Watching Xiao Li and Yun Yun cultivate diligently, the two old men felt deeply gratified. At the very least, they both understood that dedicated cultivation was the foundation of everything.
"Old Yun, it seems our disciples are quite alike. They're both hardworking and diligent people. I just wonder whether they're fated to be together." Wang Ming said with a chuckle.
"Hmph! Old Wang! Let me tell you, he isn't worthy of marrying Yun'er yet! Though his talent is astonishing now, there are no shortage of geniuses on the continent whose talent never amounted to anything!
We can talk about it once he becomes a powerful figure."
Yun Shan spoke angrily, even calling Old Wang "Old Wang," making it clear just how important Yun Yun was to him.
"Hehe, then let's wait and see. Once Li'er breaks through to Dou Ling, I'll take him to the Black Horn Region to train for a while." Wang Ming did not refute Yun Shan's words.
Xiao Li was merely a rising star. He still had a long road ahead before becoming a true powerhouse.
"The Black Horn Region? The most chaotic area of the Northern Continent! You're actually taking him there? Aren't you afraid he'll die there? The Black Horn Region is nothing like the Jia Ma Empire. There are genuinely Dou Zong experts there.
Old Ghost of the Earth Demon, ranked first on the Black List of the Black Horn Region, is an established Dou Zong. Demon Flame Valley, which he founded, also has several Dou Emperor experts.
Though you're a Six Star Dou Emperor and can do whatever you please in the Jia Ma Empire, can you really protect this boy in the Black Horn Region?" Yun Shan was greatly shocked by Old Wang's decision. The Black Horn Region was simply too dangerous.
Even a powerhouse like Yun Shan, with the strength of a Seven Star Dou Emperor, could not act too high-profile in the Black Horn Region. The weakest among the top five experts there was an Eight-Star Dou Emperor.
Though the Black Horn Region was chaotic, it was also extremely prosperous. High-grade Cultivation Methods, Battle Skills, all kinds of divine weapons and armor, Medicine Cauldrons, medicinal herbs, high-grade pills, and more were enough to dazzle the eye. Earth Rank Cultivation Methods had even appeared several times at the Auction House in the Black Horn Region.
"Hehe, the Black Horn Region has more than just one major power. Don't forget that Jia Nan Academy, the continent's foremost academy, is located in the Black Horn Region. I plan to take Li'er there for further studies." Old Wang revealed his plan.
"Jia Nan Academy? That is indeed a suitable place for tempering oneself. Jia Nan Academy has a Dou Zong guarding it, and according to rumors, its Headmaster is a Dou Zun Expert.
Every year, geniuses from all over the continent enter Jia Nan Academy. All kinds of geniuses from across the continent gather there. It's a fine place for training."
Yun Shan nodded. As the Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, he needed to understand the distribution of powers across the continent. It was his duty as Sect Leader to know which factions could bring calamity upon his sect.
"Wasn't your Misty Cloud Sect's ancestor, Shattering Heaven Venerable, also a Dou Zun Expert? How did the sect decline so badly by your generation? You haven't even reached Dou Zong. How does this resemble a force left behind by a Dou Zun Expert?"
Wang Ming voiced the question that had troubled him for many years.
"Alas... because the core inheritance of my Misty Cloud Sect was lost!" Yun Shan seemed to lose all his strength as he spoke.
"What do you mean?"
Wang Ming could not help but be surprised. Though the Misty Cloud Sect had declined and fallen to the bottom of the second-rate sects in the Northern Continent, it was still not to be trifled with. The sect's Protective Sect Array, the Cloud Smoke Covering Sun Array, had been personally laid down by Yun Potian.
If Yun Shan deployed the Cloud Smoke Covering Sun Array and gathered the strength of the entire Misty Cloud Sect, even a Dou Ancestor Expert would be helpless against it, at least a low-rank Dou Ancestor.
"According to my master, my Grandmaster, Yun Aokong, perished for unknown reasons. He carried the sect's core inheritance Cultivation Method, the Earth Rank High Grade Cloud Smoke Covering Sun Technique, as well as its matching Battle Skill, the Heavenly Breaking Sword Technique.
Because these two core inheritances were lost, the Misty Cloud Sect's core Cultivation Method was left incomplete. We could only cultivate an Earth Rank Low-Level method, while our only famous Battle Skill was the Mysterious Rank High Extreme Wind Series. This was also why my master failed to break through to Dou Zong even after exhausting his entire life."
Yun Shan felt an indescribable sense of desolation.
At the Sect Conference held every five years in the Northern Continent, the Misty Cloud Sect had always been the target of ridicule from countless factions. The descendants of the great Shattering Heaven Venerable did not even have a single Dou Zong among them. Wasn't that laughable?
The more glorious the Misty Cloud Sect of its founding ancestor Yun Potian had once been, the more desolate it was now.
"What? I remember that Senior Yun Aokong was, aside from Shattering Heaven Venerable and the Second Generation Sect Leader, the only Sect Leader to break through to Dou Zong. How could he have suddenly perished?" Wang Ming cried out in shock.
Yun Shan shook his head. "I don't know either. I was still very young at the time, and my master never told me about these matters. Now, all my hopes rest on Yun'er.
Yun'er's talent far surpasses mine. Reaching Dou Zong will not be too difficult for her! Once she completes the final trial for inheriting the position of Sect Leader, the Gate of Life and Death, I can pass the position on to her.
If I can break through to Dou Zong in my remaining years, that would naturally be for the best. If not, then it is simply fate.
Old Wang, are you able to refine a Breaking Ancestor Pill now? I have already gathered the ingredients for two batches. I wonder if you..."
Old Wang shook his head and sighed. "A Breaking Ancestor Pill? I'm willing, but powerless. To tell the truth, I'm no better off than you, old fellow. My lifespan is nearly at its end. At most, I have another twenty-odd years to live before my road comes to an end.
A Breaking Ancestor Pill? You should wait for Li'er to refine it. I have no hope in this life."
"This..." Yun Shan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself unable to speak.
Among the Dou Emperor experts of the Jia Ma Empire, Hai Bodong, the Ice Emperor, was extremely solitary. Perhaps it was simply his nature, but he had few friends.
Jia Xingtian, the protector of the Jia Ma Empire, was far too suspicious. He believed everyone wanted to seize his empire. A man with such heavy thoughts was destined to have no friends.
Yun Shan and Wang Ming, however, got along quite well and had a close relationship, though no one knew of it publicly.
"By the way, Old Wang, how about refining a Foundation Establishment Pill for my disciple?" Yun Shan spoke again. He had given up on the Breaking Ancestor Pill, but obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill for Yun Yun would be good enough.
"An alchemist's rules," Old Wang said blandly.
"I understand, I understand!"
The so-called alchemist's rules meant that anyone requesting an alchemist to refine a pill had to prepare the ingredients themselves, and they needed to provide three sets of ingredients. Success was not guaranteed. Naturally, success was best, but if the refinement failed, the alchemist could not be blamed. Pill refinement was a matter of luck to begin with; not everyone had such a high Pill Formation Rate.
"I have already prepared the ingredients. Please help me refine a Foundation Establishment Pill." Yun Shan handed a Storage Ring to Old Wang. The ingredients were inside.
Old Wang sent his Soul Force into the Storage Ring and examined its contents. He nodded, then took out two Jade Bottles from his own Storage Ring.
"You old fellow are lucky. When I helped Li'er establish his foundation, there was one Foundation Establishment Pill left over. Give it to your disciple. The other bottle contains Medicine Liquid I developed myself, roughly equivalent to Grade 4.
Have her soak in a Medicinal Bath before taking the pill. That will help her absorb the pill more completely, though the process will be somewhat painful. I rather like that girl Yun Yun. If she and Li'er can become a pair,
I could even refine a Grade 6 Pill for her, a Mystic Heaven Foundation Establishment Pill."
Old Wang stroked his beard as he spoke. He was quite fond of Yun Yun, and it would be wonderful if she became his disciple-in-law.
Yun Shan accepted the pill with a dark expression. The heart of an old father had suddenly suffered a heavy blow.
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