky with radiant light that painted the clear heavens like evening clouds—gorgeous yet eerie, prompting endless speculation from many onlookers.

"Could this be some kind of ruin?"

"I think so too. It seems like some ancient relic is emerging from underground, causing such a commotion."

"If it's a ruin, and it's this close to our Shangqing Palace, doesn't that make it ours?"

"I agree. This area is right by our mountain gate, so naturally it belongs to Shangqing Palace."

"I wonder what treasures might be inside the ruin?"

"Whatever it is, it'll strengthen our Shangqing Palace. We must claim it."

Li Jiusheng's domain spread open for a hundred li, and he clearly heard the discussions among Shangqing Palace's disciples and elders.

"Could it really be a ruin?" Li Jiusheng wondered, though he wasn't so optimistic. If it truly was a ruin, given this aura and impact, it clearly had an immense origin. For Shangqing Palace to monopolize it would likely be very difficult.

In the sky, the Dragon Turtle Diagram's light blazed fiercely, blocking the impact. But as the shockwaves weakened, the diagram slowly retracted. This Grandmaster-level artifact required enormous energy to sustain; forcibly activating it below the Ancestor Realm drained the entire sect's power, so it couldn't last long, or it would exhaust even the elders.

The Dragon Turtle Diagram vanished, and the aftershocks dissipated. A clamor erupted within Shangqing Palace. Li Qingshan's deep voice rang out: "All disciples, be still and calm your hearts. The elders will investigate and clarify matters. Focus on your cultivation—don't let external things disturb your mind."

These words carried the authority of a Venerable, soothing the disciples' restless hearts, and the chaotic chatter faded away.

Then Li Qingshan vanished from the Golden Summit Hall, appearing directly at the Scripture Repository Pavilion, descending beside Li Jiusheng.

The Little Fox, seeing a stranger appear, tensed up and quickly slipped away, unwilling to interact with anyone other than Li Jiusheng.

"Has Senior Brother taken a pet?" Li Qingshan asked curiously, smiling.

"Yes, when you get old, you want to raise something." Li Jiusheng chuckled, not explaining the Little Fox's origin, and asked Li Qingshan, "What exactly happened?"

Li Qingshan stood beside Li Jiusheng, gazing at the distant ruins, and said, "Actually, some elders noticed something wrong in the distance a while ago. I sent people to investigate—it's a ruin, breaking through the ground."

Li Jiusheng hadn't expected the disciples' speculation to be true and asked curiously, "Did you find out what kind of ruin it is?"

"A Grandmaster's ruin!" Li Qingshan said solemnly. "Or rather, a relic left by an expert surpassing the Grandmaster Realm. It's a Grandmaster Pure Land, guarded by a Grandmaster Formation—impossible to enter."

"A Grandmaster's ruin? Even surpassing the Grandmaster Realm?" Li Jiusheng was greatly surprised. "Then why was there no reaction before?"

"Perhaps it was very well hidden," Li Qingshan shook his head.

"Being this close to Shangqing Palace—won't it have a bad influence?" Li Jiusheng asked worriedly.

Li Qingshan nodded. "Definitely. This ruin hasn't fully opened yet, but its scale is so grand that it will inevitably draw many covetous eyes. I went to investigate personally—inside, there's a complete Grandmaster Pure Land. That's a huge temptation for many Venerables, even Grandmasters. Shangqing Palace definitely can't monopolize it. And if Grandmaster-level experts start fighting over it, the shockwaves could affect Shangqing Palace."

This was what Li Qingshan had meant earlier—both an opportunity and a crisis.

"What is a Grandmaster Pure Land?" Li Jiusheng asked curiously.

Li Qingshan explained, "For a Venerable to break through to the Grandmaster Realm, they must comprehend Dao Rhyme, accumulate it into the power of laws, and transform their domain into their own Inner Scenery to strengthen themselves. Of course, that's the Daoist term. The Buddhist Sect calls it a Pure Land, but it's essentially the same thing."

The Daoist Inner Scenery, the Buddhist Pure Land—different names for the same thing.

The foundation of a Grandmaster.

Li Qingshan continued, "The Grandmaster foundation that Emperor Wu of Zhou had shattered piece by piece was his Inner Scenery. Once the Inner Scenery is broken, it takes a long time to repair. If it's not fixed, it's hard to advance further. Now, in this ruin, there's a complete Grandmaster Pure Land. If a Venerable obtains it and refines it successfully, they can break through to Grandmaster. If a Grandmaster gets it, they can study another's Pure Land, combine it with their own Grandmaster Dao, gain new insights, achieve a breakthrough, or extend their lifespan. So it's a huge temptation for many."

"I see. So the predecessor of this ruin was a Buddhist Grandmaster, or a peerless expert surpassing that realm?" Li Jiusheng asked.

"That's how it seems, but whether that's the whole story is unknown," Li Qingshan shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Li Jiusheng frowned.

"What I just said is only what I saw exploring the edges—a complete Grandmaster Pure Land. As for whether there's more deep inside the ruin, whether the Pure Land's owner is still alive, or whether this emergence means the original owner has perished, or if it's a trap to lure people in..." Li Qingshan voiced his concerns. The problem was serious, and he couldn't decide. The ruin's commotion was too great, and what lay inside was too tempting.

Opportunity or crisis?

Li Qingshan couldn't be sure.

Li Jiusheng pondered and said, "If you're uncertain, don't explore it. You're the pillar of Shangqing Palace now—you can't risk yourself."

Li Qingshan smiled freely. "Senior Brother, rest assured. With the two sword techniques you passed on to me, I'm confident I can break through to the Grandmaster Realm. This ruin can be observed, but not explored first. I've already ordered Shangqing Palace's disciples not to get involved lightly. At the same time, I've proactively sent word to the major powers, informing them of a Grandmaster Pure Land here. In a few days, this place will likely be very lively."

Li Jiusheng looked at Li Qingshan with appreciation. He hadn't been blinded by immediate gain. Since the ruin was so uncertain, spread the word wide—let those experts desperate for breakthroughs or extended life charge in first. Then, no matter the outcome, Shangqing Palace would have some goodwill, and the sect wouldn't be affected.

After saying this, Li Qingshan looked at Li Jiusheng and said, "Senior Brother, you can also observe during this time, but don't act rashly. You are Shangqing Palace's hidden future. I'll come tell you any new developments."

Li Jiusheng smiled. "If it's really as you say, this is a hot potato—easy to get people killed. I haven't lived long enough yet."

Li Qingshan praised, "I haven't seen you in a while, and your realm has risen again. I think it won't be long before you become a Great Grandmaster."

"Not quite. The road is still long—I will search high and low," Li Jiusheng waved his hand, looking at the distant crimson glow, bright red, dyeing half the sky. In his eyes, it seemed like a sea of blood, extremely dangerous.