Xuanqing Sect.
Filled with excitement, Yan Changkong arrived at the sect's Siyuan Hall.
This was not actually a secret place.
It was where the Xuanqing Sect kept the relics of its past patriarchs and enshrined the sect's founder. On major holidays, disciples were allowed to visit and pay their respects.
"Phew—"
At that moment, Yan Changkong's heart surged, and his blood boiled!
But he knew that the more critical the moment, the calmer he had to remain. He needed to keep his composure!
What had Ancestor Lin Feng left behind?
Needless to say, it had to be something important. Otherwise, Ye Xi wouldn't have come in person.
But Yan Changkong didn't rush to find it.
First, as was customary, he personally cleaned the inside and outside of Siyuan Hall, then offered tribute to the sect's founding ancestor and lit incense.
After that, he knelt and kowtowed with the utmost respect.
Only after completing all this did Yan Changkong follow Ye Xi's instructions and finally find a hidden compartment.
"What's this?"
Yan Changkong took a box from the compartment, his hands trembling slightly.
Click—
He opened it. Resting quietly inside was a jade slip, crystalline white and shimmering with light.
Yan Changkong picked it up and examined it for a moment, then exclaimed, "A Jade Slip Dao Scripture!"
This was a method of record-keeping that dated back to antiquity and had nearly been lost.
It was how the ancient great powers recorded profound cultivation arts and insights.
Although he had known that whatever Ancestor Lin Feng left behind would be extraordinary, a Jade Slip Dao Scripture was simply too precious.
But when he thought of Lin Feng's status and strength, it all made sense.
He was the peerless great emperor acknowledged by all in the present age as unrivaled throughout history, undefeated in battle.
It was hardly surprising that he possessed a Jade Slip Dao Scripture—or could even craft one!
Yan Changkong took a deep breath, then picked up the Jade Slip Dao Scripture and sent a wisp of divine sense into it.
In the next instant, he seemed to enter a mysterious realm.
An indescribably profound state enveloped him, and an obscure scripture appeared in his sea of consciousness.
But a moment later, he seemed to understand.
That was because Lin Feng had not only left behind a cultivation art; he had also infused the jade slip with some of his own cultivation insights.
That would make it easier for those who came after him to comprehend the art and understand its essentials.
This was nothing short of a legacy!
The legacy of the Immortal Great Emperor—an enormous opportunity. If word got out, it would surely cause another sensation.
It might even set off another storm of bloodshed...
Time passed bit by bit.
Yan Changkong had no idea how long he remained in that mysterious state.
When he opened his eyes again, he discovered that it was already deep into the night.
Outside the window,
a full moon hung in the sky like a jade plate, spilling its cool radiance across the world.
The slightly chilly night breeze drifted inside.
Only then did Yan Changkong seem to come fully back to himself. His face lit up with excitement as he exclaimed, "The Xuanqing Immortal Inquiry Scripture!"
"When cultivated to perfection, it leads straight to the Tribulation Transcendence Realm!"
He paused, then added, "It might even let one seek the Dao and become an immortal!"
This was a cultivation art Lin Feng had created himself, based on the Xuanqing True Art.
It was immeasurably better than the Xuanqing Sect's original cultivation art.
The Xuanqing Sect's original Xuanqing True Art was not bad, but it could only take a cultivator as far as the Body Integration Realm at best!
It couldn't even reach the threshold of the Mahayana Realm.
The difference between many ordinary sects and top powers came down to their cultivation arts.
That was because cultivation arts directly determined a cultivator's ceiling!
Now, everything was different.
And the Jade Slip Dao Scripture contained more than the Xuanqing Immortal Inquiry Scripture. It also recorded various spells and divine abilities,
as well as cultivation methods suited to ordinary disciples seeking to build a solid foundation.
Most were new cultivation arts formed by patching the gaps in the Xuanqing Sect's original methods.
They were far more powerful, but not enough to attract too much attention. Since they came from the same source, only those who practiced them would notice the difference.
Once Yan Changkong had calmed down, he walked to the window and said with deep emotion, "Ancestor Lin Feng really went to great lengths!"
"He accounted for every last detail—even the reactions of people throughout the world. He understands it all as if it were in the palm of his hand!"
At that moment, Yan Changkong couldn't have admired Lin Feng more!
If Lin Feng had handed these cultivation arts to the Xuanqing Sect from the start, the sect might not have been able to protect them!
Back then, everyone's attention would have been focused on the Xuanqing Sect.
But after all the upheavals in the Cultivation World during this time, the major powers had already accepted the Xuanqing Sect's rise.
Little by little, they had shifted their attention elsewhere!
If the Xuanqing Sect began cultivating new arts now, it would face far less pressure.
Besides, after all the attention-grabbing events, and with Ye Xi and the others having revealed themselves to the world, who would dare lay a hand on the Xuanqing Sect?
They would really have to think twice.
Could they withstand the wrath of Great Emperor Nicholas?
At that thought, Yan Changkong's mind cleared. He left the hall and headed to the sect's Deliberation Hall.
Ignoring the fact that it was the middle of the night, he summoned the disciple on night watch and ordered, "Go at once!"
"Ask the Supreme Elder to emerge from seclusion, then summon the Great Elder to the hall for a meeting!"
Only now did Yan Changkong understand how much the Xuanqing Sect meant to Ancestor Lin Feng!
Until Lin Feng returned, he had to protect the sect!
These cultivation arts he had left behind were for the sect. How could Yan Changkong keep them to himself?
Yan Changkong murmured, "The Supreme Elder has been on the verge of a breakthrough for a long time. Now, with the Xuanqing Immortal Inquiry Scripture to aid him..."
"Breaking through to the Void Refinement Realm is just around the corner!"
He paused, then thought of the other elders. If they could cultivate the Xuanqing Immortal Inquiry Scripture, and the sect continued pouring resources into them as it was now,
then in just a few decades, the Xuanqing Sect's overall strength would make a tremendous leap.
It still might not measure up to some super sects,
but it would steadily draw closer.
A short while later, Great Elder Chen Xiu was the first to enter the hall. Judging by his appearance, he clearly hadn't slept all night.
He'd been waiting for this moment!
After all, he knew what was going on. He had been there when Ye Xi told Yan Changkong.
Soon after, the Supreme Elder rode the wind into the hall.
The three of them talked in the Deliberation Hall until daybreak, then went their separate ways.
When they left, all three looked refreshed, their faces beaming.
The Ancient Clan, the Jiang Clan.
The Jiang Clan was based in the Central Province. It was an ancient cultivation clan with a long history, controlling vast lands, spirit veins, and numerous blessed grottos.
It was an undisputed behemoth in the Cultivation World.
Its deep reserves were beyond the reach of a family like the An Clan, which had risen to power so rapidly.
Deep within the Jiang Clan Territory, in a secluded grotto-heaven,
spiritual energy was rich, and strange peaks and rocks dotted the landscape, making it seem like an immortal's abode.
But at that moment, the mood was heavy.
An air of killing intent hung over the place, bleak and desolate.
"It's been confirmed!"
"Jiang Youlong, Zuo Qingtian, and Hua Hongyi are dead. Their bodies and souls have been utterly destroyed!"
A figure clad head to toe in a black robe spoke in a hoarse voice:
"In this world, only Ye Xi could have done it so silently—and had a motive to do so!"
Silence fell as soon as he finished speaking.
More than a dozen figures stood nearby, all shrouded in black hooded cloaks.
Their faces were hidden, lending them an air of mystery.
Only the man seated at the head of the room was visible. He looked like a young man, yet his hair was completely silver. His eyes were like blades, and he carried himself with extraordinary bearing.
He was Jiang Wuji, the current head of the Jiang Clan.
Beneath the hoods, pairs of eyes unconsciously turned toward Jiang Wuji.
They had seen what happened to the An Clan.
It had been utterly miserable.
Even with Venerable Heavenly Punishment appearing in person, the An Clan's three patriarchs had still met disaster after refining the Alien Seed.
They didn't want to end up the same way.
That was why they had gathered at the Jiang Clan today to discuss how to respond.
Jiang Wuji wore a faint smile, his expression as still as an ancient well.
Seated at the head of the room, he smiled as he swept his gaze over the group and said calmly,
"I've already seen through the Immortal Great Emperor's plan."
"Fellow Daoists, don't panic."
Jiang Wuji spoke with utter confidence. "After analyzing and calculating the situation, I've concluded that although the An Clan has been wiped out, there is still..."
His tone turned cold. He raised one hand, then clenched it fiercely.
"The advantage is still ours. Everything is under control!"
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