Earth Immortal Lineage, Demon Clan's Movements

Longevity Mountain, Wuzhuang Temple

As soon as Randeng approached this area, he was slightly moved by the sight before him. What was once a solitary peak with contained spiritual energy, Longevity Mountain, had long since lost its old appearance. In its place stood rolling mountain ranges stretching tens of thousands of miles.

Looking out, dozens of new mountains of various sizes had appeared out of nowhere. Some were as sharp as swords, others as flat as platforms. Peaks overlapped, shrouded in clouds and mist, with spiritual springs and waterfalls visible everywhere. Strange flowers and exotic herbs grew in abundance, creating a magnificent immortal aura of extreme grandeur.

What surprised Randeng even more was that on each newly formed peak, a robust and condensed Taiyi Golden Immortal aura was firmly established.

Although these auras varied in strength, each was pure and stable, far beyond what ordinary rogue cultivators could achieve. At a glance, dozens of Taiyi Golden Immortal auras intertwined, subtly forming a majestic momentum that protected the entire Longevity Mountain as if it were an impenetrable fortress.

It seemed that after Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi returned from the West, he had also understood the function of the Earth Book and had formed a considerable force.

Sensing the aura of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal flying towards Longevity Mountain immediately drew the attention of these Taiyi Golden Immortals.

Streams of light ascended into the sky, and only then did Randeng notice that these Taiyi Golden Immortals were different from those he had seen before.

The auras on their bodies were somewhat ethereal, connected to the mountain ranges beneath their feet in the nether.

The leading cultivator spoke first, "May I ask who you are, and what business brings you to Longevity Mountain?"

"This humble Daoist is Randeng, a friend of Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi. I have come to pay a visit. Please inform him."

While speaking, Randeng had already subtly unfurled his terrifying Spiritual Sense, which was at the late stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal. It spread out like a vast net, silently enveloping the entire Longevity Mountain and its surrounding ten thousand miles.

Wherever his Spiritual Sense swept, every blade of grass, every tree, every insect, every beast, and even the flow of the spiritual veins beneath the earth, were clearly reflected in his mind.

After a careful investigation, Randeng suddenly detected an extremely peculiar phenomenon—the core of the Earth Veins in these new mountain ranges had inexplicably vanished!

The core of the Earth Veins was the foundation of a mountain, akin to a cultivator's foundation. Once lost, the entire mountain range would inevitably have its spiritual energy dissipate, its rocks collapse, and nothing would grow, turning it into a dead land.

In the past, when the core of Mount Sumeru's Earth Veins was damaged, in mere moments, it collapsed and cracked, its heavenly and earthly spiritual energy dispersed, turning it into a desolate ruin.

Yet, the mountain ranges of Longevity Mountain before him completely defied this logic.

The mountains were majestic, their spiritual energy so dense it was almost liquid. Spiritual birds flew within the mountains, auspicious beasts roamed, and thousand-year-old Lingzhi mushrooms and ten-thousand-year-old immortal herbs were found everywhere. They were full of life and prosperity, showing no sign of the decay and desolation that followed the loss of an Earth Vein core.

Randeng's heart was filled with doubt and uncertainty. Following the subtle and mysterious connection between those cultivators and the mountains, he fully activated his cultivation and carefully sensed. After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of enlightenment and shock in their depths.

It turned out that the cores of the Earth Veins in these mountain ranges had not disappeared, but had been forcibly refined and transferred into the cultivators' bodies!

"This... is this the nascent form of the Divine Path?"

A storm raged in Randeng's heart.

To extract the authority of a realm, a mountain and river, forcibly refine it, and then bestow it upon designated cultivators, allowing them to become the lords of these lands, receiving the blessings of heaven and earth, and sustenance from the Earth Veins – wasn't this precisely the foundation of the future Divine Path in legends? Using the earth as a base, the book as proof, to enfeoff deities and govern a region!

No wonder Zhenyuanzi would later be revered by all beings in the Great Desolation as the Ancestor of Earth Immortals. Such a method could be called the first of its kind since the creation of the world. To call him the Ancestor of Mountains and Rivers, the Lord of the Earth, was truly fitting!

With the supreme power of the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Earth Book, Zhenyuanzi could freely condense the authority of any mountain and river in the Great Desolation, enfeoff deities, and create one Earth Immortal after another who controlled a region's mountains.

The ethereal nature of these cultivators' auras was likely because their strength had reached this level only after being augmented by the mountain's authority, making their foundations unstable.

"Hahaha. I wondered which Great Power had graced my Longevity Mountain. So it's Fellow Daoist Randeng. It's been a long time; please come in."

As Randeng pondered, a hearty and familiar laugh echoed from within Longevity Mountain's Great Array.

Following closely behind was Hongyun, clad in a red robe, who also cupped his hands towards Randeng.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Randeng!"

"It's been a long time, both Daoist friends. This Longevity Mountain is becoming ever more magnificent."

Randeng teased. As expected, both Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun had also broken through to the early stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal, only one step away from the middle stage.

"It's nowhere near as impressive as you, Fellow Daoist Randeng. Every time I see you, I can't fathom your cultivation. As for the path of Earth Immortals I've been dabbling in, it was inspired by you, using the Earth Book to condense mountain authority."

Although Zhenyuanzi had a lead over Randeng in his comprehension of the Law of Earth, some of Randeng's ideas were wildly imaginative and gave him much inspiration.

It wasn't until he broke through to Grand Unity Golden Immortal and gained further control over the Earth Book that he could finally begin to realize his initial vision of establishing the Earth Immortal lineage.

Randeng walked into Wuzhuang Temple with Zhenyuanzi and Hongyun. Along the way, Zhenyuanzi also informed Randeng of the current drawbacks of the Earth Immortal lineage.

Because they were affected by the size of the mountains and the power of the Earth Veins, it was difficult to break through to Grand Unity Golden Immortal solely by condensing a mountain's Divine Spark. Therefore, most of the cultivators Zhenyuanzi recruited had poor aptitude and found it difficult to reach Grand Unity.

The three sat down cross-legged, and a young attendant stepped forward to serve spiritual tea. Although it couldn't compare to his Enlightenment Tea, it still had a unique flavor.

"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuanzi, I wonder, in the three thousand years since Saint Hongjun achieved his Dao, have any major events occurred in the Great Desolation?"

Randeng finally stated the purpose of his visit.

Zhenyuanzi seemed slightly surprised.

"Have you been in seclusion for these three thousand years, Fellow Daoist?"

After all, many significant events had transpired during this period, events that could be known without leaving one's home.

"I have indeed been in seclusion. Upon emerging, I found that the Great Desolation had changed considerably, resembling the grandeur of the time when the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin tribes coexisted."

Randeng nodded, not directly revealing that he had spent the last few thousand years in Chaos.

"That explains why you are unaware of the situation in the Great Desolation. You are correct; the current Great Desolation does indeed resemble the period before the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation, with myriad races emerging and full of vitality."

Zhenyuanzi said with emotion. Hongjun's enlightenment was like a catalyst; Taiyi Golden Immortals continuously emerged from all regions, and there were even a few Grand Unity Golden Immortals.

"Then, what is the current situation of the Demon Clan?"

Randeng asked about the situation of the Demon Clan, which concerned him the most. Other races' eagerness was likely just preparation for the Sermon at Purple Cloud Palace.

"A thousand years after Saint Hongjun achieved his Dao, the Demon Clan announced to the Heavenly Dao and was formally established. It has four Grand Unity Golden Immortals and over a dozen Taiyi Golden Immortals, with its influence spread across the northeastern part of the Great Desolation."

Zhenyuanzi recalled information about the Demon Clan. He controlled the Earth Book and had connections with the rulers of many mountains and rivers in the Great Desolation, thus possessing numerous sources of intelligence.

"Has the Demon Clan not come into conflict with other forces?"

Randeng couldn't quite believe it; the Demon Clan was so well-behaved.

Zhenyuanzi pondered for a moment and said:

"Aside from occasional friction with the Witch Clan during their expansion, I haven't heard of any conflicts with anyone else."

"I did hear from a few Fellow Daoists in the East that several Taiyi Golden Immortal peak cultivators from races near the Demon Clan have mysteriously disappeared."

Hongyun suddenly interjected. He had many friends and enjoyed traveling the Great Desolation the most.

Randeng's eyes gleamed.

"That's right. Now that the Demon Clan has just been established, they certainly wouldn't openly deal with Grand Unity Golden Immortals. Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivators would be their targets."

Now that he understood the Demon Clan's current strength and intentions, Randeng had a plan in mind.