Cultivation: From Mortal to Immortal Venerable

"Let's hurry and depart. Can we reach White Cloud Immortal City before it gets dark?" After finishing her breathing exercises, Lin Xueying checked the sky and suggested.

"Alright, let's get into the city quickly. I'm so tired of roughing it for the past three months!" Lin Xue'e nodded repeatedly.

A moment later, a streak of green light shot into the sky, flying towards White Cloud Immortal City.

They weren't far from the immortal city, and with many high-level cultivators around, piloting a flying shuttle wasn't too conspicuous.

Several hours later.

A majestic, colossal city lay like a giant dragon, coiled within a tall mountain range.

The mountain range was called the White Cloud Mountain Range, containing a mid-tier third-rank spirit vein, with several low-tier second-rank spirit veins extending from its surroundings.

White Cloud Immortal City was built against the mountain, covering hundreds of miles, coiling upwards, layer upon layer.

Legend had it that White Cloud True One's cave dwelling was at the very peak of this mountain range.

White Cloud Immortal City was currently enveloped by a Grand Formation, rumored to be a mid-tier third-rank forbidden grand formation with boundless power.

The closer they got to the immortal city, the more spiritual lights gathered, in all sorts of colors.

These escape lights all descended about ten miles from the immortal city, due to the city's aerial prohibition.

Unless they were True Core mighty figures, everyone else could only descend and walk under this aerial prohibition.

Zhou Xun also landed with the cultivators ahead of him.

Before long, they arrived at the city gates.

After paying a fee of fifty Spirit Essence, they received an identity token.

This token allowed them to stay in White Cloud Immortal City for one year, and they could enter and exit the city freely by presenting the token during that time.

After the token expired, they would need to pay the fee again.

This alone brought White Cloud Immortal City at least ten thousand Spirit Stones in revenue annually!

This showed how wealthy White Cloud True One was.

After entering the city, they didn't immediately head to Danbao Pavilion or Spirit Herb Pavilion. After all, three months had passed, and they had no idea if anything had changed here.

For safety, it was better to investigate first.

So, they found an inn and rented a room for a month.

That night, they all took a good bath.

Even though they had cleansing spells, the dust from roughing it always felt uncomfortable.

The next day, they went together, following the signs, to the Danbao Pavilion in White Cloud Immortal City.

Upon arriving, the original Danbao Pavilion had vanished, replaced by a medical clinic called "Hundred Herbs Hall."

Among the hundred arts of cultivation, there was also the profession of physician.

After cultivators fought and were heavily injured, it often took years to recover, affecting their cultivation.

At such times, if a physician intervened, they could remove stubborn ailments and restore them to their original state.

It was said that high-level physicians even possessed the ability to regenerate bone and flesh from death.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun didn't rashly go up to inquire. He pulled Lin Xueying and the others away.

Afterward, they went to Spirit Herb Pavilion, which had also been replaced by a artifact refining shop.

Their expressions grew serious as they headed back to the inn.

"It seems the Lin Family's influence here has also undergone some changes!" Zhou Xun mused inwardly.

"The ones who made a move must be the Wu, Sun, and Li families from Red Leaf Square!"

He just didn't know how they had extended their reach here.

Just then, Lin Xueying, who was beside him, tensed up.

She pulled Zhou Xun and the others to the side to avoid something.

Zhou Xun and the others were confused. After returning to the inn, Lin Xueying explained:

"Just now, I saw the Wu Family's Great Elder!"

That day, after defeating the Lin Family, the Wu Family spent another month consolidating their control over Red Leaf Square.

Afterward, the Wu Family's Great Elder personally traveled to White Cloud Immortal City.

Within the entire Xu Nation, there were only two third-rank powers.

One was the ruler of Xu Nation, Cloud Radiance Sect, and the other was White Cloud Immortal City.

To maintain their rule, Cloud Radiance Sect had been suppressing the immortal cultivating families within Xu Nation, preventing any further True Cores from emerging.

They didn't want a repeat of what happened with White Cloud Immortal City.

Three hundred years ago, the entire Xu Nation was dominated by Cloud Radiance Sect.

All the immortal cultivation resources in Xu Nation were held in the hands of Cloud Radiance Sect.

Major immortal cultivating families also pledged their allegiance to Cloud Radiance Sect.

Then, the formation master White Cloud True One suddenly rose to prominence, forming his True Core.

Relying on the White Cloud Mountain Range, he laid down a third-tier Grand Formation.

From then on, Xu Nation saw the emergence of a second third-tier power: White Cloud Immortal City.

With centuries of development, White Cloud Immortal City grew increasingly powerful, inevitably encroaching on the Cloud Radiance Sect's interests.

At the very least, throughout the southwest of Xu Nation, the Cloud Radiance Sect's influence had been reduced to an all-time low.

Wu Zongdao possessed an Earth Spiritual Root and was now a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment. It was fine when he hadn't revealed his abilities.

However, on the day of the Lin Family's attack, he was forced to act, revealing his cultivation. This immediately drew the attention of the Cloud Radiance Sect.

Coupled with the original Four Great Clans of Red Leaf Square.

The Lin Family had fled, and the Sun Family, with only two early Foundation Establishment cultivators, was no threat. The Li Family was even weaker, with only one mid-stage cultivator whose lifespan was nearing its end.

In the entirety of Red Leaf Square, the Wu Family had become the sole dominant power.

If Wu Zongdao were allowed to break through to the True Core stage, Red Leaf Square might become another White Cloud Immortal City in the future.

And the southern region of Xu Nation would no longer be under the Cloud Radiance Sect's control.

This was absolutely not something the Cloud Radiance Sect was willing to see.

Thus, after reorganizing Red Leaf Square, the Wu Family's Great Elder personally led a team to White Cloud Immortal City to discuss cooperation between the two families.

The one who received the Wu Family's Great Elder was White Cloud True One's personal disciple—Zhou Buqi.

He ranked eleventh among all of White Cloud True One's disciples, possessed late Foundation Establishment cultivation, and was now over a hundred and seventy years old.

He was also the actual person in charge of all major affairs in White Cloud Immortal City.

As for the disciples who ranked higher, except for Liu Bo'an, who ranked second and had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and was still alive, the rest had all passed away.

Therefore, Zhou Buqi was already the most senior Foundation Establishment cultivator under White Cloud True One.

"I have already reported what Fellow Daoist Wu said to my master. My master stated: White Cloud Immortal City will not interfere in the matters of Red Leaf Square!"

Upon hearing this, the Wu Family's Great Elder, Wu Guangxiao, his expression changed multiple times.

If they couldn't secure White Cloud Immortal City's support, the Cloud Radiance Sect's pressure would likely arrive very soon.

After much deliberation, he finally made up his mind and revealed the matter of Wu Zongdao's Earth Spiritual Root.

He then transmitted his voice:

"To be frank, Fellow Daoist, my grand-nephew Zongdao possesses the talent of an Earth Spiritual Root, and his cultivation has now reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. If White Cloud Immortal City provides support, he is willing to owe White Cloud Immortal City a favor!"

"Is that true?" Zhou Buqi exclaimed in astonishment.

The Wu Family had been hiding this so deeply!

Those with an Earth Spiritual Root had a fifty percent chance of breaking through to the True Core stage even without consuming any spiritual items. If they consumed an Essence Crystallization Pill, the probability would reach a staggering eighty percent.

With his current peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, it was likely that within ten years, the Wu Family would have a newly ascended True Core cultivator.

Thinking of this, Zhou Buqi's tone became enthusiastic:

"I never expected the Wu Family to produce such a true dragon!"

"Fellow Daoist Zhou is too kind. May I ask about White Cloud Immortal City?"

"Brother Wu, please wait a moment. I will go and report to my master again!" Zhou Buqi chuckled. The emergence of someone with an Earth Spiritual Root in the Wu Family was a major event that could change the future landscape of Xu Nation, and it had to be reported to White Cloud True One.

Afterward, White Cloud True One personally met with the Wu Family's Great Elder and finalized the cooperation matters between the two families.

The Wu Family's Great Elder remained in White Cloud Immortal City.

Firstly, to discuss the details of the cooperation with White Cloud Immortal City.

Secondly, to lead some Wu Family disciples to reside there, so that if the main family encountered trouble, they wouldn't be wiped out entirely.

After all, the Cloud Radiance Sect was still the dominant power in Xu Nation, with three True Core cultivators within the sect.