Emerging from Seclusion, Cave Abode Upgrade

[Sect Master's cave abode (lv2)]

[lv3 spiritual effects: Spirit Plant maturation cycle -40%, Spiritual Qi concentration +40%, recovery speed while meditating here +30%.

Adds a small Spirit Gathering Formation. When cultivating here, the cave abode master's cultivation speed +35%.

Combat power +100% within ten zhang of the cave abode.]

[Upgrade condition: reach Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation.]

It was just as Li Yunjing remembered.

He silently willed it to upgrade, and the Sect Master's cave abode went straight from lv2 to lv3.

[Sect Master's cave abode (lv3)]

[lv4 spiritual effects: Spirit Plant maturation cycle -50%, Spiritual Qi concentration +50%, recovery speed while meditating here +40%.

When cultivating here, the cave abode master's cultivation speed +45%.

Combat power +200% within fifteen zhang of the cave abode.

Condenses one drop of Earth Vein Spirit Milk every fifteen days.]

[Upgrade conditions: Earth Crystal Stone *1, second-grade Spirit Gathering Formation diagram, Low-Grade Spirit Stones *500.]

Once the Peak Master's Cave Abode reached lv3, Li Yunjing felt the surrounding Spiritual Qi grow a little denser.

At the same time, he could feel the Law Power within him surging more fiercely.

That was the effect of his combat power doubling.

When he saw the effects of the lv4 Sect Master's cave abode, his eyes lit up.

The existing effects had grown stronger, just as Li Yunjing had expected.

The new effect condensed one drop of Earth Vein Spirit Milk every fifteen days.

That effect came as a pleasant surprise to Li Yunjing.

Earth Vein Spirit Milk was a mid-tier second-grade treasure.

It had many uses: healing injuries, cultivation, and pill refinement.

A single drop of Earth Vein Spirit Milk could sell for over four hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones in Xunxian Town.

The conditions for upgrading the Sect Master's cave abode weren't difficult to meet, either.

Although Earth Crystal Stone was a mid-tier second-grade treasure,

its price wasn't high. It could be bought for a little over three hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

A second-grade Spirit Gathering Formation diagram cost only a little over two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Adding five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones to that,

upgrading the Sect Master's cave abode would cost only a little over a thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Li Yunjing could easily afford that now.

The Storage Bag Mo Xuan and Shui Yao had brought back earlier

contained twelve Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

One Mid-Grade Spirit Stone could be exchanged for a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

That was enough to upgrade the Sect Master's cave abode.

But it would have to wait.

Li Yunjing closed the panel.

Now that the Sect Master's cave abode had reached lv3,

Li Yunjing planned to cultivate for a while longer.

He would first take this opportunity to consolidate his cultivation.

That way, he wouldn't emerge from seclusion too early and fail to fully consolidate it,

leaving a hidden danger for his future cultivation.

The people of the Luozhen Sect didn't know that Li Yunjing had successfully broken through.

Time passed, and September fifteenth arrived.

Li Yunjing still hadn't emerged from seclusion.

Early that morning, Mo Xuan gathered the Luozhen Sect disciples in the Patriarch Hall.

Mo Xuan and Shui Yao stood at the front, and each of the seven held a stick of fine incense.

"Patriarchs above, please bless senior brother and let him reach Foundation Establishment without trouble."

With utmost devotion, Mo Xuan led the others in bowing three times to the patriarchs of the Luozhen Sect.

That feeling descended once again.

Mo Xuan noticed that he was drawing in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi faster.

It filled Mo Xuan with anticipation.

Senior brother said this was the patriarchs manifesting their power. Presumably, he will receive the Patriarch's Protection too.

After leaving the Patriarch Hall, Mo Xuan had intended to send the five disciples to the Luozhen Hall.

Today was the day of the Immortal Alliance's assessment,

and Mo Xuan had a few things to tell them.

But before Mo Xuan could lead everyone into the Luozhen Hall,

someone arrived at the Luozhen Sect.

Five streaks of rainbow light came racing across the distant sky.

Before long, they reached the sky above the Luozhen Sect.

Immediately afterward, the five streaks descended.

They landed in the square before the Luozhen Hall.

The rainbow light faded, revealing five cultivators.

Four of them were at Foundation Establishment, while the remaining one was at Qi Refining Completion.

Mo Xuan had met the Qi Refining Completion cultivator before: Li Qiuchen, head of the Li Household.

Mo Xuan also recognized one of the four Foundation Establishment cultivators.

She was Wang Qianxue, one of the Immortal Alliance's deacons.

Putting everything else aside, Mo Xuan hurried forward to welcome them.

"Seniors of the Immortal Alliance, you honor us with your presence. The Luozhen Sect failed to come out to welcome you from afar. Please forgive us, please forgive us."

Mo Xuan cupped his hands and spoke to the Immortal Alliance deacons, led by Wang Qianxue.

Wang Qianxue smiled faintly. "It's fine."

"Do you know why we've come today?"

Mo Xuan nodded. "I do."

Seeing this, Wang Qianxue said, "In that case, cooperate with us."

"Gather everyone in the Luozhen Sect here."

After hearing her, Mo Xuan waved to Shui Yao and the others in the distance.

Shui Yao promptly brought the five disciples to the square.

After they had all paid their respects to Wang Qianxue,

Wang Qianxue looked at the seven people in the square.

"Are there only seven of you?" Wang Qianxue asked.

Mo Xuan was silent for a moment before he said,

"Deacon, there's also my senior brother, but he's currently in seclusion and can't come out. Please forgive us."

"What is your senior brother's cultivation?" Wang Qianxue asked.

Mo Xuan was at a loss for words. He wanted to say that Li Yunjing was at Qi Refining Completion.

But he was in seclusion and could break through to Foundation Establishment at any moment.

Seeing Mo Xuan remain silent, Wang Qianxue asked again.

With no other choice, Mo Xuan could only say that Li Yunjing was at Qi Refining Completion.

Although he might reach Foundation Establishment at any moment, he hadn't reached it yet.

"In other words, the Luozhen Sect has only eight people and no Foundation Establishment cultivator, correct?"

The speaker this time was a male cultivator with a handlebar mustache standing beside Wang Qianxue.

Mo Xuan looked at the man, and Wang Qianxue introduced him. "This is Huo Junrui, Deacon Huo, one of the deacons at the Immortal Alliance's Xunxian Town branch."

Mo Xuan cupped his hands. "Deacon Huo, that is indeed... the case."

Mo Xuan's voice trembled.

Though he was deeply unwilling to admit it,

those were the facts, and Mo Xuan couldn't change them at will.

Once Mo Xuan admitted it, Huo Junrui immediately laughed.

"According to the Immortal Alliance's rules, without a Foundation Establishment cultivator overseeing it, the Luozhen Sect's status can only be revoked.

Deacon Wang, please make the announcement."

Huo Junrui looked at Wang Qianxue.

At that moment, Li Qiuchen and another Foundation Establishment cultivator also looked at Wang Qianxue expectantly.

Both were waiting for Wang Qianxue to announce that the Luozhen Sect's status had been revoked.

That way, the Li Household could use Huo Junrui's maneuvering to claim Serene Valley for itself.

Among the Luozhen Sect members,

Mo Xuan and Shui Yao clenched their teeth.

Once Wang Qianxue spoke, the Luozhen Sect's status would truly be revoked.

Helplessly, they still had no idea how Li Yunjing was doing.

The five Luozhen Sect disciples had even closed their eyes,

already trying to convince themselves to accept the truth.

Wang Qianxue didn't make the announcement immediately. Instead, she deliberately stalled for a while.

She wanted to see whether a miracle might still happen.

But after she stalled for a while, nothing changed.

Huo Junrui was also pressing Wang Qianxue to make a decision.

Wang Qianxue sighed inwardly. With no other choice, she began,

"According to Immortal Alliance regulations, the Luozhen Sect has no Foundation Establishment cultivator. Today, I, this deacon, on behalf of the Immortal Alliance..."

Just as Wang Qianxue was halfway through her words,

she and the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators suddenly turned toward Li Yunjing's cave abode at the same time.

At the same moment, a vigorous voice rang out.

"Deacon Wang, wait. I have successfully reached Foundation Establishment."

As soon as the voice rang out, everyone present reacted differently.

Li Qiuchen froze for a moment, then his expression changed drastically.

That voice belonged to the Luozhen Sect's master.

He had successfully reached Foundation Establishment?

Didn't that mean the Li Household's entire plan had come to nothing?

Li Qiuchen exchanged a glance with his family's patriarch.

His patriarch was also surprised, but signaled for Li Qiuchen not to act rashly.

On the Luozhen Sect's side, Mo Xuan and the others all froze.

After recognizing Li Yunjing's voice,

all seven Luozhen Sect members present were overcome with wild joy.

Especially Mo Xuan and Shui Yao.

The two embraced tightly.

"Senior brother did it," Shui Yao said.

Her voice was full of excitement.

Behind them, Zhang Hanpeng and the other disciples,

if not for the outsiders present,

would likely have been cheering and jumping for joy already.

For now, they merely clenched their hands, their faces flushed red as they forcibly suppressed their excitement.

When Huo Junrui heard the voice,

regret welled up inside him.

He had accepted benefits from the Li Household.

But now, it seemed he would probably have to return them.

I'll also have to explain things to him properly, so there won't be any misunderstandings, Huo Junrui thought.

Wang Qianxue smiled, her eyes narrowing. Li Yunjing had given her a pleasant surprise.

Just then, a streak of crimson rainbow light descended from the sky.

The next moment, Li Yunjing appeared before everyone...