Doubts and New Foundation Establishment Cultivators

"Sect Leader, there's something I don't know whether I should say."

At that moment, Lü Hong stood up, hesitation on his face.

Li Yunjing came back to his senses. "Speak freely."

Lü Hong breathed a sigh of relief. "I stayed there for three months, but it actually took me only a few days to learn most of what I needed to know.

"The reason I stayed so long was that I discovered something unusual.

"Because of what I discovered, I think it would be best for the Luozhen Sect to have nothing to do with Seven Ingenuities Mountain."

Although Lü Hong didn't know Li Yunjing's objective,

he could vaguely tell that whatever Li Yunjing wanted to do must have something to do with the Wang Household.

Curious after hearing Lü Hong's words, Li Yunjing asked, "What did you discover?"

Lü Hong considered his words before continuing.

"I discovered that three lineages on Seven Ingenuities Mountain-the Zhao, Lu, and Tian Households-were secretly growing Illusory Spirit Flowers."

"Are you sure?" Li Yunjing's eyes widened slightly, and he sprang to his feet.

Lü Hong nodded with absolute certainty. "I'm sure."

Seeing this, Li Yunjing sat back down and lowered his head in thought.

The Illusory Spirit Flower was a relatively rare spirit medicine.

It could not be taken directly and had to be processed before it could be used as medicine.

If taken directly, it would send a cultivator into a state of extreme excitation.

In that state, the cultivator would become highly violent.

This posed a grave threat to other cultivators.

After the extreme excitation, the cultivator would fall into an extreme slump.

The change in state would cause tremendous damage to a cultivator's body.

Moreover, taking an Illusory Spirit Flower even once would cause a person to become dependent on it.

It would make the cultivator unable to control themselves and lead them to keep taking Illusory Spirit Flowers.

In time, a cultivator would be ruined.

The Luozhen Sect was a member of the Immortal Alliance.

The Immortal Alliance strictly forbade any of its members from taking Illusory Spirit Flowers without permission.

If anyone was caught, the alliance would show no mercy.

Nor could anyone grow Illusory Spirit Flowers without permission.

A permit was required to grow them.

Therefore, if the Luozhen Sect became involved with Illusory Spirit Flowers, it would be finished.

After pondering for a moment, Li Yunjing looked at Lü Hong.

"Did the Wang Household grow Illusory Spirit Flowers?"

Lü Hong shook his head. "I don't know. I couldn't find out.

"But I'm certain that, aside from the three households I just mentioned and the Wang Household, the other three households also intend to grow Illusory Spirit Flowers.

"I learned this from a member of a collateral branch of the Zhao Household.

"With the spirit vein at Seven Ingenuities Mountain about to depart, the Zhao Household and several other lineages decided to make a fortune, so they planted Illusory Spirit Flowers.

"In my opinion, the Wang Household may also be forced to agree."

Li Yunjing nodded slightly. Lü Hong's concern was justified.

This made Li Yunjing wonder whether what Wang Shanming had said was true.

Wang Shanming had said that the other six lineages had targeted the Wang Household

because it had obtained a beast-taming cultivation method.

But now, Li Yunjing felt that the other six lineages were targeting the Wang Household

because it had refused to grow Illusory Spirit Flowers.

Although the Wang Household and the other lineages were not members of the Immortal Alliance,

and would not be punished by it even if they grew Illusory Spirit Flowers without permission,

the problem was that the public opposed Illusory Spirit Flowers.

Anyone who grew them would certainly be scorned by the public.

The Wang Household surely did not want its reputation damaged.

After all, the Wang Household had its own way to survive.

It surely would not wallow in the same mire as the other six lineages.

And if Wang Shanming really had concealed the truth,

then the Li Household's actions gave Li Yunjing reason to think further.

Was the Li Household trying to use this to take revenge on the Luozhen Sect?

While Li Yunjing was still pondering, Lü Hong brought up another important matter.

"Sect Leader, I also investigated something else.

"The Zhao Household and the other lineages seem to have been instructed by certain people to grow Illusory Spirit Flowers.

"I wasn't able to find out exactly who, but I found some leads. I suspect it has something to do with bandit cultivators."

Li Yunjing stopped pondering and looked at Lü Hong with mild surprise.

Li Yunjing had not expected Lü Hong to be so capable.

He had actually uncovered so much.

But bandit cultivators...

Li Yunjing's expression grew somewhat grave.

Bandit cultivators had an even worse reputation than Illusory Spirit Flowers.

The moment bandit cultivators dared show their faces, they would surely be dealt a severe blow.

To maintain peace and stability in the region,

the Immortal Alliance placed great importance on suppressing bandit cultivators.

The Immortal Alliance had a rule:

whenever its members encountered bandit cultivators,

they could execute them first and report afterward.

As long as they killed bandit cultivators, they would be handsomely rewarded.

Now that Lü Hong had uncovered signs that bandit cultivators might have appeared,

Li Yunjing had to take the matter seriously.

As a member of the Immortal Alliance,

the Luozhen Sect had to fulfill its responsibilities.

However, Li Yunjing did not intend to go looking for the bandit cultivators himself.

Li Yunjing would report the matter to the Immortal Alliance Xunxian Town Branch.

Li Yunjing was no fool.

Bandit cultivators were exceptionally vicious. Only an idiot would fight them alone.

If he could call for backup, why risk himself?

"Is there any other news?" Li Yunjing looked at Lü Hong.

Lü Hong shook his head. "No, Sect Leader, that's all."

Li Yunjing smiled. "You did very well on this mission. I'll credit you with ten Minor Merits."

Li Yunjing also took out fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, two premium spirit chicken eggs, and the Crimson Cloud Iron he had previously obtained from a blind box drawn with Patriarch Incense Offerings.

"These are all rewards for you."

Li Yunjing handed everything he held to Lü Hong.

Seeing this, Lü Hong immediately broke into a wide, delighted grin.

"Thank you, Sect Leader."

After accepting all the treasures, Lü Hong felt his attachment to the Luozhen Sect deepen.

How could he ever have obtained so many treasures as a rogue cultivator?

Li Yunjing waved his hand, signaling Lü Hong to leave and get some proper rest.

After Lü Hong left, Li Yunjing sat in thought.

Li Yunjing intended to protect the Wang Household.

After all, the Wang Household knew beast taming, which was very useful to Li Yunjing at present.

There was one condition, however: the Wang Household had to be uninvolved with the Illusory Spirit Flowers.

As for how to protect the Wang Household, Li Yunjing already had a plan in mind.

And as for the Li Household,

Li Yunjing would remember this grudge for now.

Later, Li Yunjing would look for a chance to take revenge.

After pondering for a moment, Li Yunjing walked out of Luozhen Hall.

Li Yunjing intended to leave the Luozhen Sect for a trip to the Immortal Alliance in Xunxian Town.

Just as he was about to leave, Li Yunjing suddenly sensed that something was happening by the cultivation rooms.

At the same time, Li Yunjing keenly sensed the spiritual Qi throughout Serene Valley surging toward the cultivation rooms.

Noticing this, Li Yunjing immediately looked delighted.

He hurried over to the cultivation rooms.

When Li Yunjing arrived in front of them, he saw

a massive vortex of spiritual Qi hovering above.

It stirred up the surrounding spiritual Qi, sending it pouring into the cultivation rooms.

Junior Brother Mo and Junior Sister Shui are finally about to reach Foundation Establishment, Li Yunjing thought.

Li Yunjing sat down silently and stood guard for the two of them.

About fifteen minutes passed.

The spiritual Qi vortex gradually vanished.

Li Yunjing opened his eyes and looked toward the cultivation rooms.

Inside, Li Yunjing's Divine Sense detected two Foundation Establishment presences.

After a while, the cultivation room door opened.

Mo Xuan and Shui Yao walked out hand in hand.

Both wore radiant smiles.

Li Yunjing stood up and walked over.

"Junior Brother Mo, Junior Sister Shui, congratulations. You've both reached Foundation Establishment too."

Upon seeing Li Yunjing, Mo Xuan hurriedly cupped his hands.

"Senior Brother."

Li Yunjing patted Mo Xuan on the shoulder.

"I never imagined all three of us would reach Foundation Establishment. If Master's spirit watches from beneath the Nine Springs, he must be gratified too," Li Yunjing said.

Mo Xuan and Shui Yao both nodded in agreement.

They had not expected it either.

They had not expected to reach Foundation Establishment so quickly.

"Senior Brother, now that all three of us have reached Foundation Establishment, when are you planning to hold the Foundation Establishment banquet?" Shui Yao asked curiously.

Li Yunjing pondered briefly.

"Let's set it for the day after tomorrow, the ninth day of the twelfth month."

Mo Xuan and Shui Yao both nodded.

The sooner the Foundation Establishment banquet was held, the better.

They could spread the Luozhen Sect's name sooner,

so the outside world would not continue to think the Luozhen Sect was as fallen as before.

Now that it had three Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Luozhen Sect was completely different from before.

Just as Li Yunjing was about to make arrangements,

a notification box suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[The sect has gained two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Prosperity +3.]