Spirit-Explosion Pill

One day, while taking a break from cultivation, Li Dalong was drinking spirit tea rewarded by the system outside his cave abode when a system notification sounded.

"Check in."

Check-in successful. Congratulations, host. You have received one Spirit-Explosion Pill.

As the system notification faded, a red pill the size of a longan fruit appeared in Li Dalong's hand, giving off a medicinal fragrance.

"A Spirit-Explosion Pill?"

This was the first time he had drawn such a pill. He searched his memories but had never heard of anything like it in the Cultivation World.

Li Dalong opened the system's query function, which displayed: Spirit-Explosion Pill, single-use consumable. After consumption, temporarily raises a cultivator's cultivation by one realm. Duration: one hour. Side effect: one day of weakness, with no damage to the cultivation foundation.

Li Dalong's eyes lit up as he read the Spirit-Explosion Pill's description.

"Good stuff!"

Once I take it, I can immediately rise to the Out-of-Body Realm. This truly is a miraculous pill for killing enemies and saving my life! With the Spirit-Explosion Pill, I have another means of survival.

For several years, Li Dalong had cultivated alone in peace within the forbidden grounds. To the rest of the sect, his cultivation had been crippled and he had been imprisoned there, merely clinging to the remnants of his life. In truth, with the system's help, he already stood at the pinnacle of the Righteous Qi Sect.

However, he also understood that cultivation was like rowing against the current: if he did not advance, he would fall back. Relying on the system's help and his talent might put him a step ahead of others for a time, but once he grew lax, he could spend the rest of his life regretting it! Cultivation still required self-discipline and diligence.

Li Dalong returned to his rigorous daily routine of checking in and cultivating. His cultivation grew ever more profound.

Beyond the Nascent Soul Realm lay the Out-of-Body Realm, which was likewise divided into early, middle, and late stages. Only one realm separated Nascent Soul from Out-of-Body, but cultivators who passed into the Out-of-Body Realm experienced a tremendous leap in strength. Upon reaching it, a cultivator's Divine Sense could travel far outside the body to observe and manipulate objects, providing all-around vision and perception as though the cultivator were personally present. The distance and area their Divine Sense could reach also varied greatly depending on their realm, strength, and the power of their Divine Sense.

Their Divine Sense could even influence the minds and actions of cultivators whose cultivation was lower than their own, while their control over magical treasures and other objects grew stronger still.

However, with every major realm crossed, the Spiritual Power required, time consumed, and difficulty of cultivation all multiplied. Every realm, or even a minor stage, could take an ordinary cultivator's entire lifetime to traverse.

Li Dalong had the system's help, but breaking through from the Nascent Soul Realm to the Out-of-Body Realm was still no easy matter. His cultivation speed had also begun to slow noticeably.

Meanwhile, inside the Righteous Qi Hall of the Righteous Qi Sect, Sect Master Dongfang Leng learned from the intelligence gathered by the sect that the Blood Devil Race had rallied more than half of the Devil Race to besiege the Righteous Qi Sect. The Blood Devil Race was the sect's sworn enemy. Tens of thousands of years ago, the sect's founding patriarch had captured the Blood Devil Race's ancestor and imprisoned him in the Back Mountain behind the sect. The Blood Devil Race had then joined forces with the main forces of several major Devil Race factions to attack. That battle had nearly annihilated the Righteous Qi Sect: more than eighty percent of its elders and disciples had died, and its Back Mountain had been devastated. In the end, the founding patriarch had transformed his own body into a formation to seal the many devils in the Back Mountain. The Righteous Qi Sect had fallen from a supreme sect to a third-rate school. This time, it seemed the Blood Devil Race was determined to wipe it out.

Dongfang Leng's cultivation was at the Late Nascent Soul Realm. Limited by his talent and burdened by the sect's affairs, he had never been able to break through to the Out-of-Body Realm. Nevertheless, he was a very capable man. Since taking over as sect master, his exceptional leadership and profound cultivation had helped the Righteous Qi Sect recover much of its strength. Yet the sect's history prevented him from fully uniting the elders' forces. After careful consideration, Dongfang Leng decided to abdicate and pass the heavy burden of leadership to his prized disciple, Dao Heir Zhou Yong. He also intended to unleash the sect master's forbidden technique at the critical moment, sacrificing himself to preserve the Righteous Qi Sect.

Once his mind was made up, he sent people to summon the elders of every hall and Zhou Yong to the Righteous Qi Hall for a sect assembly.

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

"Greetings, Master!"

After arriving at the Righteous Qi Hall, the elders of the various halls stepped forward to pay their respects to Dongfang Leng.

"Dispense with the formalities, everyone!"

Dongfang Leng raised a hand in reply, then waited until all the elders and Zhou Yong had arrived.

"Elders, our sect now faces a matter of life and death. To weather this crisis and ensure our legacy does not end, I have carefully considered the matter and decided to pass the position of sect master to Dao Heir Zhou Yong, effective immediately. What are your thoughts?"

Dongfang Leng looked at the elders in the hall and spoke slowly.

"Sect Master, why would you suddenly pass on your position?"

"Sect Master, the sect cannot do without you!"

"Sect Master, with powerful enemies at our doorstep, this is no time to change leadership. Please rescind your decision!"

"Sect Master, the Dao Heir is still young and needs more experience. You cannot step down yet."

No sooner had Dongfang Leng finished speaking than the Righteous Qi Hall erupted like a pot of boiling oil, voices of opposition rising from every side. Zhou Yong's mind went blank at his master's words. He had never expected that his master had summoned him here today to make him the next sect master.

"Master, you are still in the prime of your life. Your disciple is not yet capable of taking on this responsibility. Please continue to serve as sect master."

Zhou Yong hurried forward and bowed to Dongfang Leng as he spoke.

"Dao Heir, I am old. The Righteous Qi Sect needs a new sect master now. Everyone here has witnessed your achievements in helping manage the sect during this time. You are the most suitable successor, so do not decline."

"Enough. You have all voiced your opinions. With enemies at our doorstep, the Righteous Qi Sect is beset by danger on every side. Set aside any other thoughts. I believe the Dao Heir will lead the Righteous Qi Sect toward a better future," Dongfang Leng said.

"It is settled. These are extraordinary times, so we will keep everything simple!"

"Dao Heir, step forward!"

Dongfang Leng beckoned to Zhou Yong as he spoke.

Helpless, Zhou Yong could only step forward.

Dongfang Leng handed him the ring that represented the sect master's authority and said, "Put on this ring. It is the founding patriarch's Dharma Ring, the token of the Righteous Qi Sect's master. Once you put it on, you will be the sect master of the Righteous Qi Sect from this day onward. I hope you will not betray the patriarch's expectations or the sect's trust in you. Restore the sect's former glory!"

"Yes, Sect Master. I will do everything in my power to lead the sect toward a better future!"

After watching Zhou Yong put on the ring, Dongfang Leng told the elders, "Step forward and pay your respects to the new sect master!"

"We pay our respects to the Sect Master!"

Seeing that they could not change Dongfang Leng's decision, the elders stepped forward to greet the newly appointed Sect Master Zhou Yong.

"Dispense with the formalities, Elders!"

"My abilities are lacking, and taking up the position of sect master at such an extraordinary time fills my heart with uncertainty. I hope that, with the assistance of all the elders, we can weather this crisis! Let us join hearts and hands to make the Righteous Qi Sect ever stronger!"

Zhou Yong returned the greetings of the elders below him as he spoke.

And so, the transfer of leadership between the Righteous Qi Sect's former and new sect masters was completed with little ceremony. An announcement was then made to the entire sect, and messengers were dispatched to notify all friendly sects.