Winter passed and spring arrived, renewing all things. In the blink of an eye, it was already the seventy-seventh year of Incense Accumulation.
After occupying Copper Bell Mountain, Li Ling simply settled down in the cavern, commandeering the spirit vein spring and refusing to leave. Unable to do anything about him, Ju Huang and Qing Ji could only nurse their injuries while following his arrangements, stepping forward to manage the local forces.
To avoid attracting Great Qian's attention, the two demons changed their titles to Great Demon and instructed their subordinates to act cautiously.
Seeing this, the other Great Demons followed their example and went into hiding.
The entire atmosphere of Copper Bell Mountain became cautious and conservative, taking cowardice to its absolute extreme.
Yet the mountain's resources and spirit materials remained. Before long, humans followed old legends to the area, and rogue cultivators from the rough-and-tumble martial world began frequenting it.
One day in late April, several figures appeared on a high slope opposite Copper Bell Mountain, performing Wind and Aura Observation in an open stretch of ground.
Li Ling's arrays had already concealed the earth veins here, so naturally there were no unusual phenomena such as gathering spirit resonance or auspicious clouds spreading like a canopy. Yet an unceasing flow of energy seeped into the earth and underground rivers, nourishing hundreds of miles around. With the dragon vein's additional support, even places a thousand miles away began to feel its influence.
Most noticeably, the surrounding trees grew taller than those elsewhere, every one lush with branches and leaves. Many animals also became spirits or monsters, making this place quite unlike the outside world.
Seeing the Foundation Establishment cultivator leading them remain silent for so long, the others could not help asking, "Senior Xue, all along our journey these