Gathering Again at Gathering Immortal Pavilion

Amid the howling wind and snow.

This flock of Second Tier Wind-Splitting Eagle monster beasts seemed to have developed a grudge against this Human Race cultivator Market.

They drove numerous monster beasts out from the Cloud Mist Mountain Range and dropped them down every night.

By day, they would also occasionally ambush Monster Hunting Teams heading out, leaving the entire Market in a state of panic.

After all, there were more than thirty Second Tier, Foundation Establishment Realm monster beasts in the skies.

Yet after a period of silence, the Two Major Sects, Mystic Sound Pavilion and Li Fire Palace, suddenly deployed net-shaped magical artifacts one night.

Only then did they inflict severe losses upon this flock of Second Tier monster beasts, allowing the Market to settle down for the time being.

But everyone could feel that the situation was growing increasingly grim.

Gathering Immortal Pavilion.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Yun."

"Congratulations, Senior Yun."

After Yun Yao returned to Green Bamboo Mountain Market, she had originally intended to hold a small gathering at Gathering Immortal Pavilion. Yet the various great Lineages had forcibly turned it into a modest Foundation Establishment celebration.

Except this "modest" celebration had nothing modest about it.

It turned out that after Yun Yao had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment in her Sect, a Golden Core Elder of Li Fire Palace had even taken her as a personal disciple.

How could the great Lineages, having received this news, possibly fail to rush over and curry favor with her?

Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Mystic Sound Pavilion had come. After all, Foundation Establishment Cultivators came in all ranks and grades; with a Golden Core Master behind her, she was no ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Gathering Immortal Pavilion was exceptionally lively that day. It could be considered Yun Yao's Foundation Establishment celebration upon returning home in glory.

It was not until evening, when the clamor had faded, that they gathered in a private room at Gathering Immortal Pavilion.

"Congratulations, Sister Yun, on attaining Foundation Establishment."

"Congratulations, Senior Yun, on achieving Foundation Establishment."

Lin Chang'an, Li Erniu, Little Marquis Shen Lie, Lu Qingqing, and even Wei Yiyi had all come.

Amid the five people's congratulations, Yun Yao, who was usually unsmiling, had not stopped smiling all day.

"All of you are Yun Yao's old friends. My achievement of Foundation Establishment today was also due to your wholehearted help. Yun Yao is endlessly grateful. How would I dare put on airs? We should address one another as fellow Daoists."

Clad in an immortal gown, Yun Yao was exceptionally dazzling. Whether it was because she had achieved Foundation Establishment or because joyful events brightened the spirit, she seemed several degrees more beautiful.

Yet when they saw that Yun Yao still addressed them as fellow Daoists and had not forgotten their friendship, they all sighed inwardly.

There was too much warmth and coldness in human relationships in the Cultivation World.

Lin Chang'an, in particular, had experienced far too much of it. Seeing Yun Yao's sincerity, he too rarely spoke with feeling and praise.

The six of them sat together at one table. The last time had been five years ago, when Elder Lu had passed away.

Who would have thought that five years later, when they gathered once more, they would have known one another for twenty-five years already?

Such friendship was rare and precious in the Cultivation World, especially when all six of them were still alive.

"Fellow Daoist Yun has attained Foundation Establishment without forgetting her old friends. Such purity of character is truly worthy of boundless admiration."

Among the five, Wei Yiyi's face had flushed red as he excitedly rose to raise a toast.

This was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator! He had never imagined that he, too, could form such a connection.

Li Erniu could not help but look down on Wei Yiyi's behavior. Yet Yun Yao merely nodded gently at first, seeming to notice something, before she said casually,

"Wei Yiyi, switch seats with Fellow Daoist Lin."

"Ah? All right!"

Wei Yiyi was initially stunned upon hearing this, but he immediately understood. Embarrassed, he rose and exchanged seats with Lin Chang'an.

"Big Brother Lin, you broke through!"

Straightforward by nature, Li Erniu blurted it out in shock. When Shen Lie saw Lin Chang'an nod with a smile, he too came to a sudden realization.

"These past few years, my cultivation resources have kept up thanks to talisman drawing. I was fortunate enough to break through two days ago."

Lin Chang'an smiled modestly. He truly had broken through to the Qi Refining Sixth Layer two days earlier.

Among the six, apart from the genius Yun Yao, Lin Chang'an was the second to break through to the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. Shen Lie and Li Erniu were both still at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

Wei Yiyi was also at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, yet Yun Yao had had him switch seats. As embarrassed as he was, regret gnawed at him all the more.

When Yun Yao had borrowed Spirit Stones back then, it was not as though he had not known. But out of a hundred Qi Refining Cultivators attempting Foundation Establishment, having even one succeed was already considered good.

Furthermore, Yun Yao had clearly been planning to venture into the Cloud Mist Mountain Range and stake her life on a desperate gamble. When he had hesitated, he had chosen to claim that there was business at home rather than attend the Gathering Immortal Pavilion gathering.

The result went without saying. He had missed his chance, and regret came too late.

After the seats had been switched, Yun Yao looked toward Little Marquis Shen Lie and cupped her hands.

"These past few years, matters of the Chamber of Commerce have held back Fellow Daoist Shen's cultivation."

"What are you saying, Fellow Daoist Yun?" Faced with Yun Yao's guilt, Shen Lie gave a hearty laugh and repeatedly waved his hand. "When all is said and done, we have benefited from Fellow Daoist Yun's good fortune. You are now a great Foundation Establishment Cultivator."

With Shen Lie's joking remark, the atmosphere became harmonious.

Yet unlike the gathering five years ago, Wei Yiyi was clearly out of place this time, and jealousy drove him nearly mad.

He had once had the chance to be like everyone else.

"This journey to the Cloud Mist Mountain Range was also a brush with death. After I was fortunate enough to obtain a Monster Core, I was already seriously injured. Moreover, quite a few cultivators in the Market knew I had been preparing for Foundation Establishment.

"Thus, for the sake of caution, I returned directly to my Sect. With the Foundation Establishment materials I had prepared, I eventually refined a Foundation Establishment Pill and was fortunate enough to break through."

Though Yun Yao spoke lightly as she set down her wine cup, everyone knew perfectly well that if Monster Cores were so easy to obtain, Foundation Establishment Cultivators would be everywhere.

"A toast to Fellow Daoist Yun's attainment of Foundation Establishment."

A thousand words could not exhaust all the bitterness in their hearts, yet in the end, it all lay within this simple cup of wine.

After several rounds of drinking, Yun Yao had become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, yet she did not put on any airs. Instead, before everyone's eyes, she sincerely thanked them one by one.

"Fellow Daoist Li, thank you for your previous help. Here is a medicinal bath prescription. It will be just right for laying a foundation for Yifan."

Yun Yao did not return the Spirit Stones she had borrowed from them before, but the things she gave in return were precisely what everyone desired, and their value far exceeded what she had borrowed.

Li Erniu's face turned red with excitement as he cupped his hands and said,

"I am clumsy with words and do not know how to speak well, but I still must thank Fellow Daoist Yun."

Yun Yao smiled and nodded.

"The Chamber of Commerce happens to have the medicinal ingredients for these bath prescriptions. I will have someone deliver them to the Zhou Family afterward."

First the prescription, then the herbs. The thirty Spirit Stones Er Niu had lent her back then had now been repaid by Yun Yao with something worth more than a hundred Spirit Stones.

Afterward, beneath Wei Yiyi's regret-filled green-eyed stare, Lu Qingqing and Shen Lie likewise received gifts of thanks worth several times what they had lent.

"Big Brother Lin, I truly had you to thank before."

When it came to Lin Chang'an, Yun Yao touched her neck with lingering fear. Had it not been for those final two Golden Light Talismans, she might not have made it back.

"You are too polite, Fellow Daoist Yun. How could my meager abilities have been of any help?"

Lin Chang'an smiled and waved his hand, but he did not refuse Yun Yao's gift.

After all, setting aside their friendship, they had also been making an investment.

If Yun Yao had been at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer when she sought to borrow Spirit Stones from them to plan for Foundation Establishment, would anyone have refused to lend her any?

"Big Brother Lin, this is a Jade Slip containing the complete inheritance of the First Tier Golden Light Talisman."

When Yun Yao took out this item, everyone was shocked.

"A First Tier Golden Light Talisman Jade Slip!" Wei Yiyi's eyes widened. This was a complete inheritance.

One had to know that First Tier Upper-Grade inheritances were never made available to outsiders.

Even if one obtained such a thing after joining a faction, it would be bound by a Spirit Contract and could not be casually passed down to one's descendants.

Yet this talisman inheritance, once acquired, was a treasure that could be passed down through the generations.

Lin Chang'an was also somewhat stunned upon seeing such a valuable gift, but he did not modestly decline it.

To them, the gift was immensely valuable, but to Yun Yao, the favor of helping her attain Foundation Establishment was even greater.

"Then I must thank Fellow Daoist Yun."

Previously, he had been troubled over how to obtain an Upper-Grade talisman inheritance. Joining one of the major powers could grant him one, but he would lose his freedom, and the present situation had left him hesitant as well.

He feared that joining some faction would mean falling into a pit of fire.

Yet Yun Yao had delivered it right into his hands. The two talismans he had secretly given her before had not been in vain.

"You are too polite, Big Brother Lin. With your talent in talismans, I believe it will not be many years before you break through again."

Yun Yao smiled and nodded. Though she did not state it plainly, everyone was deeply shocked.

No one was a fool. From her words, they could all infer that Lin Chang'an already possessed the ability of a First-Order High-Grade Talisman Master.

After this banquet, Wei Yiyi alone was left thoroughly embarrassed, while regret had long since twisted his guts to pieces.

If he had known this would happen, why had he acted as he had back then?